The Effects of Massage Therapy on Sport and Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review.

Background: A massage is a tool that is frequently used in sports and exercise in general for recovery and increased performance. In this review paper, we aimed to search and systemize current literature findings relating to massages' effects on sports and exercise performance concerning its effects on motor abilities and neurophysiological and psychological mechanisms.

Methods: The review has been written following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis) guidelines.

Relationship between hypertrophy, strength gains and tensiomyography adaptations: a moderator role of contraction duration.

The aim of the study was to investigate how the relationship between resistance training-induced hypertrophy, strength, and passive contractile adaptations is affected by contraction duration. Twenty university students (11 males) were randomly assigned to either the fast eccentric/fast concentric phase group (F/F; 1 s both phases) or the slow eccentric/fast concentric phase group (S/F; 4 s and 1 s, respectively). Both experimental groups completed a 7-week biceps curl training programme with a total of 14 sessions (2 days/week).

Effects of resistance training on hypertrophy, strength and tensiomyography parameters of elbow flexors: role of eccentric phase duration.

The aim of the study was to compare the effects of two different training protocols, which differ in the duration of the eccentric phase, on the one-repetition maximum (1RM), thickness and contractile properties of elbow flexors. Twenty untrained college students were randomly divided into two experimental groups, based on the training tempo: FEG (Faster Eccentric Group: 1/0/1/0) and SEG (Slower Eccentric Group: 4/0/1/0). Training intervention was a biceps bending exercise, conducted twice a week for 7 weeks.

Quadriceps femoris cross-sectional area and specific leg strength: relationship between different muscles and squat variations.

Background: The aim was to determine the relationship between the cross-sectional area of the quadriceps femoris and strength performance in the deep and parallel barbell squat.

Methods: The sample included 16 university students (seven female, 24.1 ± 1.

Resistance training induces similar adaptations of upper and lower-body muscles between sexes.

The purpose of the study was to compare sex adaptations in hypertrophy, strength and contractile properties of upper and lower-body muscles induced by resistance training (RT). Eighteen RT untrained male (MG) and female (FG) students (aged 24.1 ± 1.

Physical activity and exercise as an essential medical strategy for the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

COVID-19 disease has been a problem in today's society, which has worldwide effects on different areas, especially on the economy; also, from a health perspective, the disease affects the daily life quality. Physical activity is one major positive factor with regard to enhancing life quality, as it can improve the whole psychological, social, and physical health conditions. Current measures such as social distancing are focused on preventing the viral spread.

Effects of calorie restricted low carbohydrate high fat ketogenic vs. non-ketogenic diet on strength, body-composition, hormonal and lipid profile in trained middle-aged men.

Background & Aims: The aim of this paper was to investigate and compare the effects of two iso-energetic hypo-caloric ketogenic hyper-ketonemic and non-ketogenic low carbohydrate high fat high cholesterol diets on body-composition, muscle strength and hormonal profile in experienced resistance-trained middle-aged men.

Methods: Twenty non-competitive experienced resistance-trained middle-aged men were on the supervised calorie maintenance western diet and resistance-training regimen for 4 weeks and then divided into ketogenic and non-ketogenic groups for 8 weeks period. Keto bodies (β-hydroxybutyrate) levels were measured weekly, testosterone and insulin biweekly, strength and body-composition monthly, lipid profile and blood sugar level at the beginning and at the end of the study.

The assessment of muscle mechanical properties in multi-joint movements reveals inverse correlation of leg muscle force and power with gait transition speed.

Background: The impact that mechanical factors might have on gait reorganization was evaluated by the relationship between muscle mechanical capacity of isolated leg muscle groups and transition speed in previous studies. However, until now there are no studies that explored the relationship between muscle mechanical properties measured in cyclic multi-joint movements and gait transition speed.

Research Question: What is the nature of the relationship between gait transition speed and muscle mechanical capacities measured in cyclic multi-joint movements?

Methods: The sample included 18 physically active male adults, stratified by anthropometric dimensions.

Sensory feedback restoration in leg amputees improves walking speed, metabolic cost and phantom pain.

Conventional leg prostheses do not convey sensory information about motion or interaction with the ground to above-knee amputees, thereby reducing confidence and walking speed in the users that is associated with high mental and physical fatigue. The lack of physiological feedback from the remaining extremity to the brain also contributes to the generation of phantom limb pain from the missing leg. To determine whether neural sensory feedback restoration addresses these issues, we conducted a study with two transfemoral amputees, implanted with four intraneural stimulation electrodes in the remaining tibial nerve (ClinicalTrials.

Force-velocity relationship of leg muscles assessed with motorized treadmill tests: Two-velocity method.

Linear regression models applied on force (F) and velocity (V) data obtained from loaded multi-joint functional movement tasks have often been used to assess mechanical capacities of the tested muscles. The present study aimed to explore the properties of the F-V relationship of leg muscles exerting the maximum pulling F at a wide range of V on a standard motorized treadmill. Young and physically active male and female subjects (N=13+15) were tested on their maximum pulling F exerted horizontally while walking or running on a treadmill set to 8 different velocities (1.

Impact of Body Composition and Vo2 Max on the Competitive Success in Top-Level Handball Players.

The purpose of the study was to determine the morphological and functional characteristics of 32 Serbian national U20 handball players (age 20.43 +/- 1.16 y; training experience 8.

The relationship between hip, knee and ankle muscle mechanical characteristics and gait transition speed.

The purpose of the present study was to explore the relationship between mechanical characteristics of hip, knee and ankle extensor and flexor muscle groups and gait transition speed. The sample included 29 physically active male adults homogenized regarding their anthropometric dimensions. Isokinetic and isometric leg muscle mechanical characteristics were assessed by an isokinetic dynamometer, while individual walk-to-run (WRT) and run-to-walk transition speeds (RWT) were determined using the standard increment protocol.

The relationship between allometry and preferred transition speed in human locomotion.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between preferred transition speed (PTS) and anthropometric characteristics, body composition and different human body proportions in males. In a sample of 59 male students, we collected anthropometric and body composition data and determined individual PTS using increment protocol. The relationships between PTS and other variables were determined using Pearson correlation, stepwise linear and hierarchical regression.

Blood pressure variability and left ventricular mass index in children.

Clinical implications of blood pressure variability (BPV) on subclinical organ damage in children are unknown. The authors sought to explore the potential utility of two newly derived BPV indices: weighted standard deviation (wBPSD) and real average variability (ARV), as well as two standard ambulatory blood pressure indices: average 24-hour systolic blood pressure (SBP) and 24-hour SBP load, to identify children at high risk for left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH). The study group consisted of 67 consecutive children who were referred to our institution for evaluation of suspected hypertension.

[Physiological adaptation of anthropometric and cardiovascular parameters on physical activity of elite athletes].

Introduction: Specific morphological and functional characteristics of athletes have a significant role in determining athletes' sports results and can be also used to assess the athlete's individual potential.

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare anthropometric characteristics and cardiovascular parameters in trained subjects to those of untrained subjects.

Methods: A total number of 25 trained (17.

Walking at speeds close to the preferred transition speed as an approach to obesity treatment.

Introduction: Increasing energy expenditure through certain exercise is an important component of effective interventions to enhance initial weight loss and prevent weight regain.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a 16-week weight loss exercise programme on morpho-functional changes in female adults and to examine the programme effects on two subpopulations with different levels of obesity.

Methods: Fifty-six middle-aged women were divided into 2 groups according to their body mass index (BMI): 25-29.

[Sudden cardiac death in young athletes].

Cardiovascular diseases are the cause of death in up to 90% of athletes. The most frequent cause of death in young athletes is a sudden cardiac death (SCD). Causes of SCD among athletes are strongly correlated with age.

[Evaluation of myocardial function in the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy in athletes and hypertensive patients].

Introduction: Myocardial hypertrophy of the left ventricle may be of physiological or pathological nature. Distinction of these two types of hypertrophy is sometimes not easy and represents a diagnostic challenge. The aim of the study was to assess global diastolic and regional systolic and diastolic myocardial function in the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy in athletes and hypertensive patients.

Prevalence and correlates of left ventricular hypertrophy in the African American Study of Kidney Disease Cohort Study.

African Americans with hypertensive renal disease represent a high-risk population for cardiovascular events. Although left ventricular hypertrophy is a strong predictor of adverse cardiac outcome, the prevalence and associated factors of left ventricular hypertrophy in this patient population are not well described. The African American Study of Kidney Disease Cohort Study is a prospective, observational study that is an extension of the African American Study of Kidney Disease randomized clinical trial that was conducted from 1994 to 2001 in African Americans with hypertension and mild-to-moderate renal dysfunction.