Exercise program effects on women with fibromyalgia syndrome.

The purpose of this study (evaluation) was to examine the effects of an exercise program on 13 women with physician-diagnosed fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Participants engaged in exercise for 60 minutes each session. Group 1 (N=7) was in a 3-day-per-week program for 12 months, and group 2 (N= 6) was in a 3-day-per-week program for six months. Group 3 (N= 3) consisted of three participants from Group 1 who participated for six additional months past the 12-month period (total--18 months). Group 3 attended five sessions per week during the six additional months. All participants engaged in aerobic and resistance training. Information was collected on physical fitness, psychosocial, and FMS symptom variables. A majority of the participants appeared to experience a positive outcome on numerous measures of physical fitness, psychosocial factors, and FMS symptoms. Interview data support results. The 13 participants gained various benefits from the exercise program and functioned the same or better outside of the program. Implications for advising FMS patients relative to exercise are given for clinical nurse specialists.

Exercise, immunity, acute respiratory infections, and homebound older adults.

Appropriate exercise may enhance immune function and lessen acute upper and lower respiratory tract infection (ULRI) symptoms in older adults. Home health care professionals need to know about this potential exercise effect because increased disease resistance and well-being can have a direct impact on activities of daily living (ADL) and independence. This article discusses recent exercise immunology research results, briefly explains the pathways by which exercise might affect immunity and ULRI, and provides guidance for home health care personnel regarding the delivery of an exercise program for their clients.

Effects of walking on peak expiratory flow rate in four asthmatic children.

The effect of walking on peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) of four asthmatic children is reported. Subjects 1 and 2 exercised three days per week and Subjects 3 and 4 exercised two days per week during this 9-mo. study. Subjects 1 and 3 exercised for 10 wk., did not exercise for 11 wk., and exercised again for 11 wk. Subjects 2 and 4 did not exercise for 10 wk., exercised for 11 wk., and again did not exercise for 11 wk. Subjects 1, 2, and 4 had a higher mean PEFR during exercise than during no exercise, and Subject 3 had a lower mean PEFR during exercise than during no exercise. These results suggest that walking may positively influence PEFR of selected asthmatic children if factors such as environment, allergies, and medication side-effects can be controlled.

Psychological changes in exercising COPD patients.

The effects of regular aerobic exercise on state-trait anxiety (Spielberger) and Depression (Zung) were assessed for nine men and six women, 46-71 years of age, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Treatment subjects (N = 9) were evaluated prior to and following 14 and 28 weeks of exercise. Control subjects (N = 6) were evaluated at the same times but did not participate in the initial 14 weeks of exercise. The exercise regime consisted of stretching before and after 30 minutes of walking at about 50% of maximal oxygen uptake. Analyses showed the exercise intervention to have little impact on state-trait anxiety or depression scores. Anecdotal remarks and perceptions of the subjects suggest that further investigation of the relationship between exercise and psychological status of COPC patients is justified.

Cycling program effects on one rheumatoid arthritic.

These researchers investigated the effects of a progressive resistive, cycle ergometric exercise program on cardio-vascular endurance in one rheumatoid arthritic. The 46 yr. old, male subject exercised three days/week for 14 weeks. Workouts included interval-type training using 5 minute intervals for a total of 20-30 minutes (work rate set at 50-75 watts for each interval), not including 3-minute warm-up and cool-down periods (work rate set at zero resistance). Maximal exercise stress testing on the cycle ergometer was completed and blood samples collected before and after the exercise program. Also, psychological and physical health and lifestyle data were gathered before, during and after completion of the program. The conditioning program produced a training effect (greater than 75% of the HR max after the second exercise session) and blood values improved (10-28%) from the beginning to the end of the program. Finally, the program appeared to have a positive influence on various physical and psychological parameters as perceived by the subject and his wife.

Effects of gross motor training on attention-deficit behavior in one learning-disabled child.

The effects of gross motor training on attention-deficit behavior of one learning disabled boy were studied. An A-B-A-B reversal design was used with motor training administered during B phases and no motor training administered during A phases. At the end of each phase, data on motor coordination, self-concept, locus of control, and attention deficit were collected. Motor coordination, self-concept, locus of control, and teacher's ratings of attention-deficit behavior were more positive at the end of B phases than at the end of immediately previous A phases. Mother's ratings of attention-deficit were also more positive at the end of the first B phase than at the end of the first A phase but worsened from the end of the second A phase to the end of the second B phase.

Differential influence of various instructional factors on self-concepts of handicapped and non-handicapped children in mainstreamed physical education classes.

The purpose of this study was to determine the differential influence of students' expression of effort, school, teachers' expectations, sex, being handicapped/non-handicapped, grade, teachers, and race on self-concept of 28 handicapped and 108 non-handicapped children in mainstreamed physical education classes (K-3). The Martinek-Zaichkowsky Self-concept Scale measured self-concept and two unpublished tests were used to test students' expression of effort and teachers' expectations. A stepwise multiple regression technique was applied to self-concept to determine the comparative influence of the eight independent variables. Data analysis showed that three of the independent variables contributed significantly to the variability of self-concept. Students' expression of effort had the strongest influence followed by school and teachers' expectation of students' ability to reason.

Teachers' expectations for handicapped and non-handicapped children in mainstreamed physical education classes.

The purpose of this study was to describe the differences of 27 handicapped and 27 non-handicapped youngsters in terms of the teachers' expectation for their physical performance, social relations, cooperative behavior and ability to reason during physical education instruction. Matched pairs of handicapped and non-handicapped elementary school-aged children were taught by three elementary physical education specialists in mainstreamed physical education classes. At the beginning of the fall term, teachers were asked to rate their students according to how they expected them to perform in terms of the four expectancy variables. All three teachers had significantly lower expectations for the handicapped students' social relations with peers than the non-handicapped. Non-significant differences were found for the remaining expectancy variables.