Long-term training on sand changes lower limb muscle activities during running in runners with over-pronated feet.

BACKGROUND: Running on sand could be a promising exercise intervention for the treatment of over-pronated feet. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the effects of running on sand on muscle activities. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the long-term effects of running on sand on the activities of selected lower limb muscles in individuals with OPF compared with healthy controls. METHODS: Sixty recreational adult male runners with over-pronated feet (foot posture index > 10) were divided into two equal groups (intervention and control). Participants ran barefoot at a pre-defined speed (⁓3.3 m/s) over level stable ground both before and after long-term training on the sand. Muscle activities were recorded using a surface bipolar electromyography system. RESULTS: For the intervention group, we found a reduced foot posture index (p < 0.001; d = 2.00) and significant group-by-time interactions for gluteus medius activity during the mid-stance phase (p < 0.028; d = 0.59). Significantly higher gluteus medius activity (p = 0.028, d = 0.569) was found during the post-test. We also observed significant group-by-time interactions for medial gastrocnemius activity during the push-off phase (p < 0.041; d = 0.54). Significantly larger medial gastrocnemius activity (p = 0.041; d = 0.636) was found during the post-test compared to the pre-test. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term running on sand resulted in reduced pronation, increased medial gastrocnemius activity, and improved frontal plane pelvic stability due to higher gluteus medius activity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: IRCT20191211045704N1. Registered 25 February 2020. Retrospectively registered.

Iranian superwomen's career experiences: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Superwoman refers to the identity of a woman who performs several important roles simultaneously and full-time, such as being a wife, mother, and homemaker while holding a job. This study aims to examine the career experiences of Iranian superwomen who maintained their mental health while holding multiple roles. METHODS: Data for this qualitative study were collected via semi-structured interview and analyzed using conventional content analysis. The study participants were 12 multi-role women from different occupations in Tabriz, North West of Iran selected through purposive and theoretical sampling. The women's mental health status was assessed using Mental Health Continuum-Short Form questionnaire before participating in the research. RESULTS: The results were classified into three main categories. The first category included Underlying Factors of Job Experience with six subcategories, including Limited job opportunities for women, Educational context (mindset shaped in the parental home), Commitment or freedom in obtaining a job and its continuation, Personality traits, and Non-cognitive skills (emotional intelligence and spiritual intelligence); the second category included the adopted strategies to solve career problems with two subcategories: effective strategies, including the benefits of having a mindset of abundance and having a vision and strategic planning, and ineffective strategies, including the benefits of having a mindset of scarcity; and the third category included Perceived Consequences of employment with two subcategories: psychological consequences and social consequences, with both subcategories including some positive and negative further subcategories. Moreover, a conceptual relationship between the main categories and the subcategories was evident. CONCLUSIONS: The content obtained not only supports the findings about the experiences of multi-role women in cultures outside Iran, but also points to the unique aspects of Iranian superwomen's life experiences and narratives. The findings of this study can help us perceive the real career experiences from the perspective of Iranian professional women with multiple roles.

The Relation of Marital Adjustment and Family Functions With Quality of Life in Women.

Given the immense importance of marital relationships in the quality of life, this research was conducted in order to investigate the relationships between marital adjustment and family functions with quality of life in women. The design of the current study was correlational. Seven hundred and thirty women were selected randomly among all women living in the province of Western Azerbaijan (Iran) and participated in this study. The sample responded to the Family Assessment Device, Dyadic Adjustment scale and Quality of Life questionnaire, individually in their homes. Collected data were analyzed by Pearson's correlation and multiple regression tests. The results showed that all dimensions of family functions and dyadic adjustment were positively correlated with quality of life in women. Results of multiple regression also revealed that 33 percent of total quality of life can be explained by family functions and 24 percent of this variable can be explained by dyadic adjustment. Our study demonstrated that women's quality of life was affected by family functions and marital adjustment in family.