Higher Impulse Electromyostimulation Contributes to Psychological Satisfaction and Physical Development in Healthy Men.

Background and Objectives: This study investigated the various impulse effects of whole-body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) on psychophysiological responses and adaptations. Materials and Methods: The participants included fifty-four men between 20 and 27 years of age who practiced isometric exercises for 20 min, three days a week, for 12 weeks while wearing WB-EMS suits, which enabled the simultaneous activation of eight muscle groups with three types of impulse intensities. Participants were allocated to one of four groups: control group (CON), low-impulse-intensity group (LIG), mid-impulse-intensity group (MIG), and high-impulse-intensity group (HIG). Psychophysiological conditions were measured at week 0, week 4, week 8, and week 12. Results: Compared with the CON, (1) three psychological conditions in LIG, MIG, and HIG showed positive tendencies every four weeks, and the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) test revealed that body image (p = 0.004), body shape (p = 0.007), and self-esteem (p = 0.001) were significantly different among the groups. (2) Body weight, fat mass, body mass index, and percent fat in the CON showed decreasing tendencies, whereas those in LIG, MIG, and HIG showed a noticeable decrease, which revealed that there were significant differences among the groups. Specifically, a higher impulse intensity resulted in a greater increase in muscle mass. (3) Although there was no interaction effect in the abdominal visceral fat area, there were significant interactions in the abdominal subcutaneous fat (ASF) and total fat (ATF) areas. Both the ASF and ATF in the CON showed decreasing tendencies, whereas those in other groups showed a noticeable decrease. The ANCOVA revealed that the ASF (p = 0.002) and ATF (p = 0.001) were significantly different among the groups. In particular, the higher the impulse intensity, the greater the decrease in abdominal fat. Conclusions: This study confirmed that high-impulse-intensity EMS can improve psychophysiological conditions. In other words, healthy young adults felt that the extent to which their body image, body shape, and self-esteem improved depended on how intense their EMS impulse intensities were. The results also showed that higher levels of impulse intensity led to improved physical conditions.

Relative appendicular skeletal muscle mass is associated with isokinetic muscle strength and balance in healthy collegiate men.

There are few studies on the relationship between skeletal muscle mass and balance in the young ages. We investigated the relationship between appendicular skeletal muscle mass, isokinetic muscle strength of lower extremity, and balance among healthy young men using relative skeletal muscle index. Thirty men were grouped according to relative appendicular skeletal muscle mass index: higher skeletal muscle group (n = 15) and lower skeletal muscle group (n = 15). Static and dynamic balance abilities were measured using the following: a test where participants stood on one leg with eyes closed, a modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction on Balance (mCTSIB) with eyes open and eyes closed, a stability test, and limits of stability test. The muscle strength of lower extremities was measured with an isokinetic analyser in hip, knee, and ankle joints. Participants with higher appendicular skeletal muscle mass were significantly more stable in maintaining dynamic balance than those with lower appendicular skeletal muscle mass. Moreover, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index was positively correlated with dynamic balance ability. Participants with higher appendicular skeletal muscle mass had stronger strength in the lower extremity, and there were significant differences in the isokinetic torque ratios between groups. From these results, it can be inferred that higher appendicular skeletal muscle mass relates to muscle strength and the alteration in the peak torque ratio of the lower extremity, contributing to the maintenance of balance.

Daily Life Patterns, Psychophysical Conditions, and Immunity of Adolescents in the COVID-19 Era: A Mixed Research with Qualitative Interviews by a Quasi-Experimental Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the daily lifestyle changes, prevalence of psychological depression, physical health status, and immunity of adolescents in Korea resulting from increased isolation and social restriction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All subjects included 17-year-old male adolescents. A total of 117 subjects were assigned to one of four groups according to the degree of depression based on item #6 in the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) questionnaire as follows: no-depression group (NDG, n = 71; 61.0%), low-depression group (LDG, n = 23; 19.0%), moderate-depression group (MDG, n = 15; 13.0%), and high-depression group (HDG, n = 8; 7.0%). This study analyzed the data using quantitative and qualitative methods to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic affects adolescents' daily lives, psychophysiological conditions, and immune function. RESULTS: This study found that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly affects the daily lifestyle pattern, psychophysical condition, and immunocytes of adolescents. In terms of depression, 39.0% of adolescents felt depressed, and 7% of them felt depressed almost every day. Overall, HDG considered themselves unhealthy and felt prone to immune diseases, such as colds. HDG were prone to sleep late, eat more frequently, and work out less. Regarding physical fitness factors, the cardiorespiratory endurance, strength, and power of HDG were significantly lower than those of NDG, LDG, and MDG. Moreover, HDG had the worst body composition, including the lowest muscle mass. Finally, natural killer (NK) cells and T cells were significantly different among groups, with the levels in HDG being significantly lower than those of the other three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Since the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affects the daily lives, psychophysical conditions, and immunocytes of adolescents, there is an urgent need to create and provide solutions to adolescents with depression though the number of subjects is few.

Importance of weightlifting performance analysis in anti-doping.

We examined the potential roles of the athlete's performance passport (APP) for doping detection by analyzing the relationship between weightlifting performance and sanction status. For the present study, performance data of 'not-sanctioned' (26740 datasets) and 'sanctioned' (289 datasets) male athletes were acquired from the website of the International Weightlifting Federation (www.iwf.net). One-way ANOVA, correlation analysis, and t-tests were used to analyze the relationship between athletes' use of doping and their performances across age and body weight. Athletic performance was significantly greater for athletes in the sanctioned group than those of the same age group who were not sanctioned, and this performance difference between the two groups was the greatest in their late thirties at 20.6% (not-sanctioned 292.0kg vs. sanctioned 352.3kg) (p < 0.05). From the age group analysis, out of 289 sanctioned cases, 84 cases, which was the largest proportion, were found within the top 10-25% of their performances. When stratified by body weight, athletic performance was significantly greater for the sanctioned group than the not-sanctioned group, and this performance gap was the greatest in the bodyweight category of 96 at 18.6% (not-sanctioned 310.1kg vs. sanctioned 367.8kg) (p < 0.05). From the body weight category analysis, out of 289 sanctioned cases, 75 cases, which was the largest proportion, were found within the top 10-25% of their performances. Additionally, the mean difference in performance between not-sanctioned and sanctioned groups was the largest in the body weight category of 67kg in the ages of 15-19 at 20% (not-sanctioned 234.6kg vs. sanctioned 281.5kg). These results are interpreted to mean that in male weightlifters 1) sanctioned athletes were detected in all ranges of performances regardless of age and body weight, 2) there were even higher rates of sanctioned athletes who performed within the top 10-25% of each age group and body weight category, 3) there were significant differences in performance between not-sanctioned and sanctioned group for all body weight categories, excluding +109, in the ages of 15-19 and 20-24, 4) therefore, performance data can be effectively used to better target suspected athletes for doping testing.

Effects of winter skiing on stress, heart rate, apprehension, and enjoyment in collegiate students: a single randomized controlled trial.

This study investigated the effect of winter skiing on stress levels in collegiate students and also observed psychological factors related to heart rate, apprehension, and enjoyment. Two hundred thirty-eight male students were randomly classified into the control group (n=117) or the ski group (n=121). The control group received lectures on skiing; however, the ski group received practical ski training. Psychological measures included stress, apprehension, and enjoyment; physical measures included heart rate at pre- and postday. There were significant correlations between stress and apprehension (r=0.366) and stress and enjoyment (r=-0.441). Specifically, apprehension negatively correlated with enjoyment (r=-0.599). Between both groups, a significant interaction effect was found among stress, apprehension, and enjoyment. Moreover, compared with the control group, the ski group's stress and apprehension were significantly reduced, whereas the enjoyment was significantly enhanced. This study suggests that winter skiing is a suitable sport for reducing stress and providing a high level of enjoyment for collegiate students.

Injury survey in Choi Kwang Do (CKD) martial art practitioners around the world: CKD is a safe form of training for adults.

Among the many sports and activities to choose from, martial arts are becoming increasingly popular for health and fitness. Due to the different nature of the various styles of martial arts, injuries are not uncommon. Though there have been studies on the injury rates of several martial art styles, there have been none regarding Choi Kwang Do (CKD), a noncompetitive martial art with relaxed and fluid movements designed to promote health and fitness for people of all ages. The purpose of this study was to examine the rate of injury for adults training in CKD to find out whether this is a safe style of martial art for adults. This study found the prevalence, causes, severity, and types of injuries from CKD practitioners around the world through an online survey targeting adults (n=122), aged 18 or older, with varying years of training experience. The annual rate of injury was 11.73 for every 100 CKD practitioners. There was no correlation between the length of training experience and injury. Training frequency and duration had no significant relationship with injury rates. A significant positive relationship between training intensity and injury existed (P=0.009). The results of the study found that CKD can be an attractive option for adults of any age who are looking to learn a martial art or choose a physical activity with a low risk of injury, however the training intensity should be kept at a level that is not excessively high.

The effect of warm-ups with stretching on the isokinetic moments of collegiate men.

Performing warm-ups increases muscle temperature and blood flow, which contributes to improved exercise performance and reduced risk of injuries to muscles and tendons. Stretching increases the range of motion of the joints and is effective for the maintenance and enhancement of exercise performance and flexibility, as well as for injury prevention. However, stretching as a warm-up activity may temporarily decrease muscle strength, muscle power, and exercise performance. This study aimed to clarify the effect of stretching during warm-ups on muscle strength, muscle power, and muscle endurance in a nonathletic population. The subjects of this study consisted of 13 physically active male collegiate students with no medical conditions. A self-assessment questionnaire regarding how well the subjects felt about their physical abilities was administered to measure psychological readiness before and after the warm-up. Subjects performed a non-warm-up, warm-up, or warm-up regimen with stretching prior to the assessment of the isokinetic moments of knee joints. After the measurements, the respective variables were analyzed using nonparametric tests. First, no statistically significant intergroup differences were found in the flexor and extensor peak torques of the knee joints at 60°/sec, which were assessed to measure muscle strength. Second, no statistically significant intergroup differences were found in the flexor and extensor peak torques of the knee joints at 180°/sec, which were assessed to measure muscle power. Third, the total work of the knee joints at 240°/sec, intended to measure muscle endurance, was highest in the aerobic-stretch-warm-ups (ASW) group, but no statistically significant differences were found among the groups. Finally, the psychological readiness for physical activity according to the type of warm-up was significantly higher in ASW. Simple stretching during warm-ups appears to have no effect on variables of exercise physiology in nonathletes who participate in routine recreational sport activities. However, they seem to have a meaningful effect on exercise performance by affording psychological stability, preparation, and confidence in exercise performance.

Relationship between cardiopulmonary responses and isokinetic moments: the optimal angular velocity for muscular endurance.

Most protocols for testing and rehabilitation for recovery and improvement of muscular endurance have been set at 180°/sec, 240°/sec, and 300°/sec. These protocols can cause confusion to clinical providers or other researchers. This study was aimed at investigating the optimal isokinetic angular speed for measuring or developing muscular endurance after assessing the relationship between cardiopulmonary responses and isokinetic moments. This study was conducted with 31 male and female college students. Graded exercise test and body composition were measured as well as the isokinetic moments of the knee muscles at three angular speeds: 180°/sec, 240°/sec, and 300°/sec. The specific isokinetic moments of knee muscles that were measured included: peak torque (PT) and total work (TW) on extensor (e) and flexor (f) of knee joints, which were denoted as ePT180, fPT180, eTW180, fTW180, ePT240, fPT240, eTW240, fTW240, ePT300, fPT300, eTW300, and fTW300 according to the three angular speeds. Spearman correlation test was used to examine the relationship between the sum means of cardiopulmonary responses and the variables of isokinetic moments. This study confirmed that the optimal angular speed for testing or training for muscular endurance was 180°/sec, which showed a stronger relationship between cardiopulmonary responses and isokinetic moments. Therefore, this angular speed is recommended for testing and training for muscular endurance of the knee joints.

Regular physical education class enhances sociality and physical fitness while reducing psychological problems in children of multicultural families.

This study investigated the influence of physical education class (PEC) as an intervention method for aggression, sociality, stress, and physical fitness levels in children from multicultural families. The hypothesis was that participating in PEC would result in reduced aggression and stress and improved sociality and physical fitness in multicultural children. A three-item questionnaire, a body composition test, and physical fitness tests were given three times. Eighty-four subjects were divided into four groups: multicultural children who participated in PEC (multi-PEG, n=12), multicultural children who did not participate in PEC (multi-NPEG, n=13), single-cultural children who participated in PEC (sing-PEG, n=11), and single-cultural children who did not participate in PEC (sing-NPEG, n=12), respectively. Parametric and nonparametric statistical methods were conducted on the collected data with a significance level set a priori at P<0.05. After 8 weeks of PEC, fat mass (F=2.966, P=0.045) and body mass index (F=3.654, P=0.021) had significantly different interaction effects. In the aspect of interaction effects from physical fitness variables, cardiopulmonary endurance (F=21.961, P=0.001), flexibility (F=8.892, P=0.001), muscular endurance (F=31.996, P=0.001), muscular strength (F=4.570, P=0.008), and power (F=24.479, P=0.001) were significantly improved in the multi-PEG compared to those of the other three groups. Moreover, sociality (F=22.144, P=0.001) in the multi-PEG was enhanced, whereas aggression (F=6.745, P=0.001) and stress (F=3.242, P=0.033) levels were reduced. As conclusion, the PEC reduced aggression and stress levels, and improved sociality and physical fitness levels after 8 weeks. This study confirmed that PEC for children from multicultural families can improve psychosocial factors and physical health.

Analysis of ipsilateral and bilateral ratios in male amateur golfers.

The number of injuries that force golfers to quit is also increasing. In particular, the upper body injuries are concerns for amateur golfers. This study was conducted not only to investigate muscular balance, such as ipsilateral and bilateral ratios of the upper body, but to also evaluate the possible problems of muscular joints in amateur golfers. Male golfers (n=10) and a healthy control group (n=10) were recruited for the assessment of muscular function in the upper body, which was measured by an isokinetic dynamometer at 60°/sec. The tested parts were trunk, wrist, forearm, elbow, and shoulder joints. Mann-Whitney U-test was used to evaluate the significance of the differences between groups. The ipsilateral ratios of peak torque or work per repetition (WR) of trunk flexor and extensor in the golfers were not significantly different compared to those of the control group. These results were similar to the shoulder horizontal abductor and adductor. However, there were significant differences in the ipsilateral and bilateral ratios of the wrist, forearm, and elbow joints. Especially, the WR of the wrist flexor, forearm pronator, and elbow flexor on the left side of amateur golfers showed imbalances in bilateral ratios. Moreover, the WR of the wrist and elbow flexors on the left side of amateur golfers were lower than those of the wrist and elbow extensors. Therefore, amateur golfers should strive to prevent injuries of the wrist, forearm, and elbow joints and to reinforce the endurance on those parts of the left side.