ABSTRACT
Background: Urbanization has brought a lot of health issues in the citizens. Commuting for work has become more common. People around the world use different means of commute like public transport or driving a car to work. The increase in time of commute may be associated with many health hazards. In this study we try to study the impact of driving duration on hand muscle power.Methods: A prospective cross sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital. About 32 persons who drive car for their work participated in this study after giving their consent. Subjects grouped in to two categories long commuters, who drive for greater or equal to one hour and short commuters less than one hour. Muscle power tested on two occasions immediately after driving and four hour after driving with a help of hand grip dynamometer. Demographic details were collected. The two groups compared for muscle power and body mass index (BMI).Results: The long commuters had less muscle power in comparison with short commuters and it was significant. The average BMI of long commuters was in obesity range were as the average BMI of short commuter is less and it was statistically significant.Conclusions: Driving for greater than one hour is associated with obesity and reduced muscle power immediately after driving.
ABSTRACT
Background: Muscle strength has been studied as a predictor of general health and many diseases. Data on muscle strength of healthy adults are scarce in Assam. Aim of the study was to describe normative data for hand grip muscle strength and endurance among healthy young males and females of age group 18-21. Also, to find out any correlation between muscles strength and endurance.Methods: We have selected 79 healthy volunteers of both sexes of age group 18-21 years. We have measured muscle strength by hand grip dynamometer. Muscle endurance was calculated by asking the subjects to hold the dynamometer at one third of their muscle strength as long as they can.Results: In this study there were 46 males and 33 females. Mean muscle strength among the males is 27.09(SD7.05) and among the females is 10.76(SD6.19). Similarly mean endurance among males is 41.78(SD31.72) and among females is 16.15(SD9.81). These higher values of muscle strength and endurance in males are statistically significant. We have also found positive correlation between muscle strength and endurance in both the sexes.Conclusions: In this study we have seen that muscle strength and endurance of healthy young males are more than that of females. And also, muscle endurance increases with increase in muscle strength.
ABSTRACT
Background: Beta blockers are known to cause attenuation of sympathetic stimulation mediated increase in cardiovascular parameters. Very few studies are available in Indian set-up comparing these changes between different beta blockers available in market. The objective of the study was to compare efficacy and safety of propranolol, atenolol and celiprolol on heart rare, blood pressure and airway resistance, both at rest and during exercise.Methods: A prospective interventional study was carried out involving 72 healthy volunteers in the clinical pharmacology laboratory. Participants were divided in three groups of 24 each and given single oral doses of propranolol 40 mg, Atenolol 50 mg and celiprolol 40 mg was given to the participants. Exercise given in the form of step ladder test and hand grip dynamometer and effect on the different parameters like HR, SBP, DBP and PEFR were recorded before and immediately after exercise and compared.Results: All the three drugs were effective in attenuating the exercise induced cardiovascular parameters (p <0.05). Drug A cause change in HR, SBP, DBP and PEFR significantly (p <0.05). Change in SBP was more significant with drug B while significant difference was found in HR, SBP and DBP before and after exercise in drug C in both SL and HGD tests. No significant difference was found between the drug groups (p >0.05). No adverse effects were reported in the study participants.Conclusions: All the three drugs are effective in attenuating cardiovascular changes after sympathetic stimulation like exercise and there was no significant difference among them.