Novel Approach to Intradialytic Progressive Resistance Exercise Training.

Physical activity levels are typically undesirably low in chronic kidney disease patients, especially in those undergoing haemodialysis, and particularly on dialysis days. Intradialytic exercise programmes could be a solution to this issue and have been reported to be safe and relatively easily implemented in dialysis clinics. Nevertheless, such implementation has been failing in part due to barriers such as the lack of funding, qualified personnel, equipment, and patient motivation. Intradialytic aerobic exercise has been the most used type of intervention in dialysis clinics. However, resistance exercise may be superior in eliciting potential benefits on indicators of muscle strength and mass. Yet, few intradialytic exercise programmes have focused on this type of intervention, and the ones which have report inconsistent benefits, diverging on prescribed exercise intensity, absent or subjective load progression, equipment availability, or exercise supervision. Commonly, intradialytic resistance exercise interventions use free weights, ankle cuffs, or elastic bands which hinder load progression and exercise intensity monitoring. Here, we introduce a recently developed intradialytic resistance exercise device and propose an accompanying innovative resistance exercise training protocol which aims to improve the quality of resistance exercise interventions within dialysis treatment sessions.

Heat Preparation and Knowledge at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Muscat 2022.

PURPOSE: To assess elite racewalkers' preparation strategies, knowledge, and general practices for competition in the heat and their health status during the World Athletics Race Walking Teams Championships (WRW) Muscat 2022. METHODS: Sixty-six elite racewalkers (male: n = 42; mean age = 25.8 y) completed an online survey prior to WRW Muscat 2022. Athletes were grouped by sex (males vs females) and climate (self-reported) they live/trained in (hot vs temperate/cold), with differences/relationships between groups assessed. Relationships between ranking (medalist/top 10 vs nonmedalist/nontop 10) and precompetition use of heat acclimation/acclimatization (HA) were assessed. RESULTS: All surveyed medalists (n = 4) implemented, and top 10 finishers were more likely to report using (P = .049; OR = 0.25; 95% CI, 0.06%-1%), HA before the championships. Forty-three percent of athletes did not complete specific HA training. Females (8% [males 31%]) were less likely to have measured core temperature (P = .049; OR = 0.2; 95% CI, 0.041-0.99) and more likely to not know expected conditions in Muscat (42% vs 14%; P = .016; OR = 4.3; 95% CI, 1%-14%) or what wet bulb globe temperature is (83% vs 55%; P = .024; OR = 4.1; 95% CI, 1%-14%). CONCLUSIONS: Athletes who implemented HA before the championships tended to place better than those who did not. Forty-three percent of athletes did not prepare for the expected hot conditions at the WRW Muscat 2022, primarily attributed to challenges in accessing and/or cost of equipment/facilities for HA strategies. Further efforts to bridge the gap between research and practice in this elite sport are needed, particularly in female athletes.