Effect of mental fatigue on performance, perceptual and physiological responses in orienteering athletes.

BACKGROUND: Mental fatigue seems to impair the athletes' performance; however, in sports with high cognitive demand, such as orienteering, this negative effect could be attenuated during the race. Therefore, this study investigated mental fatigue effect on performance, perceptual, and physiological responses in orienteers. METHODS: Fifteen male orienteers (30±8 years) participated in the study. Two conditions of cognitive tasks preceded the orienteering performance, performed randomly: 30 minutes of mental exertion (experimental condition [EXP]) by Stroop task, or 30 min without mental exertion (control condition [CON]). Orienteering performance was determined by the time required to perform the Orienteering race. The perceived recovery and motivation were evaluated in each condition, pre-cognitive task, and heart rate during the task. Perceived exertion (RPE) was measured pre- and post-orienteering race. Orienteering performance and perceived performance were measured immediately after the race. RESULTS: Orienteering performance and remain variables showed no significant differences between conditions (EXP versus CON) (P>0.05). Although a slight increase in performance-time was found in EXP (40.8±11.4 min) versus CON (38.4±13 min) (P=0.4; ES=0.20). RPE increase post-EXP (P<0.05; ES=0.96) but not post-orienteering race (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Thirty minutes of the cognitive task did not significantly affect the perceptual and physiological responses but demonstrates the addition of 2.4 minutes to orienteering performance. Orienteers may cope with mental effort due to the cognitive demands and physical conditions required in orienteering.

Torque and Muscle Activation Impairment Along With Insulin Resistance Are Associated With Falls in Women With Fibromyalgia.

Góes, SM, Stefanello, JMF, Homann, D, Lodovico, A, Hubley-Kozey, CL, and Rodacki, ALF. Torque and muscle activation impairment along with insulin resistance are associated with falls in women with fibromyalgia. J Strength Cond Res 30(11): 3155-3164, 2016-Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain condition associated with reduced muscle strength, which can lead to functional incapacity and higher risk of falls. The purpose of the study was to compare maximal ankle joint torque, muscle activation, and metabolic changes between women with and without FM. In addition, the relationship between those aspects and retrospectively reported falls in women with FM was determined. Twenty-nine middle-aged women with FM and 30 controls were recruited. Fall history, pain intensity, and pain threshold were assessed. Plasma glucose levels and insulin resistance (IR) were determined. Peak torque and rate of torque development (RTD) were calculated, and muscle activation was assessed from maximum isometric voluntary ankle dorsiflexion and plantar flexion contractions. In addition, voluntary muscle activation failure of the anterior tibialis muscle during maximal dorsiflexion was calculated. When compared to controls, women with FM reported higher number of retrospectively reported falls, exhibited higher IR, showed reduced plantar flexion and dorsiflexion RTD, had lower plantar flexion peak torque, and demonstrated more antagonist coactivation and higher muscle activation failure (p ≤ 0.05). Higher muscle activation failure was explained by glucose level and pain intensity (adj R = 0.28; p ≤ 0.05). Reduced plantar flexion and dorsiflexion peak torque explained 80% of retrospectively reported falls variance; also, high antagonist coactivation (odds ratio [OR] = 1.6; p ≤ 0.05) and high IR (OR = 1.8; p ≤ 0.05) increased the chance of falls in the FM group. A combination of metabolic factors and muscle function increased the odds of retrospectively reporting a fall in FM. Both aspects may be considered in interventions designed for reducing falls in this population.

Ankle dorsiflexion may play an important role in falls in women with fibromyalgia.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition, which involves reduced range of motion. This leads to gait changes and high incidence of falls. The understanding of the gait patterns in subjects with fibromyalgia and their relationship with falls may be useful when designing intervention programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the range of motion of the hip and ankle joints during gait in women with and without fibromyalgia. Further, we determined the relationship between joint range of motion and falls in this population. METHODS: Middle-aged women (16 with fibromyalgia and 16 as control group) were recruited. Pain intensity, physical activity level, and fall prevalence were assessed. Three dimensional gait analysis provided temporal and joint kinematic variables. FINDINGS: In general, hip and ankle range of motion were similar between groups, except that fibromyalgia group showed higher plantar flexion during toe-off (P<0.05) and reduced dorsiflexion during stance phase (P<0.05). Additionally, in the fibromyalgia group the higher number of falls was correlated to reduced dorsiflexion during stance phase. This limitation in dorsiflexion was related to longer length of time with fibromyalgia symptoms. INTERPRETATION: Women with fibromyalgia showed a higher number of falls, reduced dorsiflexion during stance phase, and increased plantar flexion during toe-off. Also, the higher number of falls reported in the fibromyalgia group was related to reduced dorsiflexion during stance phase, which was correlated to a longer length of time living with fibromyalgia symptoms. These data suggest that improving ankle kinematics in patients with fibromyalgia may help prevent falls and improve mobility.

Características da marcha de mulheres com fibromialgia: um padrão prematuro de envelhecimento / Gait characteristics of women with fibromyalgia: a premature aging pattern

Introdução: Fibromialgia é uma condição que envolve dor crônica generalizada. Além disso, mulheres de meia idade com fibromialgia apresentam alterações no padrão de marcha, expondo-se prematuramente a um padrão de marcha semelhante ao encontrado na população idosa. Objetivo: Determinar os parâmetros espaciais (linear e angular) da marcha de mulheres com fibromialgia e compará-los com idosas sem essa condição. Métodos: 25 mulheres (10 no grupo com fibromialgia e 15 no grupo de idosas) se qualificaram como voluntárias para participar do estudo. A análise cinemática foi realizada por meio de um sistema optoeletrônico, e as variáveis lineares e angulares foram determinadas. Resultados: Ambos os grupos apresentaram similaridades na velocidade da marcha, tamanho da passada, cadência e amplitude de movimento do quadril, joelho e tornozelo (p > 0,05), exceto para a rotação da pelve, na qual o grupo com fibromialgia apresentou maior rotação de quadril (p < 0,05) quando comparado ao grupo de idosas. Além disso, houve correlação negativa no grupo com fibromialgia entre rotação do quadril e dor no glúteo (r = -0,69; p < 0,05), e entre obliquidade da pelve e dor na região do trocanter maior (r = -0,69; p < 0,05). Conclusão: Mulheres de meia idade com fibromialgia apresentaram um padrão de marcha similar ao de idosas, o qual é caracterizado por amplitude de movimento, tamanho da passada e velocidade da marcha reduzidos. .

Background: Fibromyalgia is a condition which involves chronic pain. Middle-aged individuals with fibromyalgia seem to exhibit changes in gait pattern, which may prematurely expose them to a gait pattern which resembles that found in the elderly population. Objective: To determine the 3 D spatial (linear and angular) gait parameters of middle-aged women with fibromyalgia and compare to elderly women without this condition. Methods: 25 women (10 in the fibromyalgia group and 15 in the elderly group) volunteered to participate in the study. Kinematics was performed using an optoelectronic system, and linear and angular kinematic variables were determined. Results: There was no difference in walking speed, stride length, cadence, hip, knee and ankle joints range of motion between groups, except the pelvic rotation, in which the fibromyalgia group showed greater rotation (P < 0.05) compared to the elderly group. Also, there was a negative correlation with pelvic rotation and gluteus pain (r = - 0.69; P < 0.05), and between pelvic obliquity and greater trochanter pain (r = - 0.69; P < 0.05) in the fibromyalgia group. Conclusion: Middle-aged women with fibromyalgia showed gait pattern resemblances to elderly, women, which is characterized by reduced lower limb ROM, stride length and walking speed. .

[Gait characteristics of women with fibromyalgia: a premature aging pattern]. / Características da marcha de mulheres com fibromialgia: um padrão prematuro de envelhecimento.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia is a condition which involves chronic pain. Middle-aged individuals with fibromyalgia seem to exhibit changes in gait pattern, which may prematurely expose them to a gait pattern which resembles that found in the elderly population. OBJECTIVE: To determine the 3D spatial (linear and angular) gait parameters of middle-aged women with fibromyalgia and compare to elderly women without this condition. METHODS: 25 women (10 in the fibromyalgia group and 15 in the elderly group) volunteered to participate in the study. Kinematics was performed using an optoelectronic system, and linear and angular kinematic variables were determined. RESULTS: There was no difference in walking speed, stride length, cadence, hip, knee and ankle joints range of motion between groups, except the pelvic rotation, in which the fibromyalgia group showed greater rotation (P<0.05) compared to the elderly group. Also, there was a negative correlation with pelvic rotation and gluteus pain (r = -0.69; P<0.05), and between pelvic obliquity and greater trochanter pain (r = -0.69; P<0.05) in the fibromyalgia group. CONCLUSION: Middle-aged women with fibromyalgia showed gait pattern resemblances to elderly, women, which is characterized by reduced lower limb ROM, stride length and walking speed.

Aterosclerose subclínica e marcadores inflamatórios em crianças e adolescentes obesos e não obesos / Atherosclerosis subclinical and inflammatory markers in obese and nonobese children and adolescents

OBJETIVO: Realizou-se revisão sistemática sobre espessamento médio-intimal (EMI) e marcadores inflamatórios, comparou-se EMI por metanálise e analisou-se a correlação entre EMI e variáveis inflamatórias em crianças e adolescentes obesos e não obesos. FONTES DOS DADOS: Buscaram-se artigos nas bases de dados Pubmed, Bireme e Science Direct, nos anos de 2000 a 2010, com as seguintes palavras-chave em inglês: "obesity", "adolescents", "atherosclerosis" e "child", sendo utilizados em duas combinações: obesity+adolescents+atherosclerosis e obesity+child+atherosclerosis. Utilizou-se meta-análise para comparar EMI entre obesos e não obesos. SINTESE DOS DADOS: Selecionou-se criteriosamente 16 artigos para análise final. Houve diferença da espessura de EMI entre obesos e não obesos em 12 estudos, confirmada pela meta-análise. Os obesos apresentaram concentrações de proteína C-reativa mais elevada em 13 artigos analisados (p < 0,05) e menores de adiponectina em 4 (p < 0,05). Em geral, os obesos apresentaram concentrações menores de adiponectina e maiores valores de EMI e Proteina C-reativa do que os não-obesos, evidenciando relação entre obesidade e início de processo inflamatório. CONCLUSÕES: Conclui-se que há relação da obesidade com aumento do EMI e alterações nas concentrações dos marcadores inflamatórios nesta fase.

We conducted a systematic review of intima-media thickness(IMT) and inflammatory markers, compared IMT and identified by meta-analysis related to EMI and inflammatory variables in obese and non-obese children and adolescents. We searched for articles in databases Pubmed, Bireme and Science Direct, during years 2000 to 2010, with the following key words in English: "obesity", "adolescents", "atherosclerosis" and "child ", They were used in two combinations: obesity + adolescents + atherosclerosis + child + obesity and atherosclerosis. We used meta-analysis to compare IMT between obese and non-obese patients. We carefully selected 16 articles for final analysis. There were differences in the thickness of IMT between obese and non-obese patients in 12 studies, confirmed by meta-analysis. Obese patients had concentrations of C-reactive protein higher in 13 articles analyzed (p < 0.05) and lower adiponectin levels in 4 (p < 0.05). In general, obese men had lower concentrations of adiponectin and higher values of IMT and C-reactive protein than non-obese men, showing the relationship between obesity and early inflammatory process. We concluded that there is a relationship of obesity with increased IMT and changes in concentrations of inflammatory markers in this phase.

Functional capacity, muscle strength and falls in women with fibromyalgia.

BACKGROUND: Patients with fibromyalgia have difficulty with activities of daily living, they exhibit reduced muscle strength and high incidence of reported falls. The objective of this study was to evaluate the functional performance and lower limb muscle strength in women with fibromyalgia and determine the relationship between muscle strength and falls. METHODS: Sixteen females with fibromyalgia and 16 healthy women participated in the study. Pain intensity, fibromyalgia impact on quality of life, physical activity level and fall prevalence were assessed. The peak torque and the rate of torque development were determined in maximal voluntary isometric contraction (hip, knee and ankle joints) using a load cell. The 30s chair stand, 8 ft up and go, sit and reach, and functional reach tests were used to characterize functional performance. FINDINGS: Women with fibromyalgia showed deficits in lower limb muscle strength, balance and agility and exhibited decreased knee extension peak torque and rate of torque development. In addition, they showed lower hip adduction and extension peak torque in comparison to the control group (P>0.05). Hip extension rate of torque development, duration of fibromyalgia symptoms, overall pain, knee pain, and fibromyalgia impact were strong predictors of the number of falls in patients with fibromyalgia (R2=0.86; P<0.05), when considered collectively. INTERPRETATION: Women with fibromyalgia showed reduced functional performance and lower limb muscle strength, mostly explained by pain. There was a high prevalence of falls in this population, as explained by hip extensors rate of torque development, duration of fibromyalgia symptoms and pain.

Atherosclerosis subclinical and inflammatory markers in obese and nonobese children and adolescents.

We conducted a systematic review of intima-media thickness(IMT) and inflammatory markers, compared IMT and identified by meta-analysis related to EMI and inflammatory variables in obese and non-obese children and adolescents. We searched for articles in databases Pubmed, Bireme and Science Direct, during years 2000 to 2010, with the following key words in English: "obesity", "adolescents", "atherosclerosis" and "child ", They were used in two combinations: obesity + adolescents + atherosclerosis + child + obesity and atherosclerosis. We used meta-analysis to compare IMT between obese and non-obese patients. We carefully selected 16 articles for final analysis. There were differences in the thickness of IMT between obese and non-obese patients in 12 studies, confirmed by meta-analysis. Obese patients had concentrations of C-reactive protein higher in 13 articles analyzed (p < 0.05) and lower adiponectin levels in 4 (p < 0.05). In general, obese men had lower concentrations of adiponectin and higher values of IMT and C-reactive protein than non-obese men, showing the relationship between obesity and early inflammatory process. We concluded that there is a relationship of obesity with increased IMT and changes in concentrations of inflammatory markers in this phase.

Redução da capacidade funcional e exacerbação da dor durante o esforço do teste de caminhada de 6 minutos em mulheres com fibromialgia / Impaired functional capacity and exacerbation of pain and exertion during the 6-minute walk test in women with fibromyalgia

CONTEXTUALIZAÇÃO: A fibromialgia (FM) parece limitar o desempenho físico, e a realização de atividades da vida diária (AVDs) pode exacerbar a dor e o esforço percebido nesses pacientes. OBJETIVOS: Comparar o desempenho do teste de caminhada de 6 minutos (TC6) entre pacientes com FM e controles e verificar relações entre esse desempenho com o impacto na qualidade de vida, na realização de tarefas da vida diária e no nível de atividade física. MÉTODOS: Participaram do estudo 19 mulheres com FM e 20 mulheres saudáveis. Realizou-se o TC6 e, durante o teste, foram mensuradas a intensidade de dor e a percepção subjetiva de esforço (PSE). Foram aplicados o Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) e o International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). RESULTADOS: O grupo de mulheres com FM percorreu menor distância no TC6 (pacientes: 473,52±77,84 m versus controles: 541,75±85,62 m; p=0,02). Para o grupo de pacientes houve correlações entre a distância caminhada e o questionário FIQ (r=-0,46; p=0,05), o HAQ (r=-0,49; p=0,03) e o consumo de oxigênio (r=0,78; p<0,01) e entre o HAQ e o consumo de oxigênio (r=-0,52; p=0,02). Durante o teste, as mulheres com FM apresentaram aumento da intensidade dolorosa e da PSE, o que não ocorreu no grupo controle. CONCLUSÕES: Mulheres com FM apresentaram comprometimento da capacidade funcional e exacerbação da dor e esforço durante o TC6.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia has been association with physical performance limitations. Additionally, activities of daily living have been reported to be directly associated with the exacerbation of pain and perceived exertion in this patient population. OBJECTIVES: To compare the performance of a 6-minute walk (6MWT) test in patients with fibromyalgia and controls and to evaluate the relationship between test performance and quality of life, limitations of activities of daily living and physical activity level. METHODS: The study included 19 women with fibromyalgia (FM) and 20 healthy controls (CG). A 6MWT was conducted and pain intensity and perceived effort (PE) were assessed during the test. In addition, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) were applied. RESULTS: The fibromyalgia group walked significantly shorter distances when compared to the control group (FM: 473.52±77.84 m vs. CG: 541.75±85.62 m; p=0.02). In the fibromyalgia group, there was a negative correlation between distance in 6MWT and FIQ (r=-0.46; p=0.05), HAQ (r=-0.49; p=0.03) and oxygen consumption (r=0.78; p<0.01). There was also a correlation between HAQ and oxygen consumption (r=0.52; p=0.02). Participants with fibromyalgia had higher pain intensity and perceived effort during the test when compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Women with fibromyalgia had greater impaired of functional capacity, exacerbation of pain and exertion during the 6MWT when compared to healthy women.

Impaired functional capacity and exacerbation of pain and exertion during the 6-minute walk test in women with fibromyalgia.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia has been association with physical performance limitations. Additionally, activities of daily living have been reported to be directly associated with the exacerbation of pain and perceived exertion in this patient population. OBJECTIVES: To compare the performance of a 6-minute walk (6MWT) test in patients with fibromyalgia and controls and to evaluate the relationship between test performance and quality of life, limitations of activities of daily living and physical activity level. METHODS: The study included 19 women with fibromyalgia (FM) and 20 healthy controls (CG). A 6MWT was conducted and pain intensity and perceived effort (PE) were assessed during the test. In addition, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) were applied. RESULTS: The fibromyalgia group walked significantly shorter distances when compared to the control group (FM: 473.52±77.84 m vs. CG: 541.75±85.62 m; p=0.02). In the fibromyalgia group, there was a negative correlation between distance in 6MWT and FIQ (r=-0.46; p=0.05), HAQ (r=-0.49; p=0.03) and oxygen consumption (r=0.78; p<0.01). There was also a correlation between HAQ and oxygen consumption (r=0.52; p=0.02). Participants with fibromyalgia had higher pain intensity and perceived effort during the test when compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Women with fibromyalgia had greater impaired of functional capacity, exacerbation of pain and exertion during the 6MWT when compared to healthy women.