Short-Term Muscle Power Is Related to Lower Limb Muscle Volume in Young Children.

PURPOSE: Muscle power is a component of muscular fitness and is proportional to its volume. Reduced muscular fitness in children is linked to negative health outcomes. Associations between muscle volume (MV) and power have not been examined in young children and could reveal important insights into early neuromuscular development. METHOD: Forty-four children (2-8 y) completed 3 tests of short-term muscular power: repeated anaerobic sprint test, vertical jump, and horizontal jump. MV was assessed using 3D ultrasound for 3 lower limb muscles (rectus femoris, medial gastrocnemius, and tibialis anterior) and summed for across legs. Associations between muscular power and summed MV were assessed using Pearson correlation (r). Sex-based differences in muscular power and MV were assessed using 1-way analysis of covariance. RESULTS: Moderate-strong associations (r = .57 - .87) were found between muscular power and summed MV. No differences were found between boys and girls for height, weight, MV, or muscular power. CONCLUSIONS: Young children who have larger lower limb muscles perform better at tasks dependent on short-term muscular power, such as running and jumping, compared with children with smaller muscles. Sex-based differences in short-term muscular power do not exist in young children and reflect similar anthropometry, including lower limb MV.

Tides of Change-Barriers and Facilitators to Beach Accessibility for Older People and People with Disability: An Australian Community Survey.

The beach is Australia's most popular recreational destination with participation in beach-based activities associated with a wide range of health and wellbeing benefits. Unfortunately, access to beach environments is not possible for many older people and people with a disability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the barriers and facilitators of beach accessibility using a framework that recognises the complex interconnections between blue space, accessibility, physical activity, and health and wellbeing. A 39-item anonymous online cross-sectional survey was developed and administered to explore the perspectives of older people and people with a disability regarding beach accessibility. In total, 350 people completed the survey (69% female, age range 2-90 years (mean = 52)). Disability was reported by 88% of respondents, with 77% requiring a community mobility aid. Two-thirds (68%) of respondents were unable to visit the beach as often as they wanted, with 45% unable to visit at all. The most frequently reported barriers to beach access included difficulty moving on soft sand (87%), no specialised mobility equipment (75%), and inaccessible lead-up pathways (81%). If beach access was improved, respondents reported they would visit the beach more often (85%), for longer (83%), and have an improved experience (91%). The most frequently reported facilitators to beach access were the presence of accessible lead-up pathways (90%), sand walkways (89%), and parking (87%). Older people and people with disability have limited beach access, primarily due to a lack of accessible equipment, excluding them from the wide range of health benefits associated with visiting the beach.