Effect of three fitness programs on strength, speed, flexibility and muscle power on sedentary subjects.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to research and compare the effect of Crossfit® (CF), LesMills® (LM) and traditional resistance (TRAD) training program on short performances. METHODS: Participants were assigned randomly into three groups and followed the training sessions allocated at the rate of five sessions/week for 16 weeks. A battery of tests including anthropometric and performance measures were carried out over three sessions: before training (T0), after eight weeks (T1) and sixteen weeks of training (T2). RESULTS: Findings indicated that strength tests demonstrated a significant time effect (P<0.001, ηp2=0.6), the results showed that CF and TRAD groups improved strength every 8 weeks while LM group only at T2, The speed test demonstrated also a significant time effect (P<0.001, ηp2=0.5) the results showed an improvement in speed every 8 weeks for LM, at T2 for CF and no change for TRAD, for flexibility, all tests demonstrated a main time effect (P<0.001, ηp2. 0.46-0.7) CF was the best in shoulder range of motion and LM in trunk and lower limb flexibility, all power tests also demonstrated a significant time effect (P<0.001, ηp2: 0.76-0.9) the improvement for all groups was every 8 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these findings, we recommend TRAD and CF as valuable trainings for strength development, LM for flexibility and all three trainings for power improvement.

Strength Training Reduces Injury Rate in Elite Young Soccer Players During One Season.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of strength training on physical fitness parameters and injuries occurrence in young elite soccer players. Fifty-two elite young soccer players (13-14 years) were divided on a randomized order into experimental group (EG, n = 26) and control group (CG, n = 26). For EG, 2 to 3 sessions of strength training (90 minutes) were introduced weekly in their training program for 12 weeks (4 × 3 weeks separated by 1-week recovery). Sprint tests (10-20-30 m), T-test time, and jumping tests were measured at the start (T0), at the middle (T1), and at the end of the experiment period (T2). The injury rate was recorded by the medical and fitness training staff throughout the soccer season. Compared to CG, EG performed significantly better in sprint running and T-test time at T2 (p < 0.01). Similarly, the improvement amount for jumping tests was significantly greater (p ≤ 0.05) in EG than in CG. A total of 17 injuries were recorded over the soccer season. The rate was higher in CG (13 injuries) than in training group (4 injuries). This study showed that strength training accurately and efficiently scheduled in youth soccer players, induced performance improvement, and reduced the rate of injuries.

A biomechanical model to simulate the effect of a high vertical loading on trunk flexural stiffness.

A human trunk model was developed to simulate the effect of a high vertical loading on trunk flexural stiffness. A force-length relationship is attributed to each muscle of the multi-body model. Trunk stiffness and muscle forces were evaluated experimentally and numerically for various applied loads. Experimental evaluation of trunk stiffness was carried out by measuring changes in reaction force following a sudden horizontal displacement at the T10 level prior to paraspinal reflexes induction. Results showed that the trunk stiffness increases under small applied loads, peaks when the loads were further increased and decreases when higher loads are applied. A sensitivity analysis to muscle force-length relationship is provided to determine the model's limitations. This model pointed out the importance of taking into account the changes in muscle length to evaluate the effect of spinal loads beyond the safe limit that cannot be evaluated experimentally and to predict the trunk instability under vertical load.

[The contribution of home based exercise programme in case of osteoarthritis of the knee]. / Interet d'un programme d'auto reeducation a domicile dans la prise en charge de la gonarthrose.

BACKGROUND: Knee Osteoarthritis is the most frequent articular disease. It may cause disability and handicap. AIM OF THE STUDY: to assess the effect of a home based exercice programme in a Tunisian population having knee osteoarthritis, associated with medical treatment and education. METHODS: Prospective study during three months, including 34 Tunisian patients with knee osteoarthritis. A clinical and functional assessment of the patients was made using respectively the visual analogic scale for the pain, the Lequesne index, the Functional Independence Measure and the womac function score for the function, the HAQ and SF 36 for the assessment of the quality of life. RESULTS: Visual analogic scores for pain were reduced in the exercise group. Lequesne index scores reduced significantly in the exercise group and were unchanged in the controls. Quality of life was greater in the exercise group compared with the controls. CONCLUSION: Home based exercise programme contributes to relieving pain, maintaining function and to ameliorate the quality of life of people having knee osteoarthritis.

[Capsular distension and physical therapy in treatment of adhesive capsulitis]. / Association distension capsulaire et rééducation immediate dans la prise en charge de la rétraction capsulaire de l'épaule.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the efficacy of capsular distension combined with intraarticular glucocorticoid injections and immediate physical therapy in the treatment of adhesive capsulitis. METHOD: a prospective open study of patients with adhesive capsulitis. Clinical and radiological criteria was used for diagnosis. Clinical evaluation was realized before treatment, at the end of the treatment, after 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. It carried on: the measure of pain and handicap intensity by an Visual Analogue Scale, the algo-functional score of Constant, the measure of passive articular mobilities. We ended in a success of the treatment when the visual analogue scale of handicap < 30, the score of Constant >70, the passive abduction >90 and the external rotation (RE) >45 degrees. RESULTS: 19 patients were included, mean aged 56 years with capsular retraction evolving on average for 8.5 months. The parameters of evaluation of pain function and handicap improved significantly since the end of treatment. This improvement continued until 6 months after the treatment. Earning in articular amplitudes was significant since the end of treatment for forward extension and internal rotation. However, the improvement in abduction and internal rotation was significant only at 3 months. In spite of this early significant improvement in external rotation, 6 patients had an important limitation of the RE (<20 degrees). A subacromial bursography with steroid injection was proposed to them because subacromial bursa is almost consistently involved by retraction. Only, 4 patients among them accepted it. Out come was favorable in every case with a external rotation >45 degrees at I month of the treatment. The rate of success which was only 47.3% at the end of the treatment, is crossed in 73.6% at 1 month and reaches 89.4% at 6 months. CONCLUSION: The therapeutic association capsular distension, intraarticular steroid injections and physical therapy allows to shorten the course of adhesive capsulitis. Burso-infiltration seems to be effective as therapeutic complement in case of persistence of an articular limitation.