Is low back pain related to the body composition, flexibility, and postural deviations in rural workers?

Introduction: Hard work in the countryside can lead to the onset of pain conditions, which in turn trigger different degrees of labor reduction and musculoskeletal disorders. Low back pain is one of the most common disorders that lead to inactivity, and obesity seems to be associated with the development of low back pain symptoms, since abdominal fat causes mechanical demands in this region due to excessive load. Objectives: To analyze low back pain and its relationship with body composition, flexibility, and posture in rural workers. Methods: Rural workers (n = 55) were grouped according to the presence of low back pain or absence of low back pain symptoms. Body composition, flexibility, and posture were assessed and compared between groups. A principal component analysis was used to group variables to identify possible associations among variables and low back pain. Results: The low back pain group presented greater obesity rates than the group without symptoms. Regarding low back pain prevalence, most of the participants had pain symptoms and showed postural deviations. Principal components analysis showed that the group without symptoms was mainly related to the amount of muscle tissue, while the low back pain group was to the adipose tissue. Conclusions: Low back pain appears to be associated with body composition and postural deviations, while musculoskeletal and adipose tissues are protective and risk factors for low back pain, respectively, in rural workers.

Introdução: O trabalho árduo no campo pode levar ao aparecimento de quadros de dor, que desencadeiam diferentes graus de redução do trabalho e distúrbios musculoesqueléticos. A dor lombar é um dos principais distúrbios que levam a inatividade. A obesidade parece estar associada a dor lombar, pois a gordura abdominal provoca demandas mecânicas nessa região devido à carga excessiva. Objetivos: Analisar a dor lombar e sua relação com a composição corporal, flexibilidade e postura em trabalhadores rurais. Métodos: Trabalhadores rurais (n = 55) foram agrupados de acordo com a presença ou ausência de sintomas. A composição corporal, flexibilidade e postura foram avaliadas. Uma análise de componentes principais foi utilizada para identificar possíveis associações entre as variáveis e a dor lombar. Resultados: O grupo com dor lombar apresentou maiores taxas de obesidade do que o grupo sem sintomas. Em relação à prevalência de dor lombar, a maioria dos participantes apresentava dor e desvios posturais. A análise de componentes principais mostrou que o grupo sem sintomas estava relacionado à quantidade de tecido muscular, enquanto o grupo com dor lombar estava ao tecido adiposo. Conclusões: A dor lombar parece estar associada à composição corporal e desvios posturais, enquanto os tecidos musculoesquelético e adiposo são fatores protetores e de risco para dor lombar, respectivamente, em trabalhadores rurais.

Facial mask acute effects on affective/psychological and exercise performance responses during exercise: A meta-analytical review.

Background: Face masks are widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the protective measures against the viral infection risk. Some evidence suggests that face mask prolonged use can be uncomfortable, and discomfort can be exacerbated during exercise. However, the acute responses of mask-wearing during exercise on affective/psychological and exercise performance responses is still a topic of debate. Purpose: To perform a systematic review with meta-analysis of the acute effects of mask-wearing during exercise on affective/psychological and exercise performance responses in healthy adults of different/diverse training status. Methods: This review (CRD42021249569) was performed according to Cochrane's recommendations, with searches performed in electronic (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, SportDiscus, and PsychInfo) and pre-print databases (MedRxiv, SportRxiv, PsyArXiv, and Preprint.Org). Syntheses of included studies' data were performed, and the RoB-2 tool was used to assess the studies' methodological quality. Assessed outcomes were affective/psychological (discomfort, stress and affective responses, fatigue, anxiety, dyspnea, and perceived exertion) and exercise performance time-to-exhaustion (TTE), maximal power output (POMAX), and muscle force production] parameters. Available data were pooled through meta-analyses. Results: Initially 4,587 studies were identified, 36 clinical trials (all crossover designs) were included. A total of 749 (39% women) healthy adults were evaluated across all studies. The face mask types found were clothing (CM), surgical (SM), FFP2/N95, and exhalation valved FFP2/N95, while the most common exercises were treadmill and cycle ergometer incremental tests, beyond outdoor running, resistance exercises and functional tests. Mask-wearing during exercise lead to increased overall discomfort (SMD: 0.87; 95% CI 0.25-1.5; p = 0.01; I2 = 0%), dyspnea (SMD: 0.40; 95% CI 0.09-0.71; p = 0.01; I2 = 68%), and perceived exertion (SMD: 0.38; 95% CI 0.18-0.58; p < 0.001; I2 = 46%); decreases on the TTE (SMD: -0.29; 95% CI -0.10 to -0.48; p < 0.001; I2 = 0%); without effects on POMAX and walking/running distance traveled (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Face mask wearing during exercise increases discomfort (large effect), dyspnea (moderate effect), and perceived exertion (small effect), and reduces the TTE (small effect), without effects on cycle ergometer POMAX and distance traveled in walking and running functional tests. However, some aspects may be dependent on the face mask type, such as dyspnea and perceived exertion. Systematic Review Registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021249569], identifier [CRD42021249569].

Slackline training and postural control in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Exercise can reduce the negative effects of aging on postural control. The slackline training could potentially be an activity to improve postural control in older adults. However, the effects of slackline on postural control in older adults are not clear. This systematic review aimed to investigate the effects of slackline on postural control in older adults. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials were retrieved from ISI Web Knowledge, PubMed and Scopus using the descriptors "Slackline", "Slacklining", "Aged", "Aging", "Elderly", "Older adults", "Balance", "Postural Balance" and "Postural Control". Randomized controlled trials were selected. Postural control was evaluated through center of pressure (CoP), and slackline standing time during single leg stance. RESULTS: Four studies with 118 participants were included. The studies found that slackline improves slackline standing time in the tandem, and the single-legged postures, without differences in CoP displacement in single-leg position, results that were confirmed by the meta-analyses. CONCLUSION: Although slackline training improves task-specific performance, this improvement is not transferable to other tasks. This conclusion should be interpreted with caution considering the small number of studies, inconsistent designs, and general study limitations. Further studies are required before recommending slackline training to optimize the postural control of older adults.

Center of pressure position in the touches of the star excursion balance test in healthy individuals.

BACKGROUND: The Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) is a clinical test that aims to assess postural control. Its interpretation is related to the understanding of the motor specificities required. Adjustments must be made to the center of pressure (COP) to maintain balance during testing movements. Comprehend the specifics of these adjustments for each direction can allow the development of more suitable exercises for balance training. The aim was to compare the positions of the COP on the different directions of the SEBT and correlate the reachs obtained in the SEBT with the distances from the COP to the borders of the base of support (BOS). METHODS: Sixteen healthy subjects participated in the study. Measurements were made by performing the SEBT over the force platform. The Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Bonferroni's post hoc test was used to compare directions. The Pearson correlation test was used to check the correlation of parametric variables and Spearman correlation test for the nonparametric ones. RESULTS: The position of the COP at the touch differs from the anterior direction to the other directions of the SEBT and the performance in this direction is correlated with the proximity of the COP to the anterior limit of the support base. The performances in the other directions did not correlate with the COP position. CONCLUSION: The requirements of the compensation mechanisms for postural control are different between the directions of the SEBT.

Low back pain, anthropometric indexes and range of motion of rural workers / Dor lombar, índices antropométricos e flexibilidade em trabalhadores rurais

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study is necessary considering the expressive number of rural workers that are not assisted by a health professional despite the presence of musculoskeletal changes such as low back pain. Thus, the objective was to check if there is a relationship among low back pain levels, anthropometric measures and range of motion of rural workers. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with rural workers that used the visual analog scale to measure low back pain. The data on body mass index, fat percentage, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio and visceral fat area were obtained, as well as the assessment of posterior chain range of motion. RESULTS: Fifty-five rural workers were evaluated, with a predominance of women and married. Of the subjects evaluated, 37 (67.3%) reported low back pain, with an average pain of 3.4±2.7. More than half of the sample presented values of body mass index, fat percentage, waist circumference and waist-hip ratio considered undesirable. Those with pain had higher values of body mass index and visceral fat area. CONCLUSION: Rural workers with low back pain presented higher values of body mass index and visceral fat area, as well as those with an inadequate range of motion in the same region who had higher values of visceral fat area and pain. It is also possible to infer that there is an association between the values of body mass index and visceral fat area with the level of pain, just as the waist-hip ratio is associated with the levels of the range of motion.

RESUMO JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: O estudo justifica-se pelo expressivo contingente de trabalhadores rurais que não são acompanhados quanto à saúde, ao mesmo tempo que apresentam alterações musculoesqueléticas como dor lombar. Dessa forma, o objetivo foi verificar se há relação entre a dor lombar, medidas antropométricas e níveis de flexibilidade de trabalhadores rurais. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo transversal com trabalhadores rurais que utilizou a escala analógica visual para mensurar a dor lombar. Foram obtidas as medidas de índice de massa corporal, percentual de gordura, circunferência da cintura, relação cintura-quadril e área de gordura visceral, além da aferição da flexibilidade de cadeia posterior. RESULTADOS: Foram avaliados 55 trabalhadores rurais, com predomínio do sexo feminino e casados. Dos sujeitos avaliados 37 (67,3%) referiram queixas de dor lombar, sendo a pontuação média de dor de 3,4±2,7. Mais da metade da amostra apresentava valores de índice de massa corporal, percentual de gordura, circunferência da cintura e relação cintura-quadril classificados em categorias indesejáveis. Aqueles com dor apresentaram valores de índice de massa corporal e área de gordura visceral superiores. CONCLUSÃO: Os trabalhadores rurais com dor lombar apresentaram valores de índice de massa corporal e área de gordura visceral maiores, assim como aqueles com flexibilidade inadequada na mesma região apresentam valores maiores de área de gordura visceral e dor. Também é possível inferir que há associação entre os valores de índice de massa corporal e área de gordura visceral com o nível de dor, bem como a relação cintura-quadril se associa aos níveis de flexibilidade.