The burdens of sitting on the bench - comparison of absolute and relative match physical load between handball players with high and low court time and implications for compensatory training.

Wearables quantify the activity in team sports and indicate that players experience peak physical loads during competitions. Accordingly, players with limited court time in competitions will miss important training stimuli. The present study aimed to quantify these gaps in physical load in professional handball players. Activity of all players competing in the 2021/2022 Bundesliga (Germany) was tracked using Kinexon LPS sensors. Gaps in physical load were quantified comparing the 25% of appearances with the highest (HIGH; 51.8 ± 5.2 mins) and lowest court times (LOW; 10.1 ± 4.3 mins). Distances, accumulated acceleration, jumps, sprints, impacts, accelerations, and decelerations were analysed as absolute and relative (per minute) outcomes. Players were grouped into wings, backcourts, and pivots. Unpaired t-tests between HIGH and LOW were performed (p < .05), and effect sizes were calculated (Cohen´s d). Analyses revealed significant effects of court time on activity. While absolute activity increased for HIGH, relative activity increased for LOW (p < .05). In addition, effect sizes revealed position-specific gaps in physical load, particularly for acyclic activities (jumps, accelerations). Gaps in physical load resulting from limited court time are highly position-specific. Our observations may provide benchmarks for the position-specific calibration of compensatory training.

Mobile Electroencephalography Reveals Differences in Cortical Processing During Exercises With Lower and Higher Cognitive Demands in Preadolescent Children.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine whether cortical activity changes during exercise with increasing cognitive demands in preadolescent children. METHOD: Twenty healthy children (8.75 [0.91] y) performed one movement game, which was conducted with lower and higher cognitive demands. During a baseline measurement and both exercise conditions, cortical activity was recorded using a 64-channel electroencephalographic system, and heart rate was assessed. Ratings of perceived excertion and perceived cognitive engagement were examined after each condition. To analyze power spectral density in the theta, alpha-1, and alpha-2 frequency bands, an adaptive mixture independent component analysis was used to determine the spatiotemporal sources of cortical activity, and brain components were clustered to identify spatial clusters. RESULTS: One-way repeated-measures analyses of variance revealed significant main effects for condition on theta in the prefrontal cluster, on alpha-1 in the prefrontal, central, bilateral motor, bilateral parieto-occipital, and occipital clusters, and on alpha-2 in the left motor, central, and left parieto-occipital clusters. Compared with the lower cognitive demand exercise, cortical activity was significantly higher in theta power in the prefrontal cluster and in alpha-1 power in the occipital cluster during the higher cognitive demand exercise. CONCLUSION: The present study shows that exercise complexity seems to influence cortical processing as it increased with increasing cognitive demands.

Ecological validity in exercise neuroscience research: A systematic investigation.

The contribution of cortical processes to adaptive motor behaviour is of great interest in the field of exercise neuroscience. Next to established criteria of objectivity, reliability and validity, ecological validity refers to the concerns of whether measurements and behaviour in research settings are representative of the real world. Because exercise neuroscience investigations using mobile electroencephalography are oftentimes conducted in laboratory settings under controlled environments, methodological approaches may interfere with the idea of ecological validity. This review utilizes an original ecological validity tool to assess the degree of ecological validity in current exercise neuroscience research. A systematic literature search was conducted to identify articles investigating cortical dynamics during goal-directed sports movement. To assess ecological validity, five elements (environment, stimulus, response, body and mind) were assessed on a continuum of artificiality-naturality and simplicity-complexity. Forty-seven studies were included in the present review. Results indicate lowest average ratings for the element of environment. The elements stimulus, body and mind had mediocre ratings, and the element of response had the highest overall ratings. In terms of the type of sport, studies that assessed closed-skill indoor sports had the highest ratings, whereas closed-skill outdoor sports had the lowest overall rating. Our findings identify specific elements that are lacking in ecological validity and areas of improvement in current exercise neuroscience literature. Future studies may potentially increase ecological validity by moving from reductionist, artificial environments towards complex, natural environments and incorporating real-world sport elements such as adaptive responses and competition.

Somatosensory perturbations influence cortical activity associated with single-limb balance performance.

To determine the association between cortical activity and postural control performance changes with differing somatosensory perturbations. Healthy individuals (n = 15) performed a single-limb balance task under four conditions: baseline, unstable surface (foam), transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) applied to the stance-limb knee, and combined foam + TENS. Cortical activity was recorded with electroencephalography (EEG) and postural sway via triaxial force plate. EEG signals were decomposed, localized, and clustered to generate power spectral density in theta (4-7 Hz) and alpha-2 (10-12 Hz) frequency bands in anatomical clusters. Postural sway signals were analyzed with center of pressure (COP) sway metrics (e.g., area, distance, velocity). Foam increased theta power in the frontal and central clusters (d = 0.77 to 1.16), decreased alpha-2 power in bilateral motor, right parietal, and occipital clusters (d = - 0.89 to - 2.35) and increased sway area, distance, and velocity (d = 1.09-2.57) relative to baseline. Conversely, TENS decreased central theta power (d = - 0.60), but increased bilateral motor, left parietal, and occipital alpha-2 power (d = 0.51-1.40), with similar to baseline balance performance. In combination, foam + TENS attenuated sway velocity detriments and cortical activity caused by the foam condition alone. There were weak and moderate associations between percent increased central theta and occipital activity and increased sway velocity. Somatosensory perturbations changed patterns of cortical activity during a single-limb balance task in a manner suggestive of sensory re-weighting to pertinent sensory feedback. Across conditions decreased cortical activity in pre-motor and visual regions were associated with reduced sway velocity.

Stance leg and surface stability modulate cortical activity during human single leg stance.

Mobile Electroencephalography (EEG) provides insights into cortical contributions to postural control. Although changes in theta (4-8 Hz) and alpha frequency power (8-12 Hz) were shown to reflect attentional and sensorimotor processing during balance tasks, information about the effect of stance leg on cortical processing related to postural control is lacking. Therefore, the aim was to examine patterns of cortical activity during single-leg stance with varying surface stability. EEG and force plate data from 21 healthy males (22.43 ± 2.23 years) was recorded during unipedal stance (left/right) on a stable and unstable surface. Using source-space analysis, power spectral density was analyzed in the theta, alpha-1 (8-10 Hz) and alpha-2 (10-12 Hz) frequency bands. Repeated measures ANOVA with the factors leg and surface stability revealed significant interaction effects in the left (p = 0.045, ηp2 = 0.13) and right motor clusters (F = 16.156; p = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.41). Furthermore, significant main effects for surface stability were observed for the fronto-central cluster (theta), left and right motor (alpha-1), as well as for the right parieto-occipital cluster (alpha-1/alpha-2). Leg dependent changes in alpha-2 power may indicate lateralized patterns of cortical processing in motor areas during single-leg stance. Future studies may therefore consider lateralized patterns of cortical activity for the interpretation of postural deficiencies in unilateral lower limb injuries.

Exploring intensity-dependent modulations in EEG resting-state network efficiency induced by exercise.

PURPOSE: Exhaustive cardiovascular load can affect neural processing and is associated with decreases in sensorimotor performance. The purpose of this study was to explore intensity-dependent modulations in brain network efficiency in response to treadmill running assessed from resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) measures. METHODS: Sixteen trained participants were tested for individual peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak) and performed an incremental treadmill exercise at 50% (10 min), 70% (10 min) and 90% speed VO2 peak (all-out) followed by cool-down running and active recovery. Before the experiment and after each stage, borg scale (BS), blood lactate concentration (BLa), resting heartrate (HRrest) and 64-channel EEG resting state were assessed. To analyze network efficiency, graph theory was applied to derive small world index (SWI) from EEG data in theta, alpha-1 and alpha-2 frequency bands. RESULTS: Analysis of variance for repeated measures revealed significant main effects for intensity on BS, BLa, HRrest and SWI. While BS, BLa and HRrest indicated maxima after all-out, SWI showed a reduction in the theta network after all-out. CONCLUSION: Our explorative approach suggests intensity-dependent modulations of resting-state brain networks, since exhaustive exercise temporarily reduces brain network efficiency. Resting-state network assessment may prospectively play a role in training monitoring by displaying the readiness and efficiency of the central nervous system in different training situations.

Neuroplastic changes in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patients from neuromechanical decoupling.

The purpose of this study was to identify how the brain simultaneously perceives proprioceptive input during joint loading in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) patients, when compared to healthy controls. Seventeen ACLR patients (ACLR) and seventeen controls (CONT) were tested for the somatosensory cortical activation using electroencephalography (EEG) while measuring knee laxity using a knee arthrometer. The relationship between cortical activation and joint laxity within group was also examined. The ACLR patients had increased cortical activation (36.4% ± 11.5%) in the somatosensory cortex during early loading (ERD1) to the injured limb compared to the CONT's matched limb (25.3% ± 13.2%, P = 0.013) as well as compared to the noninjured limb (25.1% ± 14.2%, P = 0.001). Higher somatosensory cortical activity during midloading (ERD2) to the ACLR knee positively correlated with knee laxity (mm) during early loading (LAX1, r = 0.530), midloading (LAX2, r = 0.506), total anterior loading (LAXA, r = 0.543), and total antero-posterior loading (LAXT, r = 0.501), while the noninjured limb revealed negative correlations between ERD1 and LAXA (r = -0.534) as well as between ERD2 and LAX2 (r = -0.565). ACLR patients demonstrate greater brain activation during joint loading in the injured knees when compared to healthy controls' matched knees as well as contralateral healthy knees, while the CONT group shows similar brain activation patterns during joint loading between limbs. These different neural activation strategies may indicate neuromechanical decoupling following an ACL reconstruction and evidence of altered sensorimotor perception and control of the knee (neuroplasticity), which may be critical to address after surgery for optimal neuromuscular control and patients' outcomes.

Effects of Acute Physical Exercise With Low and High Cognitive Demands on Executive Functions in Children: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: Whereas many studies addressed the relation between acute physical exercise and executive functions (EF) in children, the effects of various modalities of acute exercise on EF still remain unclear. This systematic review investigated the effects of exercise with low and high cognitive demands on speed of processing and accuracy of performance in tasks examining inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility in children. METHOD: A systematic literature research in electronic databases was performed. Controlled trials assessing the effects of acute exercise on EF in a pre-post design were included. RESULTS: Ten studies involving a total of 890 participants revealed positive effects in working memory performance in speed of processing after acute exercises with low cognitive demands compared with seated rest, mixed results for inhibition after exercises with low and high cognitive demands, and mixed results for cognitive flexibility with low cognitive demands. Concerning accuracy, only mixed results were found for inhibition after exercises with low and high cognitive demands. CONCLUSION: The differentiated effects of acute exercises with low and high cognitive demands led to more positive effects in speed of processing compared with accuracy of performance. Further investigations including assessment of neurophysiological parameters of EF are needed.

The relationship between the sensory responses to ankle-joint loading and corticomotor excitability.

PURPOSE: Maintaining joint stability is dependent on the ability of the nervous system to sense and react to potentially injurious loads. In attempts to understand the neurophysiologic mechanisms underlying joint stability, this afferent and efferent activity has been quantified separately at the cortical, segmental and peripheral levels using various electrophysiologic techniques in vivo. However, no studies have attempted to quantify sensory and motor activation at multiple levels of the nervous system in a single subset, to understand potential adaptations for optimizing joint stability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Muscle spindle afferent activity and sensory cortex event-related desynchronization were quantified during ankle-joint loading; and motor excitability was assessed through transcranial magnetic stimulation and the Hoffmann reflex in a subset of 42 able-bodied individuals. Microneurography and electroencephalography were used to collect the muscle spindle afferent and sensory cortex activation, respectively, as joint load was applied using an ankle arthrometer. Separately, motor-evoked potentials were obtained from the tibialis anterior (TA) and soleus (SOL) using transcranial magnetic stimulation over the motor cortex, and compared to the reflexive responses evoked via sciatic nerve electrical stimulation. RESULTS: Correlation coefficients revealed significant correlations between the motor threshold of the soleus and early muscle spindle afferent activity (r = -0.494) and early cortical event-related desynchronization (r = 0.470), as well as tibialis anterior motor-evoked potential size and late muscle spindle afferent activity (r = 0.499). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study highlight the nervous system's capability to offset motor output based on the volume of sensory input at the segmental and cortical levels.

Objective impairments of gait and balance in adults living with HIV-1 infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

BACKGROUND: Gait and balance deficits are reported in adults with HIV infection and are associated with reduced quality of life. Current research suggests an increased fall-incidence in this population, with fall rates among middle-aged adults with HIV approximating that in seronegative elderly populations. Gait and postural balance rely on a complex interaction of the motor system, sensory control, and cognitive function. However, due to disease progression and complications related to ongoing inflammation, these systems may be compromised in people with HIV. Consequently, locomotor impairments may result that can contribute to higher-than-expected fall rates. The aim of this review was to synthesize the evidence regarding objective gait and balance impairments in adults with HIV, and to emphasize those which could contribute to increased fall risk. METHODS: This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. An electronic search of published observational studies was conducted in March 2016. Methodological quality was assessed using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Narrative synthesis of gait and balance outcomes was performed, and meta-analyses where possible. RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included, with fair to low methodological quality. All studies used clinical tests for gait-assessment. Gait outcomes assessed were speed, initiation-time and cadence. No studies assessed kinetics or kinematics. Balance was assessed using both instrumented and clinical tests. Outcomes were mainly related to center of pressure, postural reflex latencies, and timed clinical tests. There is some agreement that adults with HIV walk slower and have increased center of pressure excursions and -long loop postural reflex latencies, particularly under challenging conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Gait and balance impairments exist in people with HIV, resembling fall-associated parameters in the elderly. Impairments are more pronounced during challenging conditions, might be associated with disease severity, are not influenced by antiretroviral therapy, and might not be associated with peripheral neuropathy. Results should be interpreted cautiously due to overall poor methodological quality and heterogeneity. Locomotor impairments in adults with HIV are currently insufficiently quantified. Future research involving more methodological uniformity is warranted to better understand such impairments and to inform clinical decision-making, including fall-prevention strategies, in this population.

The Relationship Between Joint Stiffness and Muscle Activity in Unstable Ankles and Copers.

CONTEXT: Rolling sensations at the ankle are common after injury and represent failure in neural regulation of joint stiffness. However, deficits after ankle injury are variable and strategies for optimizing stiffness may differ across patients. OBJECTIVE: To determine if ankle stiffness and muscle activation differ between patients with varying history of ankle injury. PATIENTS: Fifty-nine individuals were stratified into healthy (CON, n = 20), functionally unstable (UNS, n = 19), and coper (COP, n = 20) groups. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A 20° supination perturbation was applied to the ankle as position and torque were synchronized with activity of tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, and soleus. Subjects were tested with muscles relaxed, while maintaining 30% muscle activation, and while directed to react and resist the perturbation. RESULTS: No group differences existed for joint stiffness (F = 0.07, P = .993); however, the UNS group had higher soleus and less tibialis anterior activation than the CON group during passive trials (P < .05). In addition, greater early tibialis anterior activation generally predicted higher stiffness in the CON group (P ≤ .03), but greater soleus activity improved stiffness in the UNS group (P = .03). CONCLUSION: Although previous injury does not affect the ability to stiffen the joint under laboratory conditions, strategies appear to differ. Generally, the COP has decreased muscle activation, whereas the UNS uses greater plantar-flexor activity. The results of this study suggest that clinicians should emphasize correct preparatory muscle activation to improve joint stiffness in injury-rehabilitation efforts.

Decoupling of laxity and cortical activation in functionally unstable ankles during joint loading.

PURPOSE: Recent studies have highlighted central nervous system alterations following ligamentous injury that may contribute to joint instability. However, research has not observed cortical responses to joint loading or sensory changes in the context of joint laxity following injury. METHODS: Forty-two subjects were stratified into healthy (CON), unstable (UNS), and coper (COP) groups using ankle injury and instability history. Event-related desynchronization (%) from electroencephalography quantified somatosensory cortex activity as the ankle was loaded using an arthrometer. RESULTS: Cortical activation increased as the ankle was loaded (F = 63.05, p < 0.001), but did not differ between groups (F = 1.387, p = 0.268), despite greater laxity in UNS (F = 3.58, p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Increased somatosensory cortex activity was observed with joint loading; however, though UNS demonstrated a degree of mechanical instability, no differences in magnitude of cortical activation were observed. Continued research should explore how the relationship between cortical activation and joint stiffness is affected following ligamentous injury.

Alterations of postural control across the menstrual cycle - A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Postural control is a vital component of injury prevention and prediction and plays a critical role in sports performance. Its relationship with the phases of the menstrual cycle (MC) is not yet fully understood and requires further investigation. RESEARCH QUESTION: Does postural control alter between high hormone and low hormone phases of the MC? METHODS: Five electronic databases were searched by two reviewers between 30th November and 2nd December 2022. Included were studies that investigated the effects of the MC on static and dynamic postural control in naturally cycling (NC) women by comparing the early follicular phase (EFP) with at least one high hormone phase of the MC. Two reviewers conducted the literature search, selection of eligible studies, data extraction, methodological quality assessment utilizing a modified Downs and Black Checklist, GRADE guidelines and SIGN grading, and synthesis of results. RESULTS: Nine studies examined the effects of the MC on static (n = 7), dynamic (n = 1), or both forms of postural control (n = 1) in 148 NC women. Included studies were of very low to moderate quality. Level of evidence was either 2 + (n = 1) or 2- (n = 8). Limited evidence of five very low-quality studies indicated decreased static postural control during the ovulatory phase of the MC, compared to the EFP. The decrements were present in balance tasks that altered sensory input of at least two sensory systems of postural control. SIGNIFICANCE: This systematic review is the first compiling evidence on the effect of the MC on postural control. Evidence that the MC influences postural control is unclear. However, a trend towards decrements in postural control form EFP to OP was observed in balance tasks that eliminated or altered sensory input. Hence, compensatory strategies might be less effective during the OP.

Development of an Effector-Specific Stop Signal Task with Higher Complexity: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

The present study aims to develop and present a proof-of-concept for a stop signal task with effector-specificity and higher complexity. Sixteen participants performed a stop signal task developed for lower extremities using Fitlight System™. The effect of four different delays and two sessions on response time, stop signal reaction time and accuracy was assessed using two-way repeated-measures ANOVA. The reliability of outcomes was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients. There was a significant main effect of delay on all outcomes and an interaction of delay and session on accuracy. The reliability of outcomes was substantial with dependency on delays. Our preliminary findings suggest the feasibility of stop signal principles within more complex movements and provide an example for the development of further tests in sports context.

Exergaming interventions for older adults: The effect of game characteristics on gameplay.

PURPOSE: Exergames can be used to train physical and cognitive abilities and have been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of falls in older adults. However, there is limited evidence about how people play exergames and how gameplay is affected by game settings and, thus, the potential training effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of repeated exergaming sessions over 4 weeks and two game settings (difficulty level and game speed) on gameplay (performance, physical activity and perceived exertion) in older adults over a four-week exergaming intervention. METHODS: 28 independently living older adults (mean age 74.47 years; 14 females) played two different exergames (Puzzle and Fox) at two difficulty levels 3× per week for 4 weeks. Physical activity measures from an accelerometer at the lower back, performance as game scores from the exergaming system, and self-reported measures of physical and cognitive exertion were collected at sessions 1,2,3,6,9 and 12. RESULTS: For the Puzzle game, performance and physical activity increased significantly across the 12 training sessions. For the Fox game, an increased game speed was associated with increased performance, physical activity, and exertion across the exergaming sessions. Across all exergaming sessions, increasing difficulty by adding cognitive elements decreased the performance and amount of physical activity. CONCLUSION: Game characteristics significantly influence how the exergames are played during a 4-week exergaming intervention. Hence, individual tailoring of the difficulty level and game speed is important. This study highlights the importance of understanding the interplay between game characteristics and gameplay during an exergaming intervention, thereby adding critical information for interpreting intervention effects - or the lack thereof.

Behavioral and cortical dynamics underlying superior accuracy in short-distance passes.

Improved pass accuracy is a prominent determinant of success in football. It demands an effective interaction of complex behavioral and cortical dynamics. Exploring differences in the ability to sustain an accurate pass behavior in a stable setting and the associated cortical dynamics at different expertise levels may provide an insight into skilled strategies contributing to superior accuracy in football. The aim of this study is to compare trial-to-trial variability of pass biomechanics and the corresponding cortical dynamics during short-distance passes between novices and experienced football players. Thirty participants (15 novices, 15 football players) performed 90 short-distance passes. The intertrial variability of pass biomechanics (foot acceleration, range of hip flexion, knee flexion and foot rotation) was assessed by means of multiscale entropy. The task-related cortical dynamics were analyzed via source-derived event-related spectral perturbations. Experienced players demonstrated higher accuracy and overall lower entropy values across multiple time scales which was significant for hip flexion. The electroencephalography data revealed group differences in parieto-occipital alpha desynchronization and frontal theta synchronization in successive phases of passes. The current findings suggest that experienced football players may show a skilled ability to recruit and retain pass biomechanics promoting higher accuracy, whereas novices may show an explorative behavior with higher spatial variability. This difference may be associated with distinctive visuospatial and attentional strategies acquired with expertise in football. Our study provides an insight into expertise-specific behavioral and cortical dynamics of superior accuracy in football and a basis for its prospective investigation in enriched contexts.

The Mode of Endurance Exercise Influences Changes in EEG Resting-State Graphs among High-Level Cross-Country Skiers.

PURPOSE: Acute bouts of exercise influence the communication and organization of brain networks, with exercise intensity and volume regarded as key moderators. However, differences in coordination demands and limb involvement between exercise modes may also affect the communication and organization of brain networks after exercise and should be considered additionally. This study aimed to investigate the effect of mode on exercise-induced changes in electroencephalogaphy (EEG) resting-state networks comparing running (RUN) and cross-country skating (XC). METHODS: Fifteen male, highly trained participants were tested for peak oxygen uptake (V̇O 2peak ) during RUN (65.3 mL·min -1 ·kg -1 ) and XC (63.5 mL·min -1 ·kg -1 ) followed by incremental protocols at 50%, 70%, and 90% of speed at V̇O 2peak in both modes on the treadmill. After each exercise bout, 5-min resting-state EEG assessments using 64 channels were performed. Upon graph theory, small world index (SWI), clustering coefficient (CC), and path length (PL) were assessed in theta, alpha-1 and alpha-2 frequency bands. Repeated-measures ANOVA was applied to analyze the influence of exercise intensity and mode on modulations in brain network efficiency. RESULTS: Main effects of mode on SWI ( P = 0.047), CC ( P < 0.001), and PL ( P = 0.031) in the alpha-2 network indicated stronger modulations in network efficiency after XC. Main effects of exercise intensity in the theta network indicated modulated SWI ( P < 0.001), CC ( P < 0.001), and PL ( P = 0.003) after exercise at 90% of V̇O 2peak speed. Physiological outcomes (heart rate, blood lactate concentration, and rating of perceived exertion) were influenced by intensity solely. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that an acute bout of coordinatively challenging endurance exercise may affect brain networks differently compared with running. Future studies may consider exercise mode as a potential moderator in the acute interaction between exercise and the brain.

Exergaming in older adults: the effects of game characteristics on brain activity and physical activity.

Introduction: Exergames are increasingly used in rehabilitation settings for older adults to train physical and cognitive abilities. To meet the potential that exergames hold, they need to be adapted to the individual abilities of the player and their training objectives. Therefore, it is important to know whether and how game characteristics affect their playing. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of two different kinds of exergame (step game and balance game) played at two difficulty levels on brain activity and physical activity. Methods: Twenty-eight older independently living adults played two different exergames at two difficulty levels each. In addition, the same movements as during gaming (leaning sideways with feet in place and stepping sideways) were performed as reference movements. Brain activity was recorded using a 64-channel EEG system to assess brain activity, while physical activity was recorded using an accelerometer at the lower back and a heart rate sensor. Source-space analysis was applied to analyze the power spectral density in theta (4 Hz-7 Hz) and alpha-2 (10 Hz-12 Hz) frequency bands. Vector magnitude was applied to the acceleration data. Results: Friedman ANOVA revealed significantly higher theta power for the exergaming conditions compared to the reference movement for both games. Alpha-2 power showed a more diverse pattern which might be attributed to task-specific conditions. Acceleration decreased significantly from the reference movement to the easy condition to the hard condition for both games. Discussion: The results indicate that exergaming increases frontal theta activity irrespective of type of game or difficulty level, while physical activity decreases with increasing difficulty level. Heart rate was found to be an inappropriate measure in this population older adults. These findings contribute to understanding of how game characteristics affect physical and cognitive activity and consequently need to be taken into account when choosing appropriate games and game settings for exergame interventions.

Cognitive Training Improves Joint Stiffness Regulation and Function in ACLR Patients Compared to Healthy Controls.

As cognitive function is critical for muscle coordination, cognitive training may also improve neuromuscular control strategy and knee function following an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The purpose of this case-control study was to examine the effects of cognitive training on joint stiffness regulation in response to negative visual stimuli and knee function following ACLR. A total of 20 ACLR patients and 20 healthy controls received four weeks of online cognitive training. Executive function, joint stiffness in response to emotionally evocative visual stimuli (neutral, fearful, knee injury related), and knee function outcomes before and after the intervention were compared. Both groups improved executive function following the intervention (p = 0.005). The ACLR group had greater mid-range stiffness in response to fearful (p = 0.024) and injury-related pictures (p = 0.017) than neutral contents before the intervention, while no post-intervention stiffness differences were observed among picture types. The ACLR group showed better single-legged hop for distance after cognitive training (p = 0.047), while the healthy group demonstrated no improvement. Cognitive training enhanced executive function, which may reduce joint stiffness dysregulation in response to emotionally arousing images and improve knee function in ACLR patients, presumably by facilitating neural processing necessary for neuromuscular control.

Weaker Quadriceps Corticomuscular Coherence in Individuals after ACL Reconstruction during Force Tracing.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare quadriceps corticomuscular coherence (CMC) and force steadiness between individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and uninjured controls during a force tracing task. METHODS: Individuals with ACLR ( n = 20) and controls ( n = 20) performed a knee extension force-control task at 50% of maximal voluntary effort. Electrocortical activity, electromyographic activity, and torque output were recorded concurrently. CMC in beta (13-30 Hz) and gamma (31-80 Hz) frequency bands was assessed using partial directed coherence between the contralateral motor cortex (e.g., C4-C2-Cz electrodes) and the ipsilateral quadriceps muscles (e.g., left vastus medialis and lateralis). Force steadiness was quantified using root-mean-square error and coefficient of variation. Active motor threshold was determined using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Differences between groups (ACLR vs control) and limbs (involved vs uninvolved) were assessed using peak knee extension strength and active motor threshold as a priori covariates. RESULTS: Participants with ACLR had lower gamma band connectivity bilaterally when compared with controls (vastus medialis: d = 0.8; vastus lateralis: d = 0.7). Further, the ACLR group demonstrated worse quadriceps force steadiness (root-mean-square error, d = 0.5), lower involved limb quadriceps strength ( d = 1.1), and higher active motor threshold ( d = 1.0) compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS: Lower quadriceps gamma band CMC in the ACLR group suggests lower cortical drive (e.g., corticomotor decoupling) to the quadriceps compared with matched controls. Further, the ACLR group demonstrated worse quadriceps force steadiness, suggesting impaired ability to modulate quadriceps neuromuscular control. Notably, CMC differences were present only in the gamma frequency band, suggesting impairments may be specific to multisensory integration and force modulation.