Functional capacity and risk of injury in CrossFit practitioners measured through smartphone apps.

BACKGROUND: CrossFit is a high intensity functional training that tends to challenge physical limits. The objectives of this study were to assess functional capacity, prevalence and risk of injury in CrossFit practitioners. METHODS: This cross-sectional, observational and prospective study evaluate the rate of injuries that occurred in CrossFit practitioners in the last 12 months and their functional capacities. The sample was given for convenience, with a total of 22 participants. Functional capacities and risk of injury were measured by functional tests using PHAST and Clinometer applications. The prevalence of injuries was cataloged using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. RESULTS: 5% of the injuries occurred in the neck; 9% in shoulder, hip, thighs, ankles and feet; 14% in the lumbar spine and knees. The worst functional results were for the shoulder medial rotation ROM test, where 86-95% of the athletes were classified as "Bad"; the dorsiflexion ROM test also performed poorly in 68% of athletes. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the CrossFit practice suggests that the injury prevalence is relatively low, affecting mainly knees, lumbar spine, wrists and hands. However, the risk of injuries shown by the functional musculoskeletal assessment is higher, especially in the shoulder and ankle, and it is important for the practitioner to realize a specific functional assessment before starting training.

Does sensorimotor training influence neuromuscular responses, balance, and quality of life in diabetics without a history of diabetic distal polyneuropathy?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of supervised and home sensorimotor training on static postural balance (SPB), quality of life (QL), and neuromuscular responses of Type 2 Diabetics (DM-2). DESIGN: Randomized controlled blind study with DM-2 patients, between 45 and 64 years old, of both sexes, divided into 3 groups: Control Group - CG (n = 27), Home Training Group - HTG (n = 27), and Supervised Training Group - STG (n = 26). The subjects were evaluated before and at the end of 3 months of treatment, with a four-week follow-up. The intervention was held twice a week, for 45 min, divided into three phases: warm-up, sensorimotor training, and cool-down. The primary outcome was SPB, using the force platform. Secondary outcome: questionnaires and clinical measures related to diabetic foot and knee flexor-extensors using isokinetic dynamometry. RESULTS: In the baseline, the characteristics were similar between groups and between times. Tactile and vibratory sensitivity demonstrated the absence of symptoms of peripheral neuropathy in diabetic patients. In the intra-group comparison, there was a significant increase in the classification without symptoms of diabetic distal polyneuropathy in the HTG and STG groups (p < 0.05) and there were no significant effects on other clinical outcomes and QL and SPB, muscle strength, and sense of knee joint position. CONCLUSION: The intervention showed no improvement in SPB, QL, and other clinical outcomes of DM-2 patients. Thus, no differences were found between the groups, considering that the patients did not present clinical characteristics of diabetic distal polyneuropathy.

Measurement of Physical Parameters and Development of a Light Emitting Diodes Device for Therapeutic Use.

INTRODUCTION: Effectiveness of light-emitting diode (LED) in biological tissue is due to the correct application of physical parameters. However, most studies found do not provide complete information on the physical characteristics of the diodes. It is necessary to carefully evaluate the diode parameters so that the results of research with this feature can be reproduced. The objective of this study was to develop a light-emitting device using LED, with proper measurements for application in clinical research. It was used 267 LEDs, powered with 12-V voltage and fixed on a plate of ethylene-vinyl acetate (25 × 42 cm), equidistant at 1.0 cm. For the calculation of red and infrared irradiation, a spectrometer was used, and the data were processed in routines implemented in the OriginPro 8.5.0 SR1 Software. The irradiance was determined by the integration of the spectral irradiation in the LED emission region. The red LED has a wavelength of 620 ± 10 nm, a power density of 52.86 mW/cm2, power of 6.6 mW, and total power of 1.76 W on the device. The infrared LED has a wavelength of 940 ± 10 nm, power density 33.7 mW/cm2, power of 6 mW, and total power of 1.6 W on the device. The LED characterization enables the generation and application of energy with greater precision and reproducibility. Besides, it is a light source, a device capable of framing large areas, reducing the time and cost of the application in different clinical conditions related to neuromuscular performance or rehabilitation.