Analysis of lower limb muscle strength characteristics of amateur runners with patellofemoral pain: A cross-sectional study.

To analyze the lower limb muscle strength characteristics of amateur runners with patellofemoral pain (PFP). Sixty amateur runners (30 in the knee pain group, 30 in the control group) underwent measurements of hip abduction strength, knee extension strength, and knee flexion strength. Additionally, the hamstring/quadriceps ratio and limb strength symmetry index were calculated for all participants. Statistical analyses were conducted using linear mixed models. The hip abduction and knee extensors strength of amateur runners with PFP was significantly lower than that of the control group. The hamstring/quadriceps ratio was significantly higher in the male knee pain group compared to the control group, while no significant difference was found between the female knee pain group and the control group. Furthermore, both the hip abduction strength symmetry index and knee extensors symmetry index were significantly lower in the knee pain group compared to the control group. Amateur runners with PFP exhibit distinct lower limb strength characteristics compared to non-knee pain runners. Additionally, differences in lower limb strength characteristics between male and female amateur runners with PFP were observed. These findings emphasize the importance of considering functional and gender differences in PFP rehabilitation training.

Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation enhances response inhibition and attention allocation in fencers.

Background: The aim of this study is to investigate the acute effects of anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on reaction time, response inhibition and attention in fencers. Methods: Sixteen professional female fencers were recruited, and subjected to anodal tDCS and sham stimulation in the primary motor area (M1) one week apart in a randomized, crossover, single-blind design. A two-factor analysis of variance with repeated measures was used to analyze the effects of stimulation conditions (anodal stimulation, sham stimulation) and time (pre-stimulation, post-stimulation) on reaction time, response inhibition, and attention in fencers. Results: The study found a significant improvement in response inhibition and attention allocation from pre-stimulation to post-stimulation following anodal tDCS but not after sham stimulation. There was no statistically significant improvement in reaction time and selective attention. Conclusions: A single session of anodal tDCS could improve response inhibition, attention allocation in female fencers. This shows that tDCS has potential to improve aspects of an athlete's cognitive performance, although we do not know if such improvements would transfer to improved performance in competition. However, more studies involving all genders, large samples, and different sports groups are needed in the future to further validate the effect of tDCS in improving the cognitive performance of athletes.

Anodal high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation reduces heart rate and modulates heart-rate variability in healthy young people: A randomized cross-controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate whether anodal high-definition transcranial current stimulation (HD-tDCS) over the left dorsolateral pre-frontal cortex (DLPFC) could modulate the heart rate (HR) and heart-rate variability (HRV) in healthy young people. Methods: Forty healthy young people were enrolled in this randomized crossover trial. The participants were randomized to receive anodal HD-tDCS (n = 20) or sham HD-tDCS (n = 20) over the left DLPFC with a washout period of 1 week. Electrocardiogram (ECG) data were continuously recorded 20 min before the stimulation, during the session (20 min), and 20 min after the session. HR and the time- and frequency-domain indices of the HRV were measured to investigate the activity of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Results: Anodal HD-tDCS over the left DLPFC induced a significant decrease in HR and a significant increase in the average of normal-to-normal intervals (AVG NN), low-frequency (LF) power, total power (TP), and LF/high-frequency (HF) ratio in comparison with the sham stimulation and the baseline. However, sham HD-tDCS over the left DLPFC had no significant effect on HR or HRV. Conclusions: Anodal HD-tDCS over the left DLPFC could reduce HR and modulate the HRV in healthy young people. HD-tDCS may show some potential for acutely modulating cardiovascular function.

Effects of regular dance therapy intervention on blood pressure in hypertension individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Dance therapy is a non-conventional aerobic exercise in cardiovascular rehabilitation. This meta-analysis aimed to update and assess evidence from randomized controlled trials of dance therapy on patients with hypertension. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: PubMed, web of science, EBSCO, EMBESE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases in English or Chinese were searched and randomized controlled trials were conducted for this meta-analysis to investigate the effects of dance therapy on blood pressure in hypertension patients. Weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Heterogeneity was assessed by I2 test. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Five studies were included according to the eligibility criteria. Dance therapy could significantly reduce the systolic/diastolic pressure of hypertension individuals (SBP:WMD -11.07mmHg; 95%CI, -14.3 to -8.12mmHg, P<0.00001;DBP:WMD-4.16mmHg;95% CI, -6.44to-1.88mmHg, P=0.0004) when compared with the control group. low heterogeneity was observed in this research (P=0.65; I2=0% to SBP; P=0.57; I2 =0% to DBP). Subgroup analysis results showed that the subgroup of less than 12 weeks intervention group reduce the blood pressure more than those of 12 weeks intervention. Dance therapies reduce the SPB of hypertension individuals in African region better than Europe and America hypertension population. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the limited number of studies and people involved, the meta-analysis further demonstrated that dance therapy could reduce SBP and DBP in patients with hypertension. The effect of dance therapy intervention on hypertension might be related to duration of intervention and population gene.