Correlation between concern about falling and functional muscle fitness in community-dwelling elderly / Correlação entre preocupação em cair e aptidão muscular funcional em idosos comunitários

Abstract Introduction: To establish a correlation between concern about falling and a more comprehensive functional parameter, functional muscle fitness, a variable that encompasses functional components such as balance, muscle strength, power, flexibility and motor coordination in an integrated way. Functional muscle fitness is measured using the sitting-rising (from the floor) test (SRT), a simple, safe, fast and ecological test. Objective: The aim of our study was to determine the correlation between concern about falling and functional muscle fitness in the elderly. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted. The sample consisted of 53 elderly people of both sexes (86.8% women; 65.6 ± 4.7 years old; body mass index 28.5 ± 3.8 kg/m2), who were assessed for concern about falling (through Falls Efficacy Scale International, FES-I-Brazil) and functional muscle fitness (through SRT). Correlation analysis was performed using the Spearman test. For all analyses, a significance level of 5% (p < 0.05) was established. Results: Concern about falling showed a negative correlation with functional muscle fitness (rho =-0.229; p = 0.015). Conclusion: Elderly people with lower levels of functional muscle fitness have a higher level of concern about falling.

Resumo Introdução: Com o intuito de estabelecer uma correlação entre a preocupação em cair e um parâmetro funcional mais abrangente, a aptidão muscular funcional, variável que engloba componentes funcionais como equilíbrio, força, potência muscular, flexibilidade e coordenação motora de forma integrada, surge como uma alternativa. A aptidão muscular funcional é mensurada por meio do teste de sentar e levantar do chão (TSL), um teste simples, seguro, rápido e ecológico. Objetivo: A pesquisa teve como objetivo verificar a correlação entre a preocupação em cair e a aptidão muscular funcional de idosos. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo com delineamento observacional do tipo transversal correlacional. A amostra foi composta por 53 idosos de ambos os sexos (86,8% mulheres; 65,6 ± 4,7 anos; índice de massa corporal 28,5 ± 3,8 kg/m2), avaliados quanto à preocupação em cair (através da Escala Internacional de Eficácia de Quedas Brasil - FES-I-Brasil) e à aptidão muscular funcional (através do TSL). A análise de correlação foi realizada pelo teste de Spearman. Para todas as análises foi estabelecido um nível de significância de 5% (p < 0,05). Resultados: A preocupação em cair apresentou correlação negativa com aptidão muscular funcional (rho =-0,229; p = 0,015). Conclusão: Idosos com menores índices de aptidão muscular funcional apresentam maior nível de preocupação em cair.

Effect of 6 Months of Physical Training on the Physical Fitness of Young Brazilian Army Cadets.

Following the increase in the employment of women in conflicts around the world, the federal government of Brazil enacted a law which determines the participation of women in the military. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of six months of physical training (PT) on the physical fitness of young Brazilian Army cadets to carry out the physical assessments provided in military training. Sixty-eight members of the (19.4 ± 1.0 years) military from the Brazilian Army (BA), with BMI of (23.61 ± 2.17/21.81 ± 2.26) respectively and divided in two groups (men/women) participated in the study. PT was conducted by Manual EB20-MC10.350. Anthropometric measurements and assessment of body composition by dual X-ray absorptiometry were performed. The Student's t test, percentage evolution equation, and Levene test were used. Results showedasignificant increase in anthropometric variables and cardiorespiratory fitness in both groups. Bone health variables and visceral fat presented a significant increase in the malegroup. In terms of muscle fitness handgrip and isometric strength there was no significant variation between the groups and push-up and pull-up there was significant variation between the groups. Percentage evolution was greater in female group. The conclusion shows PT was able to cause beneficial changes, promoting positive improvement in bone health, especially in women. Also, PT was shown to enhance cardiorespiratory capacity, and muscle fitness of the upper limbs in all participants.

Educación física y salud: evaluación de la aptitud muscular y la adiposidad corporal en adolescentes escolares / Physical education and health: evaluation of muscular fitness and body fat in school adolescents

RESUMEN. La Educación Física, como asignatura escolar obligatoria, debe realizar acciones para hacer frente a los altos niveles de inactividad física, sedentarismo y obesidad en la población, destacándose en importancia, la evaluación de la aptitud física y su posterior programación del ejercicio en las escuelas. Los propósitos del estudio fueron: 1) Evaluar de manera sencilla la condición física de un curso del nivel escolar secundario (n=17), de un colegio privado de la ciudad de La Plata, provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. 2) Conocer y relacionar los niveles de aptitud muscular y adiposidad corporal en los alumnos. Tras la investigación, se conoció que la obesidad influye negativamente en los resultados de las evaluaciones de la aptitud muscular, como muestran otros estudios. Se pudo concluir que es posible la evaluación de la condición física de los escolares para la obtención de información valiosa en pos de la prevención de la inactividad física.

ABSTRACT. Physical Education, as a compulsory school subject, must take actions to deal with the high levels of physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyle and obesity in the population. Standing out in importance, the evaluation of physical fitness and its subsequent programming of exercise in schools. The purposes of the study were: 1) To evaluate in a simple way the physical condition of a course at the secondary school level (n = 17), of a private school in the city of La Plata, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. 2) Know and relate the levels of muscle fitness and body fat in students. After the investigation it was known that obesity negatively influences the results of evaluations of muscular fitness, as other studies show. Concluding that it was possible to assess the physical condition of school students, in order to obtain valuable information in order to prevent physical inactivity.

High intensity interval training does not impair strength gains in response to resistance training in premenopausal women.

PURPOSE: To compare the increases in upper- and lower-body muscle strength in premenopausal women performing resistance training (RT) alone or alongside concurrent high-intensity interval training (CT). METHODS: Sixteen women (26-40 years) were randomly assigned into two groups that performed either RT or CT. Both groups performed the same RT program; however, CT performed additional high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on a bicycle ergometer before RT. The study lasted 8 weeks and the participants were tested for ten repetition maximum (10RM) load in elbow flexion (barbell biceps curl) and knee extension exercises pre- and post-intervention. RT was performed with 10-12 repetitions to self-determined repetition maximum in the first four weeks and then progressed to 8-10. During CT, HIIT was performed before RT with six 1-min bouts at 7-8 of perceived subjective exertion (RPE) and then progressed to eight bouts at 9-10 RPE. RESULTS: Analysis of variance revealed significant increases in upper and lower body strength for both the RT and CT groups. Biceps barbell curl 10RM load increased from 12.9 ± 3.2 kg to 14 ± 1.5 kg in CT (p < 0.05) and from 13 ± 1.8 kg to 15.9 ± 2.5 kg in RT (p < 0.05), with no significant between-groups differences. Knee extension 10RM increase from 31.9 ± 11.6 kg to 37.5 ± 8.5 kg for CT (p < 0.05) and from 30.6 ± 8.6 kg to 41.2 ± 7.4 kg for RT (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, performing HIIT on a cycle ergometer before resistance training does not seem to impair muscle strength increases in the knee extensors or elbow flexors of pre-menopausal women. This information should be considered when prescribing exercise sessions, since both activities may be combined without negative effects in muscle strength.

Effects of resistance training in HIV-infected patients: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

The relative effects of resistance training (RT) upon muscle fitness and immune function among HIV-infected patients are uncertain. The purpose of this study was to perform a meta-analysis to determine the effects of RT upon muscle strength, muscle mass and CD4 cells count and to identify potential moderators of those outcomes in HIV-infected patients. Meta-analyses use random or fixed-effects model depending on the heterogeneity of effect sizes, complemented with Hedge's g correction factor. Thirteen trials were meta-analysed. Overall, RT increased muscle strength (35.5%, P < 0.01) and CD4 cell count (26.1%, P = 0.003) versus controls (P < 0.03), but not muscle mass (P = 0.051). Meta-regression followed by subgroup moderator analysis showed that gains in muscle strength followed a dose-response pattern with largest increase detected among trials with longer (24 weeks; 49.3%) than shorter intervention (<12 weeks; 39%), higher (Physiotherapy Evidence-Based Database [PEDro] scale = 6; 38.3%) than lower (PEDro = 5; 28.1%) quality, and longer (12 months; 59.7%) than shorter time under highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) (<6 months; 37.1%), (P < 0.01). RT appears to be efficacious to improve muscular strength (~35.5%) and CD4 cell count (~26.1%), but not muscle mass of HIV-infected patients. Effects upon strength were greater in studies with higher quality and among trials with longer RT and HAART.

Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis and Muscular Fitness in Healthy Men.

Muscle strength can define the general muscular fitness (MF) measurable through hand-grip strength (HG), which is a factor that relates to the health of people of different ages. In this study we evaluated the muscle strength together with a bioimpedance electric analysis in 223 healthy Colombian adult subjects. The bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) was conducted to determine the resistance (R), reactance (Xc) and phase angle (PhA). We classified the subjects into three groups (for tertiles), obtaining lower values of R and Xc in subjects with lower HG, plus a high correlation between PhA and HG. An increase in the level of PhA is associated with a high level of MF in a sample of healthy Latin American adult men. The BIVA's parameters and PhA are a potentially effective preventive measure to be integrated into routine screening in the clinical setting.