Search

Copyright of Journal of Sport & Health Research is the property of Journal of Sport & Health Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cultura, Ciencia y Deporte is the property of Cultura, Ciencia y Deporte and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Knowledge is a determining factor for the development of postural habits; it could be considered as the first step in the establishment of changes. The aim of this study was to analyze the level of specific back-health-related physical activity and exercise knowledge in adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 1500 high school students between the ages of 13 and 18 (mean age = 15.18 ± 1.44). Students from the Valencian Community (Spain) were recruited with a confidence level of 95% and an accepted standard error of ± 2.53%. Self-report questionnaires were used to record back-health-related physical activity knowledge. The level of specific knowledge of back-health education related to physical activity and exercise in adolescents was low (X = 2.05 ± 2.26). Only 10.9% of the students passed the specific knowledge test, achieving a score equal or superior to 5. The boys' average score was higher (X = 2.17 ± 2.31) than the girls' (X = 1.94 ± 2.21) with statistically significant differences (p = 0.048). The level of specific knowledge increased with age (p < 0.001). Secondary school students show a low level of specific knowledge concerning back health. It is recommended that back care education be a part of school curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low back pain (LBP) prevalence in children and adolescents is high during their lives. School-based interventions have reported effectiveness on back health. The study aimed to determine the effect of an educational back-health intervention on knowledge, postural habits and trunk muscle endurance regarding low back pain prevention for a group of 12 to 13-yearold students using a 6-month follow-up. A non-randomized experimental design. Three groups of 1st-grade secondary school students were selected. A control group (CG), and two experimental groups (EG1 and EG2) who participated in a back-health educational program (BHEP); only one of the experimental groups was given a follow-up learning contract (EG2). Assessments were performed at three different time points: before the intervention (baseline), after (post-test) and 6 months after (follow-up). The level of general knowledge of the experimental groups improved after the intervention. The level of postural habits improved in EG1 and EG2 compared to the CG after the follow-up period (p < .001 in both). A lower percentage of problems in the lumbar area in EG2 was observed after the 6-month follow-up. Teaching students to take care of their spines seems to have positive effects concerning knowledge, postural habits, and back health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve saddle fit and comfort for the horse, many equestrians use a saddle pad in addition to an ordinary saddle cloth or blanket. To date, only a few scientific studies have investigated if such pads lower the magnitude of pressure exerted on the horse’s back. The results of these studies are highly variable, presumably due to the different materials of the examined pads. The present study investigated the effect of five different, commercially available saddle pads on the mean pressure, the highest mean pressure, and the loaded area below the saddle, as well as the range of motion (ROM) of the centre of pressure (COP) on the horse’s back. Electronic saddle pressure measurements were carried out with eight horses ridden by the same person, using five different pads and a thin saddle cloth as control. Saddle pressure measurements were carried out at all gaits and on both reins, using the Pliance®-S system (Novel). The results revealed that all tested pads except for the gel pad significantly lowered mean pressure below the saddle (range in reduction: 0.8 to 1.8 kPA) as well as in areas with the highest mean pressure, representing pressure points (range: 2.1 to 5.8 kPA). None of the pads increased pressure. The loaded area below the saddle was decreased slightly, but not significantly, when pads were used. The effect of the pads on the ROM of the COP was inconsistent; certain pads significantly increased this variable, but only at certain gaits. This may indicate a loss of stability in the horse-rider system, but if the magnitude of the observed changes is relevant needs further investigation. The results indicate that none of the investigated pads affected mean pressure in an unfavourable way and that the thicker pads may help to reduce the pressure acting on the horse’s back. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge is a determining factor for the development of postural habits; it could be considered as the first step in the establishment of changes. The aim of this study was to analyze the level of specific back-health-related physical activity and exercise knowledge in adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 1500 high school students between the ages of 13 and 18 (mean age = 15.18 ± 1.44). Students from the Valencian Community (Spain) were recruited with a confidence level of 95% and an accepted standard error of ± 2.53%. Self-report questionnaires were used to record back-health-related physical activity knowledge. The level of specific knowledge of back-health education related to physical activity and exercise in adolescents was low (X = 2.05 ± 2.26). Only 10.9% of the students passed the specific knowledge test, achieving a score equal or superior to 5. The boys’ average score was higher (X = 2.17 ± 2.31) than the girls’ (X = 1.94 ± 2.21) with statistically significant differences (p = 0.048). The level of specific knowledge increased with age (p < 0.001). Secondary school students show a low level of specific knowledge concerning back health. It is recommended that back care education be a part of school curriculum.

Copyright of Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Back pain and related disability seem to be increasing among older adults. Health-related fitness tests have been developed to identify individuals at risk for mobility difficulties. However, poor fitness as a risk factor for back problems has seldom been studied. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether performance in fitness tests predicts back pain and related disability during 6 years of follow-up. Methods: Study population consisted of community-dwelling men and women, born 1927 to 1941, who participated in assessment of health-related fitness and reported no long-term back pain or related disability at baseline (n = 517). The assessment included measurements of body mass index (BMI), one-leg stand, backward tandem walk, trunk side-bending, dynamic back extension, forward squat, 6.1-m walking speed and 1-km walk time. Results: Prospective analyses indicated that poor fitness (poorest-third) in one-leg stand and trunk side-bending tests were the most powerful predictors of back pain. Regarding disability, poor fitness in dynamic back extension and overweight in terms of BMI ≥ 27 increased the risk. Conclusions: Tests of balance, trunk flexibility and trunk muscle endurance, as well as BMI can be implemented as screening tools for identifying persons with increased risk of back pain and related disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THE KETTLEBELL (KB) IS A WIDELY USED TOOL THAT IS OFTEN RECOMMENDED FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF MUSCULAR STRENGTH, POWER, AND ENDURANCE. ALTHOUGH A FEW STUDIES SEEM TO SUPPORT THE USE OF KBS TO ACHIEVE THESE TRAINING GOALS, THE RESEARCH RESULTS ARE MIXED. GIVEN THE POPULARITY OF THE KB AS A TRAINING TOOL, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING COACHES AND OTHER FITNESS PROFESSIONALS INSIST ON HIGHQUALITY EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION AND SAFE AND EFFECTIVE COACHING TO SAFEGUARD THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THEIR ATHLETES, CLIENTS, AND PATIENTS WHEN USING KBS. THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE OFFERS SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS AND A PERIODIZED KB PROGRAM. FOR A VIDEO ABSTRACT OF THIS ARTICLE, SEE VIDEO, SUPPLEMENTAL DIGITAL CONTENT 1, HTTP://LINKS.LWW. COM/SCJ/A131. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Puberty is a vulnerable period for musculoskeletal disorders due to the existence of a wide inter-individual variation in growth and development. The main objective of the present study was to describe the prevalence of back pain (BP) in the past year and month in school-aged children according to sex, age, maturity status, body mass index (BMI) and pain characteristics. This study involved 513 students aged between 9 and 16 years. Anthropometric measures were recorded to calculate the maturity stage of the students using a regression equation comprising measures for age, body mass, body height, sitting height and leg length. An ad hoc questionnaire composed of eight questions was used to describe BP prevalence in school-aged children. The results showed that the prevalence of BP in school-aged children was observed in 35.1% over the last year (45% boys and 55% girls), and 17.3% (40.4% boys and 59.6% girls, with an association found between female sex and BP) in the last month. The prevalence of back pain in the past year and month was higher the older the students were, or the more pubertal development they had experienced. The prevalence of BP in the last year was also higher in those with overweight or obesity. After adjustment for sex, there was an association between BP and older age and higher BMI in boys and an association between BP and higher pubertal development in girls. In summary, the present study showed that the prevalence of BP was related to the maturity stage and weight of the participants, with different prevalence patterns found according to sex.

Background: Back pain is common in secondary school students. If we adjust the school furniture to the anthropometric characteristics of the pupils, we will improve their posture and reduce back pain. There is a high degree of mismatch between the furniture used by students and that which should be used. The objectives of this research are to discover the degree of mismatch and validate two instruments that allow a correct allocation of the furniture., Methods: The selected sample was 132 secondary students (14.08 ± 1.10 years). An anthropometer was used to determine the ideal height of the chair and table; data were taken from body segments. The recorded values were compared with those obtained by the two measurement instruments to be validated. Inter-measurer and intra-measurer reliability and validation were performed using t-tests and Pearson's coefficient, respectively. Different analysis techniques were used: descriptive, one-way ANOVA, t-test, and effect size. The established level of significance was ρ < 0.05., Results: The mismatch between the anthropometric dimensions of the students and the existing furniture in the classrooms was 98.5 % for the chairs and 100 % for the tables. The correlational analysis of the instruments to be validated shows an r = 0.993 in the chair and r = 0.996 in the table., Conclusions: There is a high degree of mismatch between the furniture and the anthropometric characteristics of the students. The proposed furniture allocation instruments are adequate.

It is well-known that low back pain (LBP) prevalence is high among school-age children. However, literature concerning the initial onset of back pain between the ages of three and eleven years is scarce. The present study aims to analyze the prevalence of LBP in kindergarten and primary school students. A total of 278 (9.9 ± 2.1 years old; 52.2% girls) students from two public kindergartens and primary schools in Valencia (Spain) participated in this cross-sectional study. The Nordic questionnaire on LBP was used to assess the onset and duration of LBP symptoms. The lifetime prevalence of LBP was 47.5% (n = 132), the last year's prevalence was 44.2% (n = 123), and last week's prevalence was 18.8% (n = 50). Boys and girls reported a lifetime prevalence of 52.3% (n = 64) and 47.7% (n = 63) (p = 0.186, Fisher's exact test, 2-sided), respectively. By age group, lifetime episodes of LBP became more prevalent with increasing age (p < 0.001, Fisher's exact test, 2-sided). In summary, our findings show that LBP increases with age and further strengthens the evidence that LBP onset could start as young as 10 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School-based interventions have reported effectiveness on back health; however, there are no specific guidelines for teaching body mechanics and posture in primary and secondary schools. To identify, describe, and analyze the educative features of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on back health developed to date in the school setting, a systematic review was performed following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) recommendations. RCTs exclusively focused on educational setting electronic databases included PubMed, EMBASE, PEDro, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, ERIC, and MEDLINE on the Ovid platform. Databases were searched for potentially eligible studies from the earliest date up to 18th March 2020. A total of 584 records were obtained from the database searches. A total of six articles that applied inclusion criteria were assessed for eligibility. All of these studies found improvements in postural habits and the level of knowledge with regard to back health, as well as a reduction in the prevalence of back pain. None of the studies used the student-centered method, and three studies used evaluation instruments with a pilot validation. Research on RCT interventions concerning back health in the school setting is scarce. None of the interventions applied a constructivist or student-centered method. The use of validated and standardized assessment instruments is required.

The prevalence of back pain (BP) among children and adolescents has increased over recent years. Some authors advocate promoting back-health education in the school setting. It is therefore important to adopt a uniform suite of assessment instruments to measure the various constructs. The present study aimed to perform a cultural adaptation of a validated measurement instrument (BackPEI), beginning with a translation and cultural adaptation phase, followed by a second phase to test reliability using a test-retest design. The translation and cross-cultural adaptation were performed based on the guidelines. Reliability was tested by applying the questionnaire to 224 secondary school students, at two different times with a 7-day interval between the tests. In general, the Spanish version presented adequate agreement for questions 1-20, with only question 9 achieving a low Kappa range of 0.312 (-0.152-0.189). The question about pain intensity did not show differences between the test means (4.72 ± 2.33) and re-test (4.58 ± 2.37) ( p = 0.333), and the responses for these two tests obtained a high correlation (ICC = 0.951 (0.928-0.966); p = 0.0001). Psychometric testing indicated that the Spanish version of the BackPEI is well-adapted and reliable, based on the test-retest design, providing similar results to the original Brazilian version.

Background/objectives: Workplace health promotion (WHP) interventions can reach a large part of the population. They are designed to improve work organisation and conditions and to promote the personal competencies of employees. Here the aim was to describe the use of WHP interventions based on individual factors and factors related to the size and branch of the companies., Materials and Methods: In the representative population-based study "German Health Update" (GEDA 2014/15-EHIS) conducted by the Robert Koch Institute, 14,389 employees aged between 18 and 64 years were asked about their knowledge and use of workplace measures in their companies during the last 12 months regarding back health, stress management/relaxation and a canteen with healthy food. In addition to socio-demographic factors, health awareness and self-rated health on the use of WHP interventions was analysed., Results: A canteen with healthy food is used by 64.6% of women (F) and 66.2% of men (M); offers for back health (F: 26.2%; M: 18.7%) and stress/relaxation (F: 35.2%; M: 25.6%) are used significantly less. Employees with more pronounced health awareness use the offers more frequently than employees with a less pronounced awareness of health. Men with poor self-rated health make more use of offers for back health and stress/relaxation than men with good self-rated health., Conclusions: In order to reach a larger part of the working population, WHP measures should take the needs of specific target groups into account including sex/gender and age aspects as well as the extent of employment, health awareness and self-rated health status.