Exercise response on dose curve among class I obese young adult population.

Objectives: To identify exercise regimes having a short duration and yet incorporating the effects of both aerobic and resistance exercises. METHODS: The randomised study was conducted from December 1, 2019, to April 31, 2020, at Ziauddin Hospital, Karachi, and comprised individuals of either gender aged 20-40 years with class-I obesity. All participants were initially screened using a physical activity and readiness questionnaire to determine if they were fit to perform the exercises. Subsequently, dynamic exercises were introduced based on the guidelines of the American College of Sports Medicine. The subjects were randomised into aerobic group A, resistance group B and dynamic resistance group C. The intervention lasted 12 weeks. The quantification of exercises was done using the frequency, intensity, time, and type protocol. RESULTS: The results were analysed on MedCalc statistical software. Out of the 102 participants, 51(50%) each were males and females. Each of the three groups had 34(33.3%) subjects; 17(50%) males and as many females. The impact was significant in all the three groups (p<0.05). The effect was significantly better in group C than groups A and B. CONCLUSIONS: Body mass index and body fat percentage values improved through aerobic, resistance and dynamic resistance exercises.

Role of structured and supervised exercise programmes in peripheral artery disease patients with and without claudication - A Systematic Review and Metaanalysis.

OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to determine the impact of exercise protocol among peripheral artery disease patients. Literature search was done from 2005 to 2018. METHODS: Databases such as Google Scholar, Medline and PubMed was reconnoitred for the purpose of research articles by using key words like exercise training, peripheral artery disease, ankle brachial index, haemodynamic and atherosclerosis. Studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria were retrieved and encompassed in the present study. RESULTS: The heterogeneity of the studies included in the analysis and the impact of exercise programmes on outcome measures were assessed by using hedge gstatistical model.Of the54 studies found, 9(16.6%) were analysed that suggest supervised and structured exercises programmes significantly improved (p<0.05) outcome variables. CONCLUSIONS: Future randomized controlled trials related to the duration of exercises regimes are required in order to tailor the training programmes according to the need of individuals.

Foot Muscle Exercise: A Novel Approach to Improve Motor Functions in Children with Down Syndrome Having Pes Planus - A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to determine the efficacy of foot muscle exercises in children with DS having pes planus. METHODS: Forty-seven subjects randomly assigned to foot muscle exercises (study group) or an arch support insole with one-leg balance exercises (control group), thrice weekly intervention for 12-weeks followed by a home program with residual effect assessed after 24-weeks from baseline. RESULTS: The motor functions were significantly improved in both groups (p = 0.00). A positive residual effect was found in the study group for both parameters. Whilst in the control group it failed to give a positive residual effect for GMFM-88, while PBS yielded positive outcomes. The study group showed significantly better results than the control group in comparison. CONCLUSION: The novel finding suggests that the foot muscle exercise has the potential to improve motor functions in children with Down syndrome and it can be used as an alternative therapeutic approach to the conventional method.

Effect of Exercise on Inter-Recti Distance and Associated Low Back Pain Among Post-Partum Females: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: This study aimed to emphasize facilitation training and strengthening of abdominal and core muscles in improving the inter-recti distance (IRD) and associated low back pain (LBP) among young postpartum females. Materials and methods: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial, among forty young postpartum females, was conducted at a community health center. The females were divided into two equal groups through the envelope method where Group A received abdominal crunch training protocol whereas group B received double straight leg raise (DSLR) exercise protocol for 6 weeks and pre and post IRD and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores were recorded. Results: Group A showed improvement in IRD with a mean difference of 1.95±0.4 whereas in group B it was found to be 2.85±0.35 when assessed through finger palpation method. The mean difference of IRD, when measured through digital nylon caliper method in abdominal crunch and DSLR exercise group was 4.06±0.74 and 1.2±0.49 respectively. Moreover, ODI scores of group A were 2.70±1.05 whereas, group B scores were found to be 1.1±0.06 showing that LBP reduced in participants who performed abdominal crunch exercise. Conclusion: This study reveals that 6 weeks of exercise protocol was observed to be effective in the management of DRA. Thus, abdominal crunch exercise seemed to produce promising results in a reduction of IRD and associated LBP.

Impact on Mental Health of Families during Covid-19: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Background: The global pandemic of novel coronavirus outbreaks threatens the general public and health care workers' physical, social and mental well-being. Therefore, the current study is aimed to highlight the status of mental health of families suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted on 560 families through Google Form distributed via email, Whatsapp groups, Facebook, and LinkedIn from November 2020 to January 2021 during the pandemic period in Karachi through the snowball sampling technique. The status of COVID-19 patients was assessed through demographics information and contextual factors questions whereas impact on mental health was assessed through Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). Results: A total number of 536 participated in the study. The prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress was found to be 38.99%, 26.67%, and 15.48% respectively included 31% of males and 69% where the highest number of respondents belonged to district Central (37.8%). Chi square estimation was found to be significant among both the gender and in between all the age group ranges from 20 to 60 years. Moreover, significant association among categorical division of demography and DASS-21 p<0.05 was observed. Conclusion: The results of our study indicated high rate of depression and anxiety in majority of families; in particular females. Consistent with these symptoms, significant association was found between gender and age from high to low socioeconomic status.

Effects of Mode and Duration of Exercises on Fat Mass of Obese Population.

A meta-analysis was performed to determine impact of resistance and aerobic exercise on body fat of obese population. Database of Google Scholar, BioMed Central, and Medline was reconnoitered for the purpose of research article of interest. Inclusion criteria encompass all those studies in which effects of aerobic and resistance exercise were determined on body fat mass of obese participants. Studies in which combination of aerobic and resistance exercise were used, or outcome measures were other than body fat mass or studies conducted before 2010 were excluded from this review. A total of 805 obese participants were included in 10 randomized controlled trials (RCT) including 401 in resistance training protocol and 404 in aerobic training protocol were part of this meta-analysis. Results revealed that resistance exercise had a mild pool affect in increasing weight of participants with an effect size (SMD) of 0.26 (95% of CI -0.09 to 0.63) calculated at random effect model, I2 83.80% (95% of CI 71.76 to 90.71) in comparison to aerobic exercises performed during the duration of two to eight weeks of training protocol. The meta-analysis concluded that resistance exercises had a mild pool effect in increasing the weight of the participants in comparison to aerobic exercises. Key Words: Aerobic exercises, Resistance exercises, Obesity, Fat mass, Body fat index and body fat composition.

Effect of aerobic and anaerobic exercise on estrogen level, fat mass, and muscle mass among postmenopausal osteoporotic females.

OBJECTIVE: The life expectancy of women increases with the advancement in modern medicine, leading them to spent about two decades in menopausal state along with its associated complications. The process of aging triggers a deleterious cascade of physiological changes in the body. Hence, the aim of our study is to determine the effects of both aerobic and anaerobic exercises on estrogen level in postmenopausal osteoporotic females. METHODOLOGY: A randomized control trial was conducted among 94 postmenopausal osteoporotic females, randomly divided into two equal groups. The participants in Group A were assigned to perform aerobic exercise, whereas Group B performed resistance exercises. Each group performed exercises for 12 weeks, whereas reading was collected for blood estrogen level, fat mass, and muscle mass before exercise training and after 12 weeks of training. RESULTS: Twelve weeks of aerobic and anaerobic exercise program based on the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM); frequency, intensity, time, and type protocol has beneficial effect on estradiol level and lean mass, whereas inversely correlated with fat mass of postmenopausal osteoporotic female. CONCLUSION: The study concluded that 12 weeks of exercise programs was found to be effective in improving estradiol level of postmenopausal osteoporotic female. The efficacy of anaerobic exercise was found to be more potent on estradiol level and lean mass than aerobic exercises as only 36 sessions of resisted exercises performed during a period of 12 weeks provided more significant result than 72 session of aerobic exercises.

Effects of spinal mobilization techniques in the management of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis - A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of diverse exercise regimes used in multiple Randomized Control Trials as the only conservative management strategy for increased Cobb angle among Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. METHODS: Database such as Google Scholar, Medline, and BioMed Central was reconnoitered for the purpose of research articles of interest. Studies in which the effects of conservative management of scoliosis on the magnitude of Cobb angle were calculated were scrutinized procedurally, studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria were retrieved and encompassed in the present study. RESULT: A total of 698 cases of AIS that were included in 17 controlled trials are part of this meta-analysis. The pool effects were measured using a standardized mean difference between the experimental and control group at 95% of confidence interval using Hedges'g statistics. Outcomes analyzed, reveals favorable for exercises based experimental group in term of standardized mean difference with an impact of 0.42° on random effect model, according to a Cohen's rule of thumb that depicts a near to moderate effects of exercises based interventions on Cobb angle. CONCLUSION: The present study concludes that therapeutic exercise regimes alone have a pivotal role in both decelerating the progression of the curve and reducing the already increased magnitude of the curve.