Long-Term Benefits of Tailored Exercise in Severe Sarcoidosis: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: We studied the effects of a supervised, structured exercise program in a severe sarcoidosis patient. METHODS: After being clinically stable for two years, a 52-year-old woman (stage IV, American Thoracic Society) who originally had irreversible lung fibrosis, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), mild mitral insufficiency, and atrial dilatation, and was candidate for lung transplant, performed a combined high-intensity interval, high load resistance, and inspiratory muscle training for 4.5 years, and was tested (cardiopulmonary exercise testing and dual X-ray absorptiometry) every six months. RESULTS: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and maximal pulmonary ventilation increased by 44% and 60%, respectively. Ventilatory efficiency also improved (decrease in the ventilatory equivalent for oxygen by 32% and 14% at the ventilatory threshold and respiratory compensation point, respectively). She improved New York Heart Association (NYHA) class (from III to II), and cardiac alterations as well as PAH reversed so that she was not in need of lung transplantation anymore. Likewise, she suffered no more episodes of hemoptysis. Bone health was overall maintained despite the post-menopausal status and the corticoid treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A long-term combined exercise intervention safely contributed-at least partly-to improve CRF and NYHA class in a patient with severe sarcoidosis, suggesting a potential coadjuvant effect to attenuate clinical manifestations.

Effects of intra-set rest on the ability to repeat work at maximal isometric strength.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this paper was to analyze how the rest between interval repetitions in intra-set training (at maximal isometric loads) could affect the ability to repeat maximal contractions in subjects with different levels of performance and different experience in strength development work. METHODS: Twenty subjects were divided randomly into two different groups depending on their sport characteristics: ten subjects were trained in strength development work (Group Strenght--23.1±4.6 years; 172.0±5.3 cm; 79.9±12.1 kg; 2175.6±490.8 N; 46.9±4.9 mL/kg.min), and ten subjects were trained in endurance work (Group Endurance--21.3±4.5 years; 172.4±4.1 cm; 60.0±4.6 kg; 815.5±206.5 N; 67.4±4.9 mL/kg.min). To assess the ability to repeat maximal efforts, 20 repetitions of 5 seconds were performed in a half-squat position, with 1 minute of rest between repetitions. RESULTS: For both groups, four different phases were observed in the Interval Maximal Force test during the 20-repetition assessment: potentiation, maintenance, moderate loss, and significant loss. For the GE, the loss in maximum strength capacity began in the fourth repetition (GS4th: 3.4%, ns, Effect Size: 0.09 vs. GE3th: 1.6%; ns; ES: 0.06) and reached a statistically significant value in the twelfth repetition (GS12th: 12.7%, P=0.03, ES: 0.35 vs. GE7th: 12.5%; P=0.01; ES: 0.49). The number of repetitions at which the strength began to decrease depended on the subject's sport characteristic and performance level. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows how an appropriate intra-set rest inclusion can significantly increase the work performed in every set without changing the muscle contraction characteristics, thus delaying muscle fatigue and maintaining the desired training objective.

Aplicación de la variabilidad de la frecuencia cardiaca al control del entrenamiento deportivo: análisis en modo frecuencia / Application of heart rate variability in sports training control: frequency mode analysis

Las señales biológicas son utilizadas como herramientas para el control y evaluación de las cargas de entrenamiento o los efectos agudos y crónicos que provocan en el organismo del deportista. Este parámetro aún hoy puede ser considerado el más popular de los indicadores de carga empleado por atletas y entrenadores. Cada individuo en condiciones de reposo posee un ritmo natural que, a diferencia de lo que pudiéramos pensar, dista mucho de ser estable. Esto resulta una circunstancia excepcional para su aplicación al entrenamiento deportivo. Estas variaciones es lo que conocemos como Variabilidad del Ritmo Cardiaco. El ritmo cardiaco depende directamente del sistema nervioso autónomo o vegetativo, el cual influye también sobre numerosas funciones del organismo rol y evaluación de las cargas de entrenamiento o los efectos agudos y crónicos que provocan en el organismo del deportista. Su control es dependiente de un elevado número de factores, internos y externos, los cuales varían significativamente durante el ejercicio o en situaciones en las que el organismo altera su situación habitual de funcionamiento. Así, podemos observar como durante el ejercicio el balance simpático-vagal depende de la intensidad y duración del ejercicio. Algunos autores proponen que hasta intensidades de aproximadamente el 50% del VO2max los cambios en la variabilidad del ritmo cardiaco se deben principalmente a la disminución de la descarga parasimpático acompañada de un aumento progresivo de la influencia simpática. Encima de esta intensidad la frecuencia cardiaca y sus oscilaciones pasan a estar prioritariamente influenciados por la actividad simpática. En estas situaciones, las oscilaciones del RC también dependen de dos procesos oscilatorios que actúan como mecanismos de retroalimentación: respiración (arritmia sinorespiratoria); presión arterial (influencia barorrefleja). Estos mecanismos, su evaluación, metodología y herramientas de control, son los aspectos que vamos a analizar en esta revisión (AU)

Biological signals are often used as a tool for the control and evaluation of the training loads or for the evaluation of the acute and chronic effects in the organism of athletes. The Heart Rate is still considered nowadays as the most popular of load indicators among athletes and coaches. Every single individual, in rest conditions, has a natural rhythm but unlike we might think, is far from stable. This is an exceptional circumstance for the application in the athletic training. These variations are known as Heart Rate Variability. The Heart Rate depends directly on autonomic or vegetative nervous system. In turn, it influences on several functions of the organism, training loads evaluation and in the acute and chronic effects produced in the organism of the athlete. The control of this parameter depends on a high number of factors, internals and externals, which vary significantly throughout the exercise time or in situations where the body alters normal operating situation. Thus, we can observe that during exercise the sympathetic -vagal balance is dependent of the intensity and duration of the exercise. Some authors suggest that up 50% VO2max approximately, HRV changes are mainly due to the decreased parasympathetic discharge accompanied by a progressive increase of the sympathetic influence. Above this intensity, HR and its oscillations are primarily influenced by sympathetic activity. In these situations, HR oscillations are also dependents of two oscillatory processes which work as feedback mechanism: breathing (Respiratory sinus arrhythmia) and blood pressure (baroreflex influence). These mechanisms, assessment, methodology and control tools are the issues we will discuss in this review (AU)

Determining the optimal whole-body vibration dose-response relationship for muscle performance.

Da Silva-Grigoletto, ME, de Hoyo, M, Sañudo, B, Corrales, L, and García-Manso, JM. Determining the optimal whole-body vibration dose-response relationship for muscle performance. J Strength Cond Res 25(12): 3326-3333, 2011-The aim of this investigation was twofold: first, to determine the optimal duration of a single whole-body vibration (WBV) exposure (phase 1) and second to find out the ideal number of sets per intervention to maximize muscle performance (phase 2). All participants were young (age: 19.4 ± 1.6 years), healthy, physically active men. In both studies, a 30-Hz frequency and a 4-mm peak-to-peak displacement were used. In phase 1, subjects (n = 30) underwent 3 sets of different durations (30, 60, and 90 seconds), whereas in phase 2, subjects (n = 27) underwent 3 interventions where the duration remained fixed at 60 seconds, and the number of sets performed (3, 6, or 9) was modified. The recovery time between sets was set at 2 minutes. In all interventions, each set consisted of 1 isometric repetition in a squat position with knees flexed at 100°. Before and after each session, jump height (countermovement jump [CMJ] and squat jump [SJ]) and power output in half squat (90° knee flexion) were assessed. In phase 1, an improvement in jump ability and power output was observed after the 30- and 60-second intervention (p < 0.01), whereas the 90 second intervention, participants just experienced a decrease in SJ and CMJ (p < 0.05). When comparing the different protocols, the greatest response was achieved using 60 seconds (p < 0.05), which was therefore considered as the optimal duration to be used in phase 2. In the second phase, improvements in jump ability and power output were found with 3 and 6 sets (p < 0.05), whereas with 9 sets, participants actually experienced a decrease in these variables. Intergroup comparison showed a greater effect for the program of 6 sets (p < 0.05). In conclusion, a WBV intervention consisting of six 60-second sets produces improved muscle performance measured by SJ, CMJ, and power output.

Relation between in-game role and service characteristics in elite women's volleyball.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the in-game role of players (setter, outside, middle, or opposite player) in elite women's volleyball is significantly related to the characteristics of their service. The sample consisted of 1,300 service deliveries (total serves for all matches) made by players in the 8 teams participating in 2 Final 4 stages of the Indesit European Champions League. The variables recorded were in-game role of the server, service type, speed of delivery, service area, target zone, and effectiveness of delivery. Results showed a significant relation between the server's in-game role and service type (p

Effect of hyperbaric pressure during scuba diving on autonomic modulation of the cardiac response: application of the continuous wavelet transform to the analysis of heart rate variability.

This study sought to determine the effects of hyperbaric pressure on heart rate modulation, by analyzing potential changes in heart rate variability (HRV). Ten divers were exposed to pressures of 1, 2, 3, and 4 atmospheres absolute (ATA). The test was performed in a hyperbaric chamber. Heart rate (HR) was recorded in supine subjects for 10 minutes per atmosphere. HRV was analyzed in the frequency mode (fast-Fourier transform and continuous wavelet transform). Results confirmed bradycardia as pressure increased. The drop in HR attained statistical significance after 2, 3, and 4 ATA. Signal energy (normalized TP values) rose progressively, becoming significant at 2 ATA. High frequency and low frequency displayed similar behavior in both cases. Although frequency band peaks did not yield clear results, continuous wave transform analysis showed that the frequency spectrum tended to shift into the high-frequency range as pressure increased. In summary, increased pressure prompted increased bradycardia, and HRV shifted into high-frequency range.

Acute and cumulative effects of different times of recovery from whole body vibration exposure on muscle performance.

This experiment was designed to assess the acute (Study I) and cumulative response (Study II) of muscle performance to differing recovery times after exposure to whole body vibration (WBV). All subjects (mean age 19.7 +/- 1.9) were healthy and physically active. In both studies, subjects were exposed to a WBV bout of 6 exposures of 60 seconds each, with frequency of 30 Hz and amplitude of 4 mm. In Study I, subjects (n = 30) underwent 3 trials (1 per day) on different days with a 2-day wash-out period between trials; each trial included either a 1, 2, or 3 minutes of recovery between exposures to WBV. All subjects underwent all trials, which were randomly assigned. Jump ability and muscle power were measured before and after each bout. In Study II, subjects (n = 45) underwent 12 sessions of WBV training in 4 weeks (3 bouts/wk). The subjects were randomly assigned to 1 of the following 3 groups: WBV with 1-minute recovery periods between exposures, WBV with 2-minute recovery periods between exposures, or control group. Jump ability, muscle power, and strength were measured before and after each bout. In the acute study (I), recovery times of 1 and 2 minutes enhanced all measured parameters (p < 0.05), with the 2-minute recovery being more effective. In the long-term study (II), however, although both periods also enhanced the measured parameters (p < 0.05), the 1-minute recovery proved more effective because the response was modified by systematic stimulation. In conclusion, 2-minute recovery periods provided the most effective acute enhancement of muscle activation, whereas the 1-minute recovery provided a more effective cumulative enhancement of muscle power and jump ability.

Middle and long distance athletics races viewed from the perspective of complexity.

Middle and long distance athletics races behave as power-laws when time (or average speed) and distance are related, thus suggesting the presence of critical phenomena. Power-laws as a function of the athlete's position in the all-time world ranking allows us to define a Performance Index that reveals the existence of possible multifractal structures associated to the natural barriers to that the athletes tend in their evolution towards better results and in pursuit of world records. The new theories of self-organized critical phenomena provide an explanation for the power-law and fractal structures in systems at, or near, their critical points. In this paper we analyse the athletic races using these theories and as a result of this study a new variety of interpretations are posited.