Süvade kaela painutajalihaste treeningu mõju kroonilise kaelavalu korral

Krooniline kaelavalu on levinud tervisehäire, mis nõuab multidistsiplinaarset käsitlemist. Selle üheks ravivõimaluseks on kehalised harjutused. Ülevaates on võrreldud avaldatud uurimuste andmete põhjal süvade kaela painutajalihaste treeningu mõju teiste kasutusel olevate kaelalihaste treeningu programmidega kroonilise kaelavalu korral. &nbsp

Pirnlihase sündroom: ülevaade ja füsioterapeutiline käsitlus

Ishias ja alaseljavalu võib olla põhjustatud nimme lülivaheketaste degeneratiivsetest muutustest (1), ent 0,3–6% juhtudest seostatakse alaseljavalu ja/või mittediskogeenset istmikunärvivalu pirnlihase ehk piriformis’e sündroomiga (PS) (2). PS on neuromuskulaarne häire, mis on seotud istmikunärvi (n. ischiadicus), pirnlihase (m. piriformis) ja nendega seotud struktuuridega. Kuna PSi korral esinevad sarnased sümptomid lumbaalse radikulopaatiaga, sakroiliakaalliigese ning puusaliigese haigusseisunditega, ei osata PSi sageli kahtlustada (3–5). Seni puuduvad aktsepteeritud uurimismeetodid, mida võiks kasutada PSi diagnoosimisel referentsstandardina (6–9). Ülevaates on käsitletud PSi diagnostilisi kriteeriume ja analüüsitud erinevate füsioterapeutiliste tehnikate efektiivsust PSi korral

Physical Activity, Fitness, and Cognitive Performance of Estonian First-Grade Schoolchildren According Their MVPA Level in Kindergarten: A Longitudinal Study

Little is known about the longitudinal trajectories and associations regarding physical activity (PA), physical fitness (PF), and cognitive skills in childhood. Accelerometer-based PA, sedentary behavior (SB), PF, and cognitive skills were measured in Estonian children (n = 147) in kindergarten (6.6 years) and again at school (7.6 years). Children were subgrouped into lower and upper quartiles by their moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) at 6.6 years. Children in the upper quartile had lower SB, higher PA, and greater muscular strength. Attending school, MVPA in the lower quartile improved. In both subgroups, most strength values and cognitive skills improved, while balance deteriorated in first grade. In the upper quartile, a greater MPA at 6.6 years predicted lower perceptual skills at 7.6 years. A greater SB at 6.6 years predicted higher verbal skills, light and moderate PA and MVPA, and lower verbal skills at 7.6 years after taking into account confounding factors such as the child’s sex, age, awake wear time (AWT), maternal education, and/or child’s sports participation. A vigorous PA at 6.6 years predicted perceptual (in upper quartile) or verbal (in lower quartile) skills at 7.6 years after controlling for similar confounders. No correlation for PF at 6.6 years and cognitive skills at 7.6 years existed; after adjusting for the above-mentioned confounders relative to upper/lower-limb strength, the 4 × 10 m shuttle run results predicted higher perceptual or verbal skills; static balance and cardiorespiratory fitness predicted lower verbal skills. Cardiorespiratory fitness predicted higher perceptual skills after controlling for sex, age, and AWT. Overall, PA and strength were constantly better and SB lower in the upper quartile, yet the lower quartile demonstrated improved MVPA in first grade, and both subgroups increased most components of their strength and cognitive skills in first grade. Higher levels of VPA at kindergarten predicted either better perceptual or verbal skills in first grade after controlling for confounders; the opposite associations were found for other PA levels and cognitive skills in the higher quartile. PF components at kindergarten predicted either superior or inferior cognitive skills in first grade after adjusting for confounders

The effect of isometric handgrip training on blood pressure

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of single-bout isometric handgrip training on systolic (BPS) and diastolic blood pressure (BPD). Healthy normotensive (BP<120/80 mmHg) (n=6) and prehypertensive (BPS 120–139 mmHg and/or BPD 80–89 mmHg) (n=6) women with mean age of 47.3±14.0 years, who did not take antihypertensive medicine, participated in the study. Blood pressure (BP) was measured with aneroid sphygmomanometer Riester Precisa N (Germany). Thereafter with the JAMAR hydraulic hand dynamometer (USA) maximal isometric contraction (MVC) was recorded. After a rest of 3 min, the subject was asked to perform the isometric contraction at 30% of MVC for 2 min and that was repeated for four times with rest of 1 min after each bout of contraction. BP was measured again after a rest of 3 min and 3 hrs. 3 min after isometric exercise no statistically significant changes in BPS and BPD was observed. But clinically meaningful BPS decrease was observed and confirmed by subgroup analysis with decrease in BPS among prehypertensive subjects. 3 hrs after isometric exercise BPS and BPD were significantly reduced and the decrease in BPS was also clinically meaningful. Subgroup findings showed among normotensive significant and clinically meaningful reduction in BPS and BPD, respectively, as well as clinically meaningful reduction in BPS among prehypertensive subjects. According to this study we suggest that isometric handgrip training could be considered as BP lowering training method

Efficacy of a multimodal physiotherapy treatment program for postural disorders and pain: a case report

The participant of this study was a 40-year-old female, who mainly complained of middle thoracic stiffness and pain in extension at the mid thoracic level with hyperkyphosis, forward head and mild thoracic dextroscoliosis. The subject participated in multimodal home-based physiotherapy program with the duration of 9 months, consisting of posture exercises, soft tissue massage therapy and thoracic manipulations. Comparison of initial and final evaluation revealed the improvement in all evaluated variables, including the reduction of thoracic hyperkyphosis, forward head posture and thoracic dextroscoliosis, freer and less painful thoracic spine extension mobility, no pain in the sacroiliac joint, and increased satisfaction with the posture. There was also notable improvement in the algometry of the paraspinal muscles, equalization of functional lower-leg length and rib-pelvic distance of both sides of body. In conclusion, the proposed physiotherapy protocol can be beneficial in addressing postural faults such as thoracic hyperkyphosis, forward head and scoliosis. However, further research is needed with a larger sample

Physical fitness in preschool children in relation to later body composition at first grade in school.

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate whether better physical fitness in kindergarten predicts later healthier body composition in first grade at school.MethodsBody composition was assessed by skinfold thickness measurements. Physical fitness tests included 20 m shuttle run test, handgrip strength test, standing long jump test, 4x10 m shuttle run test as part of PREFIT fitness test battery, and one-leg stance test from EUROFIT test battery. The participants of this study were 147 Estonian children (51% boys) aged 6-8 years, who were measured in the transition from kindergarten to school.ResultsAfter adjusting for maternal body mass index, educational attainment, child's sex, age at the measurements, greater cardiovascular and motor fitness, relative lower body strength, static balance at 6.6 yr were associated with lower fat mass index, fat mass percentage at 12-month follow-up. The relative lower body strength above the median at 6.6 yr were related to lower fat mass index and fat mass percentage at 12-month follow-up, while the static balance test results demonstrated the opposite associations. Improvements in the 4x10 m shuttle run test results during the 12-month follow-up period were associated with the most beneficial changes in body composition status, such as increases in fat-free mass index and decreases in fat mass index, fat mass percentage, waist-to-height ratio after adjusting for maternal body mass index, educational attainment, child's sex, age, at the measurements and baseline values of exposures.ConclusionBetter physical fitness tests results at 6.6 yr in kindergarten generally predicted lower body fat parameters in children at 7.6 yr in first grade at school

Effectiveness of massage chair and classic massage in recovery from physical exertion: a pilot study

Quick and cost-effective recovery is foundational to high-quality training and good competition results in today’s sports. The aim of the research was to elucidate the effects of hand and massage chair massage on the biomechanical parameters of muscles of lower limbs and back, indicators of Pain Pressure Thresholds (PPT) and subjectively perceived fatigue. A total of 32 female recreational athletes (18 – 50 years old) were assigned to a hand massage, massage chair, or lying down the group. They were measured for muscle biomechanical properties (MyotonPro), PPT (Wagner Instruments) and subjectively perceived fatigue (VAS scale) before and after fatigue tests and treatment. The recovery procedure and subjective satisfaction with treatment were rated on a Likert scale. Changes in the median value of m. rectus femoris and m. gastrocnemius stiffness with treatment showed that hand massage could be more effective in reducing stiffness, as compared to chair massage. Hand massage may have benefits for recovery from physical exertion, but due to the individuality of subjects, detailed methodological studies are needed to evaluate the effects of massage chair vs. hand massage