Can the inner eye canthus temperature be used as an alternative method to measure core temperature in sleep-deprived individuals?

Core temperature is used in several situations, including studies on biological rhythms and circadian markers of physical performance. Measuring the inner eye canthus (Tco) temperature is a method proposed to identify core temperature, but it has shown little concordance in physical exercise situations and has not yet been used in studies with measurements taken throughout the day. The objective of this study was to compare the measurements and daily behavior of Tco obtained by infrared thermography with rectal temperature (Tre) during a prolonged waking protocol. Eleven male individuals participated in the study, who remained in the laboratory for at least 38 h using an actigraph to determine the wakefulness time and were monitored during the entire period. The Tre and Tco measurements were performed every 3 h. The ANOVA was used for repeated measurements followed by Bonferroni's post-hoc test to find the limits of concordance/proximity, while the Bland and Altman method and the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient were used to establish the reliability between the pairs. The significance level adopted was p < 0.05. The results demonstrate significant differences, low levels of concordance and unsatisfactory reliability levels between Tco and Tre at all 13 analyzed moments, in addition to not showing measurement reliability when all data are used together with the 143 temperature measurements. Daily behavior analysis shows moments with similar behavior with an increase in Tco and Tre, but at other times the behavior was the opposite, with a decrease in one measurement and an increase in the other. Based on the results presented, it is not recommended to use the inner eye canthus temperature as a substitute for rectal temperature for measuring core temperature at different times of the day or in sleep-deprived individuals.

Intermittent Fasting Promotes Weight Loss without Decreasing Performance in Taekwondo.

Intermittent fasting (IF) is commonly used by combat sports athletes for weight loss. However, IF can decrease performance. This study aimed to investigate the effect of IF on total body mass (TBM) and Taekwondo performance. Nine athletes (seven male, two female; 18.4 ± 3.3 years) underwent 4 weeks of 12 h IF. TBM, countermovement jump (CMJ), mean kicks (MK), and total number of kicks (TNK) were compared weekly. Performance was measured in the fed state (FED) and fast state (FAST). Results showed decreased TBM in week 1 (62.20 ± 6.56 kg; p = 0.001) and week 2 (62.38 ± 6.83 kg; p = 0.022) compared to pre-intervention (63.58 ± 6.57 kg), stabilizing in week 3 (62.42 ± 6.12 kg), and no significant change in week 4 (63.36 ± 6.20 kg). CMJ performance in week 1 was lower in FED (35.26 ± 7.15 cm) than FAST (37.36 ± 6.77 cm; p = 0.003), but in week 3, FED (38.24 ± 6.45 cm) was higher than FAST (35.96 ± 5.05 cm; p = 0.047). No significant differences were found in MK and TNK in FSKTmult. RPE, KDI, and HR were similar between FED and FAST (p < 0.05). [LAC] was higher post-test compared to pre-test (p = 0.001), with higher concentrations in FED than FAST (p = 0.020). BG was higher in FED than FAST (p < 0.05) before physical tests. Therefore, IF promotes decreased TBM without decreasing performance.

Association between basketball playing position and ACTN3 R577X polymorphism in athletes of first division Brazilian Basketball League.

INTRODUCTION: Genetic-association studies have shown that some polymorphisms are associated with different aspects of athletic performance, including very specific features, such as players' position in team sports, like soccer, rugby, and Australian football. However, this type of association has not been investigated in Basketball yet. The present study analyzed the association of ACTN3 R577X, AGT M268T, ACE I/D and BDKRB2+9/-9 polymorphisms with the position of basketball players. METHODS: One hundred fifty-two male athletes from 11 teams of the first division of Brazilian Basketball League and 154 male Brazilian controls were genotyped. The analyses of the ACTN3 R577X and AGT M268T were performed by the allelic discrimination method, while ACE I/D and BDKRB2+9/-9 by conventional PCR followed by electrophorese in agarose gel. RESULTS: The results showed a significant effect of height on all positions and an association between the genetic polymorphisms analyzed and basketball positions. In addition, a significantly higher frequency of ACTN3 577XX genotype was observed in Point Guards. Also, compared to Point Guard, ACTN3 RR and RX were more prevalent in the Shooting Guard and Small Forward group and RR genotype was also more prevalent in the Power Forward and Center group. CONCLUSION: The main finding of our study was the positive association of ACTN3 R577X polymorphism and basketball playing position, and a suggestion of genotypes related to strength/power performance with post players and genotypes related to endurance performance with point guard players.

Possible effects of uberization on the quality of sleep of professional drivers.

Uber and other on-demand business platforms drivers experience unparalleled flexibility in work hours, and many are using this model instead of working a fixed-hours job. The option of working more hours a day and, as a result, increasing the remuneration received is often chosen by drivers even at the expense of sleep. Due to their professional obligation, this population is at risk of excessive sleepiness due to sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality, increasing the risk of detrimental effects on health and the risk of car accidents. Considering that sleep is essential for general health, it is mandatory to create strategies to address these issues, such as limiting the maximum number of hours worked a day under the laws regulating labor rights and periodically assessing drivers' alertness.

Total Testosterone and Cortisol During Wheelchair Rugby Training in Athletes With Cervical Spinal Cord Injury.

CONTEXT: Hormonal assessment in the sport context is important to monitor the physiological adaptations of athletes. However, Paralympic athletes, especially with cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI), may have different hormonal responses than nondisabled athletes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the blood concentrations of total testosterone (TT) and cortisol (C) during acute (one training session) and chronic (1 and 2 month) training of athletes with CSCI in wheelchair rugby (WCR). DESIGN: Longitudinal and observational study. METHODS: Eight high-performance athletes with CSCI (31 [3.9] y; 75.6 [15.8] kg; 22.9 [4.2] kg/m2 body mass index; 6.2 [2] y of experience in sport) were evaluated at 3 different intervals (evaluations 1, 2, and 3 [E1, E2, and E3]) over 2 months of training. TT and C blood were evaluated before (pre) and after (post) the training sessions at each training moment, as well as the training load through the ratings of perceived exertion. RESULTS: Athletes with CSCI had low TT concentrations. In acute training sessions, at E3, C decreases after the training session, unlike the TT/C ratio, which increased after the session. Regarding hormonal changes during chronic training at the end of the training period, unlike C, which increased. The training load (arbitrary units) decreased in E3 when compared with the other evaluation moments. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that in chronic training, TT concentrations decreased, while C increased at the end of the 2 months of training. These results may indicate that training volume was high throughout training and that a reduction in training volume could benefit athletes. On the other hand, in the acute training session with reduced training load, a decrease in C was observed after the training session. This indicates that athletes may be well recovered in this training session. Therefore, we suggest acute and long-term hormonal assessment for athletes with CSCI as a strategy to monitor anabolic/catabolic hormonal status during WCR training.

Are exergames an option to cope with sleep disorders during the COVID-19 outbreak?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, factors related to the isolation and quarantine period increased psychobiological distress in the general population around the world, increasing anxiety, emotional stress, and depression, as well as worsening of the quality of sleep. Seeking alternatives to provide support for the implementation of some interventions for well-being and health under pandemic conditions, exergames (active video games) seem to be a feasible alternative to keep people physically active and to positively impact sleep health. In this overview article, we discussed the feasibility of exergames as an option to cope with sleep disorders and improve sleep quality during the COVID-19 outbreak through increasing physical exercise and physical fitness levels.

Technology and Sleep Quality: Friend or Foe? Let the Exergames Come into Play!

Low sleep quality is associated with many health problems. Although physical exercise is a nonpharmacological tool that positively impacts sleep quality, there are many barriers (lack of energy, lack of motivation, lack of skills, lack of resources, and fear of injury) for people to adopt an active lifestyle. Exergames are an alternative way of physical exercise that are funnier and more attractive than traditional forms of physical exercise and, therefore, has the potential to increase adherence to a physical exercise program. Given that previous studies showed that exergames presents similar physiological and psychological outcomes to traditional forms of exercise, we aimed to discuss in this narrative review potentials applications, limitations and perspectives of using exergames to improve sleep quality.

Motivation Levels and Goals for the Practice of Physical Exercise in Five Different Modalities: A Correspondence Analysis.

The identification of the practitioner's profile regarding their motivation level for physical exercise engagement could be a behavioral strategy to increase exercise adherence. The present study investigates the associations between motivation levels, modalities practiced, and goals concerning the practice of physical exercise among physical exercise practitioners. A total of 100 physical exercise practitioners, of which 67 were women, took part in this study. The participants were engaged in extreme fitness program, strength training, fight training, Pilates, and functional training. Motivation level (BREQ-3) and expectations regarding regular physical exercise (IMPRAF-54) were assessed. A multiple correspondence analysis demonstrates preferential relationships between descriptive and non-inferential variables. Strength training and fight training practitioners seek these modalities with the goals of "Health" and "Aesthetics," demonstrating low autonomy in relation to the behavior for the practice of physical exercise. Extreme conditioning program and functional training practitioners have as goal "Pleasure," demonstrating medium and high levels of autonomy for such practice and Pilates practitioners have the goal of "Stress Control." To promote and encourage the regular practice of physical exercise, this strategy could be used to take actions that increase the public's intention to start or continue in a physical exercise program.

Can IGF-1 Serum Levels Really be Changed by Acute Physical Exercise? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Physical exercise plays an important role in metabolic health, especially in the insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) system. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of a single endurance and resistance exercise session on IGF-1 serum. METHODS: The systematic review was performed in SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. All analyses are based on random-effect models. The study identified 249 records of which 21 were included. RESULTS: There was an effect of endurance exercise on total IGF-1 (P = .01), but not for free IGF-1 (P = .36). Resistance exercise similarly only affected total IGF-1 (P = .003) and not free IGF-1 (P = .37). The effect size indicated that total IGF-1 is more affected (ES = 0.81) by endurance than by resistance exercise (ES = 0.46). The present study showed that IGF-1 serum concentrations are altered by exercise type, but in conditions which are not well-defined. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that there is no determinant in serum IGF-1 changes for the exercise load characteristic. Therefore, physical exercise may be an alternative treatment to control changes in IGF-1 metabolism and blood concentration.

Duration and quality of sleep in sprint and recovery performances among elite swimmers / Duração e qualidade de sono no desempenho do sprint e na recuperação de nadadores de elite / Duración y calidad del sueño en el desempeño en el sprint y recuperación d nadadores de élite

ABSTRACT Introduction: Circadian rhythms can impact athletes' sports performance, where the plateau occurs between 15 and 21 hours. Swimming is a peculiar case, as athletes perform training and final sessions in competitions at different times, as in the Rio2016 Olympic Games for example, where the semifinal and final competitions took place from ten o'clock at night. Objectives: (1) to present the protocol of an intervention performed with elite athletes of the Brazilian swimming team during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio; (2) to find out whether the time at which the competitions were held affected the swimming performances of these athletes during the competition. Materials and Methods: Fourteen athletes of the Brazilian swimming team (males: n= 10; 71% and females: n= 4; 29%) participated in the study. They were followed up during two preparation periods (baseline and intervention) for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio during June and July 2016. During the competition, we recorded the Reaction Time (RT) and Competition Time (CT) of each athlete in different modalities. The intervention strategies used were light therapy and sleep hygiene. The values of RT at the starting block and CT were registered and conferred with the official results. Results: The athletes showed a decrease in the total time awake (Δ = −13%; Effect size [ES] = 1.0) and sleep latency (Δ = −33%; ES = 0.7), and an increase in total sleep time (Δ = 13%; ES = 1.1; p = 0.04) between the baseline and the period of the intervention, pre-competition. We identified an improvement in the RT (Δ = −2.2% to −1.0%; ES = 0.2 to 0.5) during the competition only for the athletes who participated in the competition finals. Conclusion: We conclude that the intervention carried out was effective in mitigating any negative influence of competition time on the RT and CT of elite athletes of the Brazilian swimming team. Level of evidence II; Prospective comparative study.

RESUMO Introdução: Os ritmos circadianos podem exercer impacto no desempenho esportivo dos atletas, onde o platô ocorre entre as 15 e 21 horas. A natação é um caso peculiar, uma vez que os nadadores realizam sessões de treinamento e provas finais em competições em diferentes horários, como por exemplo, nos Jogos Olímpicos Rio2016, onde as competições semifinais e finais da natação ocorreram a partir das 22 horas. Objetivos: O presente estudo teve como objetivos: (1) apresentar o protocolo de uma intervenção realizada com atletas de elite da equipe de natação brasileira durante os Jogos Olímpicos Rio 2016; (2) identificar se o desempenho dos atletas de natação foi afetado devido aos horários das provas durante a competição. Materiais e Métodos: Participaram do estudo 14 atletas da equipe de natação brasileira (masculino: n= 10; 71% e feminino: n= 4; 29%). Foi realizado acompanhamento dos atletas durante dois períodos de preparação (baseline e intervenção) para os Jogos Olímpicos Rio2016 nos meses de junho e julho de 2016. Durante a competição, foi realizado o registro do Tempo de Reação (TR) e Tempo de Prova (TP) de cada atleta nas diferentes modalidades. As estratégias de intervenção utilizadas foram: terapia de luz e higiene do sono. Os valores de TR no bloco de partida e TP foram registrados e conferidos com os resultados oficiais. Resultados: Os atletas apresentaram decréscimo no tempo total de vigília (Δ = −13%; Tamanho do Efeito (TE) = 1,0) e latência de sono (Δ = −33%; TE = 0,7), e aumento do tempo total de sono (Δ = 13%; TE = 1,1; p = 0,04) entre o baseline e o período de intervenção pré-competição. Nós identificamos melhorias no TR (Δ = −2,2% à −1,0%; TE = 0,2 a 0,5) ao longo da competição somente para os atletas que participaram da fase final da competição. Conclusão: Concluímos que a intervenção realizada foi efetiva para minimizar qualquer influência negativa do horário da competição sobre o TR e TP dos atletas de elite da natação brasileira. Nível de evidência II; Estudo prospectivo comparativo.

RESUMEN Introducción: Los ritmos circadianos pueden ejercer impacto en el desempeño deportivo de los atletas, donde la meseta ocurre entre las 15h y las 21 horas. La natación es un caso peculiar, ya que los nadadores realizan sesiones de entrenamiento y pruebas finales en competiciones en diferentes horarios, como por ejemplo, en los Juegos Olímpicos Rio 2016, en donde las competiciones semifinales y finales de natación ocurrieron a partir de las 22 horas. Objetivos: El presente estudio tuvo como objetivos: (1) presentar el protocolo de una intervención realizada con atletas de élite del equipo de natación brasileño durante los Juegos Olímpicos Rio 2016; (2) identificar si el desempeño de los atletas de natación fue afectado debido a los horarios de las pruebas durante la competición. Materiales y Métodos: Participaron en el estudio 14 atletas del equipo de natación brasileño (masculino: n = 10; 71% y femenino: n= 4; 29%). Fue realizado acompañamiento de los atletas durante dos períodos de preparación (baseline e intervención) para los Juegos Olímpicos Rio 2016 en los meses de junio y julio de 2016. Durante la competición, se realizó el registro del Tiempo de Reacción (TR) y Tiempo de Prueba (TP) de cada atleta en las diferentes modalidades. Las estrategias de intervención utilizadas fueron: terapia de luz e higiene del sueño. Los valores de TR en el bloque de partida y TP fueron registrados y verificados con los resultados oficiales. Resultados: Los atletas presentaron disminución en el tiempo total de vigilia (Δ = −13%; Tamaño de efecto (TE) = 1,0), y latencia del sueño (Δ = −33%; TE = 0,7), y aumento del tiempo total de sueño (Δ = 13%; TE = 1,1; p = 0,04) entre baseline y el período de intervención precompetición. Identificamos mejoras en el TR (Δ = −2,2% a −1,0%; TE = 0,2 a 0,5) a lo largo de la competición sólo para los atletas que participaron en la fase final de la competición. Conclusión: Concluimos que la intervención realizada fue efectiva para minimizar cualquier influencia negativa del horario de la competición sobre el TR y TP de los atletas de élite de la natación brasileña. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudio prospectivo comparativo.

Association Between Hormonal Status, Stress, Recovery, and Motivation of Paralympic Swimmers.

Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate associations between hormonal profile (cortisol and testosterone) and the psychobiological aspects of Paralympic athletes during a competitive season. Method: Male Brazilian Paralympic swimmers (n = 11) were evaluated in three Training Camps (TC) during the cycle of training for the Paralympic Games RIO 2016. Questionnaires were used for data collection of stress and recovery, motivation in sport and hormonal status was assessed by salivary samples of cortisol ([Csal]) and testosterone ([Tsal]) concentrations. The Friedman test was used to identify overall significant differences at the three TC for each variable. When the overall p value indicated statistical significance (p < .05), a post hoc Wilcoxon signed-rank test for paired data was used to compare pairs of TC. The Spearman correlation was used to identify associations between the hormonal profile and the psychobiological aspects. Results: There was an association between the [Csal] and the "Conflicts/Pressure" sub-scale (r = 0.60; p = .04) in TC1 and the "Lack of Energy" subscale (r = 0.63; p = .03) in TC2. In the TC3, there were correlations between [Tsal] and "To Know" intrinsic motivation (r = 0.83, p < .01), "Objectives"(r = 0.66, p < .02), "Experiences" (r = 0.65, p < .02) and "Amotivation" (r = -0.70, p = .01). There were also associations between the [Tsal] and the "Social Recovery" (r = 0.77, p < .01), "General Wellness" (r = 0.73, p < .01), "Sleep Quality" (r = 0.63, p = .03) and "Self-efficacy" (r = 0.60, p = .05) subscales. In TC3, there was an association between [Tsal] and the "Success" (r = 0.61, p = .04), "Sleep Quality" (r = 0.62, p = .03), "Personal Accomplish" (r = 0.82, p < .01), "Self-efficacy" (r = 0.82, p < .05), "Self-regulation" (r = 0.85, p < .01) and "Physical Recovery" (r = 0.80, p < .01) subscales. The data demonstrate associations between biomarkers (salivary testosterone and cortisol) and psychobiological domains of Paralympic swimmers.

Perfiles de los estados de ánimo, depresión, calidad de sueño, somnolencia y ansiedad del equipo de atletismo paralímpico: un estudio longitudinal / Profiles of mood states, depression, sleep quality, sleepiness, and anxiety of the Paralympic athletics team: A longitudinal study

Introducción: Conocer el perfil psicobiológico de un deporte de equipo es importante para definir el trabajo y también en la preparación para las competiciones. El objetivo de este trabajo fue elaborar un perfil psicobiológico del equipo de atletismo paralímpico durante un período de 7 meses. Material y métodos: Diecinueve atletas del atletismo brasileño fueron evaluados al final de la temporada, al comienzo de la temporada, y previamente a la competición. Las evaluaciones se realizaron mediante los cuestionarios siguientes: Perfil de estados de ánimo, Escala de depresión de Beck, Cuestionario de Pittsburg de calidad de sueño, Escala de somnolencia de Epworth e Inventario de la escala de ansiedad rasgo-estado. Resultados: La mayoría de los atletas mostraron un nivel de ansiedad rasgo-estado medio en el final y el comienzo de la temporada. Hubo diferencia entre: época previa a la competición y el final de la temporada, en el dominio de vigor, que se incrementó en el período precompetición; previa a la competición y el comienzo de la temporada en la duración total del sueño, con un aumento en la precompetición; el principio y el final de la temporada, en la latencia del sueño con una disminución en el comienzo de la temporada. Conclusiones: El período durante la temporada deportiva puede alterar las variables psicobiológicas, tales como bajo vigor, somnolencia diurna, y una mayor latencia de sueño al final de la temporada y la mala calidad del sueño al comienzo de la temporada. Por el contrario, la buena calidad del sueño y alto vigor en la etapa previa a la competición favorecen el rendimiento deportivo (AU)

Introduction: Determining the psychobiological profile of a team sport is important for defining The work to be performed in each phase, as well as in preparation for future competitions. The aim of this study was to draw a profile of mood states, depression, sleep quality, sleepiness and anxiety, of a Paralympic athletics team over a seven-month period. Materials and methods: An assessment was made of 19 athletes from the Brazilian athletics team at the end of season, beginning of season, and pre-competition. The assessments were performed using following questionnaires: profile of mood states, Beck Depression Inventory, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The results were expressed as the mean and standard deviation, and the significance level was set at p < 0.05. Results: Most of the athletes exhibited a median level of trait-state anxiety at the end and at the beginning of the season. There was difference between: pre-competition and the end of season in the vigor domain, which was increased in the pre-competition; pre-competition and the beginning of the season in the total duration of sleep, with an increase in the pre- competition; the beginning and the end of the season, in sleep latency, with a decrease at the beginning of the season (AU)

Percepção de qualidade de sono e de vida em atletas paralímpicos: comparação entre atletas com deficiência física e visual / Perception of sleep and quality of life in paralympic athletes: comparison between athletes with physical and visual disabilities

RESUMO O esporte paralímpico cresceu muito nos últimos anos, com isso, torna-se importante a avaliação do sono e da qualidade de vida dos atletas, as quais podem influenciar em seus desempenhos. O objetivo do estudo foi verificar a diferença de percepção de qualidade de sono e de vida entre atletas paralímpicos dois meses antes dos Jogos Paralímpicos de Londres. Foram avaliados 30 atletas com deficiência física (18 atletas) e deficiência visual (12 atletas). Para avaliar a qualidade subjetiva de sono, a sonolência e a qualidade de vida (QV) utilizou-se o questionário de Pittsburgh, a escala de Epworth e o WHOQOL-bref, respectivamente. Para comparação entre grupos de deficiência foi utilizado o teste Mann-Whitney. Para verificar diferenças entre os domínios de QV foi utilizado o teste de Friedman, seguido do teste de Wilcoxon. A associação entre variáveis nominais foi analisada pelo teste qui-quadrado. Houve predomínio de atletas com eficiência de sono >85%. Não houve diferença entre os grupos na comparação da percepção da qualidade de sono. O domínio "meio ambiente" apresentou menor escore comparado a todos os outros domínios, enquanto o domínio "relações sociais" apresentou menor escore comparado ao domínio "psicológico". Não houve diferença na qualidade de sono e QV entre as deficiências.

ABSTRACT Paralympic sport has grown significantly in recent years, andtherefore, is important to evaluate the sleep and the quality of life of these athletes, which can influence their performance. The objective of the study was to verify if there is a difference in perceptions of sleep and quality of life among Paralympic athletes, two months before the London Paralympic Games. A total of30 athletes with physical disability (18 athletes) and visual impairment (12 athletes) were evaluated. The Pittsburgh questionnaire, the Epworth scale and the WHOQOL-bref, respectively, were used to assess subjective sleep quality, somnolence and quality of life (QOL). For comparison between disability groups were used the Mann-Whitney test. To verify differences between the domains of QOL, the Friedman test was used, followed by the Wilcoxon test. The association between nominal variables was analyzed by the Chi-square test. There was a predominance of athletes with sleep efficiency >85%. There was no difference between the groups in the comparison of perception of the quality of sleep. The domain "environment" showed lower scores compared to the other domains, while the domain "social relations" showed lower score compared to the "psychological". There was no difference in the sleep and life between disabilities.

Emotional eating is related to carbohydrate intake in active women

Abstract BACKGROUND: Physical exercise may contribute to changes in eating behavior. AIMS: to investigate eating behavior and reported energy intake in physically active individuals. METHODS: Thirty-nine healthy adults of both sexes, who were involved in physical fitness training, were enrolled to participate in the study. A food diary and the TFEQ-21 was used for energy intake measurementandeating behaviors identification. RESULTS: All participants showed acceptable levels of all evaluated behaviors: Cognitive restraint (46.58±16.4 and 49.5±20.0), Emotional eating (8.12±12.5 and 40.8±26.7),and Uncontrolled eating (21.6±15.1 and 35.6±20.9) in men and women, respectively. Uncontrolled eating was associated with increased carbohydate intake for women, andfat-free masscontent was associated with less Emotional eating only in men. There were no differences in energy and macronutrient consumption between training and non-training days. CONCLUSION: Regular physical exercise is associateto bettereating behaviors, but women mayfind it harder to maintain or lose weight due to higher levels of emotional eating.

Analysis of the body composition of Paralympic athletes: Comparison of two methods.

Body composition is a physiological variable associated with physical activity and, in some cases, is related to athletic performance. Our objectives were to describe the body composition of participants in three distinct Paralympic sports and to compare the values of body density and estimated body fat obtained from the Paralympic athletes on the National Team by air-displacement plethysmography (ADP) and by the anthropometric method (skinfolds (SFs)). The sample consisted of 70 volunteers of both genders. The body composition of the volunteers was evaluated using the ADP in a Bod Pod(®) and seven SFs. There were no significant differences between the values obtained by ADP and SF for body fat percentage (p = .58) and body density (p = .49). Analysis by Bland-Altman plots showed mean differences of 0.56 ± 4.94 (-9.12-10.23) and -0.0017 ± 0.0113 (-0.024-0.020) for body fat percentage and body density, respectively. In conclusion, body composition analyses of Paralympic athletes by the ADP and SF methods show similar results, and ADP should be used as the first option when available. When the use of ADP is not possible, estimating body density and fat percentage by SF is a viable alternative for Paralympic athletes when future comparisons will use the same analysis method.

Sleep quality and psychobiological aspects of brazilian paralympic athletes in the London 2012 pre-paralympics period / Qualidade de sono e aspectos psicobiológicos de atletas paralímpicos brasileiros no período pré-paralímpiadas de Londres 2012 / La calidad de sueño y los aspectos psicobiológicos de los atletas paralímpicos brasileños en el período pre-paralímpiadas de Londres 2012

The objective of the study was to evaluate the psychobiological aspects of the Paralympic athletes athletics mode, before the London Paralympic Games 2012. We evaluated 40 athletes without 31 men and 9 women who were selected by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee to be part of the Brazilian delegation. For the evaluation of psychobiological aspects used questionnaires: Trait Anxiety Inventory-State, POMS, the Beck Depression questionnaire Pittsburgh Epworth Scale to assess, respectively, anxiety, mood, depression, sleep and sleepiness. For trait anxiety and state anxiety, athletes exhibited a mean level of anxiety in relation to the profile of mood states and higher intensity values ​​than any other dimensions. The lower total sleep time was in athletes with bad sleep, sleep deficiency was lower in athletes with poor sleep and total sleep time was lower for those who had efficiency < 85%. All psychobiological variables evaluated in pre-competition period were normal for the athletes of the Brazilian Paralympic athletics team that took part in the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar os aspectos psicobiológicos de atletas da modalidade de atletismo Paralímpico, antes dos Jogos Paralímpicos de Londres de 2012. Foram avaliados 40 atletas, sem 31 homens e 9 mulheres que foram convocados pelo Comitê Paralímpico Brasileiro para fazer parte da Delegação Brasileira. Para a avaliação dos aspectos psicobiológicos nós utilizamos os questionários: Inventário de Ansiedade Traço-Estado, POMS, Inventário de Depressão de Beck, questionário de Pittsburgh Escala de Epworth para avaliar, respectivamente, a ansiedade, o humor, a depressão, o sono e a sonolência. Para ansiedade-traço e ansiedade-estado os atletas apresentaram nível médio de ansiedade, em relação ao perfil dos estados de humor, a dimensão vigor apresentou valores mais altos do que as outras dimensões. O tempo total de sono foi menor em atletas com o sono ruim, a eficiência de sono foi menor em atletas com sono ruim e o tempo total de sono foi menor para quem teve eficiência < 85%. Todas as variáveis psicobiológicas avaliadas no período pré-competitivo estavam dentro da normalidade para os atletas da equipe Paralímpica Brasileira de atletismo que participaram dos Jogos Paralímpicos de Londres 2012.

El objetivo fue evaluar los aspectos psicobiológicos de los atletas de atletismo Paralímpico en el período que precedió los Juegos Paralímpicos de Londres de 2012. Se evaluaron 40 atletas. Los cuestionarios evaluaran la ansiedad, humor, depresión, sueño y la somnolencia. Para ansiedad-trazo y ansiedad-estado los atletas presentó nivel medio y no presentó propensión a la depresión. Los estados de humor la dimension vigor mostró un valor más alto. Para calidad de sueño los atletas presentó buen sueño, presentó somnolencia excesiva diurna y tuvo insatisfacción con el propio sueño. El tiempo total de sueño fue menor en atletas con un mal sueño, la eficiencia de sueño fue menor en atletas con un mal sueño y el tiempo total de sueño fue menor para quien tuvo eficiencia < 85%. Las variables psicobiológicas evaluados en el período previo a los Juegos Paralímpicos de Londres de 2012 eran normales para los atletas de la selección brasileña.

Low-grade inflammation and spinal cord injury: exercise as therapy?

An increase in the prevalence of obesity in people with spinal cord injury can contribute to low-grade chronic inflammation and increase the risk of infection in this population. A decrease in sympathetic activity contributes to immunosuppression due to the lower activation of immune cells in the blood. The effects of physical exercise on inflammatory parameters in individuals with spinal cord injury have not been well described. We conducted a review of the literature published from 1974 to 2012. This review explored the relationships between low-grade inflammation, spinal cord injury, and exercise to discuss a novel mechanism that might explain the beneficial effects of exercise involving an increase in catecholamines and cytokines in people with spinal cord injury.