Risk Factors Associated with Musculoskeletal Injuries within the Crew of the Leopard 2 A6 Main Battle Tank Using Inertial Movement Unit Sensors: A Pilot Study.

This study aims to assess the musculoskeletal risk of military personnel on a Leopard 2 A6 main battle tank crew and to identify associated factors for future prevention and mitigation strategies. A sample of 57 Portuguese military personnel, who are or were part of the Leopard 2 A6 main battle tank crew, answered a questionnaire on their perception of task performance, considering muscle demands, comfort, posture, movements, and associated symptoms. A subsample of four soldiers from the Armoured Squadron of the Portuguese Mechanized Brigade were assessed using an inertial measurement unit system and underwent a whole-body kinematic analysis coupled with a Rapid Entire Body Assessment during a simulated two-hour mission.

Postgraduate education in healthy and active ageing: learning needs, curriculum and expected outcomes: a scoping review protocol.

As the European population ages, it becomes increasingly important to promote and facilitate healthy and active ageing and age-friendly societies. Professionals across a range of disciplines and sectors need knowledge and skills to support both. This scoping review aims to identify and map the literature on learning needs, learning outcomes and respective curricula in healthy and active ageing and age-friendly society concepts.

Learning needs in healthy and active aging according to key stakeholders: A multinational survey.

Healthy and active aging and age-friendly society frameworks attempt to address the well-documented challenges and opportunities of population aging. To meet the needs of an increasingly older society, there is a demand for professionals with appropriate age-related knowledge and skills. To this end, a master's in active aging is in development.

The European Portuguese Version of the Composite Physical Function Scale: Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

This study aims to perform the cross-cultural adaptation to European Portuguese of the Composite Physical Function Scale and to assess its validity and reliability in a sample of community-dwelling older adults. The scale was translated into European Portuguese, back translated, and piloted in a sample of 16 representative individuals. Its validity and reliability were tested in an independent sample of 114 community-dwelling older adults (52 were tested twice to assess test-retest reliability).

Knee osteoarthritis pre-screening questionnaire (KOPS): cross-cultural adaptation and measurement properties of the brazilian version-KOPS Brazilian version.

Background: Despite the criteria already established for the classification of knee osteoarthritis (OA), a radiographic and/or clinical knee OA diagnosis usually occurs in cases of fully manifest or more advanced disease, which can make health promotion, prevention, and functional rehabilitation in more advanced stages of the disease less effective. In addition, radiographic knee OA can generate more financial costs for health services. Therefore, developing and validating screening instruments to assess the probability of development and progression of knee OA would be of great value for both clinical practice and science.

Users' Perspective on the AI-Based Smartphone PROTEIN App for Personalized Nutrition and Healthy Living: A Modified Technology Acceptance Model (mTAM) Approach.

The ubiquitous nature of smartphone ownership, its broad application and usage, along with its interactive delivery of timely feedback are appealing for health-related behavior change interventions mobile apps. However, users' perspectives about such apps are vital in better bridging the gap between their design intention and effective practical usage. In this vein, a modified technology acceptance model (mTAM) is proposed here, to explain the relationship between users' perspectives when using an AI-based smartphone app for personalized nutrition and healthy living, namely, PROTEIN, and the mTAM constructs toward behavior change in their nutrition and physical activity habits.

A genetic algorithm approach to design job rotation schedules ensuring homogeneity and diversity of exposure in the automotive industry.

Job rotation is a work organization strategy with increasing popularity, given its benefits for workers and companies, especially those working with manufacturing. This study proposes a formulation to help the team leader in an assembly line of the automotive industry to achieve job rotation schedules based on three major criteria: improve diversity, ensure homogeneity, and thus reduce exposure level. The formulation relied on a genetic algorithm, that took into consideration the biomechanical risk factors (EAWS), workers' qualifications, and the organizational aspects of the assembly line.

The role of work conditions on the functional decline in senior workers in the automotive industry.

Background: The aging of the workforce is changing, but working conditions have not changed at the same exponential growth rate for senior workers. Such a situation can compromise the worker's physical and cognitive capability, reducing the ability to perform work activities.

Objectives: This study aims to understand the main functional capacity changes in senior workers in the automotive industry and to determine the contribution of working conditions on the decline of the functional capacity in senior workers.

Biomechanical Performance Factors in the Track and Field Sprint Start: A Systematic Review.

In athletics sprint events, the block start performance can be fundamental to the outcome of a race. This Systematic Review aims to identify biomechanical factors of critical importance to the block start and subsequent first two steps performance. A systematic search of relevant English-language articles was performed on three scientific databases (PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science) to identify peer-reviewed articles published until June 2021.

Postmatch Recovery Practices Carried Out in Professional Football: A Survey of 56 Portuguese Professional Football Teams.

Background: In football (ie, soccer), the effectiveness of recovery practices is critical to maintain high levels of performance, prevent residual fatigue, and reduce injury risk. However, the recovery methods that professional football teams put in place up to 72 hours postmatch are widely unknown.

Purpose: This study aimed to characterize the postmatch recovery practices in Portuguese football teams in different postmatch periods and match locations.

Predictive Factors of Short-Term Related Musculoskeletal Pain in the Automotive Industry.

To determine the short-term associations between biomechanical risk factors and musculoskeletal symptoms in the upper limbs and low back in an automotive company, a longitudinal study with a follow-up of 4 days was conducted in a sample of 228 workers of the assembly and paint areas. Data were analyzed using generalized estimating equations, calculating the crude and adjusted model for age, sex, seniority, and intensity of pain at baseline. The interactions found were the same for both models.

Effects of Ankle Foot Orthoses on the Gait Patterns in Children with Spastic Bilateral Cerebral Palsy: A Scoping Review.

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of motor disability in children and can cause severe gait deviations. The sagittal gait patterns classification for children with bilateral CP is an important guideline for the planning of the rehabilitation process. Ankle foot orthoses should improve the biomechanical parameters of pathological gait in the sagittal plane.

Post-match Recovery Practices in Professional Football: Design, Validity, and Reliability of a New Questionnaire.

Although several approaches have been proposed to mitigate post-match fatigue, few studies have been conducted in team sports to understand the types of recovery methods and the underlying reasons for the choices of medical and technical staff. This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable online questionnaire to assess the recovery practices implemented by football clubs within 72 h post-match. Two research members developed the original questionnaire proposal, and two experts in sports science and sports medicine confirmed the content and face validities.

Translation, cultural adaptation and validation of the self-efficacy to manage chronic disease 6-item scale for european Portuguese.

Objectives: Self-efficacy is an important factor in the acquisition of self-management skills in patients with chronic diseases. The present study provides a translation and cultural adaptation for the Portuguese population, as well as psychometric properties, of the Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale.

Materials And Methods: This is a cross-sectional study.

Normative reference values of the handgrip strength for the Portuguese workers.

Introduction: The active workforce is increasingly aging. However workload, as well as working time and intensity, sometimes remains unchanged. This can be an even more critical situation in older people, since occupational exposure associated with aging, will further reduce the muscle's ability to generate energy, which in turn facilitates the development of these age-related syndromes.

Responsiveness of the Calf-Raise Senior test in community-dwelling older adults undergoing an exercise intervention program.

Introduction: Mobility significantly depends on the ankle muscles' strength which is particularly relevant for the performance of daily activities. Few tools are available, to assess ankle strength with all of the measurement properties tested. The purpose of this study is to test the responsiveness of Calf-Raise Senior Test (CRS) in a sample of elderly participants undergoing a 24-week community exercise program.

Can the calf-raise senior test predict functional fitness in elderly people? A validation study using electromyography, kinematics and strength tests.

The assessment of the plantar-flexors muscle strength in older adults (OA) is of the utmost importance since they are strongly associated with the performance of fundamental tasks of daily life. The objective was to strengthen the validity of the Calf-Raise-Senior (CRS) test by assessing the biomechanical movement pattern of calf muscles in OA with different levels of functional fitness (FF) and physical activity (PA). Twenty-six OA were assessed with CRS, a FF battery, accelerometry, strength tests, kinematics and electromyography (EMG).

Effect of 6-month community-based exercise interventions on gait and functional fitness of an older population: a quasi-experimental study.

Background: Gait ability in older adults has been associated with independent living, increased survival rates, fall prevention, and quality of life. There are inconsistent findings regarding the effects of exercise interventions in the maintenance of gait parameters.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to analyze the effects of a community-based periodized exercise intervention on the improvement of gait parameters and functional fitness in an older adult group compared with a non-periodized program.

Calf-raise senior: a new test for assessment of plantar flexor muscle strength in older adults: protocol, validity, and reliability.

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a new field test protocol with a standardized measurement of strength and power in plantar flexor muscles targeted to functionally independent older adults, the calf-raise senior (CRS) test, and also evaluate its reliability and validity.

Patients And Methods: Forty-one subjects aged 65 years and older of both sexes participated in five different cross-sectional studies: 1) pilot (n=12); 2) inter- and intrarater agreement (n=12); 3) construct (n=41); 4) criterion validity (n=33); and 5) test-retest reliability (n=41). Different motion parameters were compared in order to define a specifically designed protocol for seniors.

Community-Based Exercise Intervention for Gait and Functional Fitness Improvement in an Older Population: Study Protocol.

Functional fitness (FF) and gait ability in older populations have been associated with increased survival rates, fall prevention, and quality of life. One possible intervention for the improvement of FF is well-structured exercise programs. However, there are inconsistent findings regarding the effects of exercise interventions in the maintenance of gait parameters.

Intergenerational educational trajectories and lower back pain in young women and men.

We examined the association between intergenerational educational trajectories and lower back pain (LBP) outcomes in young women and men from the general population. Participants were part of the 21 years old follow-up of the EPITeen cohort study, which was set up during the 2003/2004 school year and recruited subjects born in 1990 attending schools in Porto, Portugal (n=1657, 51.6% women).

Determinant factors of pain intensity in overweight and obese adults with knee osteoarthritis.

Unlabelled: Osteoarthritis is one of the most disabling diseases, the main symptom being pain, which is associated with a low level of physical activity. The incidence and progression of knee osteoarthritis are directly related with risk factors such as obesity, age and mechanical factors.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify which variables (physical activity, anthropometry and body composition of the lower limb) best predict pain intensity in obese individuals with knee osteoarthritis.

Real-time kinematic biofeedback improves scapulothoracic control and performance during scapular-focused exercises: A single-blind randomized controlled laboratory study.

Emerging evidence suggests that scapular-focused therapeutic exercises hold promise for shoulder dynamic stability retraining. While recent findings show that therapeutic exercises can alter scapular neuromuscular function measured with muscle electromyography, no study has yet addressed the effects of kinematic biofeedback for improving scapulothoracic control and performance. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of kinematic biofeedback on motor relearning transfer during shoulder flexion and a daily activity, on the quality of scapular-focused exercise performance, and on execution time.

Responsiveness and Interpretability of the Portuguese Version of the Neck Disability Index in Patients With Chronic Neck Pain Undergoing Physiotherapy.

Study Design: A prospective cohort study with a 7-week follow-up of 113 patients with chronic neck pain undergoing physiotherapy.

Objective: To examine the responsiveness of the Portuguese Version of the Neck Disability Index (NDI-PT), and to determine the minimal clinically important difference (MCID), minimal detectable change (MDC), and floor/ceiling effects.

Summary Of Background Data: Studies that determine MDC and MCID are needed to provide more accurate outcome evaluation and critically assess potential relevant sources for differences in the minimal important change values for the NDI.

Psychosocial Work Environment and Musculoskeletal Symptoms among 21-Year-Old Workers: A Population-Based Investigation (2011-2013).

Background: The current labour market is becoming more flexible and informal, with job insecurity selectively affecting young workers. However, the role of these increasing adverse psychosocial working conditions on health outcomes remains little known among newly employed workers.

Objective: To estimate the associations between psychosocial work environment and musculoskeletal outcomes (widespread pain syndrome features and regional pain) in a population-based sample of young workers.