Females Present Reduced Minimum Toe Clearance During Walking As Compared to Males in Active Older Adults.

Background: Physical decline due to aging has been associated with the risk of falls. Minimum toe clearance (MTC) is a gait parameter that might play a role in the mechanism of tripping and falling. However, it is unclear if there are any sex-related effects regarding MTC as people age.

Free-oscillation technique: The effect of the magnitude of the impulse applied on muscle and tendon stiffness around the ankle.

The importance of the muscle-tendon complex in sport and for activities of everyday living is well recognised. The free oscillation technique is frequently used to determine the musculo-articular "apparent" stiffness (obtained from vertical ground reaction force) and other parameters. However, an in-depth understanding of the muscle-tendon complex can be gained by separating the muscle (soleus) and the tendon (Achilles tendon) components and studying the "true" stiffness for each of these components (by considering the ankle joint moment arms), which can be valuable in improving our understanding of training, injury prevention, and recovery programs.

Distance to Natural Environments, Physical Activity, Sleep, and Body Composition in Women: An Exploratory Analysis.

A growing body of evidence indicates that living close to nature is associated with better health and well-being. However, the literature still lacks studies analyzing the benefits of this proximity for sleep and obesity, particularly in women. The purpose of this study was to explore how distance to natural spaces is reflected in women's physical activity, sleep, and adiposity levels.

Classification of the Effort Index and Biomechanical Overload in Natural Trails of UNESCO Global Geoparks-A Network Perspective of Trails of the Araripe UGG (NE Brazil).

Natural trails in UNESCO Global Geopark territories show strong salutogenic, inclusive and interactive characteristics as potentials and opportunities for ecosystem health. It is essential to provide information to inform the hiker as to the characteristics of the environment and the attractions and challenges of the route. Based on a network analysis methodology we aimed to identify the indicators of centrality and strength of connection in order to classify the effort index and biomechanical overload of the Araripe UNESCO Global Geopark trails in Brazil.

Contribution of Home Gardens to Sustainable Development: Perspectives from A Supported Opinion Essay.

Home gardening has a long history that started when humans became sedentary, being traditionally considered an accessible source of food and medicinal plants to treat common illnesses. With trends towards urbanization and industrialization, particularly in the post-World War II period, the importance of home gardens as important spaces for growing food and medicinal plants reduced and they began to be increasingly seen as decorative and leisure spaces. However, the growing awareness of the negative impacts of agricultural intensification and urbanization for human health, food quality, ecosystem resilience, and biodiversity conservation motivated the emergence of new approaches concerning home gardens.

Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Relationship With Nature Visits, Connectedness to Nature and Physical Activity.

Purpose: Examine the association of visits to the natural environment, connectedness to nature, physical activity, and the adoption of pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) in individuals aged 18 years or older.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: City of Vila Real, located in the north of Portugal.

Connectedness to Nature Does Not Explain the Variation in Physical Activity and Body Composition in Adults and Older People.

Connectedness to nature (CN) is a significant predictor of pro-environmental behaviours, human health and well-being. However, research on how this connection to the natural world might promote a more active lifestyle and improve body mass composition according to gender is lacking. This study investigated the influence of CN on physical activity (PA) and body composition in adults and older people.

Leg stiffness and muscle power vs manometer in sportswomen with symptoms of stress urinary incontinence.

Background: Pelvic floor muscle training can cure or alleviate stress urinary incontinence. This study aimed to evaluate maximum voluntary contractions of the pelvic floor muscle in sportswomen and verify the association with leg stiffness and muscle power, both maximal and submaximal.

Methods: The sample consisted of 41 sportswomen between 18 and 42 years of age.

Obesity and Natural Spaces in Adults and Older People: A Systematic Review.

Background: Obesity is an important public health issue that has increased globally in the last decade and continues to be one of the main causes of morbidity and premature mortality. An accumulating body of evidence suggests that contact with nature is a valuable resource for the promotion of a more active lifestyle and seems to have a central role in maintaining a healthy weight. The authors conducted a systematic review to summarize the findings of studies that investigated the relationship between natural spaces and obesity.

Assessment of pelvic floor muscles in sportswomen: Quality of life and related factors.

Objectives: To evaluate Maximum Voluntary Contraction (MVC) of the Pelvic Floor Muscles (PFM) in sportswomen, to observe the urinary symptoms and their impact on the Quality of Life (QoL).

Design: Observational cross-sectional study.

Setting: Gyms and teams in the North of Portugal.

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training in Female Athletes: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of pelvic floor muscles training in elite female volleyball athletes and whether it is an effective therapy for stress urinary incontinence. Fourteen athletes, both continent and incontinent, between 18 and 30 years of age, were randomly assigned to an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group received a protocol for pelvic floor muscle training for 4 months.

Diagnostic Validity of an Isokinetic Testing to Identify Partial Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries.

Objective: To assess the diagnostic validity of an isokinetic testing to detect partial injuries on the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

Design: Prospective diagnostic study.

Settings: Orthopedic clinic, physiotherapy clinic, orthopedic hospital, and diagnostic/image clinic.

Differences in foot contact times between obese and non-obese postmenopausal women when crossing obstacles.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the foot contact time differences between obese and non-obese subjects during walking when crossing obstacles.

Methods: Ninety-eight postmenopausal women were assigned to four groups, and their plantar pressure temporal data were collected using a two-step protocol during walking when crossing an obstacle set at 30% height of lower limb length of each subject. The initial, final, and duration of contact of 10 foot areas were measured.

The effect of sex and localised fatigue on triceps surae musculoarticular stiffness.

Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of fatigue on musculoarticular stiffness (MAS) of the ankle joint across sexes.

Methods: Twenty-seven males and 26 females participated in the study. After baseline assessment of MAS and related variables, localised fatigue was induced in triceps surae using the standing heel-rise test during which the subjects were instructed to lift and drop the heel at a frequency of 0.

Foot Rollover Temporal Parameters During Walking Straight Ahead and Stepping Over Obstacles: Obese and Non-Obese Postmenopausal Women.

The aim of this study was to compare the temporal foot rollover data between walking straight ahead and stepping over obstacles for obese and non-obese postmenopausal women. Plantar pressure data were collected from 67 women. The initial, final, and duration of contact of 10 foot areas were measured.

Foot Rollover Temporal Parameters During Straight-Ahead and Side-Cut Walking in Obese and Nonobese Postmenopausal Women.

The purpose of this study was to compare the temporal foot rollover data between straight-ahead and side-cut walking and to establish a reference dataset for obese and nonobese postmenopausal women. Pressure data were collected using the two-step protocol. The initial, final, and duration of contact of 10 foot areas were measured, as 5 instants and 4 phases.

Musculo-articular stiffness is affected by the magnitude of the impulse applied when assessed with the free-oscillation technique.

Musculo-articular stiffness (MAS) of the triceps surae can be assessed using the free-oscillation technique whereby an impulse is applied and the ensuing damped oscillations are recorded. The purpose of this study was to investigate if impulses of different magnitudes can affect the measurement of MAS. Twenty seven males (20.

Cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in postmenopausal women.

The object of the study was to analyze the relationship between aerobic fitness and body composition in postmenopausal women. We hypothesized that postmenopausal women that had higher adiposity had lower cardiorespiratory capacity, regardless of the characteristics of menopause. The sample included 208 women (57.

Mechanical properties of the triceps surae: differences between football and non-football players.

We investigated the mechanical properties of the triceps surae between professional, junior, and non-football players. Fifty-nine men participated in this study. The mechanical properties of the right legs' triceps surae were measured in vivo using a free oscillation technique; no significant differences existed between the groups.

The upper limit of the cardiorespiratory training zone (40-84%HRR) is overestimated for postmenopausal women.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the heart rate reserve (HRR) at first and second ventilatory thresholds (VT's) in postmenopausal women and compare it with optimal intensity range recommended by the ACSM (40-84%HRR). An additional aim was to evaluate whether a higher aerobic power level corresponded to a higher HRR at VT's.

Methods: Fifty-eight postmenopausal women participated in this study (aged 48-69).

[Impact of an exercise program in adiposity and muscular condition of postmenopausal women].

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of an exercise program on fat mass (FM), visceral fat area (VFA), skeletal muscle mass (SMM) and skeletal muscle mass index (SMMI) of post-menopausal women.

Methods: A sample of 169 women (56.8±6.

[Level of physical activity in the prevention of excess visceral fat in postmenopausal women: how much is needed?].

Objective: To analyze the level of physical activity (kcal/week) needed to prevent excess visceral fat in postmenopausal women.

Subjects And Methods: The sample included 239 women with a mean age of 57.2 years.

Action of therapeutic laser and ultrasound in peripheral nerve regeneration.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of early therapeutic laser and ultrasound in the regeneration process of an injury in rats.

Methods: We used 24 rats. Eighteen underwent surgery for sciatic nerve compression by a hemostat above the popliteal fossa.