Virtual Reality Technology for Physical and Cognitive Function Rehabilitation in People With Multiple Sclerosis.

Virtual reality (VR) has significantly expanded the possibilities of medical treatment, particularly in the realm of rehabilitation. VR utilizes advanced technologies to create simulated environments that users perceive as analogous to the real world. Researchers have demonstrated that VR can effectively train motor, sensory, and cognitive functions. This manuscript offers a concise review of recent evidence concerning the effects of VR training on key clinical symptoms in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), with the aim of highlighting VR's potential as a complementary rehabilitative tool for improving ubiquitous symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS)-a neurodegenerative, often disabling, disease. In addition to presenting a brief overview of recent literature on VR for pwMS, this narrative review seeks to provide health professionals with a foundational understanding of VR as a rehabilitative tool in MS. Furthermore, it may aid in identifying gaps in the literature and stimulate the development of new hypotheses and theories regarding the use of VR in patients with a neurodegenerative disease.

Stepping towards health: a scoping review of square-stepping exercise protocols and outcomes in older adults.

BACKGROUND: Square-Stepping Exercise (SSE) is a type of physical-cognitive exercise. Such exercise has been used as an exercise approach in different studies with older adults. This scoping review provides an overview of the protocols and outcomes of studies employing the SSE in older adults. METHODS: We searched in the PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, CABI Global Health, and Web of Science databases for articles published between 2006 (first research article published on SSE) to December 2023 that met a robust inclusion criterion. The search yielded 424 articles, and after inclusion criteria being applied, 37 articles were included in the final analysis. RESULTS: A total of 37 studies were included in the final analysis. Thirty-three out of the 37 studies focused on apparently healthy older adults, while four were conducted with older adults with neurological disease (i.e., multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and stroke). Most studies (n = 25) adopted an experiment (i.e., randomized controlled trial) or quasi-experimental approach, while 12 were classified as non-randomized (i.e., cross-sectional, mixed methods). The studies were conducted in different parts of the globe and adopted three major formats of intervention delivery, namely in-person, online, and home-based. Frequency, SSE session duration and intervention length significantly varied among studies, and reported outcomes were in the domains of physical and cognitive function. CONCLUSION: This review comprehensively described the characteristics of 37 studies employing SSE in apparently healthy older adults and older adults with neurological diseases. The findings demonstrated that SSE has been used by researchers across the globe, adopting a variety of forms of delivery, and to particularly improve physical and cognitive function of different segments of the older adult population. The review further identified important gaps in research, including the restricted outcomes, and the lack of studies combining SSE with more traditional exercise modalities to address potential combinatory effects.

The effect of lower back and lower-extremity kinesiology taping on static balance and physical function performance in people with multiple sclerosis: A pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple sclerosis (MS) can lead to numerous deficits in body functions, including balance and mobility impairment. This study examined the effect of lower back and lower extremity kinesiology tape (KT) application on static balance and physical functioning performance in people with MS (pwMS) and compared that to a non-elastic tape. METHODS: This pilot randomized study recruited and enrolled 10 participants with MS that were allocated into two groups: kinesio (n = 6) and non-elastic (n = 4) tape. Participants were assessed with and without the respective tape on static balance with eyes open and closed and various physical function tests. RESULTS: Effect sizes for the Kinesio tape intervention were found to be small, while effect sizes for the sham tape/place condition varied from small to high. For both groups, the tendency was to reduce or maintain performance on the tests comparing tape and no tape. A subsequent, mixed-factor ANOVA revealed no significant difference between KT or sham tape/placebo. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that KT applied on lower back and lower extremity muscles does not seem to improve static balance and physical function performance in pwMS.

An Investigation of the Sled-Push Exercise Using a Resisted Sled Machine in Apparently Healthy Older Adults: An Exploratory Study.

Physical function is regarded as the cornerstone of healthy aging, and exercise is an important determinant of healthy aging. This study examined the feasibility and physiological (heart rate, blood pressure, blood lactate, and rate of perceived exertion) and psychological (enjoyment) response resulting from an acute progressive sled-push (SLP) exercise session using the novel XPO Sled Trainer in older adults and compared that with walking (WKC) condition. The exercise session comprised six exercise bouts at 75%, 85%, 100% (2×), and 125% (2×) of normal velocity with a 2-min rest between bouts. Thirty-six older adults were randomly allocated into either the SLP or WKC conditions. No adverse events were observed during the exercise session, and all participants completed the exercise protocol as prescribed. One-third of the participants in the SLP group reported minimal body discomfort. Significantly higher responses were observed for all physiological variables as the intensity of the exercise increased in the SLP group compared with the WKC group (p < .001). The SLP group presented a decline in enjoyment as the intensity of the exercise increased (during), but similar enjoyment level than the WKC group for the overall exercise session (p = .711). Our findings support the viability and safety of SLP exercise using the XPO Sled Trainer in older adults. Such exercise demonstrated an intensity-driven modality that may have potential to elucidate positive adaptations in the cardiovascular system of older adults with acceptable levels of enjoyment.

Fear of Falling in Older Adults Living in a Community-Dwelling Facility: Prevalence and Its Impact on Activity Behavior and Physical Function.

This study examined the prevalence and the impact of fear of falling (FOF) on physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (PA), and physical function in older adults living in a continuing care retirement community (CCRC). Ninety-three older adults were included and self-reported assessed on PA and SB. Further, participants' physical function was assessed using a collection of measures of valid objective tests. Independent t test was used to compare the dependent variables between FOF groups, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to control for assistive device usage. FOF was prevalent in 47.3% of the sample and PA and SB did not differ between FOF groups (p > .05). ANCOVA revealed that performance on several physical function tests remained significantly better (p < .05) for the no FOF group compared to the yes group. Our findings demonstrated similar levels of PA and SB between FOF groups, but worse physical function for older adults reporting FOF.

Higher Body Mass Index Values Do Not Impact Physical Function and Lower-Extremity Muscle Strength Performance in Active Older Individuals.

This study examined the potential impact of BMI on physical function and lower-extremity muscle strength (leg extension and flexion peak torque) performance in active/trained older individuals. Sixty-four active/trained older individuals were enrolled, and later allocated to groups according to BMI categories (normal [≤ 24.9 kg/m2], overweight [25 to 29.9 kg/m2] and obese [≥ 30 kg/m2]). Sixty-four active/trained older individuals were enrolled, and later allocated to groups according to BMI categories (normal [≤ 24.9 kg/m2], overweight [25 to 29.9 kg/m2] and obese [≥ 30 kg/m2]). Assessments were conducted in two separate visits to the laboratory. In the first visit, participants underwent measures of height, body mass, and peak torque leg extension and flexion using an isokinetic dynamometer. On visit two, participants performed the 30-second Sit and Stand test (30SST), Timed Up and Go (TUG), and 6-minute Walk (6MW) tests. ANOVA one-way was used to analyze the data and significance was set at P < .05. One-way ANOVAs did not reveal significance differences among BMI categories for leg extension peak torque (F(2,61) = 1.11; P = 0.336), leg flexion peak torque (F(2,61) = 1.22; P = 0.303), 30SST (F(2,61) =1.28; P = 0.285), TUG (F(2,61) = 0.238; P = 0.789), and 6MW (F(2,61) = 2.52; P = 0.089)]. Our findings indicated that for older individuals who exercise regularly, physical function tests which mimic ordinary activities of daily living, are not impacted by BMI status. Thus, being physically active may counteract some of the negative effects of high BMI observed in the older adult population.

Physical Activity and Physical Function in Older Adults Living in a Retirement Community: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Focusing on Self-Rated Health.

Perceived health is a widely used proxy for measuring individuals' health status across different populations, including older adults. This measure is commonly reported as a subjective indicator, as a strong predictor of longer-term morbidity and mortality, and as a method to identify high-risk groups with health needs. This study examined differences in physical activity (PA) and physical function (PF) among older adults living in a retirement community located in the Midwest region of the United States as a function of perceived health. Results suggest that older adults perceiving their health as excellent reported significantly higher PA and performed significantly better on PF assessments than those reporting it as good or fair. Programs focusing on increasing PA in older adults living in retirement communities should be considered as potential strategies to enhance the health and health perception of this population.

Estimating resting energy expenditure from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry: A cross-sectional study in healthy young adults.

OBJECTIVE: To qualify a 3C approach model of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to estimate multicomponent resting energy expenditure (REE) referenced by indirect calorimetry (IC). METHODS: A sample of 155 college students, of both sexes (18-30 years old) was evaluated. Anthropometric measures, REE by IC, and whole-body DXA-scans were performed. The REE for each body component was determined after transforming the components from the molecular (DXA) to the organ tissue level. Bland-Altman and proportional bias analyses were used to verify agreement between REE measured (REEIC ) and estimated (REEDXA ). RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found for all sex comparisons (P < .001), except for age (P = .950). Differences from the final sex-specific models' were not found between REEIC and REEDXA (P > .05). Men also presented greater expenditure (P < .001) in each component, except for adipose tissue. The plots confirmed the validity of the model for both sexes, with low difference values between the measured and estimated REE. The mean of the differences of REEIC and REEDXA showed heteroscedasticity of the data for men (P = .004). The same error tendency was not evident for women (P = .333). CONCLUSIONS: This 3C model, estimating REE from a multicomponent approach, allows a new application of DXA as tool for understanding intraindividual differences in terms of the mass of metabolically active tissue. Sex and populational differences should be taken in account. Consequently, we present qualified sex-specific DXA models that can be applied in different contexts such as health and sports, besides considering interpersonal differences in terms of energy expenditure.

Cut-off points of appendicular lean soft tissue for identifying sarcopenia in older adults in Brazil: a cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Introduction: appropriate appendicular lean soft tissue (ALST) parameters to identify sarcopenia in Brazil are scarce. The use of international references may lead to a false positive diagnosis. The objective was to propose cut-off points to identify sarcopenia in older men and women using DXA-derived ALST values from a young adult population. Methods: this was an observational study with a cross-sectional analysis. University students of both sexes (n = 125), aged 20 to 30 years, underwent anthropometric measurements and DXA scanning to obtain their ALST (kg). Cut-off points for sarcopenia were set at -2 standard deviations (-2SDs) away from the mean ALST of a young sample. Absolute values and indices (ALST/height2, ALST/weight, and ALST/body mass index [BMI]) were considered as recommended by international consensus. Results: compared to women, men presented higher values of weight, height, BMI, bone mineral content, lean soft tissue, ALST, and ALST index (kg/m²). Only fat mass was higher in women, and age was not different between genders. The -2SD ALST indices obtained were ≤ 6.56 kg/m² for men and ≤ 4.67 kg/m² for women. They were below international and national values, which tended to classify false positives. Conclusions: the -2SD ALST values proposed here are validated cut-offs for identifying low muscle in older adults and to prevent misdiagnosis with sarcopenia. In addition, they contribute to efficient monitoring and control of this disease in geriatric populations.

INTRODUCCIÓN: Introducción: los parámetros apropiados de masa muscular esquelética apendicular (MMEA) para identificar la sarcopenia en Brasil resultan escasos. Ello se debe al uso de referencias internacionales, lo cual puede conducir a un diagnóstico falso positivo. El objetivo del presente trabajo es proponer puntos de corte para determinar la sarcopenia en hombres y mujeres mayores empleando valores de MMEA derivados de las DXA de una población de adultos jóvenes. Métodos: estudio observacional con análisis transversal. Estudiantes universitarios de ambos sexos (n = 125), de 20 a 30 años de edad, se sometieron a mediciones antropométricas y DXA para obtener el MMEA (kg). Los puntos de corte de la sarcopenia se establecieron en -2 desviaciones estándar (-2SD) de la media de MMEA de una muestra joven. Se consideraron los valores absolutos e índices (MMEA/altura2, MMAE/peso y MMAE/índice de masa corporal [IMC]), según lo recomendado por el consenso internacional. Resultados: los hombres, en comparación con las mujeres, presentaron valores superiores de peso, altura, IMC, contenido mineral óseo, masa magra, MMEA e índice MMEA (kg/m²). Por otro lado, solo la masa grasa fue mayor en las mujeres, no habiendo diferencias de edad entre ambos géneros. El índice MMAE -2SD obtenido fue ≤ 6,56 kg/m² para los hombres y ≤ 4,67 kg/m² para las mujeres. Dichos resultados, al encontrarse por debajo de los valores internacionales y nacionales, tienden a clasificar los falsos positivos. Conclusiones: los MMAE -2SD propuestos aquí son valores de corte validados para identificar las cuantificaciones musculares bajas en los adultos mayores y para prevenir el diagnóstico erróneo de sarcopenia. Además, contribuyen a la monitorización y el control eficiente de esta enfermedad en las poblaciones geriátricas.

Use of allometry and skinfold thicknesses to estimate the fat mass of circumpubertal boys.

Background: In the pubertal period, each part of the body grows at different rates. This makes the relationship between the parts nonlinear. Particularly, the fat mass (FM) of boys tends to decrease, further exacerbating the issue of linearity in growth.Aim: To propose predictive models of FM from skinfolds (SF) adjusted allometrically.Subjects and methods: 75 pubertal boys (14.4 ± 0.9 years) composed the sample by self-selected pubic hair. FM was determined by DXA (FMDXA) (kg), stature (cm), body mass (kg) and nine SF (mm) by anthropometric measurements. The SF were individually adjusted allometrically. FMDXA (Y) values and each anthropometric independent variable-IV (X) underwent logarithmic transformation. Linear regressions were used. The significance of the prediction of the FMDXA of each model (ANOVA) and the concordance analysis (Bland-Altman) were performed.Results: Predictive allometric models of FMDXA showed high determination coefficients (r2) and reduced standard errors of estimation (SEE). The adjusted model involved reduced agreement limits, demonstrating its accuracy.Conclusions: It was possible to propose models with allometric adjustments to estimate FM of pubertal boys. Allometry may aid in the development of predictive linear models of body composition, since it has an indicative capacity of the variables for estimation.