Incidence, bystander emergency response management and outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest at exercise and sport facilities in Australia.

Objective: Despite growing emphasis on automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at sport venues in Australia, the risk of cardiac events at such locations is unknown. The aim of the present study was to investigate the incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) at exercise and sport facilities (ESF) in Australia and the impact of effective bystander-initiated CPR and AED use on return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) to hospital admission.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Queensland Ambulance Service for the 8-year period between January 2007 and January 2015.

An epidemiological analysis of yoga-related injury presentations to emergency departments in Australia.

: Despite being considered a low-intensity exercise, concerns have been raised about the risk of injuries associated with yoga. This study aimed to analyze the characteristics and trend of yoga-related emergency department (ED) presentations from July 2009 to June 2016 in Victoria, Australia. : The Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD) was used to collect the de-identified data.

Cardiac emergency preparedness in health/fitness facilities in Australia.

Background: Health/fitness facilities are popular venues for physical activity, where increasingly more individuals at risk of cardiovascular events exercise to achieve positive health outcomes. The aim of our study was to analyze cardiac emergency preparedness in health/fitness facilities in Queensland, Australia.

Design: Cross-sectional survey of health/fitness facilities in Queensland.

Legal risk management and injury in the fitness industry: the outcomes of focus group research and a national survey of fitness professionals.

The Australian Fitness Industry Risk Management (AFIRM) Project was set up to explore the operation of rules and regulations for the delivery of safe fitness services. This article summarises the results of recent focus group research and a national survey of risk management practices by the AFIRM Project. Our focus group research in four States identified the following most important concerns: (1) the competency of fitness professionals; (2) the effectiveness of pre-exercise screening and the management of de-conditioned clients; (3) poor supervision of fitness service users and incorrect use of equipment; (4) fitness trainers failing to remain within their scope of practice; (5) equipment misuse (as distinct from incorrect use); and (6) poor fitness training environments.

Effects of Swiss-ball core strength training on strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance in sedentary women.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Swiss-ball core strength training on trunk extensor (abdominal)/flexor (lower back) and lower limb extensor (quadriceps)/flexor (hamstring) muscular strength, abdominal, lower back and leg endurance, flexibility and dynamic balance in sedentary women (n = 21; age = 34 ± 8.09; height = 1.63 ± 6.