Influence of organised sports practice during adolescence on health of adult women with special emphasis on participation in aesthetic sports.

This study aimed to assess the differences in psychosocial health and cardiometabolic risk during adulthood in women based on previously organised sport (OS) participation during adolescence and current activity levels, with emphasis on participation in aesthetic sports. The study included 1947 women aged 18-55 years who were categorised into four groups: 355 aesthetic athletes during adolescence, 494 non- aesthetic athletes during adolescence, 791 non-athletes during adolescence with similar current levels of physical activity (PA) to OS groups and 307 currently inactive non-athletes during adolescence. Participants answered questionnaires regarding sport participation, psychosocial health and cardiometabolic risk. The results show that non-athletes during adolescence who are currently inactive reported significantly lower psychosocial health and higher cardiometabolic risk scores. Women with currently homogenous PA levels (χ² = 0.514) reported similar physical quality of life (QoL), exercise addiction, anxiety and depression symptoms regardless of participation in OS during adolescence (P > .05), except aesthetic athletes who reported the worst sleep and mental QoL. Very high training volumes in aesthetic athletes did not influence psychological outcomes and cardiometabolic risk in adulthood compared to lower training volumes. In conclusion, the effects of PA during adulthood appear to be powerful enough to induce beneficial adaptations in health outcomes that match those observed in women who participate in OS during adolescence, except for aesthetic sports participants, who show a high risk of lower quality of sleep in adulthood. PA should be promoted in adults and especially women who have not participated in OS during adolescence.

Cardiac electromechanical delay is increased during recovery from 40 km cycling but is not mediated by exercise intensity.

Cardiac electrical-mechanical delay (cEMD), left ventricular (LV) function, and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) were assessed after 40 km cycle time trials completed at high (HIGH) and moderate (MOD) intensities in 12 cyclists. Echocardiograms and blood samples were collected before, 10, and 60 min after cycling. cEMD as assessed by time from QRS onset to peak systolic (S') tissue velocity was lengthened after both bouts of cycling but was not mediated by cycling intensity (HIGH: 174 ± 52 vs 198 ± 26 ms; MOD: 151 ± 40 vs 178 ± 52 ms, P < 0.05). Global LV systolic function was unaltered by exercise. cEMD from QRS to peak early (E') diastolic tissue velocity was also increased post-exercise (HIGH: 524 ± 95 vs 664 ± 68 ms; MOD: 495 ± 62 vs 604 ± 91 ms, P < 0.05). Indices of LV diastolic function was reduced after cycling but were not mediated by exercise intensity. cTnI was elevated in two participants after HIGH trial (0.06 ug/L; 0.04 ug/L) and one participant after MOD trial (0.02 ug/L). While cEMD is lengthened and LV diastolic function was reduced post-cycling, altering time-trial intensity had little impact upon cEMD, LV function, and cTnI release.

The traditional maximal lactate steady state test versus the 5 × 2000 m test.

Here, we compared the maximal lactate steady state velocity (vMLSS) estimated from a single-visit protocol (v5×2000) to the traditional multi-day protocol (vMLSS). Furthermore, we determined whether there was a lactate steady state during the time limits (Tlim) at vMLSS or v5×2000. Eight runners completed a half marathon (HM), the traditional protocol to determine the vMLSS and the 5×2000 m test in a randomised order, and a Tlim at vMLSS and at v5×2000 in a randomised order. The vMLSS (13.56±0.90 km·h - 1) was higher than the v5×2000 (12.93±0.90 km·h - 1, p=0.001) and comparable to the vHM (13.34±0.75 km·h - 1). The vMLSS (r=0.83) and the v5×2000 (r=0.91) were associated with the vHM but were not indicative of the competition pace. The Tlim at vMLSS (64±15 min) was lower than the Tlim at v5×2000 (94±21 min) and the HM time (95±5 min). In both Tlim, lactate was lower at 45 min than upon finishing the effort and was predictive of its duration (p<0.05). Our results indicate that the 5×2000 m test can be equally useful to assess runners as the traditional MLSS protocol and that there is no lactate steady state during the Tlim at vMLSS or at v5×2000.

Cardiac biomarker response to intermittent exercise bouts.

The impact of intermittent exercise on cardiac biomarker release has not been clearly established. In experienced athletes, we examined the acute effect of a heavy resistance training session (n=18 males) and an indoor soccer match (n=21, 11 males, 10 females) on the release of cTnI, cTnT, and NT-proBNP. Biomarkers were assayed from blood samples collected at rest, immediately post- and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h post-exercise. The heavy resistance training session resulted in an increase in NT-proBNP (pre: 15 ± 17, peak post: 41 ± 56 ng L (-1); p=0.001) but not in cTnI (pre: 0.024 ± 0.009, peak post: 0.025 ± 0.011 µg L (-1), p=0.809) or cTnT (undetectable in all samples). The indoor soccer match led to an increase in the release of NT-proBNP (pre: 28 ± 32, peak post: 66 ± 56 ng L (-1); p=0.000) and cTnI (pre: 0.026 ± 0.047, peak post: 0.033 ± 0.051 µg L (-1); p=0.008) in both males and females but not cTnT (detectable in only one subject). The current data suggest that intermittent bouts of exercise result in only modest perturbations of cardiac biomarkers with very limited evidence of myocyte injury/insult.

The impact of exercise duration and intensity on the release of cardiac biomarkers.

Numerous studies have observed cardiac biomarker release with prolonged exercise. Despite this, we are unsure as to the constituent aspects of any given exercise bout that may be important in promoting cardiac biomarker release. This study examined the influence of exercise duration and intensity on the appearance of cardiac biomarkers. Twenty-one subjects ran for 45, 90 and 180 min at 85% and 95% of their individual anaerobic threshold on six different days randomized. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and N-terminal pro-brain natiuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were assayed from blood samples collected before, 30 min and 3 h post-exercise. NT-proBNP was elevated after all exercise trials (range before: 21-32; range post: 38-67 ng/L). Peak post-exercise concentrations of NT-proBNP were associated with exercise duration (P=0.049), but not exercise intensity (P=0.451). cTnI was elevated after all exercise trials (range before: 0.007-0.011; range post: 0.008-0.021 µg/L). Peak post-exercise concentrations of cTnI were associated with exercise duration (P=0.003) and intensity (P=0.037). Data suggest that while both cTnI and NT-proBNP increased after all exercise trials, the mediating effect of duration influenced both NT-proBNP and cTnI while intensity influenced only cTnI.

Basic physiological measures determine fitness and are associated with running performance in elite young male and female Ethiopian runners.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine if possible, with the resources available in Ethiopia, to make significant associations between racing performance and laboratory physiological test results in elite young African runners. METHODS: Twenty-four young Ethiopian runners (12 males and 12 females) attended the physiology laboratory of the Addis Ababa University, where skin fold thickness, basic resting pulmonary function and heart rate (HR) during an incremental treadmill exercise test were recorded a week before or a week after two official 800 and 1500 meter races. Performance was rated according to the scoring procedures of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF): male runners (1041, CV=4.1%), female (1051, CV=2.8%). RESULTS: The sum of four skin folds was significantly correlated with male (r=-0.80, P<0.01) and female IAAF score (r= -0.78, P<0.01). IAAF score was also related to forced vital capacity (male: r=0.70, P<0.05; female: r=0.85, P<0.01) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (male: r=0.63, P<0.05; female: r=0.80, P<0.01). For both sexes, HR at a fixed submaximal exercise workload was significantly associated with IAAF score. In both male and female runners, the more significant association was observed for a treadmill slope of 7.5% (r=-0.93, P<0.01; r= -0.95, P<0.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These results show that basic physiological measures are useful in measuring fitness and in predicting middle-distance running performance in a homogeneous group of elite young male and female Ethiopian runners.

An analysis of resistance training based on the maintenance of mechanical power.

Resistance training techniques, that increase the global power output of an exercise, exercise set and continuous sets, can optimize neuromuscular adaptation and dynamic athletic performance. An observation that is apparent during traditional resistance training is the slowing of movement velocity as fatigue increases. To perform at maximum velocity, only repetitions that permit maintenance of the maximum power output are essential for increasing the global power output. This article reviews the available research which examines the pattern of velocity decrease with different load intensities. In addition, an analysis is performed of the possible advantages of resistance training based on the maintenance of the mechanical power versus traditional resistance training. Furthermore, a variety of fact-finding lines are proposed with the objective of answering the numerous open questions related to resistance training based on the maintenance of mechanical power.

Exercise in warm water decreases pain and improves cognitive function in middle-aged women with fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the cognitive function performance in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) with respect healthy controls and to evaluate the short-term efficacy of exercise therapy in a warm, chest-high pool on pain and cognitive function in women with FM. METHODS: Sixty middle-aged women with FM were randomly assigned to either an exercise training group (n = 35) to perform 3 sessions per week of aquatic training (32 degrees C) including mobility, aerobic, strengthening, and relaxation exercises for 16 weeks, or a control group (n = 25). Twenty-five healthy women matched for age, weight, body mass index, and educational and physical activity levels were recruited. Pain was assessed in patients using a syringe calibrated like a pressure dolorimeter, and a visual analog scale. The severity of FM was evaluated using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire. Cognitive function was measured in healthy individuals and patients using several standardized neuropsychological tests. All patients were measured at baseline and post-treatment. RESULTS: At baseline, the healthy group evidenced cognitive performance that was significantly superior to the group of patients with FM in all of the neuropsychological tests. The exercise group significantly improved their pain threshold, tender point count, self-reported pain, severity of FM, and cognitive function, while in the control group the differences were not significant. CONCLUSION: An exercise therapy three times per week for 16 weeks in a warm-water pool is an adequate treatment to decrease the pain and severity of FM well as to improve cognitive function in previously unfit women with FM and heightened painful symptomatology.

Physiological measures associated with marathon running performance in high-level male and female homogeneous groups.

The study tested the hypothesis that physiological measurements can predict marathon running performance in a top-level homogeneous group of males and females. Ten male, performance: 2:12:04, coefficient of variation (CV)=2.33%, and 8 female marathon runners, performance: 2:34:53, CV=4.54%, performed an increment test on the treadmill (starting speed, 8 km.h-1; increments, 2 km.h-1; increment duration, 3 min to exhaustion). The heart rate (HR), VO2 and the lactate concentrations were measured at the end of each exercise level. During the recovery time, HR and lactate were measured. Furthermore, echocardiographic, anthropometric and haematologic measurements were made. The results of a stepwise multiple regression analysis using marathon time as the dependent variable yielded R2=0.983 for the male group and R2=0.984 for the female group. The model for the male group used the independent variables lactate value at 10 km.h-1, left ventricular telediastolic diameter (LVD) and lactate value at 22 km.h-1. The model for the female group used the independent variables subscapular skinfold, serum ferritin and sum of six skinfolds. Our study demonstrates that in males and females, physiological parameters can explain the variance in marathon time among elite homogeneous groups.

The changes in running performance and maximal oxygen uptake after long-term training in elite athletes.

AIM: The relationship between VO2max (mL x kg(-1) x min(-1)) and running performance has been assessed in cross-sectional studies. Follow-up studies of the long-term effects of running training on the changes in performance and VO2max have not been undertaken. METHODS: Twenty-five male endurance-trained (MET) and 8 female endurance-trained (FET) athletes were tracked over 4 years. In each event the athletes were divided into Class A, including half the number of athletes with the best performances, and Class B. VO2max, examined at the end of the competitive season, and the best performance was chosen each year. RESULTS: After 3 years of training, in MET and FET athletes the performance improved by 1.77% and 0.69% (P<0.01 and P=0.579), respectively. In Class A runners, training resulted in non-significant increase in performance (-0.04%) (P=0.982) and in Class B runners, performance increased by 3.16% (P=0.001). In all groups VO(2max) remained essentially unchanged. Longitudinal changes in the VO2max were not related with the changes in running performance in any group. CONCLUSIONS: This study show than in older runners with more years of training, heavy training does not produce improvements in running performance neither changes in the VO2max. It is possible that these elite athletes have reached the plateau in their performance; although unlikely, some improvement in training techniques may happen and break the present limit. In younger runners with less years of training, heavy training produce improvements in running performance without changes in the VO2max. These athletes that had not attained his biological limits at the beginning of study improved the performance in competition and it is quite probable that this improvement be due to training. The changes in performance were not related to changes in VO2max. Consequently, another physiological or psychological variables must be studied by longitudinal form to explain the variability of performance in competition.

Differences in skinfold thicknesses and fat distribution among top-class runners.

AIM: The purpose of this research was to determine skinfolds values in male and female top-class runners who competed in different distances in order to identify the association of sex and event with fatness and distribution of subcutaneous fat. METHODS: Eight skinfolds were measured on male (n=130) and female (n=56) top-class runners. Sum of 6 skinfolds and extremity/trunk fat ratio was calculated. Runners were distributed into groups according to the event in which they obtained their best performance. RESULTS: The skinfolds values found in our athletes were very low. Female runners obtained higher values in extremity skinfolds than male runners; the differences in chest, biceps and abdominal skinfolds are only significant in short duration events; no differences were found in suprailiac and subscapular skinfolds. In both sexes, all skinfolds showed significantly lower values among marathon runners; no differences were found in skinfolds values among runners competing in distances ranging from 100 m to 10,000 m. Extremity/trunk fat ratio was not related to event. CONCLUSIONS: The lower skinfold values found in all groups of runners may be due to a high performance; this analysis shows that a slight excess of fat is not beneficial in order to obtain a high performance in any distance. Fatness is only associated to marathon events, probably due to the fact that these runners are engaged in higher training volume and that only in this event fat metabolism prevails in training and competition. Distribution of subcutaneous fat may be more dependent on biological or environmental factors unrelated to type of training.