The effect of heart rate controlled low resistance circuit weight training and endurance training on maximal aerobic power in sedentary adults.

The effects of a 12-week low resistance circuit weight training (CWT) on cardiovascular and muscular fitness were studied in 90 healthy sedentary adults. The subjects were randomized into three equally fit groups: CWT, Endurance (END) and Control (CON) according to their maximal aerobic power (VO2max). Both training groups exercised for 12 weeks, 3 days a week in sessions of 40 min, with a heart rate (HR) level of 70-80% HRmax. The CWT group trained with air resistance machines. Heart rate was controlled by setting the speed of movement. The END group walked, jogged, cross-country skied or cycled. The net differences (between pre- and posttraining changes) between the CWT and CON groups was statistically significant for VO2max (2.45 ml x min(-1) x kg(-1), 95% CI 1.1; 3.8), for abdominal muscles (3.7 reps, CI 0.3; 7.1), for push-ups (1.1 reps, CI 0.2; 2.1), and for kneeling (2.25 reps, CI 0.01; 4.5). The net difference (between pre- and posttraining changes) in the END and CON groups was statistically significant for VO2max (2.75 ml(-1) x min(-1) x kg(-1), 95% CI 0.9; 4.6), and kneeling (3.0 reps, CI 0.7; 5.3). Low resistance CWT with moderately hard HR level has effects comparable to an equal amount of endurance training on the cardiovascular fitness of sedentary adults. The CWT model was benefical also on muscular fitness. Based on the results, this type of exercise can be recommended for beginners because of its multilevel effects.

Bony vibration stimulation test combined with magnetic resonance imaging. Can discography be replaced?

STUDY DESIGN: The results of two noninvasive methods, magnetic resonance imaging and a bony vibration test, were compared with discographic pain provocation findings. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether the combination of magnetic resonance imaging and vibration pain provocation tests could be used to replace discography in low back pain diagnostics. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Magnetic resonance imaging gives a wealth of visual information on anatomic changes of the spine with often unknown clinical significance. Discographic examination of the spine is still the only widely accepted diagnostic method that can relate the pathoanatomic changes to the patient's clinical pain. Internal anular rupture has been shown to be one of the sources of back pain. The bony vibration test of the spinal processes has been shown correlate well with discographic pain provocation tests in cases of internal anular rupture. METHODS: The three lowest lumbar discs of 33 patients with back pain were examined by means of magnetic resonance imaging and a bony vibration stimulation test, and the results were compared with those from computed tomography-discography. RESULTS: In cases of intradiscal magnetic resonance imaging findings, the vibration provocation test showed a sensitivity of 0.88 and a specificity of 0.50 compared with the discographic pain provocation test. If the patients with previous back surgery were excluded, the specificity was 0.75. In the cases of total anular rupture, the sensitivity was 0.50, and the specificity was 0.33. CONCLUSION: The combination of the two noninvasive methods, vibration stimulation and magnetic resonance imaging, gives more information on the origin of the back pain than magnetic resonance imaging alone. The pathoanatomic changes seen in magnetic resonance imaging can be correlated with the patient's disorder more reliably using the vibration provocation test in the cases of partial anular ruptures. The use of discography can be limited mostly to cases with total anular ruptures detected by magnetic resonance imaging.

Ultrasonic imaging of lumbar discs combined with vibration pain provocation compared with discography in the diagnosis of internal anular fissures of the lumbar spine.

STUDY DESIGN: The diagnostic information achieved by a combination of ultrasonographic imaging of discs and local bony vibration of lumbar vertebrae was compared to that obtained by discographic imaging and pain provocation. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to find a noninvasive method for spine diagnostics to replace expensive and invasive methods such as discography. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Internal anular fissures of the lumbar discs have been shown to be a source of back pain. Intradiscal changes associated with disc degeneration can be imaged by ultrasonography. The bony vibration test of spinal processes has shown to correlate well with discographic pain provocation tests in cases of internal anular ruptures. Discographic examination of the spine is the only widely accepted diagnostic method that combines pathoanatomic changes and patients' pain. METHODS: Patients with back pain in this study were examined by means of ultrasonography, bony vibration stimulation, and discography. The three lowest lumbar discs were examined. RESULTS: In the cases of intradiscal ultrasound findings, the vibration provocation test showed a sensitivity of 0.90 and a specificity of 0.75 compared to the discographic pain provocation test. In cases of total anular ruptures seen in ultrasound examination, the sensitivity and the specificity of the vibration pain provocation test were much lower, being 0.50 and 0.50, respectively. CONCLUSION: The combination of the two noninvasive methods provides a useful screening test for the evaluation of low back pain. The combination test can accurately depict painful disc degeneration with internal disc rupture and the use of discography can be limited to the cases suggesting total anular rupture in ultrasound examination.

Bony vibration stimulation: a new, non-invasive method for examining intradiscal pain.

Fifty-seven patients with low-back pain were evaluated immediately prior to a discography examination by means of an electrical tool which produced bony vibration to the lumbar spinal processes. The vibrator was composed of a standard electric toothbrush shaft (Braun) with a blunt head instead of the brush. The lumbar spinal processes were compressed one by one for a few seconds with this blunt, vibrating tool. The patient's pain experience provoked by vibration was compared with that from injections during discography. A good correlation was found between these two examinations when patients with previously operated backs and painful, prolapsed discs were excluded: sensitivity was 0.96 and specificity 0.72. Prolapsed, but discographically painful discs were always painless in the vibration examination. The local, non-invasive bony vibration stimulation test is an easy, quick, safe, inexpensive and reliable method for examining intradiscal pain.