The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of overload training on the function of peritoneal macrophages in rats, and to test the hypothesis that glutamine in vivo supplementation would partly reverse the eventual functional alterations induced by overload training in these cells. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: control group (C), overload training group (E1), overload training and restore one week group (E2), glutamine-supplementation group (EG1), and glutamine-supplementation and restore 1-week group (EG2). All rats, except those placed on sedentary control were subjected to 11 weeks of overload training protocol. Blood hemoglobin, serum testosterone, and corticosterone of rats were measured. Moreover, the functions (chemotaxis, phagocytosis, cytokines synthesis, reactive oxygen species generation) of peritoneal macrophages were determined. Data showed that blood hemoglobin, serum testosterone, corticosterone and body weight in the overload training group decreased significantly as compared with the control group. Meanwhile, the chemotaxis capacity (decreased by 31%, p = .003), the phagocytosis capacity (decreased by 27%, p = .005), the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation (decreased by 35%, p = .003) and the cytokines response capability of macrophages were inhibited by overload training. However, the hindering of phagocytosis and the cytokines response capability of macrophages induced by overload training could be ameliorated and reversed respectively, by dietary glutamine supplementation. These results suggest that overload training impairs the function of peritoneal macrophages, which is essential for the microbicidal actions of macrophages. This may represent a novel mechanism of immunodepression induced by overload training. Nonetheless, dietary glutamine supplementation could partly reverse the impaired macrophage function resulting from overload training.
Weihua Xiao, Peijie Chen, Jingmei Dong, Ru Wang and Beibei Luo
Jennifer F. Mullins, Arthur J. Nitz and Matthew C. Hoch
history of ankle sprain, ongoing bouts of ankle instability, and a decrease in patient-perceived function. 7 CAI is closely linked to the development of ankle osteoarthritis, which is associated with decreased ankle movement, decreased ability to perform daily activities, limited physical activity, and
Konstantina Katsoulis, Liza Stathokostas and Catherine E. Amara
functional decline, and indeed, muscle power has been shown to be a crucial determinant of function in older adults ( Reid & Fielding, 2012 ). An explosion of interest in studying muscle power and its role in age-related functional decline has occurred in recent years with the goal to elucidate the
Ozgur Surenkok, Aydan Aytar and Gul Baltaci
Objective:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the initial effects of scapular mobilization (SM) on shoulder range of motion (ROM), scapular upward rotation, pain, and function.
Design:
Pretest–posttest for 3 groups (SM, sham, and control).
Setting:
A double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the initial effect of the SM at a sports physiotherapy clinic.
Participants:
39 subjects (22 women, 17 men; mean age 54.30 ± 14.16 y, age range 20-77 y).
Interventions:
A visual analog scale, ROM, scapular upward rotation, and function were assessed before and just after SM. SM (n = 13) consisted of the application of superoinferior gliding, rotations, and distraction to the scapula. The sham (n = 13) condition replicated the treatment condition except for the hand positioning. The control group (n = 13) did not undergo any physiotherapy and rehabilitation program.
Main Outcome Measures:
Pain severity was assessed with a visual analog scale. Scapular upward rotation was measured with a baseline digital inclinometer. Constant Shoulder Score (CSS) was used to measure shoulder function.
Results:
After SM, we found significant improvements for shoulder ROM, scapular upward rotation, and CSS between pretreatment and posttreatment compared with the sham and control groups. In the sham group, shoulder-ROM values increased or decreased for the shoulder and scapular upward rotation was not changed. Pain, ROM, and physical function of the shoulder were not significantly different in the sham group than in controls (P > .05).
Conclusions:
SM may be a useful manual therapy technique to apply to participants with a painful limitation of the shoulder. SM increases ROM and decreases pain intensity.
Kenneth C. Lam and Jessica G. Markbreiter
than 21 d of missed sport participation). 4 In addition, previous studies have reported that knee injuries often present with short- and long-term deficits related to pain and loss of function, which can negatively impact health-related quality of life (HRQOL). 5 , 6 Health-related quality of life is
Lucelia Luna de Melo, Verena Menec, Michelle M. Porter and A. Elizabeth Ready
This study examined the associations between walking behavior and the perceived environment and personal factors among older adults. Sixty participants age 65 yr or older (mean 77 ± 7.27, range 65–92) wore pedometers for 3 consecutive days. Perceived environment was assessed using the Neighborhood Environment Walk-ability Scale (abbreviated version). Physical function was measured using the timed chair-stands test. The mean number of steps per day was 5,289 steps (SD = 4,029). Regression analyses showed a significant association between personal factors, including physical function (relative rate = 1.05, p < .01) and income (RR = 1.43, p < .05) and the average daily number of steps taken. In terms of perceived environment, only access to services was significantly related to walking at the univariate level, an association that remained marginally significant when controlling for personal characteristics. These results suggest that among this sample of older adults, walking behavior was more related to personal and intrinsic physical capabilities than to the perceived environment.
Freda Vrantsidis, Keith D. Hill, Kirsten Moore, Robert Webb, Susan Hunt and Leslie Dowson
The Getting Grounded Gracefully© program, based on the Awareness Through Movement lessons of the Feldenkrais method, was designed to improve balance and function in older people. Fifty-five participants (mean age 75, 85% women) were randomized to an intervention (twice-weekly group classes over 8 wk) or a control group (continued with their usual activity) after being assessed at baseline and then reassessed 8 wk later. Significant improvement was identified for the intervention group relative to the control group using ANOVA between-groups repeated-measures analysis for the Modified Falls Efficacy Scale score (p = .003) and gait speed (p = .028), and a strong trend was evident in the timed up-and-go (p = .056). High class attendance (88%) and survey feedback indicate that the program was viewed positively by participants and might therefore be acceptable to other older people. Further investigation of the Getting Grounded Gracefully program is warranted.
Benjamin W. Infantolino and John H. Challis
The pennated arrangement of muscle fibers has important implications for muscle function in vivo, but complex arrangement of muscle fascicles in whole muscle raises the question whether the arrangement of fascicles produce variations in pennation angle throughout muscle. The purpose of this study was to describe the variability in pennation angle observed throughout the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Two cadaveric muscles were scanned in a 14.1 tesla MRI unit. Muscles were divided into slices and pennation angle was measured in the same representative location throughout the muscle in each slice for the medial-lateral and anterior posterior-image planes. Data showed large nonuniform variation in pennation angles throughout the muscles. For example, for cadaver 2, pennation angle in 287 planes along the medial-lateral axis ranged from 3.2° to 22.6°, while for the anterior-posterior axis, in 237 planes it ranged from 3.1° to 24.5°. The nonnormal distribution of pennation angles along each axis suggests a more complex distribution of fascicles than is assumed when a single pennation angle is used to represent an entire muscle. This distribution indicates that a single pennation angle may not accurately describe the arrangement of muscle fascicles in whole muscle.
Roger Ramsbottom, Anne Ambler, Janie Potter, Barbara Jordan, Alan Nevill and Carol Williams
Where strength training has been used in conjunction with functional-task training in older people, not only have there been improvements in leg strength but also improved function has been measured (e.g., Skelton & McLaughlin, 1996). Many studies use participants from care homes rather than community dwellers. We investigated changes in leg power, balance, and functional mobility in community-dwelling sedentary men and women over 70 years of age (n = 6 for training group [TR]; n = 10 for control group [CN]). Progressive training took place over 24 weeks using seated and nonseated exercise. For TR, leg power increased 40%, from 108 ± 40 to 141 ± 53 W (p < .01); dynamic balance increased 48%, from 22.3 ± 7.9 to 33.1 ± 6.1 cm (p < .01; functional reach); and functional mobility increased 12%, from 7.46 ± 1.32 to 6.54 ± 1.41 s (p < .05; timed walk). CN showed no significant change. In conclusion, a community-based exercise program led to large improvements in leg-extensor power, dynamic balance, and functional mobility.
Lütfiye Akkurt, İpek Alemdaroğlu Gürbüz, Ayşe Karaduman and Öznur Tunca Yilmaz
classifies each child as having a DMD level between 1 (able to walk independently) and 10 (confined to bed) ( 1 ). In our study, the following assessments were performed using ambulatory children with better levels of function (levels 1 and 2), as the flexibility tests would require active participation and
