Correction: Anabolic steroids among resistance training practitioners.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223384.].

Prevalence and profile of users and non-users of anabolic steroids among resistance training practitioners.

BACKGROUND: To verify the prevalence and profile of users and non-users of anabolic steroid (AS) among resistance training practitioners. METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional survey was performed in 100 gyms in Curitiba city, involving 5773 individuals and self-administered questionnaires. The chi-square and z-tests of proportions were used for comparison between the groups (p < 0.05). RESULTS: 83.2% did not use, 9.1% formerly used, 3.4% currently used, and 4.3% intended used AS. The prevalence of former or current AS users was 16.9 and 6.5% among men and women, respectively. The prevalence ratios were as follows: 1) 2.6 male users for each woman; 2) 3.3 individuals aged 30-44 years and 2.8 individuals aged 18-29 years for each individual aged over 45 years. Beginners were not interested in using AS, but individuals who had trained longer had higher prevalence of AS use. CONCLUSIONS: The gym environment encouraged the use of AS owing to aesthetic appeal. Thus, suggesting the need for actions to prevent abusive use of AS considering the practitioners profile (practitioners were young, university and single).

Anabolic steroids among resistance training practitioners.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the use of anabolic steroids (AS), the motivation to use them, their side effects, the source of information and the form in which AS were obtained, the medical follow-up, and the periodic examinations in resistance training practitioners who are either current or former users of AS. METHODS: A prevalence survey was performed in the gyms of the city of Curitiba, including 719 current and former AS users who self-administered a questionnaire. The chi-square and z of proportions (p <0.05) statistical tests were conducted. RESULTS: Esthetics was the main motivation associated with AS intake, leading to satisfactory results. The information about the form in which to use AS was provided by doctors and AS were either purchased at the pharmacy with a prescription or illegally. Current users reported a higher number of cycles and doses, a longer duration of use, as well as larger economical investments into AS. This shows a higher consumption of such drugs, regardless of the medical follow-up and post-cycle therapy. CONCLUSION: Given that a change in the usage pattern was observed when increasing the AS consumption, this should be considered in the elaboration of public policies to inhibit such a trend.

Densidade mineral óssea de pessoas com lesão medular após seis meses de treino locomotor com suporte parcial de peso / Bone mineral density of spinal cord injured persons after six months of body weight support training

INTRODUÇÃO: O treino locomotor com suporte parcial de peso (TLSP) pode ser aplicado na reabilitação de pessoas com lesão medular e proporcionar melhoras funcionais, da função cardiovascular e auxiliar na prevenção e tratamento da osteopenia e osteoporose, que são importantes complicações secundárias à LM. OBJETIVOS: Este estudo teve como objetivo determinar e comparar a densidade mineral óssea (DMO) antes e após seis meses de TLSP em sujeitos com LM incompleta. MÉTODO: A amostra foi composta por oito voluntários, com LM com classificações (ASIA) A, B e D. O grupo foi submetido a sessões de treinos, três vezes por semana, com duração de 15 minutos, a uma velocidade de 1,5 km/h. A descarga de peso sobre membros inferiores era aumentada em 5% do peso corporal a cada duas semanas, passando de 20% até 65% do peso corporal, desde o início até o fim do período. Foram realizados exames de densitometria óssea antes do início e logo após o encerramento do programa de treinamento. RESULTADOS: Houve aumento na DMO média do fêmur total que, apesar de pequeno (0,05 g/cm²), foi significativo (p = 0,034). Nas demais regiões (colo do fêmur e trocânter) não houve alteração significativa. CONCLUSÃO: O TLSP pode ter auxiliado na manutenção da DMO nas regiões do colo do fêmur e trocânter.

INTRODUCTION: Body weight support training (BWST) is a physical rehabilitation method applied for stimulating motor control recovery at neurological diseases. In the specific case of incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI), this method may help to improve functional capacity, cardiovascular function, as well as prevent and treat osteopenia and osteoporosis, which are important secondary complications of SCI. OBJECTIVE: This study has the purpose to determine and compare the bone mineral density (BMD) before and after six months of BWST in people with incomplete SCI. METHOD: The sample of this study was composed for eight ASIA A, B and D SCI volunteers who took part in 15 minutes training sessions, three times a week, carried out on treadmill with speed of 1,5 km/h. The load over lower limbs was increased every two weeks in 5% of body weight, from 20% until 65% of body weight, along six months. Bone densitometry tests were carried out before the beginning and just after the training program. RESULTS: There was a small (0,05 g/cm²), but significant (p = 0,034) improvement on femur BMD. In other regions (femoral neck and trochanter) there was no significant change (no gain or loss). CONCLUSION: The BWST can be aided by maintaining the BMD in the regions of femoral neck and trochanter.

Desenvolvimento de instrumentação para aplicação e avaliação do treinamento locomotor com suporte parcial de peso / Development of instrumentation for application and assessment of locomotor training with partial body weight support

O treino locomotor com suporte parcial de peso (TLSP) é um método para reabilitação da marcha que consiste em suspender o indivíduo sobre uma esteira enquanto seus membros inferiores são movimentados passivamente. Para aplicar o TLSP de forma apropriada, é preciso que a descarga de peso sobre membros inferiores seja controlada e monitorada. O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver um sistema de suporte de peso (SSP) capaz de medir descarga de peso sobre membros inferiores e superiores. Além disso, instrumentação para medição do ângulo do joelho, contato do pé e eletromiografia foi desenvolvida para avaliação do treino. O SSP foi construído com um sistema de polias, cabo de aço, guincho manual, uma célula de carga fixa ao cabo e duas outras em apoios para as mãos adaptados a uma esteira elétrica. Eletrogoniômetros e footswitches foram construídos para o sistema de medição, e uma plataforma de aquisição de sinais foi desenvolvida em ambiente LabVIEW®. As células de carga e os eletrogoniômetros foram calibrados e testados. Um ensaio piloto foi realizado com um indivíduo saudável a uma velocidade de 1,5 km/h com descarga de 60% do peso corporal sobre membros inferiores. O SSP desenvolvido apresentou erro menor que 1,5% e forneceu medidas das descargas de peso sobre membros superiores e inferiores. Ele permitiu analisar assimetria sobre membros superiores, o que pode ser importante na reabilitação neurológica. O spadrões cinemáticos e eletromiográficos fornecidos pelo sistema de medida foram semelhantes aos mostrados na literatura. A patente do sistema foi requerida junto ao INPI sob o protocolo n° 0000280904043771.

The locomotor training with partial weight support (LTPWS) is a method for gait rehabilitation which consists in suspending the individual over a treadmill while its lower limbs are passively moved mimicking the gait cycle. In order to properly apply LTPWS, the weight load over lower limbs must be controlled and monitored. The main aim of this work was to develop a partial weight support system (WSS) able to measure lower and upper limb loading. Also, instrumentation for measuring knee angle, foot contact and EMG data was developed for training assessment. The WSS was constructed with a pulley system, a steel cable, a manual winch, aload cell fixed at the cable and two other load cells fixed to handrails built on an electrical treadmill. For the measuring system, electrogoniometers and footswitches were constructed and a signal acquisition platform was developed on LabVIEW® environment. The load cells and electrogoniometers were calibrated and tested. A pilot test with a healthy individual was carried out at a speed of 1.5 km/h with a load of 60% of the body weight, over lower limbs. The developed WSS exhibited an error below 1.5% and was able to measure upper and lower limb weight load. It allows analyzing upper limbs loading and lateral unbalance, what might be important for neural rehabilitation. The measuring system was able to provide kinematic and electromyographic patterns similar to those shown in the literature under similar conditions. A patent request was submitted to the INPI under protocol nº 0000280904043771.