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To ascertain the influence of occupational exposure to SPL on the hearing threshold of indoor cycling (IC) instructors. This is a cross-sectional study involving eleven IC instructors at fitness centers in Guarapuava, PR, Brazil Questionnaires were applied to assess occupational characteristics and reported auditory and extra-auditory symptoms. The hearing threshold was evaluated by pure tone audiometry testing at seven moments: after 14 h of acoustic rest, and before and immediately after exposure to SPLs of 95, 85 and 75 dB(A), making a total of 77 measurements of the group of instructors. Differences in means were assessed using the Kruskal–Wallis test. The k-means and composition method was applied using principal component analysis to verify the main factors associated with the broadband multi-frequency measurement at the hearing threshold. The average bilateral hearing threshold showed a significant increase at the intensity of 95 dB(A), at all the tested frequencies (p

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between exposure to whole body vibration, prevalence of low back pain and level of physical fitness in bus drivers. The measurement of whole body vibration was in 100 city buses with different characteristics and the prevalence of low back pain was assessed in 200 drivers with a measurement of physical fitness level. Descriptive statistics with mean and standard deviation and inferential statistics were used with the Kurskal-Wallis test, Dunn's multiple comparisons test, Poisson regression and significance level of p

BACKGROUND: In the adult population, the work environment and physical fitness levels are directly related to the onset of musculoskeletal pain, repetitive strain injuries, and decreased blood circulation. Although low levels of muscle strength and flexibility may lead to a higher prevalence of pain, specific anatomic regions are poorly addressed. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and the association between strength or flexibility and pain in university staff. METHODS: The sample was composed of 110 members of staff from a university in Guarapuava-PR. Body mass and height values were obtained, from which the BMI was calculated. The pain evaluation was performed by means of a questionnaire, analyzing the intensity, frequency, and anatomical region. The subjects were then submitted to strength (right and left hand grip, lumbar traction, lower limb traction) and flexibility tests (sit and reach test). RESULTS: The anatomical region with the highest prevalence of pain was the lumbar region (43.4%). When the association between the presence of pain and flexibility was performed, only the lumbar traction presented significant results, with the weakest group demonstrating pain (OR: 3.47 [1.27 – 9.49]). CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate that low levels of strength in the lumbar region are associated with the presence of painful symptomatology.

This research aimed to determine the upper limit level of crystalline amino acid (CAAs) inclusion in tambaqui nutrition. Additionally, we investigated the possibility of total replacement of fish meal (FM) by soy protein concentrate (SPC). An FM‐based control diet was formulated to meet the known nutrient requirements of tambaqui, and three additional diets were prepared by replacing FM protein with 250, 500, and 750 g/kg nitrogen of CAA mixture. The fifth diet was formulated to completely replace the FM by SPC. A growth and a digestibility trial were performed in a completely randomized design with five treatments and three and four replicates, respectively. The optimum replacement level of FM protein by CAA was 280 g/kg based on daily weight gain (DWG). The apparent digestibility coefficients of the nutrients were higher in fish fed the SPC diet than the fish fed the FM diet. The whole‐body lipid and adiposity significantly declined with the increase of CAA in tambaqui diets. Protein and amino acid retention of tambaqui linearly declined with the increase of CAA. Blood chemistry metabolites were not affected by CAA inclusion. We concluded that the SPC could replace FM in tambaqui diets without affecting growth and nutrient digestibility. CAAs could replace FM intact protein up to 250 g/kg (or 97 g/kg inclusion level) without showing any adverse effect on growth and metabolism of tambaqui.

We aimed to characterize the age of onset of training, age at menarche, menstrual periodicity, and performance perception during the menstrual cycle and examined the impact of these reproductive variables on body composition, morphology, and body weight satisfaction in Brazilian elite futsal players. The study consisted of 115 female Brazilian elite futsal players from the top national teams. Data were collected during the twentieth Women’s Brazil Futsal Cup. Players were interviewed and self-reported their age of onset of training, age at menarche, menstrual periodicity, and the menstrual period, where they performed best. We also asked for what they considered to be their ideal body weight as well as information related to their training (i.e., volume and frequency). Subsequently, anthropometric measurements (i.e., body mass, height, circumferences, diameters, and skinfold thickness) were performed to estimate the body composition and determine morphological characteristics (e.g., somatotype). Fifty-nine (53.2%) players were postmenarche-trained and 52 (46.8%) were premenarche-trained. Eighteen (16.2%), 65 (58.6%), and 28 (25.2%) were classified as early, normal, and late menarche, respectively. Only 11 (9.6%) and 1 (0.9%) had irregular menstrual cycles and were amenorrheic, respectively. Seventy-three (69.5%), 23 (21.9%), and 9 (8.6%) reported that their game performance was the best at the follicular phase, menses, and luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, respectively. No associations between the four reproductive-related variables were found. Postmenarche-trained players had significant lower age at menarche and higher percentage body fat. The somatotype profile registered lower ectomorphy rate for the postmenarche-trained participants after controlling for covariates. Early menarche group presented higher sum of six skinfold thickness and endomorphy rate compared to normal and late menarche groups. No differences were found when menstrual periodicity groups and best performance groups were compared, except for higher femur width in the regular menstrual cycle group compared to the irregular one. The association between body weight satisfaction and the four reproductive-related variables were not observed. Premenarche-trained Brazilian elite futsal players had the menarche later than the postmenarche-trained athletes. Most of the participants had menarche age classified as “normal,” presented “regular” menstrual cycles and perceived to perform better during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.

Background Sedentary behavior is a risk factor for several diseases, while physically active lifestyles and physical fitness contribute to the promotion and maintenance of health. Objective To establish the level of physical activity of university administrative employees and investigate its relationship with muscle strength indicators and morphological characteristics. Methods The sample comprised 44 university administrative employees. Data on body mass (BM) and height were collected to calculate the body mass index. The participants' level of physical activity was established based on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The participants were subjected to four muscle strength tests: right hand grip (RHG), left hand grip (LHG), lumbar traction (LT) and lower limb traction (LLT). Relative muscle strength (%MS) was calculated dividing absolute muscle strength (AMS=RHG+LHG+LT+LLT) by BM. Results The insufficiently active participants exhibited significant higher BM, lower LT, LLT, AMS and %MS, and spent more time in sedentary activities on weekends. Conclusion Physical inactivity was associated with poorer muscle strength indicators and higher BM among university administrative employees, pointing to harms inherent to sedentary behavior.

OBJETIVO: Investigar a influência do gradiente de inclinação na máxima pronação subtalar em velocidade submáxima de corrida. MÉTODOS: Dezesseis corredores de rendimento participaram de um teste de Economia de Corrida (ECO) em esteira rolante composto de quatro gradientes de inclinação (+1%, +5%, +10%, +15%). Para cada gradiente de inclinação foi realizada uma corrida de 4 minutos, sem intervalo entre os mesmos, com proposito de mensurar as magnitudes das variáveis cinemáticas através de uma filmadora de alta frequência, posicionada no plano frontal-posterior do indivíduo. RESULTADOS: Não foram verificadas diferenças significativas nos valores de máxima pronação subtalar entre as pernas e entre os gradientes de inclinação adotados, demonstrando que prováveis alterações na técnica de corrida, resultantes das mudanças no gradiente de inclinação, não são capazes de modificar o comportamento da máxima pronação subtalar. CONCLUSÃO: A pronação subtalar independe do gradiente de inclinação, podendo esta ser influenciada por outras variáveis intervenientes. Nível de evidência ii, estudo diagnóstico. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the slope influence on the maximal subtalar pronation in submaximal running speeds. METHODS: Sixteen endurance runners participated of a running economy (RE) test in a treadmill with different slopes (+1%, +5%, +10%, +15%). For each slope a 4-minute run was performed with no rest break for the purpose of measuring the magnitude of kinematic variables by means of a high frequency video camera positioned in a frontal-posterior plane of the individual. RESULTS: No significant differences were verified in maximal subtalar pronation between legs and between the slopes adopted, showing that changes of running technique due to modifications of slope aren't enough to modify the behavior of maximum subtalar pronation. CONCLUSION: The subtalar pronation is independent of slope, which may be influenced by other intervening variables. Level of evidence ii, diagnostic study.

Summary Study aim: to compare the physical fitness of bus drivers and fare collectors (working hours per day in sitting position = 7h) with and without low back pain. The subjects consisted of sixty-six bus drivers and fare collectors working in a public transport company. Material and methods: the prevalence of low back pain, age and working time was determined for bus drivers and fare collectors using a questionnaire. All subjects underwent anthropometric assessment (weight, height and waist circumference), an abdominal endurance test and a hip flexibility test. Results: there was a significant difference between the low back pain group (n = 27) and the group without pain (n = 39) in body mass index (27.5 ± 3.9 kg · m–2 vs. 25.6 ± 4.0 kg · m–2), waist circumference (92.5 ± 10 cm vs. 85.9 ± 9 cm), the abdominal endurance test (28.9 ± 17.5 repetitions vs. 38.4 ± 19.2 repetitions) and the hip flexibility test (69.1 ± 14.4 degrees vs. 78.3 ± 16.9 degrees). There was no significant difference in age and working time. Conclusion: anthropometric measures, abdominal endurance and hip flexibility are deficient in bus drivers and fare collectors with low back pain. We suggest that workers with prevalent low back pain increase their physical fitness.

The aim of this study was to provide a descriptive analysis of the morphological structure, muscle strength, and anaerobic power performance of the upper limbs of wheelchair basketball athletes. Eleven male players (33.2 ± 10.6 years, 71.8 ± 15.8 kg) were submitted to anthropometric measurements and dynamometry (kg), medicine ball throwing (m) and wingate arm tests (W). he results showed sitting height (79.7 ± 4.6 cm), relative body fat (20.7 ± 7.6%), handgrip strength and explosive muscle strength (50.1 ± 10.6 kg and 3.9 ± 1.1 m, respectively), as well as peak power (316.8 ± 126.2 W), mean power (160.5 ± 76.5 W) and fatigue index (50.4%) lower than the performance of other wheelchair basketball athletes. he morphological characteristics and performance of athletes in the present study suggest disadvantages when compared to other wheelchair basketball athletes.