Cardiac autonomic nervous activity during different sleep stages in individuals with spinal cord injury: The influence of physical training.

OBJECTIVE: The present study assessed the influence of physical training on cardiac autonomic activity in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) during different sleep stages. METHODS: Twenty-six volunteers were allocated into three groups: 9 sedentary individuals without SCI (control, CON); 8 sedentary tetraplegic individuals with chronic SCI (SED-SCI); 9 physically trained tetraplegic individuals with chronic SCI (TR-SCI). All participants underwent nocturnal polysomnography to monitor sleep stages: wakefulness, non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep (N1, N2, and N3 stages), and REM sleep. The electrocardiography data obtained during this exam were extracted to analyze the heart rate variability (HRV). RESULTS: Sleep stages influenced HRV in the time [RR interval and root mean square of successive RR interval differences (RMSSD)] and frequency [low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) powers and LF-to-HF ratio] domains (P < 0.05). SED-SCI individuals showed unchanged HRV compared to CON (P > 0.05). When comparing the TR-SCI and SED-SCI groups, no significant differences in HRV were reported in the time domain (P > 0.05). However, in the frequency domain, more accentuated HF power was observed in TR-SCI than in SED-SCI individuals during the N2 and N3 stages and REM sleep (P < 0.05). Moreover, TR-SCI had higher HF power than CON during the N3 stage (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TR-SCI individuals have greater HF power, indicative of parasympathetic modulation, than sedentary (injured or not injured) individuals during different sleep stages. Therefore, enhanced parasympathetic activity induced by physical training may improve cardiac autonomic modulation during sleep in individuals with chronic SCI.

Training load, stress, recovery, mood, and motivation of athletes with spinal cord injury in wheelchair rugby during a competitive preseason

Abstract Aim: This study aims to characterize the stress, recovery, mood, and motivation together with the training load of athletes with cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) during a period of resumption of wheelchair rugby (WCR) training. Additionally, it aims to compare the psychological and load training aspects during a competitive preseason and determine the correlations between training load, mood, stress, and recovery. Methods: We evaluated variables such as mood (Brazilian Mood Scale, BRAMS), stress and recovery (Recovery-Stress Questionnaire for Athletes, RESTQ-Sport 76) and training load (Subjective Perception of Effort - SPE) of eight high-performance athletes of wheelchair rugby with CSCIs at three different times (E1 = returning from vacation, E2 = half of the preseason, and E3 = after 2 months of training) for 2 months at a monthly interval. We also evaluated motivation (Sport Motivation Scale) at E1 and E3. Results: Results indicated few changes during the competitive preseason in terms of stress, recovery, and mood. However, the training load decreased toward the end of this period. Furthermore, we found that physical complaints positively correlated with depression when resuming training. In the middle of the competitive preseason period, we also noted positive correlations between conflict/pressure and fatigue and between fatigue and energy loss. At the end of this period, the SPE and arbitrary units correlated positively with conflict/pressure. Conclusion: We found few changes during the competitive preseason in terms of stress, recovery, and mood but not motivation, which did not change during this period. On the other hand, the training load decreased at the end of the competitive preseason. Furthermore, we observed correlations between training load and psychological aspects at different times.

The effects of COVID-19 quarantine on eating and sleeping behaviors.

Abstract: Since the beginning of the pandemic, the population has been exposed to a substantial period of social isolation, which leads to anxiety, fear, and metabolic and immune impairments. Purpose: Considering that sleep restriction influences eating behavior, we highlight that changes in it may occur during the COVID-19 quarantine. Alterations in feeding time can uncouple the body clocks, leading to circadian misalignment and consequently to a disruption in homeostasis and disturbances in many metabolic functions. Method: Narrative review. Results: Do not apply. Conclusion: The increase of body weight is related to increased food intake in response to mental stress and more time spent at home, increased opportunity to feed, and increased visual and olfactory stimulation to eat, which represents a potential risk of overfeeding nowadays. In this article, we postulate that the unusual lifestyle imposed by the COVID-19 quarantine may induce a circadian misalignment, which is capable to induce alterations on eating and sleep behaviors.

Body image perception and satisfaction in university students / Percepção da imagem e satisfação corporal em estudantes universitários

Abstract Body image represents the mental perception of body shapes and is a multifactorial structure that includes psychological, physical and emotional elements. The discrepancy between the subjective perception of body image and the desire for the ideal body type can interfere with the feeling of satisfaction and trigger the desire for changes in appearance, directly interfering with mental health and general well-being. Men and women may differ in body image satisfaction due to the different social influences and beauty standards imposed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the subjective perception of body image and satisfaction with body shapes among men and women. The sample consisted of 100 college students of both genders. Subjective perception of body image and satisfaction were measured through self-assessment, through scale figure silhouettes. There was a significant difference in the subjective perception of body image in the comparison between genders, and women presented greater discrepancy between the real and the perceived image. In the analysis of satisfaction with body image there were no differences between genders and both presented high percentage of dissatisfaction. In addition, 46.2% of men would like to decrease their body shapes, 53.8% would increase them. As for women, 76.1% would like to decrease their body dimensions and 23.9% to increase them. The strong pressures imposed by society and the standards set by the prevailing media in determining body image dissatisfaction or self-assessment negatively, regardless of gender.

Resumo A imagem corporal representa a percepção mental das formas do corpo e é uma estrutura multifatorial que inclui elementos psicológicos, físicos e emocionais. A discrepância entre a percepção subjetiva da imagem corporal e o desejo do tipo ideal de corpo pode interferir no sentimento de satisfação e desencadear o desejo por mudanças na aparência, interferindo diretamente na saúde psíquica e no bem-estar geral. Homens e mulheres podem apresentar diferenças na satisfação com a imagem corporal, em função das influências sociais distintas e dos padrões de beleza impostos. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a percepção subjetiva da imagem corporal e a satisfação com as formas do corpo entre homens e mulheres. A amostra foi composta por 100 estudantes universitários, de ambos os sexos. A percepção subjetiva da imagem corporal e a satisfação foram medidas através de autoavaliação através da escala de figura de silhuetas. Houve diferença significante na percepção subjetiva da imagem corporal na comparação entre sexos, sendo que as mulheres apresentaram maior discrepância entre a imagem real e a percebida. Na análise da satisfação com a imagem corporal não houve diferenças entre os sexos e ambos apresentaram alto percentual de insatisfação. Além disso, 46,2% dos homens gostariam de diminuir as formas corporais 53,8% de aumentá-las. Já as mulheres, 76,1% gostariam de diminuir suas dimensões corporais e 23,9% de aumentá-las. As fortes pressões impostas pela sociedade e os padrões definidos pela mídia prevaleçam na determinação da insatisfação com a imagem corporal ou na autoavaliação de forma negativa, independentemente do sexo.

Análise das transições das carreiras de ex-atletas de alto nível / Analysis of former high level athletes careers transitions

A prática voluntária e plurianual de uma atividade esportiva, com o objetivo de alcançar altos níveis de desempenho, é um dos determinantes da formação da carreira esportiva. Essa é dividida em períodos que são caracterizados por transições até atingir a aposentadoria. O objetivo do estudo foi analisar as transições das carreiras esportivas de seis atletas de várias modalidades. O apoio da família e os motivos que levaram esses atletas a permanecerem na prática esportiva foram alguns fatores determinantes. No entanto, os conflitos para a realização da prática e a falta de planejamento dessas carreiras foram dificultadores para o ótimo desenvolvimento das mesmas. Conclui-se que o término das carreiras esportivas ocorreu de forma planejada.

The volunteer practice and multi-year of a sporting activity, with the objective of reaching high levels of performance, is one of the determinants of the formation of the sporting career. That is divided in periods that are characterized by transitions up to reaching the retirement. The objective of the study was to analyze the transitions of the sporting careers of six athletes of several kinds of sports. The support of the family and the motives that made these athletes keep in sporting practice, were some determinative factors. However, the conflicts for the realization of the practice and the lack of planning of these careers were barriers to their optimum development. It was possible to conclude that the end of the sporting careers happened in a planned way.

Processo de validação da escala de comportamento do treinador - versão atleta (ECT-A) / Validation process of the coach behavior scale - athlete version (ECT-A)

O objetivo deste estudo foi adaptar culturalmente e validar o questionário Coach Behavior Scale for Sport (CBS-S), de CÔTÉ et al. (1999) na Língua Portuguesa, denominado de Escala de Comportamento do Treinador - Versão Atleta (ECT-A). Inicialmente o ECT-A constou de 13 questões demográficas e 48 questões distribuídas em seis dimensões: Treinamento Físico, Treinamento Técnico, Preparação Mental, Estabelecimento de Objetivos, Reforço Pessoal Positivo e Reforço Pessoal Negativo. No Estudo 1 (80 atletas <47 homens e 33 mulheres>), os resultados da análise fatorial mostraram que a maioria das questões agrupou-se em dois fatores, contudo, a correlação entre algumas questões foi baixa, indicando a necessidade de revisões semânticas. No Estudo 2 (168 atletas <118 homens e 50 mulheres>), houve uma melhora nos resultados da análise fatorial, pois a dimensão de Reforço Pessoal Positivo apresentou um perfil similar ao CBS-S, mas a correlação entre oito questões foi baixa, levando à exclusão das mesmas. No Estudo 3 (222 atletas <91 homens e 131 mulheres>), a análise fatorial obteve, na maioria das questões, um perfil similar ao instrumento original (CBS-S) e a correlação entre as questões foi satisfatória (0,30). Os valores do Alpha de Cronbach, nas seis dimensões, foram 0,70 nos três estudos (N = 470), indicando uma fidedignidade satisfatória. Esses resultados foram indicativos para a validação do ECT-A, que na versão final ficou composto por 40 questões.

The purpose of the present study was to adapt and validate the version of the questionnaire Coach BehaviorScale for Sport -CBS-S- (CÔTÉ et al., 1999) into the Portuguese language, called Escala de Comportamento doTreinador - Versão Atleta (ECT-A). The ECT-A was composed by 13 demographic questions and 48 questionsdistributed into six dimensions: Physical Training, Technical Training, Mental Preparation, Goal Setting, PersonalPositive Reinforcement and Personal Negative Reinforcement. Results of Alpha Cronbach, in the six dimensions,were ³ 0,70, of the ECT-A in three studies (N = 470), indicating acceptable levels. In the Study 1, (80 athletes<47 men and 33 women>) results of factor analysis showed a grouped of majority of questions in two factorshowever correlations between some questions were low suggesting semantic revisions. In the Study 2, (168athletes <118 men and 50 women>) there was an improvement in the factor analysis, since Personal Positive Reinforcement dimension had a similar profile of the CBS-S, but correlation between 8 questions continuedlow and so they were excluded. In the Study 3, (222 athletes <91 men and 131 women>) factor analysis ofthe majority of the questions obtained a similar profile of the original instrument (CBS-S) and correlationsbetween questions were satisfactory (³ 0,30). These results showed evidences to validate the ECT-A ,whichfinal version was composed by 40 questions.