Effect of 12-week sports intervention programme on physical fitness and sports performance in individuals with spinal cord injury

Objectives: Inactivity in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) results in low physical fitness, cardiopulmonary endurance and poor quality of life. Sports participation is known to enhance physical fitness. Therefore, the present study evaluated effect of a structured, 12-week MGM Sports Intervention for Sports Intervention Program for SCI (SPISI) on physical fitness and throw-ball performance in individuals with SCI. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted at MGM School of Physiotherapy and Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation centre in Navi Mumbai, India. Following ethical approval, 15 individuals with SCI (80% males and 20% females mean age 33.1 ± 7.2 years) were recruited. Upper-extremity explosive power (medicine-ball-throw), agility (t-test), cardiorespiratory endurance (incremental shuttle wheelchair propulsion test) and ball-throwing capacity (maximal-pass test) were evaluated pre- and post-12-week sports intervention programme (SPISI). The protocol involved strength training of upper extremity training at 50% 1 repetition maximum and participation in throw-ball sport. Results: Following training, increase in upper extremity explosive power (11%), cardiopulmonary endurance (5%), agility (8%) and ball-throwing capacity in distance (7%) (P < 0.05) was observed. The large effect size was observed for sports performance (maximal-pass test distance-Cohen’s d 1.261), moderate for cardiorespiratory endurance (incremental wheelchair propulsion test distance Cohen’s d 0.517) and upper extremity explosive power (medicine-ball throw distance 0.593). Increment in all outcome variables was greater than minimal clinically important difference. Conclusion: Sports intervention programme (SPISI) for 12 weeks brought about minimal clinically important difference in upper-extremity explosive power, agility, cardiorespiratory endurance and sport-specific performance and should be included as an integral component of rehabilitation of individuals with SCI.

Association between levels of sports participation and oral injuries among combat athletes / Associação entre níveis de participação no esporte e lesões orais em atletas de combate / Asociación entre niveles de participación en el deporte y lesiones orales en atletas de combate

ABSTRACT Introduction Oral injuries are common traumas in combat sports due to the aggressive nature of both offense and defense. Sports mouth guards are made to reduce the risk of traumatic face and jaw injuries and concussions during sports activities. Objective The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of oral injuries in combat sports and to examine the association between participation levels and percentage of injury occurrence. Methods One hundred and eight participants (mean age: 22.42 ± 2.162 years) who were involved in sparring events were recruited. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of 22 questions about the demographic profile of the athletes, their injury experience and type of injuries sustained, awareness and use of mouth guards in sports activities. Descriptive analysis, Chi-square test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were applied for data analysis. Results Almost 77% of participants had experienced oral injuries during sports activities and nearly 90% were aware that oral injuries can be reduced by using mouth guards. In addition, 52.7% of participants complained that the mouth guard is not comfortable to use during sports activities. Findings revealed a significant moderate association between levels of participation and number of oral injuries ( p = 0.013). One-way ANOVA showed a significant mean difference in the rate of oral injury for the four levels of participation groups F (3, 104) = 6.21, p = 0.011. Post-hoc comparisons using the Bonferroni test indicated a significant mean difference between university-state levels ( p = 0.033) and university-national levels ( p = 0.028). Conclusion This study revealed that higher levels of participation in sports have a higher risk of injury. It was also found that the discomfort of using a mouth guard can be reduced if the coaches make the athletes wear proper mouth guards that follow the recommended specifications. Level of evidence IIIb; Case control study.

RESUMO Introdução As lesões orais são traumas comuns nos esportes de combate, devido à natureza agressiva tanto do ataque quanto da defesa. Os protetores bucais esportivos são feitos para diminuir o risco de lesões traumáticas na face e na mandíbula; e também de concussão durante as atividades esportivas. Objetivo Este estudo teve como objetivo determinar a prevalência de lesões orais em esportes de combate e examinar a associação entre níveis de participação e a porcentagem de ocorrência de lesões. Métodos Foram recrutados cento e oito participantes (média de idade: 22,42 ± 2,162 anos) envolvidos em eventos de combate. Os dados foram coletados por meio de um questionário composto por 22 perguntas sobre o perfil demográfico dos atletas, sua experiência com lesões e tipo de lesões sofridas, conhecimento e uso de protetores bucais em atividades esportivas. A análise descritiva, o teste do qui-quadrado e a análise de variância (ANOVA) foram aplicados para análise dos dados. Resultados Quase 77% dos participantes sofreram lesões orais durante atividades esportivas e quase 90% estavam cientes de que as lesões orais podem ser reduzidas com o uso de protetores bucais. Além disso, 52,7% dos participantes reclamaram que o protetor bucal não é confortável para uso durante as atividades esportivas. Os achados revelaram associação moderada significativa entre níveis de participação e número de lesões orais (p = 0,013). A ANOVA unilateral mostrou uma diferença média significativa na taxa de lesão oral nos quatro níveis dos grupos de participação F (3, 104) = 6,21, p = 0,011. As comparações post-hoc usando o teste de Bonferroni indicaram diferença média significativa entre os níveis universitário-estadual (p = 0,033) e os níveis universitário-nacional (p = 0,028). Conclusão Este estudo revelou que níveis mais altos de participação no esporte representam maior risco de lesões. Verificou-se também que a sensação de desconforto ao usar protetor bucal pode ser reduzida se os treinadores fizerem com que os atletas usem protetores bucais adequados, que sigam as especificações recomendadas. Nível de evidência IIIb; Estudo Caso-Controle .

RESUMEN Introducción Las lesiones orales son traumas comunes en los deportes de combate, debido a la naturaleza agresiva tanto del ataque como de la defensa. Los protectores bucales deportivos son hechos para disminuir el riesgo de lesiones traumáticas en el rostro y en la mandíbula; y también de concusión en las actividades deportivas. Objetivo Este estudio tuvo como objetivo determinar la prevalencia de lesiones orales en deportes de combate y examinar la asociación entre los niveles de participación y el porcentaje de ocurrencia de lesiones. Métodos Fueron reclutados ciento ocho participantes (promedio de edad: 22,42 ± 2,162 años) involucrados en eventos de combate. Los datos fueron colectados a través de un cuestionario compuesto por 22 preguntas sobre el perfil demográfico de los atletas, su experiencia con lesiones y tipo de lesiones sufridas, conocimiento y uso de protectores bucales en actividades deportivas. El análisis descriptivo, el test de chi-cuadrado y el análisis de varianza (ANOVA) fueron aplicados para el análisis de los datos. Resultados Casi 77% de los participantes sufrió lesiones orales durante las actividades deportivas y casi 90% tenía conocimiento de que las lesiones orales pueden ser reducidas con el uso de protectores bucales. Además, 51,7% de los participantes reclamaron que el protector bucal no es confortable para uso durante las actividades deportivas. Los hallazgos revelaron asociación moderada significativa entre niveles de participación y número de lesiones orales (p = 0,013). El ANOVA unidireccional mostró una diferencia promedio significativa en la tasa de lesión oral en los cuatro niveles de grupos de participación F (3,104) = 6,21, p = 0,011. Las comparaciones post hoc usando el test de Bonferroni indicaron una diferencia promedio significativa entre los niveles universitario-estatal (p = 0,033) y los niveles universitario-nacional (p = 0,028). Conclusión Este estudio reveló que niveles más altos de participación en el deporte representan mayor riesgo de lesiones. Se verificó también que la sensación de incomodidad al usar protectores bucales adecuados puede reducirse si los entrenadores hacen con que los atletas usen protectores bucales adecuados, que sigan las especificaciones recomendadas. Nivel de evidencia IIIb; Estudio Caso-Control.

Dietary supplement use in elementary school children: a Japanese web-based survey

BACKGROUND@#A variety of dietary supplements are commercially available. However, the efficacy and safety of dietary supplement use in children are not well established. Understanding dietary supplement use is important for developing public health policy regarding dietary supplements. This study aimed to investigate the types of dietary supplements used and characteristics of dietary supplement users among Japanese elementary school children.@*METHOD@#We conducted a cross-sectional web-based questionnaire study. Dietary supplement use, socio-demographics, and health-related behaviors were assessed through mother-reported questionnaire. Types of dietary supplements were identified based on ingredient using product barcodes and brand names. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the socio-demographics and health-related behaviors associated with supplement use.@*RESULTS@#Among 4933 children, 333 (6.8%) were identified as dietary supplement users. The most common supplement was amino acids or protein (1.4%), followed by n-3 fatty acids or fish oil (1.0%), probiotics (1.0%), multivitamins (0.9%), multivitamin-minerals (0.8%), and botanicals (0.8%). Overall, any dietary supplement use was significantly associated with the highest frequency of sports participation (odds ratio [OR], 2.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.65-4.02), highest household income (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.13-3.10), highest maternal educational level (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.31-2.52), and male sex (OR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.09-1.75). The highest frequency of sports participation was significantly associated with higher odds of use of amino acids or protein (OR, 6.06; 95% CI, 1.78-20.6) and multivitamins (OR, 3.56; 95% CI, 1.11-11.5), compared to the lowest frequency of sports participation.@*CONCLUSION@#This study showed that Japanese children primarily use non-vitamin, non-mineral supplements. Non-vitamin, non-mineral supplements should thus be included in future studies aimed at monitoring dietary supplement use. We also found that dietary supplement use in children was associated with sports participation. Guidelines for dietary supplement use for children, in particular sport participants, are needed.

Benefits of organized sports participation and voluntary outdoor play in children and adolescents based on evidence-related health outcomes / 体力科学

This report provides an overview of the effectiveness of objectively measured physical activity, sports participation, and outdoor play on outcomes related to mental health and social skills in children and adolescents. Findings based on observation studies of longitudinal and cross-sectional design are inconsistent. On the other hand, several intervention studies with high intensity exercise programs indicated that intensity and amount of physical activity might provide a short-term benefit against depressive symptoms and anxiety. However, there are reports that psychosocial approaches confer effects similar to exercise programs. The effects of participation in organized sports clubs on mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, self-esteem, self-efficacy, health-related quality of life, social skills (e.g., relationship skills), and coping ability were diverse. Notably, there could be unfavorable relationships in athletes exhibiting a higher performance. Meanwhile, participation in sports could represent a predictor of escalation in alcohol use as evidenced by longitudinal observation studies in adolescent, although there could also be effectiveness in terms of preventing use of illicit drugs. Lastly, active outdoor play under natural conditions without supervision also represented an effective approach to promote mental health (e.g., reducing depressive symptoms and building social skills such as self-regulation and coping skills in the face of difficult human relationships). We recognize that not only sports participation but also outdoor play under abundant nature environment could represent a significant physical activity to maintain mental and social health from childhood to adolescence.

Survey on Sports Participation and Unmet Needs of Services for 6-12 Years Old Children with Intellectual Disabilities in the Areas of Minority Nationalities in Hubei Province / 中国康复理论与实践

@#Objective To investigate the situation of sports participation and the unmet needs of services for 6-12 years old children with intellectual disabilities. Methods 420 children with intellectual disabilities in areas of minority nationalities in Hubei province aged 6-12 years were surveyed with a questionnaire. Statistics had been conducted for situation and unmet needs of services. Results 72.6%respon-dents wanted to participate in sport, 70%respondents participated in sport at least once a week, maining for rehabilitation;the unmet needs of services mainly focused on the special education, medical rehabilitation, functional training and the non-barrier transformation for kitchen and toilets. Conclusion Comprehensive rehabilitation and services are needed in 6-12 years old children with intellectual disabilities in areas of minority nationalities in Hubei Province. The diversity of unmet needs needed to be attend.

Relationship of exercise at preschool and out of school and daily physical activity to physical fitness in preschool children in the Kanto region: a cross-sectional study / 体力科学

This study sought to examine the potential relationships of physical education (PE) participation at preschool and sports club (SC) participation out of school and daily physical activity (PA) measured objectively using a triaxial accelerometer, with physical fitness in preschool children. Physical fitness testing was used to measure both health-related and skill-related parameters of fitness in 191 Japanese preschoolers in the Kanto region (94 boys and 97 girls, 5.6 ± 0.6 years). Daily PA was assessed using a triaxial accelerometer (ActivTracer, GMS) for 6 consecutive days, including weekdays and weekend days. PE and SC participation was assessed using questionnaires for preschool teachers or parents of subjects, respectively. All health-related and skill-related physical fitness and total Z-score were correlated with time spent with physical activity ratio (PAR)≧4 when adjusted for age, sex, body height and weight. In addition, greater grip strength was associated with PE participation at preschool, and 25 m run speed was associated with SC participation, also. However, 25 m run speed was negatively associated with PE participation. These findings suggest that daily PA may contribute to the development of both health-related and skill-related fitness in preschool children, although further research on the cause-effect relationship is needed. Moreover, participation in a SC may contribute to the development of running speed.