Background: The aim of the present randomized, crossover study was to determine the physiological and cognitive function responses while wearing a facemask during a maximal running aerobic fitness test.Methods: Fourteen healthy,... more
Background: The aim of the present randomized, crossover study was to determine the physiological and cognitive function responses while wearing a facemask during a maximal running aerobic fitness test.Methods: Fourteen healthy, nonsmoking physical education students (age = 17.5 years, height = 1.72 m, body mass = 70.4 kg) volunteered to participate in this study. They carried out a 20 m multistage fitness test (MSFT) while wearing or not a cloth facemask on two separate occasions performed in random order. The “Rating of Perceived Exertion” (RPE) and the d2 test for visual attention were administered and assessed before and immediately after the MSFT for both conditions (with or without a facemask).Results: When wearing the facemask, the participants exhibited lower maximal aerobic speed (p = 0.039), VO2max (p = 0.039), distance covered during the MSFT (p = 0.057), and concentration performance (p < 0.001), when compared with the control situation (without facemask). Moreover, t...
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IntroductionFor patients with osteoarthritis who have undergone total knee arthroplasty (TKA), quadriceps strength is a major determinant of general physical function regardless of the parameters adopted for functional assessment.... more
IntroductionFor patients with osteoarthritis who have undergone total knee arthroplasty (TKA), quadriceps strength is a major determinant of general physical function regardless of the parameters adopted for functional assessment. Understanding the time course of quadriceps strength recovery and effectiveness of different rehabilitation protocols is a must. Therefore, the aim of this study was to: (i) determine the magnitude of maximal voluntary strength (MVS) loss and the time course of recovery of the quadriceps muscle following TKA, (ii) identify potential moderators of strength outcomes, and (iii) investigate whether different rehabilitation practices can moderate the strength outcomes following TKA, respectively.DesignGeneral scientific databases and relevant journals in the field of orthopedics were searched, identifying prospective studies that investigated quadriceps’ MVS pre-to post-surgery.ResultsSeventeen studies with a total of 832 patients (39% males) were included. Res...
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IntroductionCardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) testing is routinely performed by most armed and tactical forces around the world as part of their recruitment process for new members or simply as an annual examination of their personnel. A... more
IntroductionCardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) testing is routinely performed by most armed and tactical forces around the world as part of their recruitment process for new members or simply as an annual examination of their personnel. A 2-mile run (2MR) test is among the most commonly used. However, as it is performed outdoors, weather, climate, and terrain can influence the results and often limit the maximum performance. Also, this test has been shown to be difficult for individuals because the pacing strategy is self-paced. As such, it does not reflect the real situation on the battlefield, where most activities are externally driven by the environment and the enemy. Therefore, we believe that the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (30-15IFT) may be a suitable tool for measuring CRF and battle readiness of military personnel. Moreover, given the importance of visual attention to military personnel we aim to investigate the differences in visual attention between better and less physi...
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This article aimed to investigate the effects of menstrual cycle phases on perceptual responses in athletes by means of systematic review and meta-analysis. The search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Sport Discus... more
This article aimed to investigate the effects of menstrual cycle phases on perceptual responses in athletes by means of systematic review and meta-analysis. The search was conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Sport Discus databases considering articles with two or more menstrual phases for comparison. The PECO criteria were used for the keywords “menstrual cycle,” “athletes,” and “perceptual responses” with their respective entry terms. Of 1.165 records identified, 14 articles were available for the final evaluation, while eight articles were eligible for a meta-analysis. The perceptual responses evaluated in the studies were: motivation, competitiveness, sleep quality, stress, muscle soreness, fatigue, perceived effort, mood, menstrual symptoms, perceived endurance, and readiness. The meta-analysis was conducted for perceived effort only. The results showed that the level of perceived exertion does not differ two phases of the menstrual cycle (MD = 3.03, Q = 1.58, df = 1, p...
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SAŽETAK Trening sa opterećenjem uz restrikciju krvotoka (RBFRT/KAATSU) je relativno novi metod treninga koji dovodi do pozitivnih efekata u prirastu snage i hipertrofije mišićnog tkiva kao i do sada poznati trening visokog intenziteta ≤70... more
SAŽETAK Trening sa opterećenjem uz restrikciju krvotoka (RBFRT/KAATSU) je relativno novi metod treninga koji dovodi do pozitivnih efekata u prirastu snage i hipertrofije mišićnog tkiva kao i do sada poznati trening visokog intenziteta ≤70 % 1RM ali za dosta kraći trenažni period i bez rizika od povređivanja. KAATSU trening se izvodi uz niskointenzivno trenažno opterećenje između 20 i 50% 1RM dok se relativno lagan i fleksibilan pojas postavlja na proksimalni deo donjeg ili gornjeg ekstremiteta koji obezbeđuje optimalan površinski pritisak. KAATSU trening ne uzrokuje ishemiju skeletnih mišića, već prouzrokuje stanje povlačenja krvi u kapilare mišića ekstremitata nad kojim se aplikuje pritisak. Klinička ispitivanja koja su sprovedena u prethodnih 15 godina dokazala su da KAATSU trening ne dovodi samo do povećanja mišićne mase i snage kod zdravih osoba, rekreativaca i sportista već ima pozitivan uticaj i na druge specifične populacije poput astronauta te pacijenata sa kardiovaskularnim i ortopedskim oboljenjima. SUMMARY Restricted blood flow resistance training (RBFRT/KAATSU) is a relatively new method of training that leads to positive effects in the strength gain and hypertrophy of muscle tissue such as high intensity resistance training of ≤70 % of 1RM but for much shorter period and without risks of injuries. KAATSU Training consists of performing low-intensity resistance training while a relatively light and flexible cuff is placed on the proximal part of one&#39;s lower or upper limbs, which provides appropriate superficial pressure. KAATSU Training does not induce ischemia within skeletal muscle, but rather promotes a state of blood pooling in the capillaries within the limb musculature. Applied basics and clinical research conducted over the past 15 years has demonstrated that KAATSU Training not only improves muscle mass and strength in healthy volunteers and athletes but also benefits patients with cardiovascular and orthopedic conditions, even astronauts.
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Nowadays, various methods are used for acute performance enhancement. The most recent of these is tissue flossing, which is becoming increasingly popular for both performance enhancement and rehabilitation. However, the effects of... more
Nowadays, various methods are used for acute performance enhancement. The most recent of these is tissue flossing, which is becoming increasingly popular for both performance enhancement and rehabilitation. However, the effects of flossing on athletic performance have not been clearly demonstrated, which could be due to differences in the methodology used. In particular, the rest periods between the end of the preconditioning activity and the performance of the criterion task or assessment tools varied considerably in the published literature. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of applying tissue flossing to the thigh on bilateral countermovement jump performance and contractile properties of vastus lateralis (VL) muscle. Nineteen recreational athletes (11 males; aged 23.1 ± 2.7 years) were randomly assigned to days of flossing application (3 sets for 2 min of flossing with 2 min rest between sets) with preset experimental pressure (EXP = 95 ± 17.4 mmHg) o...
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The objectives of this study were to investigate the reliability, validity, and usefulness of the 30–15 intermittent fitness test (30–15IFT) in soldiers. The 34 infantry members of the Slovenian armed forces were recruited as... more
The objectives of this study were to investigate the reliability, validity, and usefulness of the 30–15 intermittent fitness test (30–15IFT) in soldiers. The 34 infantry members of the Slovenian armed forces were recruited as participants. Participants performed the continuous incremental treadmill test (TR), a 2-mile run (2MR) test, and two 30–15IFT tests. Additionally, participants were divided into a highest-scoring group (HSG) and a lowest-scoring group (LSG) based on their scores on the Army Physical Fitness Test. A very high reliability ratings were observed for 30–15IFT measures, as follows: end-running speed (ERS) ERSIFT (ICC = 0.971), maximal heart rate (HRmax) HRmaxIFT (IC = 0.960), and maximal relative oxygen consumption (VO2max) VO2max-IFT (ICC = 0.975). Although 30–15IFT measures demonstrated high correlations (r = 0.695–0.930) to the same measures of TR test, ERS, HRmax and VO2max were higher in the 30–15IFT (p > 0.05). Furthermore, ERSIFT and predicted VO2maxIFT we...
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The objective of this study is to determine the effects of programs of physical exercise on visually-impaired children and to provide guidelines for further research and practice with the population in question. Nine electronic databases... more
The objective of this study is to determine the effects of programs of physical exercise on visually-impaired children and to provide guidelines for further research and practice with the population in question. Nine electronic databases were searched to identify relevant articles. The search included papers published between 1990 and 2013. The following keywords were used for the searches: visual impairments, blindness, disability, amblyopia, children, physical activity, and sports activity. The retrieved study titles, abstracts and whole papers were read and analyzed. In order for a study to be included in the final analysis, it had to satisfy the following criteria: first, the study had to include both an experimental and a control group, and second, the participants had to be aged between 7 and 18 years. The four studies satisfied the criteria set. The small number of studies collected for analysis point to an unfortunate deficit in terms of information resulting from focused sc...
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Purpose. The aim of the review was to investigate the relationship between physical activity level (PAL) and nutritional status (NS) in adolescents. Methods. Seven electronic databases were searched for research from the years 2005-2015.... more
Purpose. The aim of the review was to investigate the relationship between physical activity level (PAL) and nutritional status (NS) in adolescents. Methods. Seven electronic databases were searched for research from the years 2005-2015. The studies must have mentioned the relationship between PAL and NS parameters in adolescents. After the review of abstracts and articles, 22 papers meeting the required criteria were further analysed in detail. Results. The studies included 31,045 subjects of both sexes. The results showed that smaller PAL led to an increase of NS parameters and vice versa. Comparing the total PAL, the total time spent in moderately vigorous physical activity, and the total time of vigorous PA (VPA), only VPA was a significant predictor of the responders’ percentage of fat mass. Reducing the activity by 10 MET on the weekly level was associated with an increase in BMI in girls for 0.11 kg/m
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The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the physiological parameters indicative of cardiorespiratory fitness obtained during the 30-15 intermittent fitness (30-15IFT) test and the multistage laboratory treadmill endurance... more
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the physiological parameters indicative of cardiorespiratory fitness obtained during the 30-15 intermittent fitness (30-15IFT) test and the multistage laboratory treadmill endurance (TR) test differ. Nineteen elite handball players were recruited for the current study and assigned in a cross-over manner to one of two tests to be performed 48 h apart at each visit to the testing facility. The results showed that VO2max (percentage difference [PC] = 6.1%; p = 0.004) and maximal running velocity (V) (PC = 19.4%; p < 0.001) were significantly higher for the 30-15IFT test than that obtained during the TR test. Furthermore, the onset of blood lactate accumulation was shown to be significantly higher for all measures considered to predict it during 30-15IFT compared to TR as follows: VO2max (PC = 12.6%; p = 0.001), running speed (PC = 33.9%; p < 0.001), and maximal heart rate (PC = 7.5%; p < 0.001). The current study highligh...
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The present study examined the effects of the lockdown period on basic anthropometric measures, countermovement jumping performance, skeletal muscle contractile properties derived from tensiomyography (TMG), injury incidence, and... more
The present study examined the effects of the lockdown period on basic anthropometric measures, countermovement jumping performance, skeletal muscle contractile properties derived from tensiomyography (TMG), injury incidence, and self-assessed general well-being in elite soccer players. A total of 266 players were assessed before (PRE) and 32 players were reassessed 11 days after (POST) the COVID-19 period. Significant changes in the TMG parameters were observed POST compared to PRE: contraction time (Tc) increased from 6% to 50% in vastus lateralis [VL] (p = 0.009) and biceps femoris [BF] (p < 0.001), respectively; whereas radial displacement (Dm) increased for 19% in BF (p = 0.036) and 17% in VL (p < 0.001), respectively. Jumping performance remained unchanged from PRE to POST In addition, athletes rated the lockdown period as a positive event and felt psychologically better during the lockdown, primarily because they spent more time with family members and friends. Although...
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The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a widely used test for the indirect measurement of cardiorespiratory fitness in various cancer populations. Although the 6MWT is a simple test, there are no normative values for breast cancer survivors... more
The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a widely used test for the indirect measurement of cardiorespiratory fitness in various cancer populations. Although the 6MWT is a simple test, there are no normative values for breast cancer survivors (BCS) or comparisons of results with healthy counterparts. A systematic review with a meta-analysis was carried out, which included studies from 2007 to 2020. Ninety-one studies were found, 21 of which were included in the quantitative synthesis. Among them were 9 randomized controlled trials (RCT), 8 prospective cohort studies and 4 cross-sectional studies. A total of 1084 BCS were included. Our results revealed that healthy subjects (n = 878) covered a significantly greater distance than BCS during the 6MWT (589.9 m vs. 477.4 m, p < 0.001), and the results of the meta-regression analysis showed that the 6MWD was predicted by the participants’ BMI (p < 0.001), but not by their age (p = 0.070). After adjustment for BMI, the healthy subjects als...
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Ageing is a multifactorial process associated with several irreversible functional and cognitive alterations of human body and determined by genetic and environmental factors. We aimed to investigate the effects of three physical activity... more
Ageing is a multifactorial process associated with several irreversible functional and cognitive alterations of human body and determined by genetic and environmental factors. We aimed to investigate the effects of three physical activity interventions of 40 independently living older adults before and after a 3-month training period. Thirty female (69.6 ± 5.3 years) and ten male (70.6 ± 5.4 years) participants were randomly assigned into a physical exercise group (PEG; N = 9), a concurrent physical and cognitive exercise group (PEG + COG; N = 10), a physical exercise with additional 10 g of BCAA daily supplementation group (PEG+BCAA; N = 11), and a control group (CG; N = 10). All three groups performed the same physical exercise program for 12 weeks, three days a week for 45 − 60 minutes per session. Pre- and post-measurements were performed using a standardized functional fitness assessment tool for older adults i.e. Senior Fitness Test battery, upgraded with the Four Square Step ...
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Background: The objectives of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to quantify the effectiveness of endurance training (ET) on aerobic performance (i.e., peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak)) in healthy and unhealthy middle and very old... more
Background: The objectives of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to quantify the effectiveness of endurance training (ET) on aerobic performance (i.e., peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak)) in healthy and unhealthy middle and very old adults aged 70 years and older, and to provide dose–response relationships of training prescription variables (in terms of frequency, and volume). Methods: Several scholarly databases (i.e., PubMed/MEDLINE, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect Journals, and Taylor & Francis Online—Journals) were searched, identifying randomized controlled studies that investigated the effectiveness of ET on VO2peak in older adults. Standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated. Results: In terms of changes differences between experimental and control group, ET produced significant large effects on VO2peak performance (SMD = 2.64 (95%CI 0.97–4.31)). The moderator analysis revealed that “health status” variable moderated ET effect onVO2peak performance. More specifically...
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LJMU has developed LJMU Research Online for users to access the research output of the University more effectively. Copyright © and Moral Rights for the papers on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright... more
LJMU has developed LJMU Research Online for users to access the research output of the University more effectively. Copyright © and Moral Rights for the papers on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. Users may download and/or print one copy of any article(s) in LJMU Research Online to facilitate their private study or for non-commercial research. You may not engage in further distribution of the material or use it for any profit-making activities or any commercial gain.
The present study aimed to verify the effect of a warm-up protocol with and without facemask-use on cognitive function. The sample was composed of 17 healthy, non-smoking physical education students (age = 17.6 years, height = 1.71 m, and... more
The present study aimed to verify the effect of a warm-up protocol with and without facemask-use on cognitive function. The sample was composed of 17 healthy, non-smoking physical education students (age = 17.6 years, height = 1.71 m, and body mass = 69.7 kg). They were randomized to perform 15 min of warm-up exercises, while wearing a cloth facemask (EXP) or no mask (CON) on two separate occasions, with at least 48-h separating conditions. Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and d2 Attention assessment were used to verify cognitive function, using a repeated measures general linear model. The warm-up improved cognitive abilities and the results demonstrated significant differences between the EXP vs. CON groups in post-concentration performance (186.06 ± 15.47 EXP-score vs. 178.12 ± 13.66 CON-score), post the total number of errors (23.47 ± 14.50 EXP-frequency < 29.06 ± 13.74 CON-frequency), and in the post RPE (6.0 ± 1.37 EXP-index > 4.7 ± 0.85 CON-index). Wearing a cloth facem...
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The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a widely used test for the indirect measurement of cardiorespiratory fitness in various cancer populations. Although the 6MWT is a simple test, there are no normative values for breast cancer survivors... more
The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a widely used test for the indirect measurement of cardiorespiratory fitness in various cancer populations. Although the 6MWT is a simple test, there are no normative values for breast cancer survivors (BCS) or comparisons of results with healthy counterparts. A systematic review with a meta-analysis was carried out, which included studies from 2007 to 2020. Ninety-one studies were found, 21 of which were included in the quantitative synthesis. Among them were 9 randomized controlled trials (RCT), 8 prospective cohort studies and 4 cross-sectional studies. A total of 1084 BCS were included. Our results revealed that healthy subjects (n = 878) covered a significantly greater distance than BCS during the 6MWT (589.9 m vs. 477.4 m, p < 0.001), and the results of the meta-regression analysis showed that the 6MWD was predicted by the participants’ BMI (p < 0.001), but not by their age (p = 0.070). After adjustment for BMI, the healthy subjects als...
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Objective: This study aimed to evaluate changes in i) muscle contractile properties of both lower extremities by using tensiomyography (TMG); ii) patients’ physical function, and iii) electromechanical efficiency (EME) of the... more
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate changes in i) muscle contractile properties of both lower extremities by using tensiomyography (TMG); ii) patients’ physical function, and iii) electromechanical efficiency (EME) of the gastrocnemius medialis muscle in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients from before to one-month after TKA. Methods: Twenty-six patients scheduled for TKA were included. Results: The significant muscle*time interaction was found for sustain time and maximal radial displacement (Dm) (η2≥0.219) only, whereas time*leg interaction was found for time delay and Dm (η2≥0.254) only. Post hoc analysis showed a significant decrease of Dm of vastus medialis and increase in contraction time (Tc) of both the vastus lateralis and rectus femoris muscles of the involved leg, respectively. Furthermore, reduction of knee extensors (-55.4%) and flexors (-22.2%) strength, timed up and go (-26.9%), 30s chair stand (-28.9%) and EME (-38.2%) was observed. Conclusion: TKA treatment al...
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The objective of this study is to determine the effects of programs of physical exercise on visually-impaired children and to provide guidelines for further research and practice with the population in question. Nine electronic... more
The objective of this study is to determine the effects of programs of physical exercise on visually-impaired children and to provide guidelines for further research and practice with the population in question. Nine electronic databases were searched to identify relevant articles. The search included papers published between 1990 and 2013. The following keywords were used for the searches: visual impairments, blindness, disability, amblyopia, children, physical activity, and sports activity. The retrieved study titles, abstracts and whole papers were read and analyzed. In order for a study to be included in the final analysis, it had to satisfy following criteria: first, the study had to include both an experimental and a control group, and second, the participants had to be aged between 7 and 18 years. The four studies satisfied the criteria set. The small number of studies collected for analysis points to an unfortunate deficit in terms of information resulting from focused sc...
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Background Motor imagery (MI) is effective in improving motor performance in the healthy asymptomatic adult population. However, its possible effects among older orthopaedic patients are still poorly investigated. Therefore, this study... more
Background Motor imagery (MI) is effective in improving motor performance in the healthy asymptomatic adult population. However, its possible effects among older orthopaedic patients are still poorly investigated. Therefore, this study explored whether the addition of motor imagery to routine physical therapy reduces the deterioration of quadriceps muscle strength and voluntary activation (VA) as well as other variables related to motor performance in patients after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods Twenty-six patients scheduled for TKA were randomized to either MI practice combined with routine physical therapy group (MIp) or to a control group receiving physical therapy alone (CON). MIp consisted of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MViC) task: 15 min/day in the hospital, then 5 times/week in their homes for 4 weeks. MViC and VA of quadriceps muscle, knee flexion and extension range of motion, pain level, along with a Timed Up-and-Go Test (TUG) and self-reported measur...
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The present study aimed to determine the relationship between physical activity (PA) and quality of life (QoL) during the confinement caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. A total of 216 participants (men: n = 112, women: n = 114) were... more
The present study aimed to determine the relationship between physical activity (PA) and quality of life (QoL) during the confinement caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. A total of 216 participants (men: n = 112, women: n = 114) were included in the present study. They were divided into three groups [i.e., inactive group (IG): less than 600 metabolic equivalent of tasks (METs), n = 131; minimally active group (MAG): from 600 to 2,999 METs, n = 49; and health-enhancing PA group (HEPAG): 3,000 + METs, n = 36] based on their habitual PA level in the period of confinement. WHO Quality of Life Instrument-Short Form (WHOQOL-BREF) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire-BREF (IPAQ-BREF) questionnaires were used to assess QoL and PA intensities. The main findings of the present study showed that MAG and HEPAG have better total PA, physical, psychological, social, and environmental QoL domains scores than IG (all, p < 0.01). Small to large correlations (r ranging from 0.14 to 0.72) were also observed between total PA, total walking activity, total moderate-intensity PA, total vigorous-intensity PA, and QoL domains (all, p < 0.01). PA with light-, moderate-, and vigorous-intensities can be well recommended to decrease the negative psychosocial effect of confinement. However, longitudinal studies are needed to draw causal inferences and underpin more robust and evidence-based and informed recommendations.
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There is a lack of agreement on the efficacy of different exercise interventions in hemodialysis patients. We analyzed which exercise type is the most beneficial in terms of functional fitness and inflammation. A literature search of... more
There is a lack of agreement on the efficacy of different exercise interventions in hemodialysis patients. We analyzed which exercise type is the most beneficial in terms of functional fitness and inflammation. A literature search of seven databases yielded 33 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Compared with an inactive control, the intervention group showed moderate effects (ES = 0.74; 95% CI 0.35 to 1.14; p < 0.001; and ES = 0.70; 95% CI 0.39 to 1.01; p < 0.001; respectively) on functional capacity (six-minute walk test) and oxygen consumption. Small nonsignificant effects were observed for aerobic (ES = −0.36; 95% CI −0.85 to 0.13; p = 0.154) and resistance (ES = −0.44; 95% CI −1.07 to 0.19; p = 0.169) training types, whereas moderate effects were found for combined (ES = −0.69; 95% CI −1.47 to 0.10; p = 0.088) training type based on a 10-repetition sit-to-stand test. Further, large and small effects were observed for aerobic (ES = −1.21; 95% CI −1.94 to −0.49; p = 0....
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There is a lack of agreement on the efficacy of different exercise interventions in hemodialysis patients. We analyzed which exercise type is the most beneficial in terms of functional fitness and inflammation. A literature search of... more
There is a lack of agreement on the efficacy of different exercise interventions in hemodialysis patients. We analyzed which exercise type is the most beneficial in terms of functional fitness and inflammation. A literature search of seven databases yielded 33 studies that met the inclusion criteria. Compared with an inactive control, the intervention group showed moderate effects (ES = 0.74; 95% CI 0.35 to 1.14; p < 0.001; and ES = 0.70; 95% CI 0.39 to 1.01; p < 0.001; respectively) on functional capacity (six-minute walk test) and oxygen consumption. Small nonsignificant effects were observed for aerobic (ES = −0.36; 95% CI −0.85 to 0.13; p = 0.154) and resistance (ES = −0.44; 95% CI −1.07 to 0.19; p = 0.169) training types, whereas moderate effects were found for combined (ES = −0.69; 95% CI −1.47 to 0.10; p = 0.088) training type based on a 10-repetition sit-to-stand test. Further, large and small effects were observed for aerobic (ES = −1.21; 95% CI −1.94 to −0.49; p = 0.001) and resistance training (ES = −0.54; 95% CI −0.90 to −0.17; p = 0.004) types on C-reactive protein. Overall, the results showed the numerically largest effect sizes for combined types compared to solely aerobic or resistance training types, with the differences between training types not reaching statistical significance. There was a significant modifying impact of age, training frequency, and session duration on performance and inflammatory outcomes.
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Background With the increasing prevalence of total knee replacement (TKR) due to knee osteoarthritis, the absence of patient-reported outcome measures in Slovenia must be addressed. Questions/purposes (1) We cross-culturally adapted... more
Background With the increasing prevalence of total knee replacement (TKR) due to knee osteoarthritis, the absence of patient-reported outcome measures in Slovenia must be addressed. Questions/purposes (1) We cross-culturally adapted Oxford Knee Score (OKS) and Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) questionnaires to the Slovenian-speaking community. (2) We evaluated OKS and LEFS psychometric characteristics. Patients and methods In the first assessment (Time 1) Slovenian versions of both questionnaires (OKS-Slo and LEFS-Slo), knee pain, timed-up to go (TUG) and sit to stand (STS) tests were completed by 123 subjects (55% females), of which 78 were patients scheduled for TKR and 45 were healthy age-matched controls. The questionnaires were assessed one week apart (Time 2) to investigate the test–retest reliability, with 121 subjects (98.4%) completing second measurements. Results Significant differences were observed between the two groups. Where patients had greater body mass index, they were slower in TUG, weaker in STS, had greater knee pain in both knees and scored lower on both questionnaires. Additionally, correlation analysis showed that OKS-Slo and LEFS-Slo correlated almost perfectly (correlation coefficient [CC] = .968, p < 0.001). Excellent negative correlations were observed with TUG (OKS-Slo/CC = − 0.679, p < 0.001; LEFS-Slo/CC = − 0.692, p < 0.001) and STS (OKS-Slo/CC = 0.790, p < 0.001; LEFS-Slo/CC = 0.815, p < 0.001) tests, while knee pain of affected leg correlated the most (OKS-Slo/CC = − 0.923, p < 0.001; LEFS-Slo/CC = − 0.915, p < 0.001). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for both the OKS-Slo and LEFS-Slo ranged between 0.87 and 0.99, while the interclass correlation coefficient was excellent; i.e., 0.99. Finally, both questionnaires proved to be unidimensional measures. Conclusion The Slovenian version of both questionnaires is feasible, valid and reliable for use in clinical studies including the older adult population in Slovenia. Level of evidence Level III, Diagnostic—case-control study.
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PurposeAthletes in Olympic combat sports experience body water fluctuations resulting from training and intentional dehydration when making weight. Despite the popularity of urine specific gravity (USG) and urine osmolality (UOSM)... more
PurposeAthletes in Olympic combat sports experience body water fluctuations resulting from training and intentional dehydration when making weight. Despite the popularity of urine specific gravity (USG) and urine osmolality (UOSM) measurement in characterizing fluid fluctuations, their utility remains questioned. This systematic review/meta-analysis examined the utility of urinary hydration indices in laboratory and field settings in Olympic combat sport athletes.Methods27 articles met the inclusion criteria for systematic review, 15 studies were included in the meta-analysis; with USG and UOSM the main outcome variables. Meta-regression analyses evaluated the interrelationship among body mass (BM), fluid intake, and urine measures.ResultsSignificant USG alterations were observed following different sampling time frames: dehydration (ES 0.59; 95% CI 0.46–0.72; p = 0.001), follow-up period (ES 0.31; 95% CI 0.11–0.50; p = 0.002) and rehydration (ES − 0.34; 95% CI − 0.56 to − 0.12; p = 0.003). Direct comparison of laboratory (ES 0.20; 95% CI − 0.19 to 0.59; p = 0.324) and field (ES 0.35; 95% CI 0.14–0.56; p = 0.001) sampling showed marginally trivial and small effects. Small effects on UOSM were observed following dehydration (ES 0.31; 95% CI 0.12–0.74, p = 0.15), follow-up period (ES 0.39; 95% CI 0.08–0.70, p = 0.015) and rehydration (ES − 0.45; 95% CI − 0.60 to 0.30, p = 0.001). Meta-regression analysis suggests only fluid intake predicts USG alterations (p = 0.044) during rehydration protocols.ConclusionsThere were likely small changes in both USG and UOSM readings across all experimental conditions, with moderate-to-large heterogeneity in all studies, except for USG readings during dehydration protocols. The meta-regression failed to provide conclusive evidence concerning the interrelationship among urine measures, BM fluctuations, and fluid intake.
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This study aimed at determining whether the combination of action observation and motor imagery (AO + MI) of locomotor tasks could positively affect rehabilitation outcome after hip replacement surgery. Of initially 405 screened... more
This study aimed at determining whether the combination of action observation and motor imagery (AO + MI) of locomotor tasks could positively affect rehabilitation outcome after hip replacement surgery. Of initially 405 screened participants, 21 were randomly split into intervention group (N=10; mean age = 64 y; AO + MI of locomotor tasks: 30 min/day in the hospital, then 3×/week in their homes for two months) and control group (N=11, mean age = 63 y, active controls). The functional outcomes (Timed Up and Go, TUG; Four Step Square Test, FSST; and single- and dual-task gait and postural control) were measured before (PRE) and 2 months after surgery (POST). Significant interactions indicated better rehabilitation outcome for the intervention group as compared to the control group: at POST, the intervention group revealed faster TUG (p=0.042), FSST (p=0.004), and dual-task fast-paced gait speed (p=0.022), reduced swing-time variability (p=0.005), and enhanced cognitive performance dur...
Research Interests:
Recent literature suggests that alterations in both neural and structural components of the neuromuscular system are major determinants of knee extensor muscle weakness after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Therefore, the goal of this... more
Recent literature suggests that alterations in both neural and structural components of the neuromuscular system are major determinants of knee extensor muscle weakness after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate the maximal voluntary strength (MVS), voluntary muscle activation (VMA), and the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the muscle, up to 33 months after the TKA. We searched relevant scientific databases and literature for outcomes of interest, including quadriceps MVS, VMA, and CSA. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria and involved a total of 289 patients. The quality of the studies was evaluated by Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS). Results showed that quadriceps MVS markedly declines in the early postoperative period, after which it slowly and linearly recovers over time. However, the same phenomenon was not observed for VMA and CSA, which were not significantly altered after the TKA. Furthermore, a meta-reg...
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It is well-documented that strength training (ST) improves measures of muscle strength in young athletes. Less is known on transfer effects of ST on proxies of muscle power and the underlying dose-response relationships. The objectives of... more
It is well-documented that strength training (ST) improves measures of muscle strength in young athletes. Less is known on transfer effects of ST on proxies of muscle power and the underlying dose-response relationships. The objectives of this meta-analysis were to quantify the effects of ST on lower limb muscle power in young athletes and to provide dose-response relationships for ST modalities such as frequency, intensity, and volume. A systematic literature search of electronic databases identified 895 records. Studies were eligible for inclusion if (i) healthy trained children (girls aged 6-11 y, boys aged 6-13 y) or adolescents (girls aged 12-18 y, boys aged 14-18 y) were examined, (ii) ST was compared with an active control, and (iii) at least one proxy of muscle power [squat jump (SJ) and countermovement jump height (CMJ)] was reported. Weighted mean standardized mean differences (SMDwm) between subjects were calculated. Based on the findings from 15 statistically aggregated ...
Research Interests:
Striking combat sports are challenging, commonly stressing the endocrinological system based on a mixture of body-contact actions and physiological efforts. The aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to discuss the hormonal... more
Striking combat sports are challenging, commonly stressing the endocrinological system based on a mixture of body-contact actions and physiological efforts. The aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to discuss the hormonal responses related to striking combat sports competitions and to investigate the moderator and mediator variables of the hormonal response-competition/outcome relationship. Three electronic databases (i.e., PubMed, Google Scholar and ScienceDirect) were systematically searched (up to February 2016) followed by a manual search of retrieved papers. The data showed a moderate increase in cortisol (C) (ES = 0.79; 95% CI 0.31-1.28; p = 0.001), an extremely large increase in adrenaline (ES = 4.22; 95% CI 2.62-5.82; p < 0.001), and a very large increase in noradrenaline (ES = 3.40; 95% CI 1.03-5.76; p = 0.005) and human growth hormone (HGH) levels (ES = 3.69; 95% CI 1.96-5.42; p < 0.001) immediately following the combat events, compared to the contro...
Purpose The high rate of injury incidence and its severity is estimated to cause approximately 9% of global mortality, while a large proportion of people surviving their injuries experience temporary or permanent disabilities. To reduce... more
Purpose The high rate of injury incidence and its severity is estimated to cause approximately 9% of global mortality, while a large proportion of people surviving their injuries experience temporary or permanent disabilities. To reduce the occurrence of disability and improve general health of survivors, a more comprehensive rehabilitation approach is needed. Motor imagery is recognized as the promising cognitive strategy to counteract impaired functional capacity of the neuromuscular system. Thus, we aimed to provide to the Slovenian-speaking community a valid and reliable version of Motor Imagery Questionnaire – 3 [MIQ-3], that consists of kinaesthetic imagery [KI] and visual [i.e., Internal Imagery [IMI] and external imagery [EVI]] items. Methods We investigated both absolute and relative test-retest repeatability; construct validity and internal consistency of the KI, IMI and EMI items of the Slovenian version of MIQ-3 in 86 healthy adult subjects. Results Results showed high t...
Research Interests: Psychology and Medicine
Electromechanical efficiency (EME) of skeletal muscle represents the dissociation between the mechanomyographic (MMG) to electromyographic (EMG) amplitudes and was commonly used in clinical settings (e.g. muscle disease, atrophy,... more
Electromechanical efficiency (EME) of skeletal muscle represents the dissociation between the mechanomyographic (MMG) to electromyographic (EMG) amplitudes and was commonly used in clinical settings (e.g. muscle disease, atrophy, rehabilitation). However, due to lower reliability and of both MMG and EMG as well as lower validity of MMG we aimed to establish the intra-day, inter-day and inter-rater reliability of modified EME. Reliability was examined for maximal soleus twitch amplitudes of tensiomyographic (Dm) and M-wave (M) responses, as well as for EME derived as Dm/M, in 18 healthy participants (55% males; 30.3 ± 10.3 years) in three consecutive days. A reliability analysis was performed with calculations of bias, random error, standard error of measurement, coefficient of variation (CV), intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) and minimal detectable change with a 95% confidence interval. Average ICCs ranged from 0.92 (Dm) to 0.97 (M), 0.88 (Dm) to 0.92 EME and from 0.96 (both...
Research Interests:
To examine (a) the relationships between the psychosocial risk factors and injury rates and (b) the effects of psychological-based prevention interventions on the injury risk of soccer players. Scholarly electronic databases... more
To examine (a) the relationships between the psychosocial risk factors and injury rates and (b) the effects of psychological-based prevention interventions on the injury risk of soccer players. Scholarly electronic databases (PubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus) were searched on 1 January 2017, complemented by manual searches of bibliographies. Systematic review and meta-analysis. We identified 13 eligible studies, including a total of 1149 injured soccer players aged between 14 and 36 years. Psychosocial risk factors, psychological-based prevention interventions and injury risk in soccer players. Personality traits, such as trait anxiety and perceived mastery climate, along with a history of stressors, like negative-life-event stress or high level of life stress, daily hassle, and previous injury, are the main predictors of injury rates among soccer players. Also, from injury prevention studies, it has been shown that psychological-based interventions reduce injury rates (effect...
Research Interests:
Motor imagery (MI), a mental simulation of a movement without overt muscle contraction, has been largely used to improve general motor tasks. However, the effects of MI practice on maximal voluntary strength (MVS) remain equivocal. The... more
Motor imagery (MI), a mental simulation of a movement without overt muscle contraction, has been largely used to improve general motor tasks. However, the effects of MI practice on maximal voluntary strength (MVS) remain equivocal. The aims of this meta-analysis were to (1) estimate whether MI practice intervention can meaningfully improve MVS in healthy adults; (2) compare the effects of MI practice on MVS with its combination with physical practice (MI-C), and with physical practice (PP) training alone; and (3) investigate the dose-response relationships of MI practice. Seven electronic databases were searched up to April 2017. Initially 717 studies were identified; however, after evaluation of the study characteristics, data from 13 articles involving 370 participants were extracted. The meta-analysis was completed on MVS as the primary parameter. In addition, parameters associated with training volume, training intensity, and time spent training were used to investigate dose-res...
Research Interests:
Plyometric training (PT) enhances soccer performance, particularly vertical jump. However, the effectiveness of PT depends on various factors. A systematic search of the research literature was conducted for randomized controlled trials... more
Plyometric training (PT) enhances soccer performance, particularly vertical jump. However, the effectiveness of PT depends on various factors. A systematic search of the research literature was conducted for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) studying the effects of PT on countermovement jump (CMJ) height in soccer players. Ten studies were obtained through manual and electronic journal searches (up to April 2017). Significant differences were observed when compared: (1) PT group vs. control group (ES=0.85; 95% CI 0.47-1.23; I2=68.71%; p<0.001), (2) male vs. female soccer players (Q=4.52; p=0.033), (3) amateur vs. high-level players (Q=6.56; p=0.010), (4) single session volume (<120 jumps vs. ≥120 jumps; Q=6.12, p=0.013), (5) rest between repetitions (5 s vs. 10 s vs. 15 s vs. 30 s; Q=19.10, p<0.001), (6) rest between sets (30 s vs. 60 s vs. 90 s vs. 120 s vs. 240 s; Q=19.83, p=0.001) and (7) and overall training volume (low: <1600 jumps vs. high: ≥1600 jumps; Q=5.08, p...