Genitourinary infections in Australian servicewomen.

Background: Genitourinary infections, including those associated with the urinary tract (urinary tract infection [UTI]) and vulvovaginal region, are common in women, affecting approximately one-third of biological females. A growing female military workforce necessitates consideration of their genitourinary health risks and needs to support and enhance their occupational health, safety, and performance.

Method: The pelvic health of active-duty servicewomen in the Australian Defense Force (ADF) was explored using an online cross-sectional survey.

Prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms in a cohort of Australian servicewomen and female veterans.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common in the general female population. It was hypothesised that Australian female military personnel and veterans would experience similar types and prevalence of LUTS as the broader Australian female population.

Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was utilised to explore the pelvic health of active servicewomen and veterans in the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

A community-based strength training programme increases muscle strength and physical activity in young people with Down syndrome: a randomised controlled trial.

This randomised controlled trial investigated the effects of a student-led progressive resistance training (PRT) programme in adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome. Sixty-eight young people with Down syndrome (30 female, 38 male; mean age 17.9±2.

Progressive resistance exercise improves muscle strength and may improve elements of performance of daily activities for people with COPD: a systematic review.

Background: Skeletal muscle weakness and its impact on exercise tolerance in many people with COPD provide a rationale for the intervention of progressive resistance exercise during pulmonary rehabilitation. To optimize rehabilitation outcomes, clinicians prescribing resistance programs require up-to-date information on effectiveness, safety, and feasibility. Therefore, the review aimed to update the current evidence for progressive resistance exercise for people with COPD.

A predominantly home-based progressive resistance exercise program increases knee extensor strength in the short-term in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomised controlled trial.

Questions: Does a 12-week, predominantly home-based program of progressive resistance exercises reduce impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease? Are any gains maintained 12 weeks after the cessation of the program?

Design: Randomised controlled trial with concealed allocation, assessor blinding, and intention-to-treat analysis.

Participants: 54 people with moderately severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease not undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation.

Intervention: The experimental group performed six progressive resistance exercises three times per week (once a week hospital-based, twice a week home-based) for 12 weeks.

. . . But watch out for the weather: factors affecting adherence to progressive resistance exercise for persons with COPD.

Purpose: Exercise is an important treatment modality for persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but factors influencing adherence have been examined infrequently. The purpose of this investigation was to explore adherence factors to a progressive resistance exercise program for persons with COPD.

Methods: Persons with COPD enrolled in a 12-week trial of progressive resistance exercise were invited to participate in 2 semistructured qualitative interviews exploring program adherence.

Measuring muscle strength for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: retest reliability of hand-held dynamometry.

Objective: To evaluate the retest reliability and quantify the degree of measurement error when measuring isometric muscle strength with a hand-held dynamometer for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Design: Retest reliability of hand-held dynamometry for 4 muscle groups was assessed on 2 occasions separated by a 2-week interval.

Setting: Community rehabilitation center.

Peripheral muscle strength training in COPD: a systematic review.

Background: Skeletal muscle weakness, and the associated impact on exercise tolerance, provides a strong theoretical rationale for strength training intervention for people with COPD.

Aim: The purpose of this review was to examine systematically the current evidence for peripheral muscle strength training in people with COPD.

Method: Empirical trials and reviews relating to strength training in COPD were obtained by searching electronic databases and citation tracking, using the keywords of COPD with strength/resistance training and skeletal muscle.