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Simple Summary: Perimenopause begins on average four years before a woman's last menses. At the end of this time, oestrogen levels drop, which leads to physiological and anatomical changes which have a significant impact on the quality of life. Increase in the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) during the sixth decade of life can be explained by not only oestrogen deprivation, but also an effect on the lipid profile. A study showed that in healthy women, total cholesterol levels increase on average by 25 mg/dL (14%) and the levels of LDL cholesterol increase on average by 20 mg/dL (19%) from 4 years before to 1 year after menopause, which results in a greater atherogenic profile in postmenopausal women. Heart failure (HF) and cardiovascular disease, the risk of which increases during perimenopause, are not considered isolated conditions, but rather complex systemic disorders. Engaging in the amount of moderate physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) helps reduce the risk of death and adverse health events. Regular physical activity reduces body weight, improves cardiopulmonary fitness, and reduces inflammation. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of a 6-month aqua aerobics programme on cardiometabolic (anthropometric and biochemical) parameters in perimenopausal women. Background: Menopause is a time when women experience a number of physiological and anatomical changes resulting from a decline in ovarian function. It can be concluded that cardiovascular disease increases in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, irrespective of age-related changes. Engaging in the amount of moderate physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization helps reduce the risk of death and adverse health events. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of a 6-month aqua aerobics programme on cardiometabolic (anthropometric and biochemical) parameters in perimenopausal women. Methods: In this study, 30 women (control group—16, study group—14) participated in the 6-month aqua aerobics training programme. The mean age of women was 47.67 ± 6.79 year and BMI 26.33 ± 3.64 kg/m2. At the beginning and at the end of the study, anthropometric and blood samples analysis were performed. In the blood, lipid profile, morphotic elements were determined. Body composition, waist–hip ratio (WHR), visceral adiposity index (VAI), blood pressure (BP) were measured. Results: The aqua aerobics programme resulted in a significant decrease in the WHR (p < 0.05; ES: 2.143), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p < 0.05; ES: 1.005), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PRL) (p < 0.05; ES: 0.460) and an increase in haemoglobin (HGB) concentration (p < 0.05; ES: 0.643). Conclusions: The type of physical activity described in the present study is a great way for perimenopausal women to take care of their overall well-being. The reduction in selected cardiometabolic parameters is important from the point of view of the protection of women's health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: During the ageing process, a number of changes in body systems and structures occur. Age-related reduction in exercise capacity is manifested by a rapid development of fatigue and reduced exercise activity. Independent authors have confirmed the adverse prognostic value of red blood cell distribution width (RDW-CV), both as an independent factor and in correlation with other parameters, in heart failure, coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Physical exercise, which can be used by people of all ages as a therapeutic method, improves and helps to maintain cardiorespiratory fitness and fatigue tolerance and is a means to maintain the health and functional performance of older people. Different types of physical exercise result in different post-training adaptations. There is increasing research on the positive impact of combined endurance and resistance training on physiological parameters and health. The aim of our study was to examine the impact of Nordic walking training with classic poles (NW) and NW training with poles with an integrated resistance shock absorber (NW with RSA) on RDW-CV levels and to assess correlations between RDW-CV levels and cardiorespiratory performance in postmenopausal women. Background: Age-related reduction in exercise capacity is manifested by a rapid development of fatigue. Research confirmed the adverse prognostic value of red blood cell distribution width (RDW-CV), an independent factor in heart failure, coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction. Physical exercise improves and helps to maintain cardiorespiratory fitness. The aim of our study was to examine the impact of 8 weeks' Nordic walking training with classic poles (NW) and NW training with poles with an integrated resistance shock absorber (NW with RSA) on RDW-CV levels and to assess correlations between RDW-CV levels and cardiorespiratory performance in postmenopausal women. Methods: In this study, 32 postmenopausal women (NW-16, NW with RSA-16) participated in eight weeks of walking training. The mean age of women was 66.56 ± 4.23 year. and BMI 26.99 ± 3.86 kg/m2. At the beginning and at the end of the study, spirometry and exercise tests were performed. Haematological parameters were determined in the venous blood. Results: Statistical analysis of differences in post-training changes in the parameters between the groups studied showed a significant difference in change in body weight (∆body weight) (p < 0.05; ES: 0.778), BMI (∆BMI) (p < 0.05; ES: 0.778), waist circumference (∆WC) (p < 0.05; ES: 1.225) and (∆RDW-SD) (p < 0.05; ES: 1.215). There were no changes in electrocardiographic and spirometric parameters. Conclusions: Based on the findings from the present study, it can be assumed that endurance and resistance exercise can significantly reduce disease severity and mortality. A clinical analysis of RDW levels, together with other cardiological and biochemical parameters, can provide practical prognostic information relating to cardiovascular disease, mortality risk and treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of using an oxygen-enriched breathing mixture during controlled physical training on blood oxidative stress parameters and total phenolics (TP) concentrations in obese adult women. Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial study included 60 women aged 19–68 with BMIs greater than 30 kg/m2. Patients were randomly assigned to the study group (n = 30), which received additional intervention in supplementing the breathing mixture with oxygen at the flow of 6 L/min during training sessions, and the control group (n = 30). At the beginning and at the end of the study, anthropometric assessments (height and weight and BMI) and blood tests (CRP, FRAP, TBARS, TP, BAC, and La) were performed. For each patient, an individual endurance training plan was established on a cycloergometer, including 12 training units, based on a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). Results: A decrease in blood TBARS concentration was observed in each study group. For the control group, the change was more remarkable, and the difference between the groups was significant at (p < 0.05; ES: 0.583). Training with the oxygen breathing mixture increased blood concentrations of TP, while a decrease in TP in blood was observed in the group without oxygen supplementation during physical training. The difference in the responses between the groups was significant at (p < 0.05; ES: 0.657) Conclusions: Increasing the concentration of oxygen in the respiratory mixture under conditions of increased exercise was shown to be safe because it did not exacerbate oxidative stress in the obese group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of locomotor system diseases in salt miners compared with that of other occupational diseases. Methods: An analysis of diseases reported by salt miners working at different mining levels was carried out. All miners were asked about back pain in the past five years. The Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Scale-Polish Version (OLBPDS-PL) and Neck Disability Index-Polish questionnaire Version (NDI-PL) were used to measure the functional disability of the lumbar and cervical spine. In contrast, the severity of low back pain was assessed using a 10 mm visual analog scale (VAS). In all, 62 miners were included in the study. Results: The most common diseases of salt miners are locomotor diseases involving the lumbar spine. The study showed a significant correlation between the occurrence of pain changes in the thoracic spine and the extraction level (p < 0.05). The extraction level also correlates with the reported level of pain in the thoracic spine (p < 0.05). The incidence of diseases such as hypertension and diabetes depended mainly on the age and weight of the subjects (p < 0.05). Hearing loss depended on the age of respondents and years of work in the mine (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Due to significant problems of miners in the field of the motor system, the list of occupational diseases in Poland, specified in the Regulation of the Council of Ministers of 30 June 2009 on occupational diseases (Journal of Laws No. 105, item 869) should be extended for example, to diseases affecting the spine. As there are no articles on the health of salt miners, further research should focus on complementing this knowledge to guide interventions to reduce the risk of chronic and occupational diseases. Extensive research is needed, including ergonomic measurements, to verify our results for the Polish salt mining industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research in modern neurorehabilitation focusses on cognitive and motor recovery programmes tailored to each stroke patient, with particular emphasis on physiological parameters. The objectives of this review were to determine whether a single bout of endurance activity or long-term endurance activity regulates exercise-dependent serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and to evaluate the methodological quality of the studies. To assess the effectiveness of endurance exercise among patients in the chronic post-stroke phase, a systematic review was performed, including searching EBSCOhost, PEDro, PubMed, and Scopus for articles published up to the end of October 2021. The PRISMA 2020 outline was used, and this review was registered on PROSPERO. Of the 180 papers identified, seven intervention studies (comprising 200 patients) met the inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of these studies was evaluated by using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) criteria. The effect of exercise was evaluated in four studies with a single bout of endurance activity, two studies with long-term endurance activity, and one study with a single bout of endurance activity as well as long-term endurance activity. The results of our systematic review provide evidence that endurance exercise might augment the peripheral BDNF concentration in post-stroke individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) suffer from exercise intolerance, the sensation of dyspnea, and fatigue, which are the main reasons for limiting their physical activity. In addition to changes in the respiratory and circulatory systems in patients with COPD, peripheral muscle dysfunction, with numerous metabolic dysfunctions, is observed. One of the symptoms of the described anomalies, among others, is an antioxidative and prooxidative imbalance. The aim of the study was to demonstrate the impact of endurance training, carried out in the extended pulmonary rehabilitation program in COPD patients, on the imbalance between prooxidants and antioxidants in their bodies. Methods: The tests were carried out on a group of patients (n = 32) with COPD; 20 randomly selected people underwent a modified rehabilitation program during their rehabilitation stay, and the obtained results were compared with the results of 12 patients (control group) who were treated without endurance training. At the beginning and at the end of the study, spirometry and cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET) were performed. Oxidative stress (allantoin (All) and substances which react with thiobarbituric acid) and antioxidant (ferric reducing ability of plasma and total phenolics) parameters' concentrations were determined in the venous blood. Results: In the study group, greater post-training increases of VO2max (p = 0.0702) and FEV1/FVC (p < 0.05; ES: 0.436) were reported. The applied CPET at each time caused an increase in the All concentration (p < 0.05) in the study and control groups. Conclusions: Endurance training applied as a part of the rehabilitation process did not cause the additional aggravation of oxidative stress and blood total phenolics concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]