Breaking boundaries: the transformative role of exercise in managing multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a prevalent cause of physical disability in adults, with inflammation-induced demyelination and neurodegeneration contributing to its etiology. This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted benefits of exercise in managing MS, including improvements in aerobic capacity, balance, muscle strength, immune and hormonal functions and mood. Various exercise modalities, such as aerobic, resistance, flexibility, and balance training, are discussed, along with tailored protocols for MS patients. Recommended exercise strategies are: aerobic exercise: 2-3x/week; 10-30 minutes (40 %-60 % of maximum heart rate (HRmax), HIIT: 1x/week, five 30-90-second intervals at 90 %-100 % HRmax, Resistance training: 2-3x/week, 5-10 exercises; 1-3 sets for each exercise, 8-15 repetitions/set. The review also examines the impact of exercise on neuroplasticity, cardiovascular responses, cytokine modulation, stress hormone regulation, brain structure, and function and fatigue perception. Emphasizing the importance of exercise in enhancing the quality of life for individuals with MS, the review proposes exercise prescriptions and highlights the promising link between physical activity, brain health, and improved hormonal and immune status in MS patients. This review aims to inform future research and guide clinical practices for effective MS management.

Lighting the way: Exploring diurnal physical performance differences in school-aged visually impaired children and adolescents.

Circadian rhythms play a pivotal role in governing various physiological processes, including physical performance. However, in individuals deprived of light perception, such as the blind, these circadian rhythms face disruption. This study aimed to explore the influence of disturbed circadian rhythms on short-term maximal physical performance in children and adolescents with visual impairment. Forty-five volunteers participated in this study, comprising 17 blind, 13 visually impaired, and 15 sighted participants. The participants underwent a series of tests assessing maximal isometric strength performance across two days. To mitigate the influence of morning session fatigue on the evening results, each participant group performed in two separate testing sessions (i.e. in the morning (7:00 h) and in the evening (17:00 h)) on non-consecutive days in a randomized and counterbalanced setting, with approximately 36 h of recovery time between sessions. To mitigate the impact of inter-individual differences on mean values and to account for the influence of age and sex on the studied variables, data were normalized. The outcomes revealed a significant diurnal variation in maximal isometric strength performance among sighted individuals, with peak performance observed in the evening. This pattern aligns with their well-entrained circadian rhythm. In contrast, blind and visually impaired individuals did not display significant diurnal variation, signaling disrupted circadian rhythms due to the absence of light perception. These findings emphasize the crucial consideration of circadian rhythms in assessments of physical performance, especially among participants with visual impairments.

Investigating the potential link between lunar cycle and multiple sclerosis relapses: a call for further studies.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating disease that causes inflammation of the central nervous system, resulting in myelin damage and axon degeneration. Although the cause of MS remains unknown, various factors such as sex, latitude, sun exposure, serum vitamin D levels, Epstein Barr Virus infection, diet, microbiota and ethnicity are being studied for their potential roles in the development of the disease. While chronobiological factors such as circadian rhythm and seasonality have been explored for their potential influence on the onset, exacerbation, and/or relapses of MS, the potential influence of the lunar cycle on MS has yet to be studied. Therefore, the authors of this letter call for future studies to investigate the possible effects of the lunar cycle on MS activity and course, given evidence suggesting that the lunar cycle may affect sleep, fatigue, melatonin secretion, and mood state in humans. A deeper understanding of the chronobiology of MS could have practical implications for the development of chronotherapeutic strategies and the prevention or mitigation of MS relapses, potentially improving the quality of life of MS patients.

Biological Responses to Short-Term Maximal Exercise in Male Police Officers.

The specifics of short-term physical exercise are similar to the immediate reaction demands placed on police officers. Identifying the physiological predisposition to short-term high-intensity exercise in male law enforcement officers will assist in understanding their metabolism and make a significant contribution to a much more personal and individualized workout program. This will improve physical fitness of individual officers, improving their preparedness for such times of emergency. This cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the responses of hematological (erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit, leucocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes), hormonal (testosterone, cortisol, melatonin), biochemical (glucose, uric-acid, lactate, creatine-phosphokinase) data to short-term maximal exercise in male police officers (n = 20). Blood samples were collected before- and after- the running-based anaerobic sprint test (RAST), and biological values were corrected for fluid shifts. Data were mean ± standard deviation of differences (= after minus before RAST). After the RAST, values of cortisol, lactate, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes increased significantly by 7.01 ± 37.36 mmol/l, 7.55 ± 1.67 mmol/l, 0.17 ± 0.26 103/µl, 0.61 ± 0.28 103/µl, and 0.10 ± 0.13 103/µl, respectively. After the RAST, values of melatonin, uric-acid, creatine-phosphokinase, hemoglobin, and hematocrit decreased significantly by -13.24 ± 4.60 pg/ml, -13.28 ± 14.35 µmol/l, -10.23 ± 10.13 IU/l, -2.01 ± 0.81 g/dl, and -4.46 ± 0.59%, respectively. Biological data of male police officers were affected by sprint test. Understanding changes in biological data following short-term maximal exercise can further assist in a better understanding of anaerobic metabolism, which will be helpful to find available methods for coaches to quantify training loads.

The effect of Ramadan fasting on the morning-evening difference in team-handball-related short-term maximal physical performances in elite female team-handball players.

The combined effect of Ramadan fasting and the time of theday on the physical performance of team-handball players has not yet been fully investigated. This study investigated the effects of Ramadan fasting on the morning-evening difference in team-handball-related short-term maximal physical performance. With acounterbalanced study design, 15 elite female team-handball players underwent the hand grip (HG), ball throwing velocity (BTV), modified agility T-test (MAT), and repeated shuttle-sprint and jump ability (RSSJA) tests at 07:00 h and 17:00 h, one week before Ramadan (BR), and during thesecond (SWR) and fourth week of Ramadan (4WR). The oral temperature (OT) was monitored prior to exercise and the ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) scale were obtained after RSSJA. The results showed that the time of theday had an effect on OT under all conditions. The HG, BTV, and MAT test performances were higher in the evening than in the morning BR (P< .001, P< .05, and P< .001, respectively). However, the diurnal variation noted in the HG and MAT tests was reversed during the SWR and 4WR, while the BTV variation was blunted during the SWR and reversed during the 4WR. The best RSSJA performance was observed in the evening BR. However, for the best and mean sprint times, areversal of this diurnal variation was observed, which was blunted for the mean jump height and sprint time decrement during Ramadan. Moreover, RPE were influenced by the time of theday and the month of Ramadan. These findings suggest that the diurnal variation of team-handball-related short-term maximal physical performance may be reversed and/or blunted during Ramadan fasting.

The effect of diurnal variation on the performance of exhaustive continuous and alternated-intensity cycling exercises.

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of time of day (TD) on two types of exercise protocols [continuous (CP) versus alternated (AP)]. Eleven physical education students (mean ± SD: age = 24.4 ± 1.2 years, aerobic peak power (APP) = 290 ± 31.9 W) underwent four sessions. These sessions were performed at 08:00 (AM) and 18:00 (PM) and consisted of cycling exercises until voluntary exhaustion at 90% APP (CP) or 70%-105% APP (AP) with the order of testing randomly assigned. Time to exhaustion (time limit = Tlim) was measured from the start of the test to when voluntary exhaustion occurred. Heart rate (HR) was recorded at baseline (HRbaseline) and throughout the protocols to determine HR at exhaustion (HRpeak). Blood lactate ([La]) was measured at rest, immediately after exhaustion and at 2min30 post-exercise to determine [La]peak. A significantly higher means of Tlim (334 ± 57 s; 272 ± 59 s; p< 0.05), HRbaseline (72 ± 5 beats/min; 67 ± 5 beats/min; p< 0.01), HRpeak (186 ± 8 beats/min; 178 ± 9 beats/min; p< 0.01) and [La]peak (16.2 ± 2.1 mmol/l; 13.9 ± 1.9 mmol/l; p< 0.05) were observed in CP at the PM compared to the AM. In addition, a significant higher means of Tlim (380 ± 54 s; 312 ± 82 s; p< 0.05), HRbaseline (73.1 ± 5.5 beats/min; 67 ± 5.4 beats/min; p< 0.01), HRpeak (186 ± 8 beats/min; 180 ± 9 beats/min; p< 0.05) and [La]peak (17.9 ± 1.8 mmol/l; 14.7 ± 2.1 mmol/l; p< 0.01) were observed in AP at the PM compared to the AM. It is concluded that AP and CP are more appropriate in the late afternoon than in the morning for performing long-lasting exercises. The AP could be a novel strategy for increasing the engagement in physical activity.

The COVID-19 pandemic: how to maintain a healthy immune system during the lockdown - a multidisciplinary approach with special focus on athletes.

On January 31, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of a novel coronavirus responsible for an infection termed COVID-19 as a global public health emergency. To slow the spread of the coronavirus, countries around the world have been implementing various measures, including school and institutional closures, lockdown and targeted quarantine for suspected infected individuals. More than a third of the world's population have been home confined less than 4 months after the start of the outbreak. The present article aims to advise healthy individuals and athletes who are in lockdown regarding their lifestyle in order to keep healthy, safe and fit. The advice contained in the present article could apply to anyone aiming at remaining in good physical and mental health while forced to undergo lockdown, quarantine, or limited movement (movement control order). Boosting the immune system is crucial during such periods for confined people and especially for confined athletes. Specific recommendations must be followed concerning boosting the immune system through physiological and psychological management. This article analyses the available scientific evidence in order to recommend a practical approach, focusing on nutrition, intermittent fasting or caloric restriction, vitamin D insufficiency, sleep pattern, exercise, and psychodynamic aspects as factors impacting the immune system and human health in general.

Does the moon cycle affect the physical endurance, balance, reaction-time, mood state and well-being in trained athletes?

BACKGROUND: Fascination with the moon has spanned millennia. It has recently been asserted that the moon cycle affects endurance performance in untrained individuals. The present study aimed at investigating the effects of the lunar cycle on intermittent endurance physical performance, balance and reaction-time capabilities, and selected physiological and psychological parameters in trained athletes. METHODS: Twelve male Taekwondo athletes (age, 22.3±0.8 years; height, 178.8±6.5 cm; body mass, 72.75±7.28 kg; %body fat, 13.9±3.6%) performed the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level-1 (YYIRT), the Y-balance test (YBT), and a reaction-time test (RT) during different lunar cycle phases (new moon (NM), full moon (FM), and half-moon). Participants' psychological profiles and well-being indices (i.e. a profile of mood state (POMS) and Hooper Index) were also taken during each moon phase. The testing sessions during the different moon phases were performed in a counterbalanced order. The tests order remained the same (POMS, then Hooper index, RT, YBT, YYIRT and rating of perceived exertion scale (RPE)), and all sessions were performed at noon (11:00 to 13:00 h) during the first day of each evaluated lunar phase. RESULTS: Analysis of variance tests showed that no significant differences were found between the three moon phases in all analyzed variables. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that the different lunar cycle phases did not have significant effects on the selected physical performances and psychological indices in trained athletes.

Lunacy revisited - the myth of the full moon: are football injuries related to the lunar cycle?

Previous literature suggests that human behaviour and physiology are somehow altered by the moon-cycle, with particular emphasis on poorer sleep quality and increased aggressive behaviour during full moon. The latter variables can negatively impact athletes' recovery and increase the likelihood of injury resulting from collision with another athlete. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the association between the lunar cycle and injury risk in professional football players (soccer). We monitored injuries and player exposure in the premier professional league in Qatar during four consecutive seasons (2013-2014 through 2016-2017). Acute (sudden-onset traumatic) injuries (n = 1184; 587 from contact with another player and 597 without player contact) recorded during matches and training were classified according to the lunar cycle characteristics on the date of injury: (i) moon illumination, (ii) lunar distance from earth and (iii) tidal coefficient, acquired from the lunar calendar and tide tables. We used a Poisson regression model to examine the relationship between injury risk and lunar cycle characteristics. We did not detect any association between injury risk and moon illumination, earth-to-moon distance or tidal coefficient, not for all acute injuries, nor for contact and non-contact injuries when examined separately. The findings suggest that the full moon or new moon or the gravitational pull have no effect on football injuries. Thus, organisers need not consult moon or tide tables when planning future event schedules.

Effects of lunar phases on short-term, explosive physical performance among young trained athletes.

Beliefs that lunar phases affect human physiology started in ancient times. Research has recently revealed that a physical fitness index increased in sedentary students at the new moon (NM) and full moon (FM) compared to other moon phases. However, the effect of lunar cycle (moon illumination and gravitational pull) on physical performance in athletes was not examined. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate whether short-term explosive performance can be influenced by the different phases of the lunar cycle. Fourteen young male Taekwondo athletes (age: 16.9 ± 0.7 years, height: 159.7 ± 50.6 cm, body mass: 62.85 ± 7.84 kg) performed the following tests to assess the explosive physical performance during the different phases of the lunar cycle (NM, FQ (first quarter), FM, and LQ (last quarter)): maximal isometric manual contraction (dominant hand (MIMCD) and non-dominant hand (MIMCND)), maximal back isometric contraction (MBIC), squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and 10-m sprint (10 m). The testing sessions during the different moon phases were performed in a counterbalanced order. The order of tests remained the same (MIMCD, MIMCND, MBIC, SJ, CMJ, and 10 m), and all sessions were performed in the evening (6:00 to 8:00 p.m.) on the first day of each evaluated lunar phase. Each parameter was measured over two consecutive lunar months in the calendar. Analysis of variance tests showed that there was no significant effect of lunar cycle on all explosive test measures, p > 0.05. Our results failed to identify any effect of lunar phase on evening explosive performance (mainly involving phosphagen pathway-based efforts) among young trained athletes. Therefore, it appears that moon phase/illumination does not affect short-term physical performance in young trained adolescents.

Cardiac parasympathetic reactivation after small-sided soccer games and repeated sprints in untrained healthy adolescents.

BACKGROUND: It has been shown that recreational soccer was a highly motivating and social activity which produces large improvements in health-related indices in sedentary healthy and unhealthy subjects. The purpose of this study was to compare the acute parasympathetic reactivation after small-sided soccer games (SSG) and repeated sprints training (RST) sessions. METHODS: Eight post-pubertal untrained adolescents (age 15.8±0.6 years, body mass 59.1±3.7 kg, height 1.7±0.1 m) performed a RST, SSG and a control session in a counterbalanced order. Heart rate variability (HRV) indices in time and frequency domain, heart rate recovery and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were evaluated. RESULTS: RPE was significantly lower after SSG compared with RST (P=0.02, ES=1.1). There was a significant decrease in mean R-R intervals after RST (difference: -19.6%, P<0.01, ES=1.7) and after SSG (-19.2%, P<0.01, ES=2.3). A significant decrease was also noted in SDNN after RST (-26.6%, P=0.02, ES=1.8) and SSG (-37.8%, P=0.01, ES=1.1). For RMSSD, a significant decrease was observed only after SSG (48%, P=0.01, ES=1.3). No significant change in all HRV indices after the control condition. CONCLUSIONS: SSG and RST elicited high and similar heart rates responses. A low parasympathetic reactivation during early recovery was noted after both RST and SSG. These results were important especially for clinician looking to prescribe repeated sprint or small-sided game for sedentary subjects.

One night of partial sleep deprivation increased biomarkers of muscle and cardiac injuries during acute intermittent exercise.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two types of partial sleep deprivation (PSD) on biomarkers of muscle and cardiac injuries in response to acute intermittent exercise in professional athletes. METHODS: In a counterbalanced order, ten healthy male Taekwondo athletes were asked to perform the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test (YYIRT) in three conditions, allowing a 36 h recovery period in between: 1) following a full night of habitual sleep known as a reference sleep night (RN); 2) following PSD in the beginning of the night (PSDBN); and 3) following PSD in the end of the night (PSDEN). Heart rate (HR) and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) were measured during exercise. Blood samples were taken just before and 3 min after the YYIRT to measure biomarkers related to muscle and cardiac injuries (BRMCI). RESULTS: No significant effect of PSD was observed for physiological parameters (i.e., HR and SaO2). However, a significant alteration of resting ultra-sensitive C-reactive protein (us-CRP) (P<0.05) and myoglobin (MYO) (P<0.01) levels was detected after PSDEN. Furthermore, all BRMCI were altered by exercise. Likewise, compared to RN, PSD affected creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and MYO levels in response to exercise (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicates that PSDEN increase the resting us-CRP and MYO levels, and that the two types of PSD increase the CPK and MYO levels in response to acute intermittent exercise, among Taekwondo athletes, in the evening of the following day. However, no rise of the physiological responses has been observed after the two types of PSD, at rest and in response to the exercise.

Morning-evening difference of team-handball-related short-term maximal physical performances in female team handball players.

This study investigated the two different time-of-day effect on team-handball-related short-term maximal physical performances. At two different time-of-day, fifteen young female team handball players performed different physical tests: HandGrip (HG) test, Ball-Throwing Velocity (BTV) test, Modified Agility T-test (MAT) and Repeated Shuttle-Sprint and Jump Ability (RSSJA) test. Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale was determined following the termination of the last test. Measurements were performed at two separate testing sessions (i.e., in the morning (7:00-8:30 h) and in the early evening (17:00-18:30 h)) in a randomised and counter-balanced setting on non-consecutive days. The results showed that HG (P = 0.0013), BTV (P = 0.0027) and MAT (P < 0.001) performances were better in the evening compared with the morning. During RSSJA, both best and mean sprint times were shorter in the evening compared to the morning (P < 0.001). Moreover, during the latter test, mean jump performance was higher in the evening compared to the morning (P = 0.026). However, there was no morning-evening difference in the best jump performance during RSSJA. Likewise, jump performance decrement was not affected by the time-of-day of testing. On the other hand, RPE fluctuated, with morning nadirs and afternoon/early evening highest values. The findings suggest that in female team handball players, team-handball-related short-term maximal physical performances were better in the afternoon than in the morning.

Does one night of partial sleep deprivation affect the evening performance during intermittent exercise in Taekwondo players?

Athletes and coaches believe that adequate sleep is essential for peak performance. There is ample scientific evidence which support the conclusion that sleep loss seems to stress many physiological functions in humans. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of one night's sleep deprivation on intermittent exercise performance in the evening of the following day. Ten male Taekwondo players performed the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test (YYIRT) in three sleep conditions (reference sleep night [RN], partial sleep deprivation at the beginning of night [PSDBN], partial sleep deprivation at the end of night [PSDEN]) in a counterbalanced order, allowing a recovery period ≥36 hr in between them. Heart rate peak (HRpeak), plasma lactate concentrations (Lac) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured during the test. A significant effect of sleep restriction was observed on the total distance covered in YYIRT (P<0.0005) and Lac (P<0.01) in comparison with the RN. In addition, performance more decreased after PSDEN (P<0.0005) than PSDBN (P<0.05). Also, Lac decreased significantly only after PS-DEN (P<0.05) compared with RN. However, there were no significant changes in HRpeak and RPE after the two types of partial sleep deprivation compared to RN. The present study indicates that short-term sleep restriction affect the intermittent performance, as well as the Lac levels of the Taekwondo players in the evening of the following day, without alteration of HRpeak and RPE.