Effects of a forced cycling program with cognitive stimulation on symptomatology, physical condition, and cognition in people diagnosed with Parkinson disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Parkinson disease may present difficulties in performing dual tasks. The use of dual tasks during training can improve different abilities. Therefore, the objective of this study is creating a protocol, based on standard protocol items recommendations for interventional trials compliant, for a clinical trial study conduct, review, reporting, and interpretation. This protocol will provide the framework and a guide to a randomized double-blind study, that will be conducted to assess the influence of a cycling exercise program combined with a cognitive task, on cognitive and physical Parkinson disease aspects. METHODS: Designed a protocol for a double-blind randomized study, where participants will perform a dual tasks intervention with cycling and a cognitive task. The revised version of the unified Parkinson disease rating scale, the Parkinson disease questionnaire, the timed up and go Test, the 30 seconds chair sit to stand test, the Stroop and the trail making test will be used to measure outcomes. DISCUSSION: Research in Parkinson disease suggests that an improvement of motor and cognitive functions of Parkinson disease patients can be achieved by modifying different motor and cognitive pathways. The results of the present study will yield findings on both the physical and cognitive response to an intervention that combines a cognitive task with a motor task in Parkinson disease patients and will be essential tool for a better conducting of the clinical trial study.

Alcohol use and family-related factors among Spanish university students: the unHicos project.

BACKGROUND: During adolescence and youth there are relevant changes in the consolidation, gain or loss of consumption habits and lifestyles and the family factors has a fundamental role to development these habits. The study of the consumption of toxins, such as alcohol intake, is crucial at this stage due to the repercussions that said consumption presents in adulthood. Therefore, the objective of our study was to evaluate the associations between alcohol consumption patterns and related family factors (family functioning, family history of alcohol consumption) in Spanish university students. METHODS: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, multicenter study, carried out in first-year university students from 11 Spanish universities. Through an online questionnaire, alcohol consumption (risky consumption and intensive consumption or binge drinking), family functioning and history of alcohol in the family were evaluated. Risky alcohol consumption and binge drinking were assessed using the AUDIT test, and family functioning was assessed using the family APGAR questionnaire. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed, as well as the Chi-Square test and Student's T-Test, and non-conditional logistic regression models were carried out to examine this association. RESULTS: The prevalence of risky alcohol consumption identified in the 10,167 respondents was 16.9% (95% CI = 16.2-17.6), and that of BD was 48.8% (95% CI = 47.9-48.8). There is a significant association between risky alcohol consumption and family functioning in students of both sexes, with greater consumption in the face of severe dysfunctional support (men OR = 1.72; p < 0.001 and women OR = 1.74; p < 0.001) and family history of consumption (p = 0.005). Regarding the binge drinking pattern, no statistically significant differences were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Risky alcohol consumption in university students is associated with dysfunctional family support, unlike the binge drinking pattern, where there is no such association. The findings of this study show the importance of creating prevention programs focused on the family approach in university students, which include alcohol screening in the population with a family history of this substance, and greater social support from health services.

Effects of Cycling Dual-Task on Cognitive and Physical Function in Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Double-Blind Pilot Study.

(1) Background: Those with Parkinson's disease (PD) may present difficulties in performing dual tasks (DT). The use of DT during training can improve different abilities. Therefore, the objective of this study is to verify the influence of a cycling exercise program combined with a cognitive task on cognitive and physical PD aspects; (2) Methods: A double-blind, randomized pilot study was undertaken. Participants performed a DT intervention composed of cycling and a cognitive task. The cycling parameters, MDS-UPDRS, PDQ-39, TUG Test, 30 s Chair Sit to Stand test and Stroop were used to measure outcomes; (3) Results: DT generated impairment in performing the cycling task, with significant differences in cycling parameters, active and passive distance (m), total work (W) and active speed (rpm). At the cognitive level, there was a trend of improvement in the group that performed the training with DT, which improved by 211%; (4) Conclusions: Combining cycling with a cognitive task caused impairment in the performance of the physical task and an improvement at the cognitive level. Therefore, combining cycling with a cognitive task in a presumably safer environment for patients with PD can be a good way to train these patients for the dual-task challenges with practical applications.

Exercise, physical fitness, and Parkinson's disease: an 8-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND: The progression of Parkinson's Disease is variable, leading to a poor pharmacological response, as the effect of medication is reduced due to adaptation. Physical therapy is established as adjuvant treatment on physical conditions. The aim of this study was to monitor the level of physical fitness and anthropometric parameters of patients diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, who had participated in physical exercise programs for 8-years. METHODS: Seventy-one patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (53.50% males), mean age 71.19±9.04 years old, with a mean disease stage of 2.52±0.77 (Hoehn and Yahr Scale). All patients underwent an assessment of fitness and body composition at baseline (2011), 4-years, and 8-years. RESULTS: The study of the anthropometric parameters showed that throughout the 8 years of follow-up, the BMI has not undergone significant changes and shows a small upward trend for both men (0.30%, sig=0.938) and women (-0.10%, sig=0.817). This same behavior was reflected by the weight in men (1.36%, sig=0.315) and in women (-0.35%, sig=0.787). In terms of physical fitness, men showed a trend towards a deterioration in this parameter over the 8 years of follow-up (ΣFitness=-1.82%, sig=0.930), while women showed a trend towards improvement (ΣFitness=0.96%, sig=0.821). The same is recorded for strength and flexibility, where the data suggest that these are two of the variables that deteriorated the most over the 8 years of the study. CONCLUSIONS: After an 8-year follow-up, no significant changes in FC parameters affected by the progression of a neurodegenerative disease such as Parkinson's disease have been identified. The 8-foot up and go test has shown correlations with the other physical tests used.

Do the Lower Body Strength Assessment Tests in the Spanish Navy Really Measure What They Purport to Measure?

The main objective of this research was to analyse the efficacy of lower body strength assessment tests in the Armed Forces Physical Assessment System. Secondly, it was to determine what relationship exists between the physical evaluation system of the Spanish Armed forces and standardized evaluation protocols (Gold standard). A total of 905 students enrolled in the military/civil bachelor's degree (813 male and 92 female) participated in this study. The influence of the sex of the participants was studied through the student's t-test for independent data, and the degree of association between variables was defined by Pearson's correlation coefficient. The results present moderate correlations (r = 0.67, r = 0.66; p < 0.001) between the vertical jump test used by the Army and the power or elastic force tests commonly used in practice and in research. The results obtained reflect a moderate relationship between the gold standard tests and the tests used by the Army, which suggests that the tests currently used to assess lower body strength should be adapted to more objective measurement tools which would allow a better comparison between samples from different armed forces.

Relationships Between Body Mass Index and Static and Dynamic Balance in Active and Inactive Older Adults.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although the association between higher body mass index and poorer balance has been observed in older adults, the role of physical activity in this relationship is not well established. This study aimed to provide scientific evidence about the relationship between body mass index and balance, taking into account the amount of physical activity performed as a confounding variable. METHODS: We collated cross-sectional data from 160 community-dwelling older adults whom we divided into 3 body mass index categories: normal weight (≥18.50-24.99 kg/m), overweight (25.00-29.99 kg/m), and obese (≥30.00-34.99 kg/m). We classified the participants as inactive or active by means of the Yale Physical Activity Questionnaire. We carried out static and dynamic balance measurements by means of a force platform and through the performance of the Timed Up and Go test, respectively. RESULTS: We found statistically significant correlations between static balance, dynamic balance, and body mass index in inactive normal (r = 0.280; P = .035; r = 0.300; P = .031) and inactive overweight (r = 0.395; P = .025; r = 0.339; P = .023) people. We observed moderately strong and fair significant correlations between static/dynamic balance and BMI in inactive (r = .603; P = .028; and r = 0.720; P = .020) and active (r = 0.406; P = .037; and r = 0.378; P = .037) obese people, respectively. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the amount of physical activity performed is a potential contributing factor affecting the association between body mass index and balance in older persons. These findings could be of importance when identifying the main factors that influence postural control among older adults with obesity.

Lesiones deportivas en baloncesto infantil femenino / Sports injuries in young female basketball

Introducción: el baloncesto es un deporte que presenta una gran aceptación entre las niñas preadolescentes, si bien poco se sabe sobre la incidencia de lesiones que su práctica tiene sobre esta población. Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo aportar información sobre el patrón de lesión deportiva encontrado en niñas preadolescentes practicantes de baloncesto a nivel federado en España. Material y métodos: durante el Campeonato de España de baloncesto infantil femenino de 2014, se recogió información acerca de ciertas características deportivas individuales de las jugadoras y del club, así como de los entrenamientos y del patrón lesivo, mediante entrevistas personales a los entrenadores y cuestionarios a las jugadoras. Resultados: se recogió información de 348 jugadoras. Un 73,8% reconoció haberse lesionado en la última temporada, mayoritariamente entrenando. El tipo de lesión más frecuentemente fueron los esguinces y la zona corporal el tren inferior, hallándose un 30% de recidivas. El índice lesivo fue de 5,85 lesiones por cada 1000 horas de práctica, y la superficie de juego fue el único factor que mostró tener influencia sobre el riesgo de lesión. El periodo de baja se situó en 2,54 ± 0,97 días, con una ausencia por parte del 25% de las jugadoras de sus actividades académicas. Conclusiones: la práctica de baloncesto por parte de niñas de entre 12 y 13 años presenta un riesgo de lesión que no debe pasar desapercibido, tanto por el promedio de lesiones registrado, como por la posibilidad de que existan recidivas y que la lesión acarree consecuencias a nivel académico (AU)

Introduction: basketball is a widely practiced sport among preadolescent girls, but the evidence regarding the incidence of injuries caused by its practice in this population is scarce. This study aimed to provide information about the pattern of sport injury in preadolescent girls, basketball federated players, in Spain. Material and methods: during the 2014 Spanish Basketball Championship for girls, information regarding different characteristics of the players and the team, as well as concerning the training sessions and the pattern of injury, was collected through questionnaires to the players and personal interview to the coaches. Results: information from 348 players was collected. A 73.8% of them, reported being injured in the last season, mainly during trainings. The most common type of injury were sprains, the most affected part of the body were the lower limbs, with a 30% of recurrences. Harm index (injuries for 1000 hours of practice) was 5.85, being the court's surface the only factor that showed to affect the risk of injury. The mean of lost days of sport practice due to injury was 2.54 ± 0.97, with an absence of the academic activities by 25% of the injured players. Conclusions: the practice of basketball by 12-13years old girls shows a risk of injury that should not go unnoticed, both for the average of injuries detected, as well as for the possibility of recurrence and the impact on the academic level (AU)

Effects of Three Different Chair-Based Exercise Programs on People Older Than 80 Years.

This study aimed at comparing the effects of three chair-based exercise programs on people older than 80 years. Thirty-six participants (87.91 ± 4.70 years) were randomly allocated to an aerobic, muscular resistance, or joint mobility exercise program. The participants exercised 3 days per week during 3 months. A hand-held dynamometer, the Tinetti Gait Balance, the Barthel Index, and the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) (assessed by means of the Wiva® science sensor) were used to evaluate the effects of the programs on the participants' strength, balance, functional independence, and functional mobility, respectively. After the intervention, it was observed that only the elastic-band program resulted in significant improvements in strength and balance. These results imply that when choosing a low-cost exercise program for very old people, the use of elastic bands stands as a far better option than pedaling on a pedal exerciser or performing mobility exercises.

Reliability of Sargent Jump Test in 4- to 5-Year-Old Children.

We assessed the test-retest reliability of the Sargent jump (VJ) for vertical jumping performed by 4 and 5 years old pre-schoolers. The VJ was administered three times (familiarization, test, and retest) to 163 children (mean age: 4.48 ± 0.5 years; 55.8% girls). The results were compared with those obtained in the standing long jump (SLJ) and in the 25 -m dash test to identify how its performance correlated with other measures of leg power. Systematic change in the mean and retest correlations with these other measures were used to help analyze VJ test-retest reliability. Additionally, Pearson correlation coefficients were used to examine the degree of association between the test and retest trials of the VJ. The VJ showed a higher correlation and agreement in the 4-year-old, compared with the 5-year old, group (rc = 0.956 vs. 0.796; α = 0.95 vs. 0.84; ICC: 0.828; 95% CI: 0.730-0.891 vs 0.739; 95% CI: 0.589-0.834). Effect sizes were small ( d ≤ 0.285) for all the VJ tests performed. Fair to poor significant relationships were established between the VJ (test), VJ (retest), and the SLJ. No significant association was observed between the VJ and the 25 -m dash tests. Our findings suggest that the Sargent jump test is reliable when executed by 4- and 5-year-olds. The lack of a strong association with other measures of leg power should be taken into account at the time of selecting the most appropriate test to assess this strength dimension.

Reliability and convergent validity of the 6-min run test in young adults with Down syndrome.

BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence about the psychometric properties of field tests to measure cardiorespiratory fitness in people with Down syndrome. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at analyzing the reliability and convergent validity of the 6-min run test when performed by young adults with Down syndrome (DS). METHODS: In a cross-sectional design fifty-one young adults with DS (mean age 26.20 ± 7.14 years; 54% women) performed the 6-min run test and the 16-min shuttle run test twice with a one week-interval between test and retest. RESULTS: The 6-min run test offered high reliability for the distances covered (ICC: 0.974; 95% CI: 0.955-0.985) and good reliability when comparing peak heart rate values obtained in the test and retest (ICC: 0.870; 95% CI: 0.772-0.926). A significant correlation between the 6-min run test and the 16-min shuttle run test was observed for the test (r = 0.705; Sig = 0.001), and retest phases (r = 0.651; Sig = 0.001). The relationship between the estimated maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) peak after the performance of the 16-min shuttle run test and the distance covered by the 6-min run test was statistically significant (r > 0.7). No significant differences were found between the equations that estimate VO2 peak for both tests. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the 6-min run test shows high test/retest reliability and moderate to moderately high convergent validity when performed by adults with DS.

Neuromuscular profile of top-level women kayakers assessed through tensiomyography.

The aim of this study is to assess the contractile properties and the lateral symmetry percentages of trapezius, deltoideus, and latissimus dorsi muscles of top-level female kayakers [FKs]) and to determine the gender influence and the specific training in the assessed parameters. Twenty-one volunteers participated in this study, who were stratified into 3 groups: 7 top-level FKs, 4 top-level men kayakers (MKs), and 10 physically active female non-kayakers (FNKs), and they have been assessed through tensiomyography (TMG). Reliability of the TMG assessment was tested by calculating intraclass correlation coefficient reliabilities, and all the values obtained were over 0.8. A t-test (p ≤ 0.05), a 1-factor analysis of variance (p ≤ 0.01), and Cohen's d effect sizes were implemented, and we used the algorithm of TMG-BMC tensiomyography to determine the lateral symmetry percentages. The results show that FKs and MKs differ only in the lower reaction time that FKs obtain when contracting their trapezius muscle (19.5%; p = 0.008; d = 2.13). However, FKs present >34.4% of time contraction (p = 0.003; d = 1.8) in their latissimus dorsi muscle than FNKs. Also, FKs have >123.7% of time contraction (p = 0.009; d = 1.5), >11.3% of time reaction (p = 0.01; d = 1.5), >34.8% of maximum radial displacement (p = 0.01; d = 1.35), and <20.4% of lateral symmetry (p = 0.006; d = 1.6) in their trapezius than FNKs. In conclusion, the specific training seems to have a significant influence on the FK's neuromuscular profile compared with FNKs.

Differences in the contractile properties of the knee extensor and flexor muscles in professional road cyclists during the season.

The purpose of this study was to establish reference values of tensiomyography (TMG) in professional road cyclists and to examine how the planned periods of the Season produce differences in the muscles: vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), and biceps femoris (BF), and to determine how these differences may depend on each cyclist, the assessed muscle, and the side of the body. Ten professional road cyclists (27.5 ± 5.5 years; 178.2 ± 7.8 cm; 65.6 ± 5.46 kg; 72.1 ± 3.7 ml·kg·min V[Combining Dot Above]O2; 6 ± 0.4 W·kg) were assessed by TMG, in microcycle recovery, at 2 moments of periods during the season: preparation period (PP) and competition period (CP). Student's t contrast for paired groups, Cohen's d effect sizes, and a repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied. We did not find significant differences (p < 0.01) between the lower limbs. The results showed a significantly large increment between the time contraction (TC) values of the PP and CP in the muscles VM (28.7 ± 5.5 vs. 40.6 ± 14.4 milliseconds; 41.4%, p < 0.05, d = 1.1), VL (28.3 ± 4.9 vs. 40.6 ± 10.2 milliseconds; 43.4%, p < 0.05, d = 1.53), and RF (35.9 ± 6.9 vs. 45.9 ± 16.2 milliseconds; 27.8%, p < 0.05, d = 0.8). Nevertheless, TC of the BF presents a significantly large decrease in the CP (35.9 ± 9.9 vs. 28.2 ± 5.2 milliseconds; -21.4%, p < 0.05, d = 0.97). Radial muscle displacement (DM) values are slightly lower during the CP, but the difference is not significant. ANOVA confirmed that these differences depend on the evaluated muscles (TC p = 0.02; DM p = 0.001) and on the cyclists (TC p = 0.001; DM p = 0.001) and does not depend on the side of the body. In conclusion, the TC values during the Season show marked differences between the knee extensors (large increased) and the knee flexor (large decreased). The DM has not changed significantly, keeping the muscular and tendon stiffness.

[Physical fitness and the health of older adults. Evaluation by means of batteries validated to the Spanish language]. / La condición física saludable del anciano. Evaluación mediante baterías validadas al idioma español.

Physical fitness is a key parameter to determine the health status of the elderly. However, the factors that define health-related fitness are poorly characterized, resulting in a wide variety of tools (test batteries). These batteries, which are used internationally, have not been validated to the Spanish language and their usage in Spanish-speaking countries could present a methodological problem as far as their scientific application is concerned. The purpose of this article was to analyze and compare the test batteries developed for the elderly and which have been written in Spanish.

La condición física saludable del anciano. Evaluación mediante baterías validadas al idioma español / Physical fitness and the health of older adults. Evaluation by means of batteries validated to the Spanish language

La condición física es un parámetro determinante a la hora de definir el estado de salud de los ancianos. No obstante, los factores que determinan la condición física asociada a la salud están poco unificados, lo que provoca la existencia de herramientas (baterías de pruebas) muy diversas. Estas baterías, que existen en el ámbito internacional, no han sido validadas al idioma español y su uso en países de lengua hispana podría suponer un problema metodológico a la hora de su aplicación científica. El propósito de este artículo es analizar y comparar las baterías de pruebas, que se han desarrollado para personas mayores y cuyo protocolo se ha redactado en el idioma español (AU)

Physical fitness is a key parameter to determine the health status of the elderly. However, the factors that define health-related fitness are poorly characterized, resulting in a wide variety of tools (test batteries). These batteries, which are used internationally, have not been validated to the Spanish language and their usage in Spanish-speaking countries could present a methodological problem as far as their scientific application is concerned. The purpose of this article was to analyze and compare the test batteries developed for the elderly and which have been written in Spanish (AU)