Effects of Intermittent Pneumatic Compression on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) in Long Distance Runners.

The purpose of this study was to observe the effectiveness of intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) on reducing C-reactive protein (CRP) and DOMS after long distance running. Ten distance runners, five males and five females, ages 20-53 years performed two 20-mile runs at 70% VO2 max. Each run was followed by either no treatment (control) or IPC treatment for five consecutive days. For the IPC run, participants were treated for one hour immediately following the run and daily for five more days thereafter. On control runs, participants did not receive any treatment. Serum CRP was measured pre- and post-run, and daily thereafter for five days for both trials. Results indicated no significant difference (p > 0.05) between control and treatment runs in CRP levels. Subjective pain ratings indicated no significant difference in pain between control and treatment runs. In conclusion, there appear to be no substantial benefits of IPC in promoting recovery.

Randomized controlled trial of SystemCHANGE™ weight management intervention in neurological conditions.

OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled pilot study examined the feasibility and efficacy of a SystemCHANGE™ (SC) weight management intervention in adults with either multiple sclerosis or stroke. METHODS: Participants (n = 61) were randomized into two interventions: SC, which taught skills to modify personal environments, or active-control (AC), which taught health behavior guidelines. Sessions were held weekly for 12 weeks. Feasibility measures included recruitment and attrition rates. The primary outcome of body weight and secondary outcomes of emotional well-being and healthy behaviors were measured before and after the interventions. RESULTS: Average recruitment rate was 3.6 participants per month. Attrition rate was 14.8%. On average, 9.1 sessions were completed for SC and 10.7 for AC. Differences in weight loss were non-significant between interventions (P = 0.182), but significantly declined across both interventions (P = 0.011). Physical activity (P = 0.002), depression (P < 0.001), anxiety (P = 0.023), and self-efficacy (P = 0.022) all significantly improved for SC compared to AC. CONCLUSIONS: SC was feasible to implement and efficacious in improving secondary outcomes of emotional well-being and healthy behaviors, but was not efficacious in improving the primary outcome of weight loss. More research is needed to optimize SC. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: SC might be an alternative approach to cognitive-behavioral therapy for promoting emotional well-being and healthy behaviors.

Tympanic Membrane Temperature and Hemispheric Cognitive Style.

The authors tested the hypothesis that there is a correlation between hemispheric cognitive style and ear temperature. A sample of 100 participants completed a measure of hemispheric cognitive style, the Hemispheric Consensus Prediction Profile. Ear temperatures were taken in 2 sessions, 2 times for each ear at each session. Average left ear temperature was subtracted from average right ear temperature as an index of dominant temperature. Only 56 of the participants showed a stable dominant ear temperature. For these 56 participants, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between scores on the Hemispheric Consensus Prediction Profile and tympanic member temperature (Spearman's  ρ =.29, 95% CI [.04,.51]). Individuals with a left hemispheric cognitive style tended to have a warmer left tympanic membrane temperature while those with a right hemispheric cognitive style tended to have a warmer right tympanic membrane temperature. Tympanic membrane temperatures are easily obtained using inexpensive and noninvasive technology. The relationship suggested by these findings may open new opportunities for the study of cerebral asymmetry.

Postactivation potentiation enhances swim performance in collegiate swimmers.

This study examined postactivation potentiation (PAP) and its effect on performance during sprint swimming. After maximal muscular contraction, the muscles are in both a potentiated and fatigued state. However, fatigue dissipates faster than potentiation, creating a window of opportunity for possible performance enhancement. We observed 30 collegiate swimmers (15 men and 15 women) performing 2 swim trials in a randomized order. The control trial involved a standard swim warm-up, followed by a 6-minute rest and by a maximal 100-m freestyle swim effort. The PAP trial involved the same protocol; however, a PAP loading protocol involved the subjects completing 4 maximal 10-m swims at a 1-minute interval while attached to a resistive power rack and was completed before the 6-minute rest. Fifty-meter splits and blood lactates were also analyzed. There was a significant improvement in 100-m freestyle swim time (0.54 seconds) for the PAP trial vs. the control trial (p = 0.029). Both men and women improved during the PAP trial compared with the control trial, and there was no significant gender interaction. We conclude that PAP substantially enhances 100-m freestyle performance in collegiate swimmers and presents a valid technique for competitive performance enhancement.

Interdisciplinary approach to the rehabilitation of an 18-year-old patient with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, using telerehabilitation technology.

We describe the use of telehealth technology in the rehabilitation of a college student with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The present telerehabilitation application was necessitated by the absence of a formal university-based pulmonary rehabilitation program at Texas State University-San Marcos. Patient referral, evaluation, and rehabilitation were accomplished via interdisciplinary efforts of 3 separate university entities. Initial referral was obtained from the student health center, with pulmonary evaluation provided by the respiratory care department. Commercially available telerehabilitation equipment was then utilized to resolve exercise supervision and physiologic data-acquisition concerns. Forty-five individualized exercise sessions were administered by physical therapists via telerehabilitation distance voice and vision technology. Results reveal no substantive changes in pulmonary function test results, but there was improvement in functional aerobic capacity. Given the reduced life expectancy associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, investigators were afforded a unique opportunity to study an adult patient with this condition. Further, it appears the combined application of telerehabilitation technology and interdisciplinary cooperation among university departments is efficacious in the identification, evaluation, and rehabilitation of students with selected pulmonary disorders.