Motor alterations along the kinetic chain in amateur volleyball and handball athletes with shoulder pain: An observational comparative study.

Overhead sports overload the shoulder complex due to movement repetition and the great amount of force created during the athletic motion, which may cause adaptations in the shoulder and lead to shoulder pain. However, overhead movements include the kinetic chain, and alterations in some of the structures throughout the kinetic chain may increase stress on the shoulder complex and be associated with shoulder pain. PURPOSE: To compare kinetic chain components in overhead athletes with and without shoulder pain. METHODS: Forty-one volleyball and handball athletes (21 with and 20 without shoulder pain) were included and assessed for hip internal (IR) and external rotation (ER) range of motion (ROM), hip and trunk isometric strength, trunk endurance and neuromuscular control of the lower and upper limbs (Y balance test). RESULTS: Athletes with shoulder pain showed smaller IR ROM in both hips, lower endurance time for trunk extensors and flexors, decreased reach distance in the anterior and posteromedial direction, as well as a smaller composite score in the Y balance test (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Volleyball and handball athletes with shoulder pain showed changes in ROM throughout the kinetic chain in addition to lower core endurance, and decreased neuromuscular control of lower limbs.

Peak torque angle, acceleration time and time to peak torque as additional parameters extracted from isokinetic test in professional soccer players: a cross-sectional study.

This study investigated additional and traditional variables from isokinetic test of thigh muscles in soccer players across different field positions. One hundred and eighty-nine athletes performed maximal concentric isokinetic knee contractions on dominant (DL) and non-dominant limb (NDL) at 60º/s and 240º/s. The additional outcomes peak torque angle (AngPT), acceleration time (AcT) and time to peak torque (TPT) and traditional outcomes Peak torque (PT), total work (TW) and power (Pw) were extracted from the exam. Goalkeepers (GK), side backs (SB), central backs (CB), central defender midfielders (CDM), central attacking midfielders (CAM) and forwards (FW) were considered. Comparisons between limbs and positions demonstrated that SB extensors of the DL presented TPT lower (p = 0.006) and AngPT higher (p = 0.011) than NDL at 60°/s. CDM extensors of the DL showed lower TPT at 60°/s (p = 0.003) and 240°/s (p = 0.024). CAM flexors of the DL showed lower TPT (p = 0.026) and AcT (p = 0.021) at 240°/s than NDL. CB, CDM and CAM extensors of the NDL showed higher PT, TW and Pw than DL (p < 0.05). In conclusion, there are muscle imbalances between limbs in SB, CDM and CAM and across different field positions.

Can Skin Temperature Be Altered After Different Magnitudes of Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage?

Purpose: This study aimed to assess skin temperature (Tsk) changes after different magnitudes of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) of the elbow flexor muscles and investigate whether Tsk is related to indirect markers of EIMD. Methods: Thirty healthy active men were randomly allocated to the mild (MiDG) (n = 15) or moderate (MoDG) (n = 15) muscle damage group. Muscle damage in elbow flexor muscles was induced by 10 (for MiDG) or 30 (for MoDG) maximal eccentric isokinetic contractions at 60 degrees/s. Tsk, maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity, range of motion (ROM), and pressure pain threshold (PPT) were measured before and up to 72 hr after EIMD. Results: Tsk increased only immediately after EIMD (p < .05; f = 1.44) in the MoDG (4.2%) and MiDG (4.6%), returning to near baseline values 30 min after EIMD and remaining so thereafter. In addition, there was no intergroup difference (p > .05) at any of the times analyzed, or correlation between Tsk and most indirect markers of EIMD. Conclusions: In conclusion, Tsk should not be considered an indirect marker of mild or moderate muscle damage in active men, since alterations in this variable last less than 30 min after damaging exercise and showed no correlation with most indirect markers of EIMD.

Cold-Water Immersion Does Not Accelerate Performance Recovery After 10-km Street Run: Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

The use of strategies to assure better post-effort recovery is frequent in sports settings. There are several interventions available for exercise induced muscle damage recovery, but cold-water immersion (CWI) stands out among them. The effects of CWI are unclear in the literature and, although the number of street runners has been growing, there is a gap in the scientific evidence regarding the use of CWI to recover runners' performance after a 10-km street run. Purpose: The goal of our study was to analyze the effects of CWI on the recovery of muscle damage markers after a 10-km street run. Method: We randomly assigned thirty male recreational street runners, immediately after a 10-km street run, into three recovery groups: control (rest for 10 minutes), immersion (10 min immersed in water without ice at room temperature) and CWI (10 min immersed in water with ice at 10ºC). We assessed pain, triple hop distance, extensor peak torque and blood creatine kinase levels pre- and post-run, post-intervention and 24 hours after the run. Results: The 10-km run was enough to decrease triple hop distance and extensor peak torque, and increase levels of creatine kinase (p < 0.05); however, we found no time/group interactions in any of the assessed variables after we applied the appropriate interventions (p > 0.05). Conclusion: 10-min CWI at 10°C was no more effective than water immersion and rest in recovering muscle damage markers after 10-km runs.

Influence of parity, type of delivery, and physical activity level on pelvic floor muscles in postmenopausal women.

[Purpose] The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of parity, type of delivery, and physical activity level on pelvic floor muscles in postmenopausal women. [Subjects and Methods] This was an observational analytic cross-sectional study with a sample of 100 postmenopausal women, aged between 45 and 65 years, divided into three groups according to menopausal stage: hysterectomized and early and late postmenopause. Patients were assessed for sociodemographic and gyneco-obstetric factors and subjected to a muscle strength test and perineometry. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and multiple regression were applied. [Results] The results showed homogeneity in sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics. There was no difference in pelvic floor muscle function among the three groups. Type of delivery, parity and physical activity level showed no influence on muscle function. [Conclusion] The findings demonstrate that parity, type of delivery, and physical activity level had no influence on pelvic floor muscle pressure in postmenopausal women. One hypothesis to explain these results is the fact that the decline in muscle function in postmenopausal women is related to the female aging process.