A comparison of physical characteristics and swing mechanics between golfers with and without a history of low back pain.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study using a cross-sectional design.

Objectives: To examine the kinematics and kinetics of the trunk and the physical characteristics of trunk and hip in golfers with and without a history of low back pain (LBP).

Background: Modified swing patterns and general exercises have been suggested for golfers with back pain.

Effect of mild intermittent hypoxia on glucose tolerance, muscle morphology and AMPK-PGC-1alpha signaling.

The main goal of this study was to investigate the long-term effect of daily 8-hour mild intermittent hypoxia (14-15% O2) on glucose tolerance and muscle morphology of Sprague-Dawley rats. The involvement of AMPK-PGC-1alpha-VEGF signaling pathways in the skeletal muscle was also determined during the first 8 hours of hypoxia. We found that mRNA levels of VEGF and PGC-1alpha were significantly increased above control after 8-h mild hypoxia without a change in AMPK phosphorylation.

Normalization effect of sports training on blood pressure in hypertensives.

Exercise is recommended as a lifestyle intervention in preventing hypertension based on epidemiological findings. However, previous intervention studies have presented mixed results. This discrepancy could be associated with shortcomings related to sample sizes or the inclusion of normotensive participants.

The proliferation and migration effects of huangqi on RSC96 Schwann cells.

This study evaluated the proliferation effects of huangqi on neuron regeneration. We investigated the molecular mechanisms, which include: (1) cyclin D1, A, E-cell cycle factors and MAPK signaling proliferation (2) FGF-2-UPA-MMPs migration signaling. After treatment with various Huanqi concentrations (1.

Discipline-specific insulin sensitivity in athletes.

Objective: Weight status and abnormal liver function are the two factors that influence whole-body insulin sensitivity. The main goal of the study was to compare insulin sensitivity in athletes (n=757) and physically active controls (n=670) in relation to the two factors.

Methods: Homeostatic metabolic assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), weight status, and abnormal liver function (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase) were determined from 33 sports disciplines under morning fasted condition.

Suppression of age-dependent increase in insulinemia in early middle-aged females with exercise habit.

Circulating insulin concentration has been suggested as a biomarker for human longevity. The goal of the study was to determine the insulin levels under a glucose-challenged condition for the sedentary and physical active females in early middle age. We measured serum insulin levels for following groups: young sedentary (Y-SED, age 19.

The role of DHEA-S in the mood adjustment against negative competition outcome in golfers.

Several lines of evidence suggest that dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) is invariably consumed following different types of acute stress, implicating its role in stress coping and recovery. The role of DHEA-S in the mood adjustment against negative outcome for athletic competition has not previously been investigated. In the current study, 14 elite golfers participating in a major national golf tournament were subsequently divided into two groups according to their competition outcomes: made the cut (n=8) and failed to make the cut (n 8).

Effects of short-term detraining on measures of obesity and glucose tolerance in elite athletes.

Athletes frequently adjust their training volume in line with their athletic competition schedule, onset of sport injury, and retirement. Whether maintenance of partial training activity during the detraining period can preserve optimal body composition and insulin sensitivity is currently unknown. Sixteen elite kayak athletes (mean VO2max: 58.

Visuomotor expertise and dimensional complexity of cerebral cortical activity.

Purpose: This study employed the correlation dimension (D2) to examine whether visuomotor expertise was inversely related to the complexity of cerebral cortical activity.

Method: Expert rifle shooters (N = 15) and novices (N = 21) completed 40 shots in the standing position during which the electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded at 10 sites (F3, F4, C3, C4, T3, T4, P3, P4, O1, and O2) during a 5-s aiming period prior to trigger pull. D2 was derived for each trial and averaged across shots.

Effect of a two-month detraining on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in athletes--link to adrenal steroid hormones.

Reduction in physical activity has been demonstrated to associate with the increased risk in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. To determine whether alteration in insulinemia, due to abstention from regular exercise training, is associated with changes in serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and cortisol, 18 highly trained badminton players (21.2 +/- 0.

Glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity following an one-week volleyball competition.

The purpose of the study was to compare glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity between trained (TR) and competition (CP) states, in relation to cortisol and testosterone levels. Sixteen highly trained volleyball players voluntarily participated in this study. The first testing session (TR state) occurred 1 week before the start of national level volleyball CP, and the second testing session (CP state) occurred next morning after the 1-week CP.

Effect of resistance exercise on dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate concentrations during a 72-h recovery: relation to glucose tolerance and insulin response.

Serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) concentration is known to be associated with the whole-body insulin sensitivity. The main purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of resistance exercise on DHEA-S concentration during a 72 h post-exercise recovery, and its relation to glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Morning fasted serum samples was obtained from 19 male volunteers (aged 21.

Acute effect of exercise-hypoxia challenge on GLUT4 protein expression in rat cardiac muscle.

Altitude training is a frequently used method for enhancing endurance performance in athletes. But its acute effect on carbohydrate metabolism in cardiac muscle is unknown. In this study, we determined the acute effect of an exercise-hypoxia challenge on glycogen storage and GLUT4 protein expression in heart muscle.

Effect of 2-month detraining on body composition and insulin sensitivity in young female dancers.

Objective: To investigate the effect of 2-month detraining on body composition and glucose tolerance for female collegiate dancers.

Design: Longitudinal study of dancers who stopped their regular training for 2 months.

Subjects: 16 female collegiate dancers (age: 19.

Effect of prolonged intermittent hypoxia and exercise training on glucose tolerance and muscle GLUT4 protein expression in rats.

We compared the chronic effect of intermittent hypoxia and endurance training on the glucose tolerance and GLUT4 protein expression in rat skeletal muscle. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were matched for weight and assigned to one of the following four groups: control, endurance training, hypoxia, or hypoxia followed by endurance training. Hypoxic treatment consisted of breathing 14% O2 for 12 h/day under normobaric conditions, and the training protocol consisted of making animals swim 2 times for 3 h/day.

Interactive effect of exercise training and growth hormone administration on glucose tolerance and muscle GLUT4 protein expression in rats.

The insulin-resistance effect of growth hormone (GH) administration has been frequently reported. The present study investigated the effect of GH administration on glucose tolerance and muscle GLUT4 protein expression in exercise-trained and untrained rats. Forty-eight rats were weight-matched and assigned to the following 4 groups: control, GH, exercise training, and exercise training + GH groups.

Effects of a second bout of maximal eccentric exercise on muscle damage and electromyographic activity.

This study examined whether a second bout of maximal eccentric exercise performed 3 days after the first exercise bout would produce further changes in muscle damage and electromyographic activity (EMG). Male students (n=26) were randomly assigned to experimental 70 (EX70; n=9), experimental 30 (EX30; n=8), and control (CON; n=9) groups. The initial exercise was 30 maximal voluntary isokinetic eccentric contractions (MAX1) on non-dominant elbow flexors at 60 degrees s(-1) (1.

Leukocyte mitochondria alterations after aerobic exercise in trained human subjects.

Unlabelled: Exercise is associated with intensity-dependent immune disturbances. Leukocyte mitochondrial alterations and apoptosis may contribute to this phenomenon.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of different intensities of aerobic exercise (AE) on leukocyte mitochondrial transmembrane potential (MTP) and the propensity of apoptosis.

Effects of a 7-day eccentric training period on muscle damage and inflammation.

Purpose: This study examined the effects of a 7-d repeated maximal isokinetic eccentric training period on the indicators of muscle damage and inflammatory response.

Methods: Twenty-two college-age males were randomly assigned to eccentric training (ET) (N = 12) and control groups (CON) (N = 10). The initial exercise was 30 repetitions of maximal voluntary isokinetic eccentric contraction (ECC1) on nondominant elbow flexors with Cybex 6000 at 60 degrees.

Mobility impairment, muscle imbalance, muscle weakness, scapular asymmetry and shoulder injury in elite volleyball athletes.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between shoulder mobility, rotator muscles' strength and scapular symmetry, and shoulder injuries and/or pain in elite volleyball athletes.

Methods: An isokinetic shoulder muscle strength test, which was performed at speeds of 60/sec and 180/sec, and shoulder mobility and scapula lateral slide tests were conducted bilaterally on 16 subjects, who represented the England elite volleyball players. The subjects also prospectively completed monthly questionnaires during the competition season to report on their shoulder condition.

A descriptive epidemiological study of shoulder injury in top level English male volleyball players.

The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence and incidence of shoulder sports injuries, to discover the main shoulder injury, and to survey outcome of treatment or injuries in top level male volleyball athletes. Furthermore, the actions which most commonly cause injuries and the differences of physical characteristics between injured and healthy players were also investigated. Fifty-nine English Volleyball Federation division one athletes were recruited in the 1997/98 and 1998/99 seasons.

The effects of repeated maximal voluntary isokinetic eccentric exercise on recovery from muscle damage.

This study investigated whether performing repeated bouts of maximal voluntary isokinetic eccentric exercise (MAX1) on 3 (MAX3) and 6 days (MAX6) after the initial bout would produce significant changes in the indirect markers of muscle damage and total work. A secondary purpose was to determine whether participants' psychological maximal effort was equivalent to the physiological maximal effort during muscle soreness. Male university students were assigned randomly to a control group (n = 12) and a group that repeated the exercise (EX; n = 12).