Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction in electrical utility workers: Practical considerations for prevention and rehabilitation in the workplace.

Introduction: This study assessed the prevalence and associations of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction in electrical utility workers, with the aim of applying the findings to better prevent and rehabilitate workplace musculoskeletal disorders.

Methods: Employees completed an online survey recording their musculoskeletal symptoms across nine anatomical locations for the preceding 12 months. A total of 565 employees, working across eight different electrical utility organisational work units, completed the survey.

Fatigue Increases Muscle Activations but Does Not Change Maximal Joint Angles during the Bar Dip.

The purpose of this study was to profile and compare the bar dip's kinematics and muscle activation patterns in non-fatigued and fatigued conditions. Fifteen healthy males completed one set of bar dips to exhaustion. Upper limb and trunk kinematics, using 3D motion capture, and muscle activation intensities of nine muscles, using surface electromyography, were recorded.

Bench, Bar, and Ring Dips: Do Kinematics and Muscle Activity Differ?

The purpose of this study was to profile and compare the kinematics, using 3D motion capture, and muscle activation patterns, using surface electromyography (sEMG), of three common dip variations; the bench, bar, and ring dips. Thirteen experienced males performed four repetitions of each dip variation. For each participant, repetitions 2-4 were time-normalized and then averaged to produce a mean value for all kinematic and sEMG variables.

Poststretch Isometric Contractions of the Hamstrings: Just a Brief Stretch to Achieve Supramaximal Isometric Force.

Hamstring strain injuries are common in sport. Supramaximal eccentric or high-intensity isometric contractions are favored in hamstring strain injury prevention. The effect of combining these contraction modes in such prevention programs as a poststretch isometric contraction is unknown.

Residual Force Enhancement Is Present in Consecutive Post-Stretch Isometric Contractions of the Hamstrings during a Training Simulation.

Residual force enhancement (rFE) is observed when isometric force following an active stretch is elevated compared to an isometric contraction at corresponding muscle lengths. Acute rFE has been confirmed in vivo in upper and lower limb muscles. However, it is uncertain whether rFE persists using multiple, consecutive contractions as per a training simulation.

Maximal and submaximal isometric torque is elevated immediately following highly controlled active stretches of the hamstrings.

Hamstring strain rehabilitation programs with an eccentric bias are effective but have a low adherence rate. Post-stretch isometric (PS-ISO) contractions which incorporate a highly controlled eccentric contraction followed by an isometric contraction resulting in elevated torque during following stretch, compared with isometric contractions at the same joint angle. This study measured torque, activation and musculotendinous unit behaviour of the hamstrings during PS-ISO contractions of maximal and submaximal levels using two stretch amplitudes.

Influence of age, geographical region, and work unit on heat strain symptoms: a cross-sectional survey of electrical utility workers.

This study assessed self-reported heat strain symptoms in workers of a state wide electrical utility distributor to determine risk differences between age groups, geographical work regions and work units. Out of a total 3,250 workers, 918 (∼28%) outdoor staff completed an online survey, which assessed the frequency of self-reported heat strain symptoms in the work and post-work settings, factors contributing to symptoms and symptom management. Heat strain symptoms were grouped into chronic low-grade cases and isolated high-grade cases based on the severity and frequency of symptoms.

The Susceptibles, Chancers, Pragmatists, and Fair Players: An Examination of the Sport Drug Control Model for Adolescent Athletes, Cluster Effects, and Norm Values Among Adolescent Athletes.

Although there are few high-profile cases of adolescent athletes being caught doping, up to a third of young athletes may dope. In order to generate a more accurate understanding of why adolescent athletes dope, it is important to validate models that help to explain this behavior. The aims of this study were 3-fold: firstly, to test the Sport Drug Control Model for Adolescent Athletes (SDCM-AA); secondly, to generate athlete profiles that would help quantify the proportion of athletes who are at risk of doping; and thirdly, to create norm values for the Adolescent Sport Doping Inventory (ASDI), which would allow national doping organizations, sporting organizations, and clubs to benchmark the scores of their athletes for key psycho-social variables linked to doping.

The development and validation of the Adolescent Sport Drug Inventory (ASDI) among athletes from four continents.

A significant barrier to understanding the psychosocial antecedents of doping use among adolescent athletes is the lack of valid measures. In order to address this issue, the first aim of this paper was to develop and validate the Adolescent Sport Drug Inventory (ASDI) among adolescent athletes from Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania. The second aim was to assess the construct validity of the ASDI.

Residual Force Enhancement in Humans: A Systematic Review.

A systematic literature search was conducted to review the evidence of residual force enhancement (RFE) in vivo human muscle. The search, adhered to the PRISMA statement, of CINAHL, EBSCO, Embase, MEDLINE, and Scopus (inception-July 2017) was conducted. Full-text English articles that assessed at least 1 measure of RFE in vivo voluntarily contracted human skeletal muscle were selected.

Shod vs. Barefoot Effects on Force and Power Development During a Conventional Deadlift.

Hammer, ME, Meir, RA, Whitting, JW, and Crowley-McHattan, ZJ. Shod vs. barefoot effects on force and power development during a conventional deadlift.

Can Previewing Sport-Specific Video Influence Reactive-Agility Response Time?

The purpose of this study was to examine whether a video-based warm-up could provide an acute performance benefit to response time for athletes in a sport-specific agility task. In addition, 2 learning strategies, explicit and implicit, were compared for their effectiveness in facilitating an improvement in sport-specific agility. Thirty representative male junior rugby union players (age 14-16 y, mean age 14.

A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial Investigating the Impact of a Workplace Resilience Program During a Time of Significant Organizational Change.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a short-term resilience intervention as measured by the Resilience at Work (RAW) scale.

Methods: A 5-week resilience program was implemented with 28 volunteers and assessed by the 20-item RAW scale. The scale was administered electronically and participants were match paired into either a treatment or control group.

Influence of Footwear Type on Barbell Back Squat Using 50, 70, and 90% of One Repetition Maximum: A Biomechanical Analysis.

The effect of footwear type was investigated during the barbell back squat using three-dimensional motion analysis and ground reaction force data. Nine male participants (mean age = 26.4 ± 5.

The acute effect of mouth only breathing on time to completion, heart rate, rate of perceived exertion, blood lactate, and ventilatory measures during a high-intensity shuttle run sequence.

This study investigated the effect of restricting nasal breathing during a series of 20-m shuttle runs. Ten male participants (mean age = 21.7 ± 2.

What do changes in prematch vs. postmatch, 1, 2, and 3 days postmatch body weight tell us about fluid status in English Premiership rugby union players?

This study investigated changes in body weight pre and postmatch and 1, 2, and 3 days postmatch. Thirty-six players contracted to an English Premiership rugby union club had their pre and postmatch body weight and 1, 2, and 3 day postmatch body weight recorded across 14 matches played (10 at home and 4 away) during the official 2003-2004 professional rugby union season, representing a total of 262 player appearances. Body weight was recorded using a set of calibrated Seca digital scales with players wearing underwear only and toweled dry of all sweat (postmatch).

The triple-120 meter shuttle test: a sport-specific test for assessing anaerobic endurance fitness in rugby league players.

The aim of this study was to design a simple field test to measure the anaerobic endurance fitness of rugby league players, which is an important fitness quality in the game of rugby league. Twelve amateur football players with a mean (+/-SD) age of 21.5 years (+/-2.

The use of body mass changes as a practical measure of dehydration in team sports.

Body mass changes, hematocrit, specific gravity and urine colour were recorded during two games of soccer to determine which of these methods was the most practical in a field setting for monitoring dehydration. Members (n=13) of a premiership soccer team with a mean age of 22.6 (+/-4.

The effect of five weeks of Tribulus terrestris supplementation on muscle strength and body composition during preseason training in elite rugby league players.

Tribulus terrestris is an herbal nutritional supplement that is promoted to produce large gains in strength and lean muscle mass in 5-28 days (15, 18). Although some manufacturers claim T. terrestris will not lead to a positive drug test, others have suggested that T.

The effect of short-term use of testosterone enanthate on muscular strength and power in healthy young men.

Use of testosterone enanthate has been shown to significantly increase strength within 6-12 weeks of administration (2, 9), however, it is unclear if the ergogenic benefits are evident in less than 6 weeks. Testosterone enanthate is classified as a prohibited substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and its use may be detected by way of the urinary testosterone/epitestosterone (T/E) ratio (16). The two objectives of this study were to establish (a) if injection of 3.

A preliminary investigation into the long-term injury consequences reported by retired baseball players.

Seventy-five retired baseball players participated in a survey (37.8% response rate) in order to establish the long-term consequences of injuries sustained during their playing careers. Respondents had a mean age of 55.

Self-reported skin cancer protection strategies and location of skin cancer in retired cricketers: a case study from membership of the Emu Cricket Club.

Cricket is one of Australia's most popular sports with approximately 470,000 registered participants. Played as a summer sport, participants can spend long periods in the sun with potential skin damage a possible contributor to skin cancer. Three hundred and sixty-eight retired regional representative players received and were invited to complete a comprehensive survey that included questions relating to their individual playing history, injury rate, sun protection strategies and reported location of skin cancer.

Pre- and post-game body mass changes during an international rugby tournament: a practical perspective.

Pre- and post-game body mass changes were recorded throughout an international rugby union tournament to determine changes in body mass when training and competing on consecutive days. A squad of 28 players with a mean (+/-SD) age of 20.0 yrs (+/-0.

Body weight and tympanic temperature change in professional rugby league players during night and day games: a study in the field.

This study investigated the impact of day and night games in the professional rugby league on body weight and tympanic temperature change in participants. Twenty-five players contracted to an English Super League club had their pre- and postgame body weight and tympanic temperatures recorded during 10 games played during the official professional rugby league season, representing a total of 165 player appearances. The mean (+/-SD) ambient temperature and relative humidity was 12.