Study on dynamical characteristics of electrocardiographic parameters during physical load

The analysis of electrocardiographic parameters concatenations can be used to describe physiological changes in the whole body during physical load. Research aim was to analyse dynamical characteristics of electrocardiographic parameters in different physical ability men group during bicycle ergometry. The research contingent consisted of 63 healthy men, who according to the power achieved at the anaerobic threshold were divided into 2 groups. The following tests were used: anthropometric measurements, electrocardiography, bicycle ergometry, spiroergometry and mathematical statistics. During bicycle ergometry the pulmonary gas exchange rates were collected, which was used to establish the anaerobic threshold. This research has shown changes in the functional parameters of the cardiovascular system and inter-parametric concatenations of different fractal levels between aerobic and anaerobic work. This study established that the best results were obtained in the high aerobic power group. This research established that the functional parameters of the cardiovascular system depended on physical ability of the subjects. In the high aerobic power group, the body metabolism and regulatory systems (JT/QRS) and heart and body (RR/QRS) interaction was weaker, and the heart metabolism and regulatory systems (RR/JT) interaction was stronger than in other research group (p< 0.05) during physical load

The effect of differential training-based occupational therapy on hand and arm function in patients after stroke: Results of the pilot study

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of differential training-based occupational therapy on the recovery of arm function and to compare these data with the results obtained after conventional occupational therapy. Methods A total of 27 patients who had suffered a cerebral infarction in the left brain hemisphere were recruited for the study. There were 9 men (33.33%) and 18 women (66.67%). All the patients had paresis of the right arm. The patients were divided into 2 groups: the control group comprised 15 patients who were given conventional occupational therapy (5 times per week) and the study group consisted of 12 patients who underwent conventional occupational therapy (3 times per week) along with occupational therapy based on differential training (2 times per week). Results In the control group, the mean performance time of only 2 tasks, i.e., flip cards and fold towel, improved significantly (P&lt;0.05), while significant deterioration in the mean performance time of the task “lift can” was observed (P&lt;0.05). In the study group, the mean performance time of all the tasks except for forearm to box (side), hand to box (front), and lift paperclip improved significantly (P&lt;0.05), and no deterioration in arm function was observed. Conclusion Both patients’ groups improved arm function after occupational therapy sessions, but the patients who underwent conventional occupational therapy along with differential training-based occupational therapy recovered their arm function more effectively than their counterparts after conventional occupational therapy

Improvement of balance of children with disorder of motor function by means of adapted physiotherapy

The aim of the research is to observe whether specific developmental disorder of motor function (SDDMF) in infancy affects 6-7 years old children’s balance and to find out does physiotherapy (PT) is beneficial for enhancing and maintaining this feature. The study involved 97 right-hand 6-7 years old children. Participants were divided into two groups: study and control group. In the study group, there were children who had SDDMF in infancy being 4-11 months old and participated in a PT program in infancy. Control group participants didn’t have SDDMF and PT in infancy. The balance was assessed using a computerized balance platform. The study group had 16 physiotherapy procedures. A data analysis showed significant differences of participants’ balance characteristics in frontal and sagittal planes: comparing study and control group results before PT in open eyes with feedback performance. There was a significant difference of balance between the study group before and after a PT with the control group when participants performed tasks with open eyes without a feedback. SDDMF in infancy affects 6-7 years old children’s balance and PT is beneficial for enhancing and maintaining these features for 6-7 years old children

The impact of different physiotherapy techniques on trunk stabilizer muscles strength, pain and functional disability in persons diagnosed with intervertebral disc herniation

This pilot study presents data on the application of two different physiotherapy techniques and the comparison of their effectiveness in patients with radiologically confirmed intervertebral disc herniation. At baseline and the end of the application of the studied physiotherapy techniques, the subjects, after being distributed into two groups, underwent testing in order to determine their trunk stabilizer muscle strength, pain intensity at rest and on exertion, and the level of disability. The physiotherapy program consisted of individually selected exercises. Subjects of the first group additionally underwent sling exercise therapy, and subjects of the second group – physiotherapy with feedback exercises. Both combinations – physiotherapy with feedback exercises and physiotherapy with sling exercise therapy – statistically significantly reduced functional disability and lower back pain at rest and on exertion. The physiotherapy program with feedback exercises was more efficient than the physiotherapy program with sling exercise therapy when correcting imbalance in trunk stabilizer muscle strength. The impact of both physiotherapy programs on trunk stabilizer muscle strength was similar. Both combinations – physiotherapy with feedback exercises and physiotherapy with sling exercise therapy – had an equal impact on the decrease in pain and functional disabilit

Human heart rhythm sensitivity to earth local magnetic field fluctuations

The sensitivity of human hearth’s rhythm to the fluctuations of Earth’s local magnetic field is analyzed in this paper. Data collected during the long-term project of heart-rate variability (HRV) data from 17 female volunteers were used to correlate to measured fluctuations of Earth magnetic signals. Magnetic signals are collected utilizing the first global network of GPS time stamped detectors designed to continuously measure magnetic signals that occur in the same range as human physiological frequencies such as the brain and cardiovascular systems

Effect of differential training on manual dexterity of preschool children

Įvadas. Mokymasis visą gyvenimą prasideda nuo vienos svarbiausių ugdymosi pakopų – priešmokyklinio vaiko ugdymo. Todėl vaikams reikia smulkiosios motorikos įgūdžių: jėgos ir miklumo, kad galėtų suimti rašymo priemonę ir parodyti pakankamus manipuliacinius įgūdžius, reikalingus rašyti [2,15]. Diferencinis mokymas remiasi judesio nekartotinumo principu, tai mokymas, kad pats subjektas mokydamasis kompleksinių motorinių įgūdžių suranda tik jam vienam optimalius atlikimo modelius [19]. Tiriamieji ir tyrimo metodika. Tyrimas buvo atliekamas Kauno ikimokyklinio ugdymo įstaigoje. Atrankos kriterijus atitiko 27 priešmokyklinio amžiaus vaikai, iš kurių 15 mergaičių ir 12 berniukų. Tyrimo metu buvo atliktas pradinis ir pakartotinis priešmokyklinio amžiaus vaikų rankų miklumo vertinimas. Visi priešmokyklinio amžiaus vaikai buvo suskirstyti į tiriamąją ir įprasto poveikio grupes. Tiriamąją grupę sudarė 14 vaikų. Jiems buvo taikomas diferencinis mokymas (du kartus per savaitę) kartu su priešmokykline ugdymo programa (tris kartus per savaitę). Įprasto poveikio grupę sudarė 13 vaikų, kuriems buvo taikoma vien priešmokyklinė ugdymo programa penkis kartus per savaitę. Tyrimas truko keturias savaites. Vaikų rankų miklumas buvo vertinamas „Kaištukų lentos testu (angl. Purdue pegboard test)“ prieš užsiėmimus ir po keturių savaičių užsiėmimų. Rezultatai. Vaikai, kuriems buvo taikyta priešmokyklinio ugdymo programa kartu su diferenciniu mokymu, dominuojančia, nedominuojančia rankomis ir statant bokštelius sudėjo reikšmingai (p<0,05) daugiau kaištukų nei vaikai, kurie buvo lavinami įprasta priešmokykline ugdymo programa. Lyginant įprasto poveikio ir tiriamosios grupių vaikų kaištukų dėjimo abiem rankomis rezultatus, nustatėme, kad didesnis pokytis (p<0,05) nustatytas tiriamojoje grupėje. Tiriamosios grupės vaikai, kuriems greta įprastos ugdymo programos buvo taikytas diferencinis mokymas, sudėjo daugiau kaištukų porų nei vaikai, kurie atliko tik įprasto lavininimo užduotis. Išvada. Priešmokyklinio amžiaus vaikų rankų miklumas buvo geresnis taikant įprastą ugdymo programą ir diferencinį mokymą nei taikant vien įprastą priešmokyklinio ugdymo programą.Lifelong learning begins with one of the most important stages of education - preschool education, therefore, children need fine motor skills such as strength and suppleness required to take the writing tool in order to carry out the necessary manipulative actions needed for writing [2, 15]. Differential training is based on the principle of non repetition of the movement. It is based on the fact that the subject himself finds his own optimal performance models for learning complex motor skills [19]. Subjects and methods of research. The research was carried out at Kaunas institution of preschool education. The selection criteria were met by 27 children of preschool age, 15 girls and 12 boys. During the study, an initial and repeated assessment of manual dexterity of the preschool children was carried out. All preschool children were divided into study and conventional impact groups. Study group consisted of 14 children. They had differential training (twice a week) combined with a preschool curriculum (three times a week) applied. The conventional impact group consisted of 13 children who followed the usual preschool curriculum five times a week. The research lasted for 4 weeks. Children‘s manual dexterity was measured by the „Purdue pegboard test” before the classes and after four weeks of training. Results. Children who were trained following the preschool curriculum, combined with the differential training, put significantly more (p<0,05) pegs with dominant and non dominant hands and constructed towers than the children who had only the usual preschool curriculum applied. By comparing the results of the children putting the pegs with both hands in conventional impact and study groups we found a higher change (p<0,05) in the study group. The children of the study group who, besides the usual curriculum had differential teaching applied, have put more pairs of pegs than children who have just been doing the tasks of conventional teaching. Conclusion. The manual dexterity of preschool children was better when applying usual curriculum combined with a differential teaching rather than applying standard preschool curriculum alone

Change of cognitive functions after stroke with rehabilitation systems

The objective of this study is to assess and compare the effect of applying a computerised cognitive training programme and virtual environment rehabilitation system on cognitive functions in patients after a stroke. Methods. A controlled trial included 121 persons referred to second stage rehabilitation. The subjects were differentiated into three impact groups by a single blinded trial. Results. The trial revealed that cognitive functions improved in all patient groups (p<0.001). A paired comparison analysis of all groups demonstrated a tendency for cognitive functions, evaluated by the MoCA–LT test, to be more strongly improved in patients who practised a computerised cognitive training programme during their OT sessions than those who did not (p=0.054). Conclusions. The final outcome of the trial was that cognitive functions significantly improved in patients who practised computerised cognitive training programmes or virtual environment rehabilitation systems, compared to those participants who only had occupational therapy sessions

Factor loading items for the one-factor solution.

BackgroundLow back pain is one of the most frequent medical problems caused by different factors. It is important to evaluate low back pain by choosing the best suited tool for the specific spine condition and pain severity. The Spine Functional Index (SFI) is a relatively new physical functioning-related questionnaire that can be used to assess different aspects of daily activities and movements. The purpose of this study was to cross-culturally adapt the SFI for the Lithuanian language and to determine its psychometric properties of validity, reliability, construct stability, internal consistency and factor structure.MethodsThe study was designed as a two-stage observational study. Double forward and backward translations of SFI were performed for cultural adaptation for the Lithuanian language. For evaluation of psychometric properties, 125 participants with non-specific low back pain (duration of symptoms ≥ 6 weeks) rated their pain using Numeric Rating Scale, completed the Lithuanian version of SFI and Oswestry Disability Index. In 3 to 7 days all participants completed Lithuanian version SFI for the second time. The full sample was employed to determine internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct stability, measurement error, construct validity and factor structure.ResultsThere was good internal consistency and reliability with Lithuanian version of SFI as Cronbach’s α = 0.92 and r = 0.82. Spearman-Brown coefficient was 0.97 representing good construct stability. Measurement error from standard error of the mean (SEM) was 6.96, from Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) was 16.24. Construct validity between the Lithuanian version of SFI and Oswestry Disability Index was excellent (ρ = 0.83), and good between the SFI and Numeric Rating Scale (ρ = 0.55). The factor analysis demonstrated a one-factor solution explaining 35.04% of total variance.ConclusionLithuanian version of SFI is a new reliable and valid instrument for functional evaluation of back pain in Lithuanian speaking patients.</div

Assessment of the effect of anthropometric data on the alterations of cardiovascular parameters in Lithuanian elite male basketball players during physical load

Objectives. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of the anthropometric data of basketball players on the alterations of cardiovascular parameters during the physical load applying the model of integrated evaluation. Material and Methods. The research sample consisted of 113 healthy Caucasian male basketball players, candidates of the Lithuanian National men’s basketball teams. Basketball players were divided into 2 groups: 69 taller and heavier male basketball players (with higher percentage of body fat) (TMB) and 44 shorter and less heavy male basketball players (with lower percentage of body fat) (SMB). The amount of fat, expressed in percentage, was measured using the body composition analyzer TBF–300. “Kaunas-Load,” a computerized ECG analysis system, was used to evaluate the functional condition of the cardiovascular system during the load. Results. The TMB group had a lower heart rate during the warming-up phase and the steady state of the load as compared with the SMB group (P<0.05). The JT interval in the TMB group was greater during the warming-up and the steady state as compared with the SMB group (P<0.05). The JT/RR ratio index in the TMB group was found to be lower in the warming-up phase and in the steady state compared with the respective parameter in the SMB group (P<0.05). Conclusions. The cardiovascular system of taller and heavier male basketball players with a greater relative amount of body fat functioned more economically