Functional Training Induces Greater Variety and Magnitude of Training Improvements than Traditional Resistance Training in Elderly Women.

The objective was to investigate the effects of functional (FT) and traditional (TT) training on trunk muscles maximal isometric strength, rate of force development and endurance with trained elderly women. Forty-five elderly women were directed into three groups: FT (n =1 6), TT (n = 14) and Control (n = 15). The FT (multi-planar, and multi-articular movements) and TT (primarily machine-based resistance exercises) performed mobility, muscle strength and power exercises. Both training groups also performed intermittent cardiometabolic activities. The maximum strength and endurance of the trunk muscles were verified, both at baseline and after 12 weeks of training (3xweek for 50 min each). Data were analyzed using a 2-way ANCOVA with contrast of adjusted mean values. FT significantly increased all variables: maximum trunk flexor strength (p = 0.002, 22%); rate of flexor force development (p = 0.001, 84%); trunk extensors maximal strength (p = 0.003, 17%); trunk extensor rate of force development (p = 0.05, 16%); trunk flexors (p = 0.001, 19%) and extensors (p = 0.017, 13%) endurance compared to baseline. TT showed an increase only in RFD of trunk extensors (p = 0.003, 53%), and flexors (p = 0.033, 42%), and trunk flexors endurance (p = 0.008, 11%). However, there was no statistically significant difference between groups. FT promoted improvement in all variables; strength, endurance and rate of force development of the trunk flexors and extensors of the elderly. On the other hand, TT improved only the rate of force development of trunk flexors and extensors and endurance of the trunk flexors. FT is recommended for elderly women as it improves a broader array of physiological parameters.

Signs and symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunction in fibromyalgic patients.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) in fibromyalgic patients. METHODS: Sixty subjects of both sexes (mean age, 49.2 ± 13.8 years) with fibromyalgia (FM) diagnosis were included in this study. All patients were examined by a calibrated investigator to identify the presence of TMD using the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD. RESULTS: The most common signs (A) and symptoms (B) reported by FM patients were (A) pain in the masticatory muscles (masseter, 80%; posterior digastric, 76.7%), pain in the temporomandibular joint (83.3%), and 33.3% and 28.3%, respectively, presented joint sounds when opening and closing the mouth; (B) headache (97%) and facial pain (81.7%). In regard to the classic triad for the diagnosis of the TMD, it was found that 35% of the FM patients presented, at the same time, pain, joint sounds, and alteration of the mandibular movements. It was verified that myofascial pain without limitation of mouth opening was the most prevalent diagnosis (47%) for the RDC subgroup I. For the subgroup II, the disk displacement with reduction was the most prevalent diagnosis (21.6%). For the subgroup III, 36.7% of the subjects presented osteoarthritis. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, there is a high prevalence of signs and symptoms of TMD in FM patients, indicating the need for an integrated diagnosis and treatment of these patients, which suggest that the FM could be a medium- or long-term risk factor for the development of TMD.