The Influence of Pilates Exercises on Body Composition, Muscle Strength, and Gait Speed in Community-Dwelling Older Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

ABSTRACT: Aibar-Almazán, A, Martínez-Amat, A, Cruz-Díaz, D, Jesús de la Torre-Cruz, M, Jiménez-García, JD, Zagalaz-Anula, N, Redecillas-Peiró, MT, Mendoza-Ladrón de Guevara, N, and Hita-Contreras, F. The influence of Pilates exercises on body composition, muscle strength, and gait speed in community-dwelling older women: a randomized controlled trial. J Strength Cond Res 36(8): 2298-2305, 2022-Population aging is a global phenomenon that has wide-ranging consequences for the health of individuals, including age-related obesity, muscle loss, and a decline in muscle strength and gait speed. These alterations are associated with disability, functional decline, and mortality in older adults. The objective of this study was to analyze the effects of Pilates exercises on body composition, handgrip strength, and physical performance among community-dwelling Spanish women aged 60 and older. A randomized controlled trial of a 12-week Pilates training program was conducted. A total of 109 women were randomly allocated to either a control ( n = 54) or a Pilates ( n = 55) group. Body composition was evaluated by bioelectrical impedance. Body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat, and height-adjusted skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) were assessed before and immediately after the intervention, as were physical performance, estimated by gait speed (timed up-and-go test), and handgrip strength. Statistically significant improvements ( p < 0.05) were observed both within and between groups for handgrip strength (Cohen's d = 0.40 and 0.52 respectively) and gait speed (Cohen's d = 0.86 and 0.87 respectively). After 12 weeks, BMI significantly decreased (Cohen's d = 0.07) only in the Pilates group. No significant differences were observed regarding SMI. In conclusion, a 12-week Pilates exercise intervention on community dwelling women over 60 years old shows beneficial effects on muscle strength, physical performance, and BMI, but failed to induce any changes on body composition.

Effects of HIIT and MIIT Suspension Training Programs on Sleep Quality and Fatigue in Older Adults: Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Poor sleep quality lessens general health quality and is related to physical and mental problems. Moreover, fatigue is one of the foremost common complaints in medical care and plays a role in the decreasing quality of life of the older population. For these reasons, the objective of this study was to examine the effect of high- and moderate-intensity interval training programs (HIIT vs. MIIT)-both consisting of twelve weeks of TRX training-on the sleep quality and fatigue levels of the elderly. A randomized controlled clinical trial (NCT03404830) was conducted. A total of 82 subjects were randomized to either a HIIT group (n = 28) that performed a main squat activity with a suspension system, comprising four four-minute intervals between 90-95% of the maximum heart rate (HR), an MIIT group (n = 27) with an intensity of 70% of the maximum HR, and a control group (CG) (n = 27) that continued their daily lifestyle. The two exercise groups trained twice a week for 12 weeks, with each session lasting 45 min. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), and fatigue was assessed using the fatigue severity scale (FSS). Outcomes were measured before the intervention and after the intervention period. Post-intervention sleep quality measurements revealed a statistically significant interaction regarding group × time (p < 0.005) and fatigue (p = 0.002). Specifically, fatigue decreased in the HIIT group between both measurement moments (p = 0.003). In addition, differences were obtained in the post-intervention measure between the HIIT and MIIT groups (p = 0.013) and HIIT and control (p = 0.029). Our analysis indicates that a population of the elderly showed improvements in sleep quality and fatigue after performing a high-intensity intervention using suspension training (TRX), with markedly better results in the HIIT group.

Perceived physical fitness mediates the relationship between parental support and physical activity enjoyment in overweight and obese adolescents.

The relationship between parental support and physical activity enjoyment appears to be mediated by individual-level factors. The aim of this study was to examine whether the relationship between perceived parental support and physical activity enjoyment is mediated by overweight and obese adolescents' physical fitness, both subjectively and objectively assessed. A total of 163 participants (mean age =14.30 years, 55.8% boys) with an average body mass index of 28.97 kg/m2 took part in this study. Participants completed a questionnaire of parental influence regarding physical activity, a questionnaire of physical self-perception and several fitness tests (cardiorespiratory fitness, lower limbs muscular strength and flexibility) using the ALPHA-fitness battery. The results showed that relationship between perceived parental support and physical activity enjoyment is mediated by the overweight and obese adolescents' perceived cardiorespiratory fitness and flexibility. We suggest to create educational guidelines for parents to increase the support and improve overweight and obese students' positive perceived physical competence, in order to achieve a greater adherence to physical activity and greater physical activity enjoyment.

Effects of Pilates training on sleep quality, anxiety, depression and fatigue in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the effects that a Pilates-based exercise program has on sleep quality, anxiety, depression and fatigue in community-dwelling Spanish postmenopausal women aged 60 and over. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 110 women (69.15 ± 8.94 years) participated in this randomized controlled trial. They were randomly allocated to either a control (n = 55) or a Pilates (n = 55) group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Sleep quality and self-perceived fatigue were assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Fatigue Severity Scale, respectively. Anxiety and depression were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed after Pilates training in all PSQI domains as well as in the PSQI total score, with small to medium-size effects, while significant between-group differences in post-intervention measures were observed only for sleep duration (d = 0.69) and sleep disturbances (d = 0.78). Moreover, intra- and inter-group statistical differences were observed for depression (d = 0.39 and d = 0.86, respectively) and for anxiety (d = 0.43 and d = 1.27 respectively). Finally, participants in the Pilates group experienced a decrease in self-perceived fatigue after the intervention period (d = 0.32). CONCLUSIONS: For community-dwelling Spanish postmenopausal women aged 60 years and over, a twelve-week Pilates exercise intervention has beneficial effects on sleep quality, anxiety, depression and fatigue.

Effects of Pilates on fall risk factors in community-dwelling elderly women: A randomized, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: the main objective was to analyze the effects that an exercise programme based on the Pilates method would have on balance confidence, fear of falling, and postural control among women ≥60 years old. METHODS: a total of 110 women (69.15 ± 8.94 years) participated in this randomized, controlled trial that took place in Jaén (Spain). The participants were randomly assigned to either a control group (n = 55), which received no intervention, or to a Pilates group (n = 55), which carried out an exercise programme based on the Pilates method in 60-minute sessions for 12 weeks. The Falls Efficacy Scale-International and the activity-specific balance confidence scale were respectively used to assess fear of falling and balance confidence in performing activities of daily living. Postural control was evaluated using a stabilometric platform. RESULTS: Regarding balance confidence, the Pilates group showed higher values compared to the control group (77.52 ± 18.27 vs 72.35 ± 16.39, Cohen's d = 0.030). Women in the Pilates group showed lower fear of falling, compared to those of the control group (22.07 ± 5.73 vs 27.9 ± 6.95, Cohen's d = 0.041). Finally, concerning static balance, participants of the Pilates group experienced statistically significant improvements on the velocity and anteroposterior movements of the centre of pressure with eyes open and closed respectively (Cohen's d = 0.44 and 0.35 respectively). CONCLUSION: A 12-week Pilates training programme has beneficial effects on balance confidence, fear of falling and postural stability, in elderly women.

Risk of Falls in Healthy Older Adults: Benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training Using Lower Body Suspension Exercises.

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity interval training (MIIT) programs, both with a suspension training system, on several fall risk factors in healthy older adults. A total of 82 participants (68.23 ± 2.97 years) were randomized to HIIT (n = 28), MIIT (n = 27), or control (n = 27) groups. Balance confidence (Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale), fear of falling (Falls Efficacy Scale-International), dynamic balance (Timed Up and Go test), and gait analysis (OptoGait optical detection system) were assessed. Statistical analysis showed improvements after the intervention in the HIIT group compared with the MIIT and control groups regarding the fear of falling (p < .05 and p < .01, respectively), gait (both ps < .05), and dynamic balance (p < .05 and p < .01, respectively), whereas both HIIT and MIIT groups improved balance confidence compared with the control group (p < .01 and p < .05, respectively). We can conclude that HIIT has significant beneficial effects of fall risk in older adults.

Acute and chronic effect of physical activity on cognition and behaviour in young people with ADHD: A systematic review of intervention studies.

BACKGROUND: Young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often have learning and behavioral control difficulties. AIM: The aim of this review is analyse the acute and chronic effect of physical activity (PA) on the cognition and behaviour of children and adolescents with ADHD. METHODS: Studies were identified in five databases (PubMed, SPORTDiscus, ProQuest, Web of Science, and SCOPUS), from January 2000 through to January 2017. A total of 16 interventional studies met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: PA practice of 20-30 min (intensity 40-75%) produces a positive acute effect on processing speed, working memory, planning and problem solving in young people with ADHD. However, these effects on behaviour are contradictory and vary depending on age. Chronic PA practice (≥30 min per day, ≥40% intensity, ≥three days per week, ≥five weeks) further improves attention, inhibition, emotional control, behaviour and motor control. The results must be treated with caution, because only 25% of the studies used confounders. IMPLICATION: More research is needed to justify the causes of these effects. It is necessary to establish programs with regard to the duration, intensity, kind of exercise, and time of PA to improve cognition and behaviour in young people with ADHD taking into account potential confounders.

Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in Spanish community-dwelling middle-aged and older women: Association with balance confidence, fear of falling and fall risk.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the association of sarcopenia, obesity, and sarcopenic obesity (SO) with fear of falling (FoF) and balance confidence in a Spanish sample of middle-aged and older community-dwelling women. STUDY DESIGN AND OUTCOME MEASURES: A total of 235 women (69.21±7.56 years) participated in this study. Body composition (bioelectrical impedance analysis), hand-grip strength, and physical performance (gait speed) were evaluated for the diagnosis of sarcopenia, obesity, and SO. Anxiety and depression were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) and the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) were employed to assess FoF and balance confidence, respectively. Scores of >26 on the FES-I and <67% on the ABC were used to identify women at risk of falling. The independent associations of sarcopenia, obesity and SO with FoF, balance confidence, and fall risk were evaluated by multivariate linear and logistic regressions, adjusting for potential confounding variables. RESULTS: 27.23% and 18.72% of women presented with sarcopenia and SO, respectively. Gait speed, body mass index (BMI), and fall history were independently associated with ABC score (adjusted-R2=0.152) and fall risk (ABC) (adjusted-R2=0.115). FES-I score was independently associated (adjusted-R2=0.193) with fall history, gait speed, BMI, and depression, which, together with obesity (BMI) and SO, remained independent factors for fall risk measured as FES-I score (adjusted-R2=0.243). CONCLUSION: In community-dwelling middle-aged and older Spanish women, BMI, gait speed, and fall history were independently associated with FoF, balance confidence, and fall risk. Depression was related only to FoF, and, together with obesity (BMI) and SO, was an independent predictor of fall risk as assessed by the FES-I.

Analysis of the Effect Size of Overweight in Muscular Strength Tests Among Adolescents: Reference Values According to Sex, Age, and Body Mass Index.

Martínez-López, EJ, De La Torre-Cruz, M, Suárez-Manzano, S, and Ruiz-Ariza, A. Analysis of the effect size of overweight in muscular strength tests among adolescents: reference values according to sex, age, and body mass index. J Strength Cond Res 32(5): 1404-1414, 2018-The aim of this paper is to quantify the effect size of overweight on the results of muscular strength tests in adolescents and to report percentile tables based on sex, age, and body mass index (BMI). The study hypothesized that the effect size obtained from the difference between normal-weight and overweight youth would be greater than the differences between sexes within the same age group. A total of 11,044 Spanish adolescents (48.5% girls) aged 14.39 ± 1.21 years (range: 12-16 years) from 42 secondary schools participated in the research. Muscular strength was evaluated using standing long jump, hand grip strength (manual dynamometer), and sit-ups (30 seconds). The effect size was analyzed using the adjusted Hedges' g. The results show that 76.3 and 72.8% of overweight boys and girls, respectively, performed a standing long jump equal to or less than the normal-weight average. The 67.4 and 67.1% of overweight boys and girls, respectively, showed manual dynamometer values equal to or greater than the normal-weight average. Finally, 68.7 and 65.9% of overweight boys and girls, respectively, obtained measures for 30 seconds of sit-ups equal to or lower than the normal-weight average. It can therefore be concluded that the differential effect size between boys and girls is higher than that between normal-weight and overweight adolescents in the 3 strength tests analyzed. Despite the above, these results suggest the value of taking into account the BMI when assessing the muscular strength of young people, in addition to sex and age.

Perfiles de orientación hacia la meta y su relación con indicadores de actividad físico-deportiva / Goal Orientation Profiles and Their Relation with Indicators of Physical Activity

Resumen El presente estudio examinó la motivación hacia la actividad física empleando la teoría de la orientación hacia la meta. Un total de 786 estudiantes participaron en este estudio. Un procedimiento de análisis de cluster jerárquico permitió identificar cuatro perfiles de orientación hacia la meta. El perfil más adaptativo (alta tarea/alto ego/altas expectativas) se asoció con la obtención de los mejores resultados. Se concluye que los jóvenes con una alta motivación hacia la tarea, alto ego y expectativas de ejecución obtienen las mayores muestras de apoyo por parte de familiares e iguales para la práctica de actividad física se perciben más autoeficaces para realizar dicha actividad, se atribuyen una mejor forma física autopercibida y manifiestan una práctica más frecuente de actividad físico-deportiva.

Abstract This paper researches motivation for physical activity in the framework of the goal orientation theory. This work is based on data from 786 students. Hierarchical cluster analysis allowed identifying four goal orientation profiles. The most adaptive profile (high task, high ego, high expectancy) is associated with the best results. Students with high motivation for physical activity, ego, and performance expectancy are concluded to obtain more indications of support from their relatives and peers for physical activity practice, perceive themselves self-effective to complete this activity, claim their better self-perceived fitness, and show more frequent physical-sports activity.

Effects of a six-week Pilates intervention on balance and fear of falling in women aged over 65 with chronic low-back pain: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effects of six weeks of Pilates regarding functional balance, fear of falling and pain in community living women older than 65 years old with chronic low-back pain. STUDY DESIGN: A single blind controlled randomized trial of six weeks of Pilates in addition to physiotherapy treatment (n=50) vs. physiotherapy treatment alone (n=47) was conducted on 97 community living women (71.14 ± 3.30 years) with chronic low-back pain (CLBP). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Main outcome measures were fear of falling (FoF), assessed by the Falls Efficacy Scale-international; functional mobility and balance, measured with the Timed up and Go Test; and pain, evaluated using the numeric rating scale. RESULTS: Only the Pilates group showed improvement in FoF (ES; d=.68) and functional mobility and balance (ES; d=1.12) after treatment, and also had better results in pain (ES; d=1.46) than the physiotherapy-only group. CONCLUSIONS: Six weeks of Pilates exercises may be effective in fall prevention through the improvement of FoF, functional balance, and pain in Spanish women over 65 years old with CLBP.

[Influence of active commuting on happiness, well-being, psychological distress and body shape in adolescents]. / Influencia del desplazamiento activo sobre la felicidad, el bienestar, la angustia psicológica y la imagen corporal en adolescentes.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the association between active commuting to secondary school and indicators of psychological health in a sample of 1012 adolescents. METHOD: Active commuting was assessed through a questionnaire, subjective happiness with the Subjective Happiness Scale, well-being and psychological distress with the General Well-Being Scale, and body shape was assessed using the short version of the Body Shape Questionnaire. RESULTS: Adolescents who spent more than 15 minutes per day actively commuting to secondary school had higher levels of subjective happiness (p=0.032) and psychological well-being (p=0.021) and lower levels of psychological distress (p=0.021) than adolescents who spent 15 minutes or less per day. There were no differences in body shape between less and more active adolescents (p >0.05). CONCLUSION: Active commuting to secondary school for more of 15 minutes per day is recommended because it is associated with higher levels of happiness and well-being in adolescents.

[Parenting practices and internalizing and externalizing problems in Spanish adolescents]. / Prácticas educativas paternas y problemas internalizantes y externalizantes en adolescentes españoles.

The goal of this study was to analyze the relationship between parenting practices and internalizing and externalizing problems presented by a group of adolescents according to their gender. Four hundred and sixty-nine secondary school students (aged between 12 and 18) participated in this study. The adolescents presented differences in perception of the educational practices of both parents as a function of their gender. Negative parenting practices were positively related to adolescents' internalizing and externalizing problems, whereas positive practices were negatively related to externalizing problems. Moreover, differences between boys and girls were found in predictor variables of problems, and the predictive power of the variables was higher for externalizing problems.