The use of submaximal parameters in the assessment of exercise capacity in children with obesity.

Background: Peak oxygen uptake (VO) is considered the most important indicator of aerobic exercise capacity during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET). However, its accuracy is compromised when maximal effort is not achieved. In such cases, submaximal parameters can serve as surrogates for assessing exercise performance.

Walking with unilateral ankle-foot unloading: a comparative biomechanical analysis of three assistive devices.

Background: Foot and ankle unloading is essential in various clinical contexts, including ulcers, tendon ruptures, and fractures. Choosing the right assistive device is crucial for functionality and recovery. Yet, research on the impact of devices beyond crutches, particularly ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) designed to unload the ankle and foot, is limited.

Vagal tone, pain sensitivity and exercise-induced hypoalgesia: The effect of physical activity level.

Background: Vagal activity has analgesic effects that are attributed to exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH). High vagal tone and low pain sensitivity are reported in individuals who routinely exercise yet, their association is unclear. Furthermore, it is unknown if the heightened vagal tone following high physical activity predicts and intensifies EIH.

Characterizing Movement Patterns of Older Individuals with T2D in Free-Living Environments Using Wearable Accelerometers.

(1) Background: Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is associated with reduced muscle mass, strength, and function, leading to frailty. This study aims to analyze the movement patterns (MPs) of older individuals with T2D across varying levels of physical capacity (PC). (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among individuals aged 60 or older with T2D.

Significant exercise limitations after recovery from MIS-C related myocarditis.

Background: Myocarditis is one of the presentations of multisystemic inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Although the reported short-term prognosis is good, data regarding medium-term functional capacity and limitations are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate exercise capacity as well as possible cardiac and respiratory limitations in children recovered from MIS-C related myocarditis.

The Compatibility of Children with Obesity to Self-Report Aspects of Physical Activity Domains.

Questions about the different aspects of physical activity (PA) are commonly asked in the clinical setting, yet their compatibility for use with children, particularly children with obesity (OB) is uncertain. Our aim was to investigate different PA-related questions when compared to an objective maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) or validated questionnaires. For this study, 33 normal-weight (NW) (5 to less than 85% BMI percentile) and 35 OB (≥95% BMI percentile) children responded to three self-report PA questions evaluating PA domains (exercise capacity, limitations, and the maintenance of an active lifestyle); they also completed a maximal CPET and two validated questionnaires: the New York Heart Association (NYHA) questionnaire and the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ).

The effects of a multi-day cross-country mountain bike race on myocardial function, stress, inflammation and cardiac biomarkers in amateur master athletes.

This study aimed to examine the effects of a multi-day mountain bike race on amateur master athlete cyclists (AMA). AMA (50±5 years) completed 2 stages of a mountain bike race. Six weeks before racing, echocardiography, blood and maximal cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET) were performed.

Susceptibility to movement-evoked pain following resistance exercise.

Objective: To investigate the: (1) role of basic muscle pain sensitivity and psychological factors in the prediction of movement-evoked pain (MEP) following delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and (2) association of MEP with changes in systemic muscle pain sensitivity following DOMS induction.

Methods: Fifty-one participants were assigned to either eccentric resistance exercise or control groups. They completed questionnaires evaluating psychological distress and underwent muscle pain sensitivity evaluation by the pressure pain threshold (PPT) test at the exercised and remote muscles, before and 24 hours following the intervention.

Active Lifestyle Post First Myocardial Infarction: A Comparison between Participants and Non-Participants of a Structured Cardiac Rehabilitation Program.

Following myocardial infarction (MI), impaired physical, mental, and cognitive functions can reduce participation in the community and diminish quality of life. This study aims to assess active lifestyle participation and functional performance in patients who were participants and non-participants in cardiac rehabilitation. A total of 71 patients were recruited, 6-10 months after the MI event; 38 chose to participate in a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program, and 33 did not (NCR).

The Effect of Incorporating an Exergame Application in a Multidisciplinary Weight Management Program on Physical Activity and Fitness Indices in Children with Overweight and Obesity.

Children with overweight/obese (OW/OB) have low physical activity (PA) levels and excessive daily screen times. Although access to personal smartphones may complicate restricting sedentary screen time, these devices may be used to promote PA and improve fitness. Therefore, we aim to examine the impact of incorporating an exergame application (APP) into an existing weight management program on BMI, physical activity, fitness levels, and attitude toward PA among OW/OB children.

Effect of dynamic tape on postural sway in individuals with chronic ankle instability.

Objective: To examine the effects of dynamic tape on balance control in subjects with chronic ankle instability (CAI).

Methods: This two group experimental pre- and post-treatment design included 18 individuals with CAI and 18 controls. The single-limb stance test with eyes open and closed, standing on a force plate (Accusway Plus; AMTI) for 30 s, was conducted before, 10 min (T1) and 24 h (T24) after a dynamic tape application over the gastrocnemius muscle.

Risk and protective factors for psychological distress during COVID-19 in Israel.

The purpose of the present study was to identify the protective and risk factors related to psychological distress during COVID-19 in an Israeli sample. An online survey was administered from April 19 to May 2, 2020, while a strict lockdown was in place. Participants were recruited by snowball sampling.

Neurocognitive Plasticity Is Associated with Cardiorespiratory Fitness Following Physical Exercise in Older Adults with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Background: Aerobic training has been shown to promote structural and functional neurocognitive plasticity in cognitively intact older adults. However, little is known about the neuroplastic potential of aerobic exercise in individuals at risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia.

Objective: We aimed to explore the effect of aerobic exercise intervention and cardiorespiratory fitness improvement on brain and cognitive functions in older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).

Exertional sodium loss does not increase immediate salt appetite or dietary sodium intake in athletes.

We tested whether salt preference increases immediately after exertion-induced Na loss in sweat, and whether this may generalise to an increase in habitual dietary Na intake. For the first aim, trained athletes (n = 20) exercised in 2 ambient temperatures and sweat Na loss related to immediate salt preference assessed by taste, intake and psychophysical tests. For the second aim, we compared dietary and urinary Na, and salt preference, seasoning and hedonics in the athletes and sedentary men (n = 20).

The benefits of mechanical insufflator-exsufflator compared to autogenic drainage in adults with cystic fibrosis.

Background: Autogenic drainage (AD) is used for airway clearance in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). The mechanical insufflator-exsufflator (MI-E) device is commonly used in patients with neuromuscular diseases for airway clearance by increasing inspiratory volume and expiratory flow. MI-E use has not been studied extensively in CF patients.

Plantar pressure modifications in experienced runners following an exhaustive run.

Running-induced fatigue alters foot strike pattern. The purpose of this study was to assess plantar pressure and centre of pressure (CoP) trajectory alterations after a 30-minute run at sub-maximal speed in experienced long-distance runners. Plantar pressure data from 9 experienced heel-to-toe male runners was collected before and after a 30-minute run on a treadmill at a speed 5% above the respiratory compensation point (RCP) of each participant.

The Effect of Environmental Conditions on the Physiological Response during a Stand-Up Paddle Surfing Session.

Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) surfing entails riding breaking waves and maneuvering the board on the wave face in a similar manner to traditional surfing. Despite some scientific investigations on SUP, little is known about SUP surfing. The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological response during SUP surfing sessions and to determine how various environmental conditions can influence this response.

A Fast Track to Hypoalgesia - The Anaerobic Exercise Effect on Pain Sensitivity.

Maximal anaerobic exercise, is a short high intensity effort, involves activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, and may suggest hypoalgesic effects. In addition, this exercise-induced muscle pain may contribute to hypoalgesia via the pain inhibits pain phenomenon, which is related to the diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC) mechanism. We aimed to investigate whether: 1) a single bout of 30 s maximal anaerobic exercise has an analgesic effect on experimental pain sensitivity; 2) DNIC is the underlying mechanism of anaerobic exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH).

The Effect of External and Internal Focus of Attention on Gait Variability in Older Adults.

Internal focus of attention on a movement or focusing on an external target are both strategies that can affect motor performance. The authors explored whether manipulating subjects' focus of attention while walking would alter gait variability, a measure reflecting consistency of gait and associated with the risk of falling in older adults. Twenty community-living older adults participated in the study and were tested while focusing their attention on (a) gait consistency (internal focus) or (b) metronome beats (external focus).

Examination of the Effectiveness of Predictors for Musculoskeletal Injuries in Female Soldiers.

The amount of training days lost to injury during military training has highlighted the need to identify a screening tool to predict injury. One hundred and fifty-eight female soldiers from the Combat Fitness Instructor Course (CFIC) of the Israel Defense Forces volunteered to participate in this study. All soldiers were free of orthopedic and neurologic conditions for at least one month before the study.

The effect of kinesiotape on dynamic balance following muscle fatigue in individuals with chronic ankle instability.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of kinesiotape (KT) on dynamic stability following ankle muscle fatigue among individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). Twenty participants with CAI participated in the study. Participants were tested under three conditions: KT, non-elastic tape, and no tape pre- and post-fatigue of the ankle muscles.

The effect of different types of walking on dual-task performance and task prioritization among community-dwelling older adults.

Background: The ability to safely conduct different types of walking concurrently with a cognitive task (i.e., dual task) is crucial for daily life.

Interactive cervical motion kinematics: sensitivity, specificity and clinically significant values for identifying kinematic impairments in patients with chronic neck pain.

Chronic neck pain has been consistently shown to be associated with impaired kinematic control including reduced range, velocity and smoothness of cervical motion, that seem relevant to daily function as in quick neck motion in response to surrounding stimuli. The objectives of this study were: to compare interactive cervical kinematics in patients with neck pain and controls; to explore the new measures of cervical motion accuracy; and to find the sensitivity, specificity, and optimal cutoff values for defining impaired kinematics in those with neck pain. In this cross-section study, 33 patients with chronic neck pain and 22 asymptomatic controls were assessed for their cervical kinematic control using interactive virtual reality hardware and customized software utilizing a head mounted display with built-in head tracking.

Does a Wii-based exercise program enhance balance control of independently functioning older adults? A systematic review.

Background: Exercise programs that challenge an individual's balance have been shown to reduce the risk of falls among older adults. Virtual reality computer-based technology that provides the user with opportunities to interact with virtual objects is used extensively for entertainment. There is a growing interest in the potential of virtual reality-based interventions for balance training in older adults.

The reliability of hand-held dynamometry for strength assessment during electrically induced muscle contractions.

Objectives: To determine inter- and intra-tester reliability of strength measurements during maximal electrically induced contractions (MEIC) using a hand-held dynamometer (HHD).

Methods: Thirty-seven healthy young female adults, mean age (SD) 23.4 (2.