Effect of task-oriented training on balance and motor function of ambulant children with cerebral palsy.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: The study evaluated the effect of task-oriented training (TOT) on the motor function (MF) and balance of ambulant children with cerebral palsy (CP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 46 children were randomised into TOT group (n=23) and Control Group (CG [n=23]), but 39 children complete the study. Balance and MF were assessed at baseline, 6th and 12th weeks and 6 weeks post-intervention. Data were analysed with repeated measures ANOVA, Friedman's, Mann-Whitney U, Student's-t and post hoc tests at α≤0.05. RESULTS: The two groups were comparable in all baseline scores (P>0.05). At the 6th week, significant between-group difference was observed in MF only [TOT=81.9 (18.5); CG=72.8 (19.4)] (P<0.05). There were significant between-group differences in MF [TOT=88.8 (9.4); CG=75.5 (18.5); P<0.05] and balance (TOT=9.4±4.5; CG=13.6±6.9; P<0.05) at the 12th week (P<0.05) and 6 weeks post-intervention (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: TOT improved the balance and MF of ambulant children with CP.

Time course of improvement of metabolic parameters after a 12 week physical exercise programme in patients with type 2 diabetes: the influence of gender in a Nigerian population.

Gender is a major determinant of the outcomes of many health interventions. This study documents the order of significant improvements in metabolic parameters of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) having metabolic syndrome within 12 weeks of physical exercise programmes. Twenty-nine patients, mean age 49.6 ± 3.7 years, presenting with high fasting plasma glucose, high triglycerides, hypertension, and high waist circumference undertook a thrice weekly aerobic and endurance exercise programme in addition to their drugs and diet. Variables were assessed at baseline and end of every two weeks for twelve weeks. Compared with baseline, significant improvement (P < 0.05) in the metabolic parameters occurred in this order for the male participants: fasting glucose (2nd week), triglycerides and waist circumference (4th week), and systolic blood pressure (12th week). For the female participants, it was fasting glucose (4th week), triglycerides (6th week), and waist circumference (10th week). Regardless of the gender, fasting glucose was the first to improve significantly, followed by triglycerides. Hypertension did not improve significantly at all in the female participants as they may require more than twelve weeks of therapeutic exercise for any significant improvement in hypertension.

Postpartum Exercise among Nigerian Women: Issues Relating to Exercise Performance and Self-Efficacy.

Physical exercise during postpartum period is beneficial to mothers, and the health gains are abundantly reported. This study characterises the postpartum exercise profile of a group of Nigerian women and reports how their exercise self-efficacies are influenced by sociodemographic characteristics. Participants were women attending the two largest postnatal clinics in Ibadan, south-western Nigeria. A self-developed questionnaire assessed the socio-demographic and exercise profile of participants, while the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale assessed their exercise self-efficacy. About two-third (61.0%) of the participants were not aware that they could undertake physical exercise to enhance postpartum health, and 109 (47.8%) were not engaged in any exercise. Those who exercised did so for less than three days/week, and 89% of the women did not belong to any exercise support group. Exercise self-efficacy was significantly (P < 0.05) associated with being in an exercise programme, age, employment, work hours/week, monthly income, and number of pregnancies. Most of the women were not aware they could engage in postpartum exercise, and about half were not undertaking it. More women with high compared to moderate exercise self-efficacy undertook the exercise. Efforts at increasing awareness, improving exercise self-efficacy and adoption of postpartum exercise are desirable among the Nigerian women.

Physical inactivity is associated with low self efficacy and social support among patients with hypertension in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND Physical inactivity is a major factor in the development of many chronic illnesses, including hypertension. Evidence highlighting links among physical activity participation and psychosocial constructs such as self efficacy, social support and perceived barriers among hypertensive patients in the Nigerian population is scarce. This study explored the associations between physical activity and each of self efficacy, social support and perceived barriers. METHODS Two hundred and twelve patients receiving treatment in two tertiary health institutions located in Ekiti State, Nigeria were surveyed cross-sectionally. Physical activity level, self efficacy, social support and perceived barriers were measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale, Medical Outcomes Social Support Scale and Exercise Benefits and Barrier Scale respectively. RESULTS Level of physical activity was significantly associated with self efficacy (r(s) = 0.67, p < 0.01, = 0.45) and social support (r(s) = 0.80, p < 0.01, = 0.64), with most participants (56.1%) being physically inactive. However, no association was found between physical activity level and perceived barriers (r(s) = 0.07, p > 0.01, = 0.005). CONCLUSION Most of the hypertensive patients presented with low levels of physical activity. Physical activity was associated with psychosocial constructs including self efficacy and social support but not with perceived barriers.

Effects of a12-week endurance exercise program on adiposity and flexibility of Nigerian perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Menopause is a sign of aging in the woman. Loss of ovarian function induces a reduction in resting metabolic rate, physical energy expenditure, fat-free mass and abdominal adipose tissue accumulation. Location of adipose tissue deposit in abdominal region plays an important role in occurrence of hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypertension and atherosclerosis. Although regular participation in physical exercise have been suggested to improve adiposity and body flexibility which are important health related components of physical fitness, few published studies are available on the effect of exercise on Nigerian menopausal women. This study investigated effects of a twelve-week endurance exercise program (EEP) on central and abdominal obesity as well as flexibility of perimenopausal and postmenopausal Nigerian women. The study employed a pretest- posttest control group design comprising a sample of 175 apparently healthy, literate, sedentary women within age range 40-59 years. They were workers in state and federal establishments in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria. Based on history of their last menstrual period, women with regular or irregular menstrual cycle status were allocated into perimenopausal group and those who no longer menstruated into postmenopausal group. A table of random numbers was used for further allocation into perimenopausal exercise group (PEMEG, 45), postmenopausal exercise group (POMEG, 45) perimenopausal control group (PEMCG, 42) and postmenopausal control group (POMCG, 43). Waist Hip Ratio (WHR), Body Mass Index (BMI) as well as Hip and Trunk Flexibility (HTF) were evaluated at baseline and 4weekly intervals until end of 12th week. EEP consisted of a 10-station circuit of cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, coordination, abdominal and pelvic floor muscle exercises. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Mean age of participants was 52.3±4.1 years, 95% C.I (51.64-52.88) years. Significant reduction occurred between baseline and end of 12th week mean values of WHR in PEMEG (0.86 ± 0.08 vs 0.71 ± 0.07)and POMEG groups (0.88± 0.06 vs0.77 ± 0.07) while significant increases were observed between baseline values and end of 12th week mean values of HTF in PEMEG (18.84 ± 4.23vs28.27± 3.82) and POMEG (19.51 ± 4.02vs25.97± 2.36) (p<0.05). Significant changes did not occur in BMI in both groups even though mean differences were observed in baseline values compared with end of 12th week mean values of these variables. In PEMCG and POMCG groups, there were no observable changes in mean values of WHR, BMI and HTF from baseline to end of study. Participation in endurance exercise program is essential for perimenopausal and postmenopausal Nigerian women for improved central and abdominal adiposity as well as flexibility.

Endurance exercise effect on quality of life and menopausal symptoms in Nigerian women.

INTRODUCTION: Women in the menopausal stage of life usually have climacteric symptoms of hot flashes, back pain, sleeplessness, night sweats and increased risk of cardiovascular disorders. Although physical exercises have been documented to favourably alleviate some of these problems, there's a paucity of knowledge of their effects on menopausal women in Nigeria. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the effect of a twelve-week Endurance Exercise Programme (EEP) on quality of life(QOL) and menopausal symptoms in these women. METHODS: Participants were purposively recruited and assigned into perimenopausal and postmenopausal groups based on history of thier last menstrual period and from each of these groups randomized into: perimenopausal exercise group (PEMEG), postmenopausal exercise group (POMEG), perimenopausal control group (PEMCG) postmenopausal control group (POMCG). Quality of life (QOL), Menopausal symptoms - Back Pain (BP) and hot flashes (HF) among other variables, were evaluated at baseline and 4 weekly intervals. EEP consisted of a 10-station circuit of muscular and cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, coordination, abdominal and pelvic floor muscle exercises. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy five menopausal women, mean age 52.3 +/- 4.1 years. Significant changes occurred between baseline and end of 12th week mean values of PEMEG for QOL: 565.9 +/- 108.8 vs 725.0 +/- 42.9 and BP 4.42 +/- 1.7 vs 1.00 +/- 0.0. (p= 0.000). Also, in POMEG: QOL 558.3 +/- 127.7 vs 736.5 +/- 44.8; and BP 5.37 +/- 1.48 vs 1.88 +/- 1.18 (p=0.000). Significant changes in QOL and BP did not occur in the control groups. CONCLUSION: Routine participation in endurance exercise programme is recommended for menopausal women for improved QOL.

Low back pain prevalence amongst industrial workers in the private sector in Oyo State, Nigeria.

A cross sectional study was conducted in order to investigate the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) in industrial workers and the association between certain job--related tasks and the prevalence of low back pain. Data on 515 males and 89 females who were workers in the selected industries in the private sector in Ibadan City Oyo State Nigeria were collected using a self administered questionnaire and analyzed. The point prevalence of LBP in the workers was 59.7 percent while a 12 month prevalence of LBP was 59.5 percent. Job activities which involved sitting (P=0.03) and lifting (P=0.006) were significantly associated with occurrence of low back pain respectively while those which involved standing (P=0.61) and vibration (P=0.12) were not associated with the occurrence of LBP among the workers. Physical exercise or lack of it was not associated with LBP (P=0.96). Lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption (P=0.80), cigarette smoking (P=0.92) and tobacco snuff taking (P=0.26) were not associated with occurrence of LBP. In conclusion, the job related tasks that predisposed the industrial workers to low back pain included sitting and lifting activities while those of standing and vibration did not have any significant effect on the prevalence of LBP.

Dynamic balance and level of lesion in spinal cord injured patients.

This study investigated differences in the dynamic balance of patients with different levels of spinal cord injury (SCI) as well as the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of the modified functional reach test (MFRT). Twenty non-standing Spinal Cord Injured patients (13 males and 7 females) with mean age of 43.15 years (S.D = 10.03 years) participated in the study. They were categorised into three groups based on the level of spinal cord lesion. Group 1 comprised of 8 subjects with C5-T1, quadriplegia, group 2 comprised of 6 subjects with T6-T8 paraplegia and group 3 comprised of 6 subjects with T10-L1 paraplegia. The dynamic balance of all subjects was assessed using the modified functional reach test. The data were summarized using descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation with further analysis using ANOVA and Pearson product correlation coefficient. The subjects with paraplegia showed higher functional reach (dynamic balance) than the quadriplegics but there was no significant difference in the functional reach values among the three groups. The ICC for MFRT was high and ranged from 0.981 to 0.992. The result of this study therefore seems to suggest that the MFRT cannot be used to classify patients with different levels of SCI.

Effects of adrenoceptor blockers on the glycemic response to nicotine in thyroidectomised rats.

The effect of adrenoceptor blockers on nicotine induced hyperglycemia were studied in fasted normal and thyroidectomised rats. Blood glucose was estimated using the modified glucose oxidase method. The control experiments consisted of sham operated rats with intact thyroid glands. Pre-treatment of the rats with either the alpha adrenoceptor blocker prazosin or the beta adrenoceptor blocker propranolol before intravenous injection of nicotine (50 micrograms/kg) significantly reduced the hyperglycemia induced by nicotine in normal rats, while a combination of propranolol and prazosin abolished nicotine induced hyperglycemia. In the thyroidectomised group, nicotine also caused hyperglycemia. However, the basal glucose level and peak of glycemic response were lowered compared to that in the control group. The results therefore seem to suggest that both alpha and beta adrenoceptors are involved in nicotine-induced hyperglycemia in the rat.