Establishing Normative Values for Amplitude of Accommodation and Accommodative Facility among University Students in Malawi

The study aimed to examine the distribution of Accommodative Facility (AF) and Amplitude of Accommodation (AA) and compare the findings with established guidelines.Place and Duration of Study: Mzuzu University, Malawi. Between May and July 2022.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among students at Mzuzu university in Malawi. We recruited 77 students using a stratified random sampling technique. The participants' age ranged from 16 to 35 years of age. We measured AA using the push-up method while AF was measured using +/- 1.50 Diopters (D) flippers. Both techniques utilized black reading material on white background held at 40 centimeters (cm). Next, we measured the accommodation facility by counting the number of Cycles per Minute (c/m). We utilized the Pearson correlation test and the One-way ANOVA where appropriate. The value of p< 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The participants comprised 44 (57.1%) males and 33 (42.9%) females. Monocular AA was 10.04D (SD=2.71) and Binocular AA was 10.51 (3.641). The difference was statistically significant (p=0.04). While Monocular AF and Binocular AF were 9 c/m (SD= SD=1.84) and 8.96 (SD=1.539) respectively but the difference was non-significant (p=0.868). AF and AA were not significantly different between males and females. All the parameters decreased with age. The measured AA was significantly higher than using Hofstetter’s formula.Conclusion: The study provides a cut-off value for practitioners diagnosing Accommodation anomalies. However, indices in the study differ from the well-established guidelines hence practitioners should endeavor to perform the clinical assessment instead of relying on equations.

Comparing measurement techniques of accommodative amplitudes.

Aim and Background: This study was designed to compare four standard procedures, for determining the monocular accommodative amplitudes. Materials and Methods: Fifty‑two students participated in this analytical–descriptive study. Accommodative amplitudes were measured using four common clinical techniques, namely: Push‑up, push‑down, minus lens, and modified push‑up. Results: The highest amplitude was obtained using the push‑up method (11.21 ± 1.85 D), while the minus lens technique gave the lowest finding (9.31 ± 1.61 D). A repeated‑measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) showed a significant difference between these methods (P < 0.05), further analysis showed that this difference was only between the minus lens and other the three methods (the push-up (P < 0.001), the push-down (P < 0.001) and the modified push-up (P < 0.001)). The highest and the lowest mean difference was related to the push‑up with the minus lens, and the push‑down with the modified push‑up, while the highest and the lowest 95% limits of agreement were related to the push‑up with the modified push‑up and the push‑up with the push‑down methods. There was almost a perfect agreement between the push‑up and the push‑down method, whereas, a poor agreement was present between the modified push‑up and the minus lens technique, and a fair agreement existed between the other pairs. Conclusions: The quick and easy assessment of the amplitude using the push‑up and the push‑down methods compared to other methods, and the obtained perfect agreement between these two methods can further emphasize their use as a routine procedure in the clinic, especially if a combination of the two techniques is used to offset their slight over‑ and underestimation.

Teste de força/resistência de membros superiores: análise metodológica e dados normativos / Strength/resistance test of the superior members: methodological analysis and normative data

INTRODUÇÃO: A força e a resistência muscular são componentes da aptidão física importantes para a saúde e alto rendimento. Os testes de flexão de braços, puxada em suspensão na barra e puxada em suspensão na barra modificada, utilizam o próprio peso corporal e avaliam as capacidades motoras relacionadas à aptidão física, saúde e ao desempenho atlético, no sentido de mensurar a força e resistência muscular dos membros superiores em ambos os sexos e ampla faixa etária. OBJETIVOS: O objetivo deste estudo foi buscar na literatura os aspectos metodológicos relacionados à validade, fidedignidade, objetividade e procedimentos específicos utilizados nos testes: flexão de braços, puxada suspensão na barra e puxada em suspensão na barra modificada, fazendo, dessa forma, um levantamento dos indicadores de rendimento desses testes em atletas de alto nível de diferentes modalidades. CONCLUSÃO: Os testes de flexão de braços, puxada em suspensão na barra e puxada em suspensão na barra modificada são eficientes, confiáveis, de fácil aplicação e são ferramentas que empregam baixo custo, além de requererem pouco treinamento do avaliador. Entretanto, devemos chamar a atenção quanto à padronização e as recomendações metodológicas para suas aplicações, para que possam ser utilizados com segurança na reabilitação e no desempenho atlético.

INTRODUCTION: The strength and muscular endurance are important components of physical fitness for health and high performance. The tests of push-up, pull-up and modified pull-up, using own body weight and evaluate motor skills related to physical fitness, health and athletic performance, to measure the strength and muscular endurance upper limbs in both sexes and a wide age range. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to search the literature methodological issues related to validity, reliability, objectivity and specific procedures used in tests: push-up, pull-up and modified pull-up, by doing so, a survey of indicators yield of these tests in elite athletes of different modalities. CONCLUSION: The tests of push-up, pull-up and modified pull-up are efficient, reliable, easy to apply and are tools that employ low cost, and require little training for evaluators. However, as we draw attention to the standardization and methodological recommendations for your applications so they can be safely used in rehabilitation and athletic performance.

The Factors on Success in Push-up of Ureteral Stone: A Review of 103 Cases / 대한비뇨기과학회지

The ancillary practice for the management of upper ureteral stones is to push the stone up the renal pelvis before extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy(ESWL). We evaluated 103 patients with mid and upper ureteral stones for identifying the significant factors of success in push up procedure. The clinical factors of success of push up procedure may be regarded to location (upper, mid), size( 12mm>=,12mm=, 1Mo=, 1Mo 5, WBC0.05). Complications of push up were infrequent, with hematuria (30.7%), flank pain (29.7% ), and ureteral perforation (2.2% ), all of which were managed conservatively. From these data we conclude that upper ureter stones with successful clinical factors should be tried push-up into the renal pelvis before ESWL to improve the therapeutic results.