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Introduction: Peripheral neuropathies are a prevalent, heterogeneous group of diseases of the peripheral nervous system. Symptoms are often debilitating, difficult to treat, and usually become chronic. Not only do they diminish patients’ quality of life, but they can also affect medical therapy and lead to complications. To date, for most conditions there are no evidence-based causal treatment options available. Research has increased considerably since the last review in 2014 regarding the therapeutic potential of exercise interventions for patients with polyneuropathy. Objective: Our objective in this systematic review with meta-analysis was to analyze exercise interventions for neuropathic patients in order to update a systematic review from 2014 and to evaluate the potential benefits of exercise on neuropathies of different origin that can then be translated into practice. Methods: Two independent reviewers performed a systematic review with meta-analysis according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Inclusion criteria according to the PICOS approach were: neuropathic patients, exercise interventions only, an inactive or non-exercising control group, and solely randomized controlled trials with the following outcome parameters: neuropathic symptoms, balance parameters, functional mobility, gait, health-related quality of life, and HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin). Results: A total of 41 randomized, controlled trials met all inclusion criteria, 20 of which could be included in the quantitative analysis. Study quality varied from moderate to high. Current data further support the hypothesis that exercise is beneficial for neuropathic patients. This is best documented for patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) (27 studies) as well as for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) (nine studies), while there are only few studies (five) on all other causes of neuropathy. We found standardized mean differen

Background Accurate assessment of physical activity is essential to determine the magnitude of the health-related benefits of regular physical activity. While physical activity questionnaires are easy to use, their accuracy in comparison to objective measures has been questioned. The purpose of the present study was to examine the utility of two interview-based questionnaires; a recently-developed instrument, the Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (SIMPAQ), and the Seven Day-Physical Activity Recall (7DPAR). Methods Accelerometer data was collected in 72 university students (50% females). Telephone interviews were conducted to complete the SIMPAQ and the 7DPAR. Results Significant correlations (p < .001) were found between accelerometer-based moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), the amount of self-reported moderate-to-vigorous exercise assessed via the SIMPAQ (rho = .49), and vigorous physical activity assessed via the 7DPAR (rho = .50). Exercise assessed via the SIMPAQ was significantly correlated with the vigorous physical activity score of the 7DPAR (rho = .56, p < .001). While participants needed three minutes less to complete the SIMPAQ (p < .001), participants tended to be more confident about the accuracy of the answers they provided on the 7DPAR (p < 01). Conclusions These two questionnaire measures of physical activity performed similarly in a healthy young adult sample. The SIMPAQ can be completed in 15 minutes, which could be an advantage in settings where time for physical activity assessment is limited.

Purpose: To characterize gender differences in power output, energetic capacity and exercise efficiency during whole-body (WP), upper-body (UP), and arm poling (AP). Methods: Ten male and ten female elite cross-country skiers, matched for international performance level, completed three incremental submaximal tests and a 3-min self-paced performance test on a Concept2 SkiErg. Power output, cardiorespiratory and kinematic variables were monitored. Body composition was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: The men demonstrated 87, 97 and 103 % higher power output, and 51, 65 and 71 % higher VO2peak (L min−1) than the women during WP, UP and AP, respectively, while utilizing ~10 % more of their running VO2max in all modes (all P < 0.001). The men had 35, 38 and 59 % more lean mass in the whole body, upper body and arms (all P < 0.001). The men exhibited greater shoulder and elbow extension at the start of poling and greater trunk flexion at the end of poling (all P < 0.05). The relationship between VO2 and power output did not differ between the men and women. Conclusions: Gender differences in power production and peak aerobic capacity increased sequentially from WP to UP to AP, coinciding with a greater portion of the muscle mass in the arms of the men. Although the men and women employed each poling technique differently, the estimated efficiency of double poling was independent of gender., Article

Alterations of retinal vessel diameters are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. We aimed to investigate changes in retinal vessel diameters in response to acute dynamic exercise of different intensities and whether these changes are age dependent. Seventeen healthy seniors (median (IQR) age 68 (65, 69) years) and 15 healthy young adults (median (IQR) age 26 (25, 28) years) first performed a maximal treadmill test (MTT) followed by a submaximal treadmill test (SMTT) and a resting control condition in randomised order. Central retinal arteriolar (CRAE) and central retinal venular (CRVE) diameter equivalents were measured before as well as 5 (t5) and 40 (t40) minutes after exercise cessation using a static retinal vessel analyser. Both exercise intensities induced a significant dilatation in CRAE and CRVE at t5 compared to the control condition (P < 0.001). At t40, the mean increase in CRAE and CRVE was greater for MTT compared to that for SMTT (CRAE 1.7μm (95% confidence interval (CI) −0.1, 3.6; P = 0.061); CRVE 2.2μm (95% CI 0.4, 4.1; P = 0.019)). However, the estimated difference at t5 between seniors and young adults in their response to MTT compared to SMTT was 5.3μm (95% CI 2.0, 8.5; P = 0.002) for CRAE and 4.1μm (95% CI −0.4, 8.6; P = 0.076) for CRVE. Wider arteries and veins after maximal versus submaximal exercise for seniors compared to young adults suggest that myogenic vasoconstriction in response to exhaustive exercise may be reduced in seniors. Age-related loss of vascular reactivity has clinical implications since the arteriolar vasoconstriction protects the retinal capillary bed from intraluminal pressure peaks.