Search

Understanding the effect of main extracts of capsicum, a general name of a series of capsaicinoids and capsinoids substances, on exercise performance can provide a basis for the application of this substance in sports. This article provides a comprehensive and critical review of the research on main extracts of capsicum and exercise performance based on selected articles published in peer-reviewed journal over the past 20 years. The results show that: The main extracts of capsicum are effective for improving aerobic endurance, anaerobic, muscle strength and high intensity intermittent exercise performance. The mechanism by which the main extracts of capsaicum enhancing muscle explosive strength, maximum strength, anaerobic performance is related to the increase of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ concentration and neuromuscular junction acetylcholine release and improving aerobic endurance, muscle endurance, high-intensity intermittent exercise performance is related to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, vasodilator, and increasing energy contribution from fat. Future research needs to focus on more exercise types and subject groups, special environment, chronic intervention, dose-effect relationship, mechanism confirmation, and application of capsiate. In summary, the main extracts of capsicum can improve the exercise performance, and it may have a wide application prospect in sports.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) causes a decline in skeletal muscle function, which can further exacerbate the cognitive dysfunction of patients with AD. It has been widely established that exercise improves AD brain pathology, but the role of skeletal muscle in AD is still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of treadmill exercise on the exercise ability of APP/PS1 transgenic AD mice and explored potential gene expression changes in their skeletal muscle. The APP/PS1 mice were subjected to a treadmill exercise for 12 weeks, followed by the Morris water maze and the open field test. After behavioral experiments, the changes in morphology, area, collagen fiber deposition, and ultrastructure of the skeletal muscle were determined; the balance of skeletal muscle protein synthesis and decomposition was analyzed; and changes in gene expression were investigated using RNA-Seq. We found that this exercise strategy can promote the learning and memory abilities of AD mice, reduce their anxiety-like behavior, improve their exercise ability, alleviate skeletal muscle atrophy, and optimize the microstructure. It can also enhance skeletal muscle protein synthesis and decomposition and improve several signaling pathways, such as the JAK–STAT, Wnt, and NOD-like receptors while decreasing calcium, cAMP, cGMP–PKG, and other signaling pathways. Six KEGG enrichment signaling pathways were downregulated and five signaling pathways were upregulated in the AD mice compared with wild-type mice, and these pathways were precisely reversed after the treadmill exercise. The expression of transcription factors such as Fosb and Egr1 in the skeletal muscle of AD mice decreased, followed by a decrease in the regulated target genes Socs1, Srrm4, and Il1b, a trend that was reversed following the exercise intervention. After exercise, AD mice exhibited a similar gene expression to that of wild-type mice, indicating enhanced exercise ability. The potential regulatory pathways and related genes identified in this study provide valuable insights for the clinical management and treatment of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Science & Technology of Food Industry is the property of Science & Technology of Food Industry Editorial Office 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.)

Rising obesity rates may lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, undermining carbon neutrality goals. However, evidence of the determinants of obesity from the perspective of energy economics is relatively limited. We contribute to the literature on the determinants of obesity by empirically studying the relationship between the school energy consumption and children's BMI. Based on a combined dataset of Chinese children's physical health data, kindergarten energy consumption data, and kindergarten geographic information data, we find that school energy consumption is negatively correlated with obesity, and there is considerable heterogeneity in the relationship of school energy consumption between kindergartens in cold areas and severe cold areas and between young girls and young boys. Our results are robust to alternative modeling techniques, the inclusion of additional control variables, and unobservable potential effects. We also find that children's exercise ability is an important transmission channel between school heating and the probability of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Both lung transplant recipients and candidates are characterised by reduced training capacity and low average quality of life (QoL). This review investigates the impact of training on exercise ability and QoL in patients before and after lung transplant. Methods: Searches were conducted from the beginning to 7 March 2022 using the terms "exercise," "rehabilitation," "lung transplant," "exercise ability," "survival," "quality of life" and "telerehabilitation" in six databases, including Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, CINAHL, Nursing and Allied Health, and Scopus. The inclusion criteria were studies evaluating the effects of an exercise training programme concurrent with lung transplantation as well as patients and candidates (>18 years old) through any lung diseases. The term "lung transplant rehabilitation" was used to refer to all carefully thought-out physical activities with the ultimate or intermediate objective of improving or maintaining physical health. Results: Out of 1422 articles, 10 clinical- and 3 telerehabilitation studies, candidates (n = 420) and recipients (n = 116) were related to the criteria and included in this review. The main outcome significantly improved in all studies. The 6-min walk distance, maximum exercise capacity, peak oxygen uptake, or endurance for constant load rate cycling improved measuring physical activity [aerobic exercises, breathing training, and aerobic and inspiratory muscle training sessions (IMT)]. Overall scores for dyspnoea improved after exercise training. Furthermore, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) also improved after aerobic exercise training, which was performed unsupervised or accompanied by breathing sessions. Aerobic training alone rather than combined with inspiratory muscle- (IMT) or breathing training enhanced exercise capacity. Conclusion: In conclusion, rehabilitation programmes seem to be beneficial to patients both preceding and following lung transplantation. More studies are required to determine the best training settings in terms of time scale, frequency, and work intensity in terms of improving exercise ability, dyspnoea, and HRQOL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice is the property of Journal of Clinical Nursing in Practice (Editorial Board, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press) 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.)

Objective:To observe the effect of acupuncture and exercise therapy on isokinetic muscle strength and exercise ability of patients after arthroscopic reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).Methods:A total of fifty patients with complete ACL rupture of knee joint treated in the fifth People's hospital of Foshan from January to December 2019. The patients were randomly divided into the control group and the observation group according to the method of random number table, with 25 cases in each group. Both groups received arthroscopic reconstruction of ACL. The control group was given traditional exercise therapy after operation, including active knee flexion training, isometric contraction training, closed-chain squatting training; each item rest one minute after training, and rest two minutes after training for three items, each training for three cycles. After operation, the observation group was given acupuncture exercise therapy, acupuncture at the knee pain points on the healthy side of the patients, and then the acupuncture was performed with the method of twirling, smoothing, toning and catharsis (the frequency was 120 times a minute, with the tolerance of the patients as the degree, one minute a time). After getting Qi (bring about the desired sensation), the patients were given active knee flexion training, isometric contraction training and closed-chain squat training, and the training method was the same as that of the control group. After acupuncture, the next training was carried out. After the training for three items, the patients took a rest for two minutes, and each training was done for three cycles. After the completion of the last cycle training, the needle was pulled out from the skin. The two groups were trained 30 minutes a time, once a day,7 days a week and 7 days per course, continuous training for four courses. Before and after four courses of treatment, the range of motion of knee active joint was measured by protractor, the knee function was evaluated by Lysholm knee joint score and IKDC subjective knee score, and the peak torque (PT), average power (AP) and total work (TW) of quadriceps femoris during knee extension were collected by isokinetic muscle strength test system.Results:Before treatment, there was no significant difference in maximum flexion, Lysholm score, IKDC score, PT, AP and TW of quadriceps femoris between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with those before treatment, the maximum flexion, Lysholm score, IKDC score, PT, AP and TW of quadriceps femoris in the two groups were significantly improved after four courses of treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (PP

Background: Both lung transplant recipients and candidates are characterised by reduced training capacity and low average quality of life (QoL). This review investigates the impact of training on exercise ability and QoL in patients before and after lung transplant. Methods: Searches were conducted from the beginning to 7 March 2022 using the terms “exercise,” “rehabilitation,” “lung transplant,” “exercise ability,” “survival,” “quality of life” and “telerehabilitation” in six databases, including Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, CINAHL, Nursing and Allied Health, and Scopus. The inclusion criteria were studies evaluating the effects of an exercise training programme concurrent with lung transplantation as well as patients and candidates (>18 years old) through any lung diseases. The term “lung transplant rehabilitation” was used to refer to all carefully thought-out physical activities with the ultimate or intermediate objective of improving or maintaining physical health. Results: Out of 1422 articles, 10 clinical- and 3 telerehabilitation studies, candidates (n = 420) and recipients (n = 116) were related to the criteria and included in this review. The main outcome significantly improved in all studies. The 6-min walk distance, maximum exercise capacity, peak oxygen uptake, or endurance for constant load rate cycling improved measuring physical activity [aerobic exercises, breathing training, and aerobic and inspiratory muscle training sessions (IMT)]. Overall scores for dyspnoea improved after exercise training. Furthermore, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) also improved after aerobic exercise training, which was performed unsupervised or accompanied by breathing sessions. Aerobic training alone rather than combined with inspiratory muscle- (IMT) or breathing training enhanced exercise capacity. Conclusion: In conclusion, rehabilitation programmes seem to be beneficial to patients both preceding and following lung transplantation. More studies are required to determine the best training settings in terms of time scale, frequency, and work intensity in terms of improving exercise ability, dyspnoea, and HRQOL.

Objective: To investigate the effect of elastic band anti obstruction training combined with seven step exercise rehabilitation on the blood lipid, cardiorespiratory fitness and exercise ability of coronary heart disease patients. Methods: 113 patients with coronary heart disease who were admitted to Hohhot Mongolian Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital from February 2018 to April 2020 were selected, the patients were randomly divided into study group (57 cases) and control group (56 cases). The control group was given routine intervention. The study group combined elastic band anti obstruction training with seven step exercise rehabilitation intervention on the basis of the control group, and the two groups' blood lipid, daily life ability, heart function, cardiorespiratory fitness and exercise ability were compared. Results: 6 months after intervention, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of the study group was higher than that of the control group, and the left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD) and the left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD) were lower than those of the control group(P<0.05). 6 months after intervention, the improved Barthel scale (MBI) score and 6 min walking test (6MWT) distance of the study group were higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). 6 months after intervention, high density lipoprotein (HDL) of the study group was higher than that of the control group, and the total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL) were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). 6 months after intervention, the peak kg oxygen intake (VO2/kgpeak), oxygen free threshold and peak oxygen pulse of the study group increased, and higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). 6 months after intervention, the peak power (WRpeak) and peak metabolic equivalent (METpeak) of the study group increased, and higher than those of the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The elastic band anti obstruction training combined with seven step exercise rehabilitation can improve the heart function and blood lipid, and improve the ability of cardiorespiratory fitness, exercise ability and daily life ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Food Safety & Quality is the property of Journal of Food Safety & Quality Editorial Department 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.)

Aims The EMPERIAL (Effect of EMPagliflozin on ExeRcise ability and HF symptoms In patients with chronic heArt faiLure) trials evaluated the effects of empagliflozin on exercise ability and patient-reported outcomes in heart failure (HF) with reduced and preserved ejection fraction (EF), with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D), reporting, for the first time, the effects of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibition in HF with preserved EF (HFpEF). Methods and results HF patients with reduced EF (HFrEF) (≤40%, N = 312, EMPERIAL-Reduced) or preserved EF (>40%, N = 315, EMPERIAL-Preserved), with and without T2D, were randomized to empagliflozin 10 mg or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was 6-minute walk test distance (6MWTD) change to Week 12. Key secondary endpoints included Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Total Symptom Score (KCCQ-TSS) and Chronic Heart Failure Questionnaire Self-Administered Standardized format (CHQ-SAS) dyspnoea score. 6MWTD median (95% confidence interval) differences, empagliflozin vs. placebo, at Week 12 were −4.0 m (−16.0, 6.0; P = 0.42) and 4.0 m (−5.0, 13.0; P = 0.37) in EMPERIAL-Reduced and EMPERIAL-Preserved, respectively. As the primary endpoint was non-significant, all secondary endpoints were considered exploratory. Changes in KCCQ-TSS and CHQ-SAS dyspnoea score were non-significant. Improvements with empagliflozin in exploratory pre-specified analyses of KCCQ-TSS responder rates, congestion score, and diuretic use in EMPERIAL-Reduced are hypothesis generating. Empagliflozin adverse events were consistent with those previously reported. Conclusion The primary outcome for both trials was neutral. Empagliflozin was well tolerated in HF patients, with and without T2D, with a safety profile consistent with that previously reported in T2D. Hypothesis-generating improvements in exploratory analyses of secondary endpoints with empagliflozin in HFrEF were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoke contains a large number of types of oxygen free radicals and cytotoxic components. Passive smoking will impair respiratory and cardiovascular system functions, and result in oxidative damage of skeletal muscle and decreased exercise ability. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of phellinus igniarius crude polysaccharides on the exercise capacity and free radical metabolism of skeletal muscle in mice suffering passive smoking, so as to provide ideas for the prevention and treatment of peroxidative damage of skeletal muscle and depression of exercise capacity in rats suffering passive smoking. METHODS: Twenty-one male Kunming mice were randomly assigned to three groups: gavage with phellinus igniarius crude polysaccharides and suffering passive smoking (phellinus group), gavage with distilled water and suffering passive smoking (control group), and only gavage with distilled water (blank group). After 4 consecutive weeks, the mice were forced to take an exhausted swimming, and sacrificed subsequently. Exhausted swimming time was recorded. The bilateral gastrocnemius muscle tissues were obtained, in which the vitality of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathion reductase and Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATP and Na+ -K+ -ATP activity, and the concentration of malonaldehyde were measured. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The swimming lime of mice in the control group was shorter than that in the blank group (P < 0.01). The swimming time of mice in the phellinus group was longer than that in the control group (P < 0.01). (2) Compared with the blank group, the vitality of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathion reductase and Ga2+ -Mg2+ -ATP and Na+ -K+ -ATP activity in the control group were decreased (P < 0.01 ), and the concentration of malonaldehyde was increased (P < 0.01 ). (3) When compared with the control group, the vitality of those metabolic index in the phellinus group were increased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 ), and the concentration of malonaldehyde was decreased (P < 0.01). (4) Correlation analysis showed that exhausted swimming time was positively correlated with the vitality of glutathion reductase, catalase and superoxide dis mutase (r > 0.6, P < 0.05), and was negatively correlated with the concentration of malonaldehyde (r=-0.637, P < 0.05). ca+2 -Mg+2 -ATP and Na+ -K+ -ATP activities were positively correlated with the vitality of glutalhion reductase, catalase and superoxide dismutase (r > 0.6, P < 0.05), and negatively correlated with the concentration of malonaldehyde (r < -0.6, P < 0.05). (5) In summary, phellinus igniarius crude polysaccharides can improve the antioxidative enzyme activity of skeletal muscle, inhibit lipid peroxidation reaction, and thus increase exercise ability of mice suffering passive smoking. The study was approved by the Ethical Committee of Jiangxi Normal University, approval No. 201703. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The FitTrack Index is a web-based programme developed in South Africa and widely used by athletes to indicate their fitness. A need exists for a self-managed, non-invasive tool to evaluate and categorise health-related fitness in different population groups. The aim of this study was to compare the FitTrack Index with a reliable measure of cardio-respiratory fitness as indicated by maximal oxygen uptake (direct VO2max). Methods & results: During a 12-week cross-sectional, descriptive pilot study the direct laboratory tested VO2max indicated a moderate to strong correlation with the FitTrack Index (Spearman's rho = 0.439, p = 0.089 at baseline; Spearman's rho = 0.853, p

Abstract Objectives To improve the success of interventions aimed to increase moderate to vigorous physical activity, we need to better understand the correlates of the extensive individual differences in voluntary exercise activities. Starting in adolescence, genetic effects become a dominant factor in explaining individual differences in voluntary exercise behavior. Here we aim to establish the prospective contribution of potential correlates of voluntary exercise behavior to its heritability. Design In a sample of adolescent and young adult twins, data on potential correlates of exercise behavior were collected using surveys (time point 1, N = 373) and a laboratory study (time point 2, N = 499). Information on personality, perceived barriers & benefits, subjective and objective exercise ability and the affective response to exercise were collected in a set of healthy adolescent twin pairs (16-18y) and their non-twin siblings (12-25y). Almost 3 years later, the subjects were sent an online follow-up survey on their current exercise status (time point 3, N = 423). Methods In bivariate models, the phenotypic (co)variance in these correlates and exercise behavior at all time points were decomposed in sources of genetic (co)variance and environmental (co)variance. The correlates that were significantly associated with exercise behavior at time point 1 or 2 and showed significant genetic correlations to exercise behavior at time point 3 were used in two further analyses: Multiple regression analysis to predict exercise behavior at time point 3, and a genetic analysis in a common 2-factor model, that tested the overlap in genetic factors influencing these correlates and exercise behavior. Results Personality (Extraversion), perceived benefits and barriers, exercise-induced affective response (Energy measured after the cycling test), and subjective and objective exercise ability (VO 2max) showed significant phenotypic and genetic association with exercise behavior at time point 3. The genetic correlation between the two latent factors in the common 2-factor model was 0.51, indicating that part of the heritability in exercise behavior derives from genetic variants that also influence these correlates. Conclusions Given their shared genetic basis and predictive power we assert that individual differences in extraversion, perceived benefits and barriers, exercise-induced feelings of energy, and subjective and objective exercise ability can be used to develop stratified interventions for adolescent and young adult exercise behavior. In addition, our results provide the first clues on 'where to look' for specific genetic variants for voluntary exercise behavior. Highlights • The heritability of exercise behavior (EB) in young adults is substantial (60%–81%). • Several parameters measured in adolescence were correlated with adult EB. • These correlates showed significant genetic associations with adult EB. • A large part of the covariation between EB and the correlates was due to genetic causes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical fitness can be defined as a set of components that determine exercise ability and influence performance in sports. This study investigates the genetic and environmental influences on individual differences in explosive leg strength (vertical jump), handgrip strength, balance, and flexibility (sit-and-reach) in 227 healthy monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs and 38 of their singleton siblings (mean age 17.2 ± 1.2). Heritability estimates were 49 % (95 % CI 35-60 %) for vertical jump, 59 % (95 % CI 46-69 %) for handgrip strength, 38 % (95 % CI 22-52 %) for balance, and 77 % (95 % CI 69-83 %) for flexibility. In addition, a meta-analysis was performed on all twin studies in children, adolescents and young adults reporting heritability estimates for these phenotypes. Fifteen studies, including results from our own study, were meta-analyzed by computing the weighted average heritability. This showed that genetic factors explained most of the variance in vertical jump (62 %; 95 % CI 47-77 %, N = 874), handgrip strength (63 %; 95 % CI 47-73 %, N = 4516) and flexibility (50 %; 95 % CI 38-61 %, N = 1130) in children and young adults. For balance this was 35 % (95 % CI 19-51 %, N = 978). Finally, multivariate modeling showed that the phenotypic correlations between the phenotypes in current study (0.07 < r < 0.27) were mostly driven by genetic factors. It is concluded that genetic factors contribute significantly to the variance in muscle strength, flexibility and balance; factors that may play a key role in the individual differences in adolescent exercise ability and sports performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The FitTrack Index is a web-based programme developed in South Africa and widely used by athletes to indicate their fitness. A need exists for a self-managed, noninvasive tool to evaluate and categorise health-related fitness in different population groups. The aim of this study was to compare the FitTrack Index with a reliable measure of cardio-respiratory fitness as indicated by maximal oxygen uptake (direct VO2max). Methods & results: During a 12-week cross-sectional, descriptive pilot study the direct laboratory tested VO2max indicated a moderate to strong correlation with the FitTrack Index (Spearman's rho = 0.439, p = 0.089 at baseline; Spearman's rho = 0.853, p < 0.001 after 12 weeks). Conclusions: These results suggest that the web-based FitTrack Index may be considered an appropriate tool to evaluate exercise capacity and cardiovascular fitness in healthy individuals following an aerobic training programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantification of cardiac autonomic activity and control via heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) is known to provide prognostic information in clinical populations. Issues with regard to standardisation and interpretation of HRV data make the use of the more easily accessible HR on its own as an indicator of autonomic cardiac control very appealing. The aim of this study was to investigate the strength of associations between an important cardio vascular health metric such as VO2max and the following: HR, HRV indicators and heart rate normalised HRV indicators. A cross sectional descriptive study was done including 145 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 22 years. HRV was quantified by time domain, frequency domain and Poincaré plot analysis. Indirect VO2max was determined using the Multistage Coopers test. The Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to quantify the strength of the associations. Both simple linear and multiple stepwise regressions were performed to be able to discriminate between the role of the individual indicators as well as their combined association with VO2max. Only HR, RR interval and pNN50 showed significant (p

Quantification of cardiac autonomic activity and control via heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) is known to provide prognostic information in clinical populations. Issues with regard to standardization and interpretation of HRV data make the use of the more easily accessible HR on its own as an indicator of autonomic cardiac control very appealing. The aim of this study was to investigate the strength of associations between an important cardio vascular health metric such as VO2max and the following: HR, HRV indicators, and HR normalized HRV indicators. A cross sectional descriptive study was done including 145 healthy volunteers aged between 18 and 22 years. HRV was quantified by time domain, frequency domain and Poincaré plot analysis. Indirect VO2max was determined using the Multistage Coopers test. The Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to quantify the strength of the associations. Both simple linear and multiple stepwise regressions were performed to be able to discriminate between the role of the individual indicators as well as their combined association with VO2max. Only HR, RR interval, and pNN50 showed significant (p < 0.01, p < 0.01, and p = 0.03) correlations with VO2max. Stepwise multiple regression indicated that, when combining all HRV indicators the most important predictor of cardio vascular fitness as represented by VO2max, is HR. HR explains 17% of the variation, while the inclusion of HF (high frequency HRV indicator) added only an additional 3.1% to the coefficient of determination. Results also showed when testing the normalized indicators, HR explained of the largest percentage of the changes in VO2max (16.5%). Thus, HR on its own is the most important predictor of changes in an important cardiac health metric such as VO2max. These results may indicate that during investigation of exercise ability (VO2max) phenomena, quantification of HRV may not add significant value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the features of bilateral and unilateral leg muscle strength, and suggest effective and efficient training methods for improving exercise ability using leg muscles for healthy male adults. [Subjects] The subjects were 28 healthy adult men. [Methods] We measured bilateral and unilateral isokinetic leg extension strength, height of vertical jump, distance of standing broad jump, number of repetition side steps and time taken for 30 full squats. [Results] Height of vertical jump, distance of standing broad jump and number of repetition side steps were significantly correlated with bilateral leg strength, leg strength of the dominant side used as the supporting leg, leg strength of non-dominant side used as the supporting leg, and the sum of the dominant leg strength and non-dominant leg strength. Squat time was significantly correlated with dominant leg strength and the sum of dominant leg strength and non-dominant leg strength. [Conclusion] These results suggest that different exercises require different leg-strengths, and an appropriate training method is necessary to raise exercise abilities effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of transcranial pulsed current stimulation (tPCS) on fatigue delay after medium-intensity training. Materials and Methods: Ninety healthy college athletes were randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 45) and control group (n = 45). The experimental group received medium-intensity training for a week. After each training, the experimental group received true stimulation of tPCS (continuous 15 min 1.5 mA current intensity stimulation). The control group received sham stimulation. The physiological and biochemical indicators of participants were tested before and after the experiment, and finally 30 participants in each group were included for data analysis. Results: In the experimental group, creatine kinase (CK), cortisol (C), time-domain heart rate variability indices root mean square of the successive differences (RMSSD), standard deviation of normal R-R intervals (SDNN), and frequency domain indicator low frequency (LF) all increased slowly after the intervention. Among these, CK, C, and SDNN values were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). Testosterone (T), T/C, and heart rate variability frequency domain indicator high frequency (HF) in the experimental group decreased slowly after the intervention, and the HF value was significantly lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05). The changes in all of the indicators in the experimental group were smaller than those in the control group. Conclusion: The application of tPCS after medium-intensity training enhanced the adaptability to training and had a significant effect on the maintenance of physiological state. The application of tPCS can significantly promote the recovery of autonomic nervous system function, enhance the regulation of parasympathetic nerves, and delay the occurrence of fatigue.

Aim: To validate the Senior Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument (SPPLI). Methods: In the pilot study, we refined the Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument (PPLI, Cronbach’s α = 0.94, initially designed for adults) into SPPLI using internal reliability, content validity, and construct validity results. A total of 341 older adults recruited from community centers in Southern Taiwan participated in the study. A principle component analysis (PCA) identified three components of SPPLI. Results: Eleven items were captured from the 18-item PPLI as the SPPLI (Cronbach’s α = 0.90). SPPLI exhibits three components: attitude toward physical activity, physical activity ability, and sociality around physical activity. Significant differences were discovered in physical activity ability by educational attainment (p < 0.05) and in all three components by stage of exercise (maintenance vs. non-maintenance) (p < 0.05). The SPPLI possesses proper reliability and validity to assess physical literacy among older adults. Conclusions: This instrument is suggested for physical literacy assessments in physical activity programs to assess the needs of older adults and/or the effectiveness of an intervention program that aims to improve the attitude, ability, and sociality of physical activity.

The human foot plays an important role in supporting body weight, maintaining postural balance, and absorbing ground reaction forces. Although many studies have indicated that a causal relationship exists between foot structure and alterations in lower extremity kinematics, there is little evidence regarding the possible association of foot structure with strength of muscles that move the ankle and physical performance. A total of 67 adult men with a mean age of 51.19 ± 8.82 years participated in this study. Foot structural parameters were assessed using a 3-dimensional foot scanner. Strength of muscles that move the ankle was measured with a dynamometer. Physical performance items, including agility, force, and proprioception, were also measured. We found that all the measured parameters of the length, width, girth, and height of the foot were positively correlated with the strength of plantarflexion, dorsiflexion, eversion, and inversion (r ranged from 0.26 to 0.57; p < .05). Moreover, all or part of the parameters of the length, width, and girth of the foot but not the height and angles of the foot were correlated significantly with vertical jump, stepping forward and backward, and stepping side to side (r ranged from 0.25 to 0.44; p < .05). These findings indicate a weak-to-moderate association between foot structure and the strength of muscles that move the ankle, as well as physical performance. We therefore suggest that a larger foot may have greater muscle strength of the ankle joint and better physical performance., (Copyright © 2018 the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)