Acute effects of static stretching and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation on non-local range of movement.

Acute effects of static stretching (SS) and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on local and non-local range of motion (ROM) were assessed in 29 participants. Three evaluations were performed one week apart: week-1 Control session (CS); weeks 2-3 either SS or PNF interventions (randomized). Dominant and non-dominant limbs, local (hamstring extensibility) and non-local ROMs (Shoulder extension-ShE) were collected at baseline (T0), immediately after (T1), and fifteen minutes post-intervention (T2). No differences were found between time-points during the CS. Local-ROM significantly increased (p=0.0002, ES=0.74 and 0.0079, 0.56, for dominant and non-dominant lower limbs, respectively) after both SS and PNF. No interaction between time and treatment was detected for ShE in both limbs. However, post-hoc analysis revealed a significant increase in dominant upper limb ShE between T0 and T1 only after SS (p=0.002; +6.5%). Acute bouts of SS and PNF can increase local-ROM, however, no clear effects were observed for non-local ROM.

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Male and Female Judo Athletes.

Changes in cardiac geometry develop after intense and prolonged training. Left ventricular enlargement, increased relative wall thickness, and growing mass of the left ventricle occur after strenuous exercise. Combat sports such as judo can lead to left ventricular hypertrophy. Previous studies have found that there are differences in left ventricular chamber size and thickness between the sexes, with female athletes having smaller wall diameters and less hypertrophy than male athletes. The research aims to examine heart muscle adaptations and remodeling of cardiac geometry among elite judo athletes and to evaluate differences between males and females. A cross-sectional study included a group of 19 (males n=10, females n=9) professional judokas between 20 and 30 years. Demographic and anthropometric data were collected. Cardiac geometry was determined by two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. In terms of left ventricular mass and the left ventricular mass index significant differences were found between male and female judokas (233.44±68.75 g vs. 164.11±16.59 g, p=0.009), (105.16±24.89 vs. 84.66±15.06, p=0.044), respectively. A greater enlargement of the heart muscle is observed in male athletes compared to the female group. Left ventricle enlargement is likely to occur among elite-level judokas.

Relationship between Lifestyle Determinants and Perceived Mental and Physical Health in Italian Nursery and Primary School Teachers after the COVID-19 Lockdown.

The COVID-19 lockdown and the consequent distance school learning made epochal changes in children's lifestyles; however, little is known about the lockdown effects on school teacher habits. The aim of this observational study is to examine differences in the lifestyle of nursery (NS) and primary (PS) school teachers after one of the COVID-19 lockdowns and investigate the relationship between perceived physical/mental health and demographics, weight status and lifestyle determinants, such as adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) and physical activity level (PAL). A total sample of 265 participants (49.22 ± 6.95 years) filled out an online information questionnaire and standardized questionnaires to collect data on the Physical Component Summary (PCS), Mental Component Summary (MCS), PAL and MD-adherence. A t-test or ANOVA analysis was used to assess differences between quantitative variables: Mann-Whitney U or Kruskal-Wallis tests for qualitative variables. Spearman's correlations and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to identify categorical factors associated with classes of PCS and MCS. Teachers showed sufficient/high PAL, with a significantly higher level in the PS group (p < 0.05). This last showed a higher PCS score (p < 0.05). No differences between groups were found for MD-adherence, which was moderate/fair in both groups, and MCS, which was sufficient/good. Logistic regression showed that the only positive predictor of a high PCS was being physically active (OR 2.10, 95%CI 1.05-4.2, p < 0.05), while MCS was positively associated with normal weight status (OR 0.48, 95%CI 0.33-0.78, p = 0.020). This study highlights that PS teachers are more active than the NS group and perceive a higher physical health level. Mere predictors of physical and mental well-being are PA practice and being normal weight, respectively. This suggests that interventions to improve perceived health in this work category should be focused on the promotion of physical activity practice and on the maintenance of an optimal weight status.

Acute effects of different administration order of stretching exercises: effects on range of motion and cross-over effect.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this manuscript is to investigate if stretching exercise administration order may influence outcomes pertinent to range of movement (ROM). METHODS: A total sample of 108 participants was randomized into five groups. Eight sets of unilateral static stretching (SS) of 30s duration each with a 30s rest were administered to the right leg. One group underwent SS of the knee extensors (KE), another to the knee flexors (KF), another first to the KE and then to the KF, another first to the KF and then to the KE while the last group was used as control (CG). Each group was assessed for ROM of both lower limbs for either the KE and KF motion (passive hip extention [PHE] and passive straight leg raise [PSLR], respectively). Measures were assessed before (T0), immediately after (T1), and 15 minutes after the intervention (T2). RESULTS: No differences were observed for time (T0 vs. T1 vs. T2) for all measures in the CG for both limbs. Time-x-group interactions were observed only in the intervention limb (P<0.0007 and 0.004, ES 0.73 and 0.55, for KE and KF, respectively). Within the intervention limb, a significant increase in the PHE was observed from T0 to T1 only in the KE and KF/KE groups. For measures of the PSLR, a significant increase was observed from T0 to T1 only in the KF and KE/KF groups. No differences neither for time or group were observed in the control limb. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight that exercise administration order has an effect on ROM outcomes. Measures of ROM significantly increase only for the last stretched muscle in each intervention group. No crossover effect was observed in the contralateral limb.

Functional fitness, lifestyle and demographic factors as predictors of perceived physical and mental health in older adults: A structural equation model.

Over the past 50 years, socioeconomic development has brought a reduction in birth rates, an increase in life expectancy and consequently in the elderly population. For this reason, there has been an increasing focus on physical and mental health of the elderly, promoting the concept of healthy aging. The aim of this study was to explore the associations between perceived physical and mental health of older adults and a variety of determinants, such as demographic factors, physical functional fitness, physical activity level, adherence to the Mediterranean diet and anthropometric indices, through a structural equation modeling (SEM). A cross-sectional observational study involved 208 elderly (24 men and 184 women) over the age of 60, fully independent and autonomous. Perceived physical and mental health were assessed with the Short Form 12 questionnaire. Basic sociodemographic information was collected; anthropometric features were directly measured, functional fitness was assessed with the Senior Fitness Test, and physical activity level was determined through the International Physical Activity Questionnaire; adherence to Mediterranean Diet (MD) was also collected through the MEDAS questionnaire. The SEM analysis revealed that functional fitness, which was a latent variable of the model described by the six administered fitness tests, was a strong predictor both of perceived physical and perceived mental health in the sample of elderly. Physical activity level was as predictor of the perceived physical component, but not of the mental health, while score of metabolic equivalent task did not result a predictor, as well as the sociodemographic factors and adherence to MD. The present findings suggest that it would be strongly recommended for elderly subjects to engage in physical activity specifically targeted to aged populations, in order to enhance their fitness abilities and enable them to improve the perception of their own health status.

Positional transversal release is effective as stretching on range of movement, performance and balance: a cross-over study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the positional transversal release (PTR) technique to stretching and evaluate the acute effects on range of movement (ROM), performance and balance. METHODS: Thirty-two healthy individuals (25.3 ± 5.6 years; 68.8 ± 12.5 kg; 172.0 ± 8.8 cm) were tested on four occasions 1 week apart. ROM through a passive straight leg raise, jumping performance through a standing long jump (SLJ) and balance through the Y-balance test were measured. Each measure was assessed before (T0), immediately after (T1) and after 15 min (T2) of the provided intervention. On the first occasion, no intervention was administered (CG). The intervention order was randomized across participants and comprised static stretching (SS), proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) and the PTR technique. A repeated measure analysis of variance was used for comparisons. RESULTS: No differences across the T0 of the four testing sessions were observed. No differences between T0, T1 and T2 were present for the CG session. A significant time × group interaction for ROM in both legs from T0 to T1 (mean increase of 5.4° and 4.9° for right and left leg, respectively) was observed for SS, PNF and the PTR. No differences for all groups were present between T1 and T2. No differences in the SLJ and in measures of balance were observed across interventions. CONCLUSIONS: The PTR is equally effective as SS and PNF in acutely increasing ROM of the lower limbs. However, the PTR results less time-consuming than SS and PNF. Performance and balance were unaffected by all the proposed interventions.

How Does the Amount of a Physical Education Intervention Affect Gross Motor Coordination in Early Childhood?

Little is known about the dose-response of physical education interventions on motor coordination in preschoolers. Our aim was to investigate whether the development of motor skills changed depending on different amounts of a physical education program (PEP) in children aged 3-5 years. One hundred forty-five children were recruited from kindergartens and randomly divided into a control group (CG, n = 28), which did not perform any PEP, and two intervention groups, which performed 4 h/week (I1, n = 78) and 10 h/week (I2, n = 39) of a PEP for 16 weeks. Each lesson was set in the form of a programmed game in order to produce fun, thus increasing enthusiasm for participation. Before and after the intervention, locomotor and object control skills and the gross motor development quotient were assessed with the Italian version of the gross motor development test. Both intervention groups showed a significant increase in the motor skills compared with the control group. Moreover, the level of performance was significantly higher after 10 h/week compared to 4 h/week. These findings can be useful for standardizing PEPs in preschool settings so that they can be applied by teachers for planning effective programs for developing motor skills in early childhood.

Does Learning Through Movement Improve Academic Performance in Primary Schoolchildren? A Systematic Review.

Physically active children have greater motor competence and a faster maturation compared with their sedentary peers. Recent research also suggests that physical activity during childhood may also promote cognitive development and therefore improve academic performance. The aim of this study was to understand if physically active academic lessons may improve academic achievement in primary schoolchildren. A systematic review following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines was conducted. The search was performed on the following database: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), and PsycINFO (APA). Studies evaluating schoolchildren aged between 3 and 11 years taking part in educational contexts that include physical activity and natural environments evaluating physical fitness and/or educational outcomes were included. A total of 54 studies (for a total sample of 29,460 schoolchildren) were considered eligible and included in the qualitative synthesis. The Effective Public Health Practice Project risk-of-bias assessment revealed a moderate quality of the included studies with only two considered weeks. Despite differences in the retrieved protocols, physically active academic lessons improve the total time engaged in physical activity, motor skills, and/or academic performance. The results of this review suggest that learning through movement is an effective, low-cost, and enjoyable strategy for elementary schoolchildren.

Methodological Considerations for Movement Education Interventions in Natural Environments for Primary School Children: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Education is the ideal setting for carrying out projects to improve primary students' capacities. In recent years, interventions in natural environments have been more frequently proposed, but there is still a lack of standardization, making deeper study of the topic necessary. This review aims to report on what previous scientific research has been carried out, and eventually, to propose standard operating procedures for future interventions. METHODS: This is a scoping review that adopted the PRISMA guidelines. Primary school children have been included, and the interventions had to be proposed adopting nature as the primary element of the learning process. RESULTS: A total of 19 studies have been included, and a wide range of methodological differences has been detected regarding the included intervention protocols. CONCLUSIONS: Learning in nature is a feasible intervention that, despite the high heterogeneity of interventions, demonstrates positive outcomes in the learning sphere of children.

Validity and Reliability of an Inertial Sensor Device for Specific Running Patterns in Soccer.

Electronic performance tracking devices are largely employed in team sports to monitor performance and improve training. To date, global positioning system (GPS) based devices are those mainly used in soccer training. The aim of this study was to analyse the validity and reliability of the inertial sensor device (ISD) in monitoring distance and speed in a soccer-specific circuit and how their performance compare to a GPS system. 44 young male soccer players (age: 14.9 ± 1.1, range 9-16, years, height: 1.65 ± 0.10 m, body mass: 56.3 ± 8.9 kg) playing in a non-professional soccer team in Italy, participated in the study. We assessed the players trough a soccer running sport-specific circuit. An ISD and a GPS were used to assess distance and speed. Data was compared to a video reference system, and the difference were quantified by means of the root mean square error (RMSE). Significant differences were found for both GPS and ISD devices for distance and speed. However, lower error for distance (dRMSE 2.23 ± 1.01 m and 5.75 ± 1.50 m, respectively) and speed (sRMSE 0.588 ± 0.152 m·s-1 and 1.30 ± 0.422 m·s-1, respectively) were attained by the ISD compared to the GPS. Overall, our results revealed a statistically significant difference between systems in data monitoring for either distance and speed. However, results of this study showed that a smaller error was obtained with the ISD than the GPS device. Despite caution is warranted within the interpretation of these results, we observed a better practical applicability of the ISD due to its small size, lower cost and the possibility to use the device indoor.