Acute outcomes of acupuncture and dry needling over peripheral acute fatigue in untrained healthy volunteers: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

Peripheral acute fatigue (PAF) is defined as when the skeletal muscle is incapable of generating power. We aimed to investigate the acute effects of traditional Chinese acupuncture (TCA) and dry needling (DN) over PAF induced on the biceps brachii of untrained healthy volunteers. We conducted a randomized, single-blind controlled clinical trial.

Surface electromyography signal processing and evaluation on respiratory muscles of critically ill patients: A systematic review.

Background: Surface Electromyography (sEMG) has been used to monitor respiratory muscle function and contractility in several clinical situations, however there is the lack of standardization for the analysis and processing of the signals.

Objective: To summarize the respiratory muscles most assessed by sEMG in the critical care setting and the assessment procedure details employed on those muscles regarding electrode placement, signal acquisition, and data analysis.

Methods: A systematic review of observational studies was registered on PROSPERO (number CRD42022354469).

Effects of mat Pilates on older adult women with knee osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder in the world and its incidence is rising, and one of the most frequent causes of pain, loss of function and disability in adults.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Mat Pilates on health status, pain, stiffness, and functionality of older adult women with knee osteoarthritis (KOA).

Methods: A randomized-controlled trial to preliminarily test an intervention protocol of Mat Pilates in older women with KOA on health status, pain, stiffness, and functionality.

Agreement between two methods for assessment of maximal inspiratory pressure in patients weaning from mechanical ventilation.

Background: Respiratory muscle strength in patients with an artificial airway is commonly assessed as the maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and is measured using analogue or digital manometers. Recently, new electronic loading devices have been proposed to measure respiratory muscle strength. This study evaluates the agreement between the MIPs measured by a digital manometer and those according to an electronic loading device in patients being weaned from mechanical ventilation.

Whole-Body Vibration Associated with Strength Training on the Lower-Limb Blood Flow and Mobility in Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: A Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Vascular endothelium insults caused by high serum glucose levels affect the oxygen supply to tissues, via the microvascular endothelium, resulting in an increased perfusion heterogeneity. These insults may lead to the underuse of blood capillaries, while other vessels are overused and effectively overload their oxygen supply capacity, which eventually causes damages to distal parts of the peripheral nervous system. Therefore, the proprioceptive and exteroceptive feedback information will be gradually lost and contribute to a mobility reduction.

Effectiveness of Whole-Body Vibration Combined with Multicomponent Training on the Risk of Falls and Quality of Life in Elderly Women with Osteoporosis: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Osteoporosis and the risk of falls increase the risk of fractures and events of falls. Prescriptions and programs for different forms of exercise have different impacts on the risk of falls, and exercises from multiple categories of whole-body vibration can be effective. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of whole-body vibration (WBV) protocol combined with multicomponent training (MCT) in elderly women with osteoporosis and their history of falls.

Brazil before and during COVID-19 pandemic: Impact on the practice and habits of physical exercise.

Introduction: The goal of this study was to investigate the practice and habits of physical exercise impact due to COVID-19 social isolation before and during the outbreak in Brazil and its mains macro-regions, which have social and economic disparities.

Methods: This is an observational cross-sectional study through an online questionnaire survey. A self-administered survey (PEF-COVID19) was applied in the Brazilian general population, age ≥ 18 years.

Acupuncture and Dry Needling in the Reduction of Peripheral Acute Fatigue Induced in the Biceps Braquii: Protocol for a Single-blinded Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

The present study aims to propose a protocol to verify the efficacy and acute effects of traditional Chinese acupuncture, dry needling, and the rest in peripheral acute fatigue (PAF) induced by intermittent isometric contractions of the nondominant biceps brachii (BB) of nonphysically active men in a randomized, single-blind clinical trial assessed with surface electromyography, contraction time in seconds, infrared thermal imaging, and visual analog scale applied to the PAF. These instruments will evaluate the median frequency, endurance time, temperature (°C), and perceived fatigue in BB of the volunteers. The measurements will be collected in four moments (Test 0, 01, 02, and 03) divided between the beginning and the end of two sets of exercises (Exercises 01 and 02) of intermittent isometric contractions.

Global Postural Re-education in non-specific neck and low back pain treatment: A pilot study.

Background: Spinal pain is an important public health issue that brings biopsychosocial problems. Global Postural Re-education (GPR) is one of its treatments.

Objective: Evaluate the effects of GPR on pain, flexibility, and posture of individuals with non-specific low back pain and/or neck pain for more than six weeks.

Functionality and quality of life of patients with unilateral lymphedema of a lower limb: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Lymphedema of the lower limbs is a chronic disease caused by damage to the lymphatic system that influences people's mobility, functionality, and quality of life. Questionnaires and physical test are very practical, easy to apply, and low cost methods that provide important data for evaluation of these patients.

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of unilateral lower limb lymphedema on functionality and quality of life, correlating 3 assessment tools.

A single whole body vibration session influences quadriceps muscle strength, functional mobility and balance of elderly with osteopenia and/or osteoporosis? Pragmatic clinical trial.

Background: The purpose of this study verify the immediate effect of whole body vibration (WBV) on quadriceps muscle strength, functional mobility and balance in elderly patients with Osteopenia and/or Osteoporosis.

Methods: This was a randomized pragmatic clinical trial with 34 elderly (32 women) randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group (EG;  = 17) who underwent low-frequency (16 Hz) WBV and the control group (CG; n = 17) who performed the walk. Outcome measures were: quadriceps muscle strength measured by a maximal repetition test (1RM); functional mobility assessed by the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and balance assessed by the Berg Balance Scale (BBS).

Cortical excitability variability: Insights into biological and behavioral characteristics of healthy individuals.

Motor threshold (MT) measured by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has diagnostic utility in central nervous system disorders. Its diagnostic sensitivity may be enhanced by identification of non-pathological factors which may influence this measure. The aim of this study was to provide a description of MT variability across physiological and non-pathological behaviour characteristics in a large cohort, including hemispheric asymmetries.

Evidence of an inverse correlation between serotonergic activity and spreading depression propagation in the rat cortex.

Various neurological and psychiatric diseases lead to alterations in cortical serotonergic activity as one of their underlying processes. However, the electrophysiological implication of changes in serotonergic activity remains a matter of investigation. In this study, we investigated whether brain serotonergic activity influences the excitability-related phenomenon known as cortical spreading depression (CSD).

[Analysis of motor performance associated with the nutritional status of the elderly enrolled in the Family Health Program in the municipality of Vitória de Santo Antão in the State of Pernambuco].

The scope of this paper was to investigate the relationship between the nutritional status and the motor skills of the elderly registered in the Family Health Program in the urban area of Vitória de Santo Antão in the State of Pernambuco, by means of a transversal epistemological descriptive-analytical field study. The participants of this survey were 235 elders, both male and female of 60-years-old and over registered in the family health program in the urban area of the city. The nutritional status was evaluated by the body mass index and the circumference of the calf.