Is BDNF related to spatial-temporal gait parameters in people with multiple sclerosis? An observational study.

Background: It has been suggested that the protein Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) plays a neuroprotective role in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). Also, BDNF seems to play a role in cognition performance. In the same line, gait in pwMS requires a higher cognitive resource, mainly during complex walking.

In-Season Internal Load and Wellness Variations in Professional Women Soccer Players: Comparisons between Playing Positions and Status.

The internal intensity monitoring in soccer has been used more in recent years in men's football; however, in women's soccer, the existing literature is still scarce. The aims of this study were threefold: (a) to describe the weekly variations of training monotony, training strain and acute: chronic workload ratio through session Rated Perceived Exertion (s-RPE); (b) to describe weekly variations of Hooper Index [stress, fatigue, Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and sleep]; and (c) to compare those variations between playing positions and player status. Nineteen players (24.

Temporal dynamics of cortical activity and postural control in response to the first levodopa dose of the day in people with Parkinson's disease.

Background: Our understanding of how balance control responds to levodopa over the course of a single day in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) is limited with the majority of studies focused on isolated comparisons of ON vs. OFF levodopa medication.

Objective: To evaluate the temporal dynamics of postural control following the first levodopa dose of the day during a challenging standing task in a group of people with PD.

Cortical activity and gait parameter characteristics in people with multiple sclerosis during unobstructed gait and obstacle avoidance.

Background: People with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) present higher cortical activity during walking. However, the cortical activity during gait while avoiding an obstacle is still not clear.

Objective: To investigate cortical activity and gait spatial-temporal parameters in PwMS during two different gait tasks (i.

Influence of Side Uncertainty on Knee Kinematics of Female Handball Athletes During Sidestep Cutting Maneuvers.

Noncontact anterior cruciate ligament ruptures generally occur during unanticipated sidestep cutting maneuvers when athletes have their visual attention focused on the opponent. The authors investigated the influence of uncertainty related to the side to perform the sidestep cutting maneuver on knee kinematics of female handball athletes. A total of 31 female handball athletes performed the sidestep cutting maneuver during anticipated and uncertain conditions.

Physiology Responses and Players' Stay on the Court During a Futsal Match: A Case Study With Professional Players.

Physiological responses in futsal have not been studied together with temporal information about the players' stay on the court. The aim of this study was to compare heart rate (HR) and blood lactate concentration ([La]) responses between 1-H and 2-H considering the time of permanency of the players on the court at each substitution in a futsal match. HR was recorded during entire match and [La] was analyzed after each substitution of seven players.

Virtual reality head-mounted goggles increase the body sway of young adults during standing posture.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of wearing virtual reality head-mounted goggles (VR) on body sway in young adults. We run two experiments, in which we compared the body sway while standing during the conditions of 1) wearing and non-wearing VR with eyes-opened (experiment #1), 2) wearing and no-wearing VR with eyes-closed (experiment #2), and 3) wearing VR with eyes-opened when the scene was turned on and off (experiment #2). Forty-four (experiment #1) and fifteen (experiment #2) young adults were instructed to remain as still as possible on a force plate for 60-s and performed three trials in each quiet standing condition.

Validity and reliability of a 6-a-side small-sided game as an indicator of match-related physical performance in elite youth Brazilian soccer players.

The aims of this study were: (i) to compare the external and internal load during a 6-a-side small-sided game (6v6-SSG) according to age-group; (ii) to relate these parameters between the 6v6-SSG and official matches; and (iii) to test the reliability of the 6v6-SSG. A total of 51 Brazilian youth soccer players participated in this study (U11 [n = 16]; U13 [n = 10]; U15 [n = 9]; U17 [n = 8]; U20 [n = 8]). Three experiments were conducted.

β-Alanine Supplementation's Improvement of High-Intensity Game Activities in Water Polo.

Objectives: To investigate whether 4 wk of β-alanine supplementation improves total distance covered, distance covered and time spent in different speed zones, and sprint numbers during a simulated water polo game.

Design: Double-blind, parallel, and placebo controlled. A total of 11 male water polo players participated in the study, divided randomly into 2 homogeneous groups (placebo and β-alanine).

Kicking Performance in Young U9 to U20 Soccer Players: Assessment of Velocity and Accuracy Simultaneously.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the kicking performance of young soccer players in the U9 to U20 age groups.

Method: Three hundred and sixty-six Brazilian players were evaluated on an official pitch using three-dimensional kinematics to measure (300 Hz) ball velocity (V), foot velocity (V), V/V ratio, last stride length, and distance between the support foot and the ball. Simultaneously, a two-dimensional procedure was also conducted to compute (60 Hz) the mean radial error, bivariate variable error, and accuracy.

Acute Effects of Active, Ballistic, Passive, and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretching on Sprint and Vertical Jump Performance in Trained Young Soccer Players.

Oliveira, LP, Vieira, LHP, Aquino, R, Manechini, JPV, Santiago, PRP, and Puggina, EF. Acute effects of active, ballistic, passive, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching on sprint and vertical jump performance in trained young soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 32(8): 2199-2208, 2018-The aim of this study was to compare the acute effects of active (AC), ballistic (BA), passive (PA), and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching methods on performance in vertical jumping, sit and reach, and sprinting in young soccer players.

Training Level Does Not Affect Auditory Perception of The Magnitude of Ball Spin in Table Tennis.

Identifying the trajectory and spin of the ball with speed and accuracy is critical for good performance in table tennis. The aim of this study was to analyze the ability of table tennis players presenting different levels of training/experience to identify the magnitude of the ball spin from the sound produced when the racket hit the ball. Four types of "forehand" contact sounds were collected in the laboratory, defined as: Fast Spin (spinning ball forward at 140 r/s); Medium Spin (105 r/s); Slow Spin (84 r/s); and Flat Hit (less than 60 r/s).

Futsal Match-Related Fatigue Affects Running Performance and Neuromuscular Parameters but Not Finishing Kick Speed or Accuracy.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of futsal match-related fatigue on running performance, neuromuscular variables, and finishing kick speed and accuracy. Ten professional futsal players participated in the study (age: 22.2 ± 2.

Kicking Performance and Muscular Strength Parameters with Dominant and Nondominant Lower Limbs in Brazilian Elite Professional Futsal Players.

The aims of the current study were to analyze a kick from 10 m in a futsal context and the parameters of muscular strength using an isokinetic dynamometer in a laboratory environment, performed with the dominant (DL) and nondominant lower limbs (NDL). Seventeen professional elite players participated. Kicking performance was evaluated from the second penalty mark.