Alessandro Haupenthal

Loading forces in shallow water running in two levels of immersion.

OBJECTIVE To analyse the vertical and anteroposterior components of the ground reaction force during shallow water running at 2 levels of immersion. SUBJECTS Twenty-two healthy adults with no gait disorders, who were familiar with aquatic exercises. METHODS Subjects performed 6 trials of water running at a self-selected speed in chest and hip immersion. Force data were collected through an underwater force plate and running speed was measured with a photocell timing light system. Analysis of covariance was used for data analysis. RESULTS Vertical forces corresponded to 0.80 and 0.98 times the subjects body weight at the chest and hip level, respectively. Anteroposterior forces corresponded to 0.26 and 0.31 times the subjects body weight at the chest and hip level, respectively. As the water level decreased the subjects ran faster. No significant differences were found for the force values between the immersions, probably due to variability in speed, which was self-selected. CONCLUSION When thinking about load values in water running professionals should consider not only the immersion level, but also the speed, as it can affect the force components, mainly the anteroposterior one. Quantitative data on this subject could help professionals to conduct safer aqua-tic rehabilitation and physical conditioning protocols.

Vertical reaction forces and kinematics of backward walking underwater.

The aim of this study was to compare the first and second peaks of the vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) and kinematics at initial contact (IC) and final stance (FS) during walking in one of two directions (forward×backward) and two environments (on land×underwater). Twenty-two adults (24.6±2.6 years) walking forward (FW) and backward (BW) on a 7.5m walkway with a central force plate. Underwater immersion was at the height of the Xiphoid process. Ten trials were performed for each condition giving a total of 40 trials where the VGRF and kinematic data were recorded. Two-way repeated measures analysis of covariance was used with a combination of environment and direction of walking: FW on land, FW underwater, BW on land and BW underwater (entered as between-subjects factor) and repeated measures of VGRF peaks (first and second) or angles (at IC and FS). Walking velocity was included as a covariate. Both VGRF peaks were reduced when participants walked underwater compared to on land (p<.001). For BW, in both environments, the second peak was lower than the first (p<.001; for both). During BW at IC the ankle is more dorsiflexed and the knee is more flexed, both on land and underwater. At FS, there was no difference between the ankle angle for FW and BW in both environments. At IC, in FW and BW the knee and hip are more flexed underwater. BW underwater involves a lower VGRF and more knee and hip flexion than BW on land.

Ground reaction forces in shallow water running are affected by immersion level, running speed and gender

OBJECTIVES To analyze the effect of depth of immersion, running speed and gender on ground reaction forces during water running. DESIGN Controlled laboratory study. METHODS Twenty adults (ten male and ten female) participated by running at two levels of immersion (hip and chest) and two speed conditions (slow and fast). Data were collected using an underwater force platform. The following variables were analyzed: vertical force peak (Fy), loading rate (LR) and anterior force peak (Fx anterior). Three-factor mixed ANOVA was used to analyze data. RESULTS Significant effects of immersion level, speed and gender on Fy were observed, without interaction between factors. Fy was greater when females ran fast at the hip level. There was a significant increase in LR with a reduction in the level of immersion regardless of the speed and gender. No effect of speed or gender on LR was observed. Regarding Fx anterior, significant interaction between speed and immersion level was found: in the slow condition, participants presented greater values at chest immersion, whereas, during the fast running condition, greater values were observed at hip level. The effect of gender was only significant during fast water running, with Fx anterior being greater in the men group. Increasing speed raised Fx anterior significantly irrespective of the level of immersion and gender. CONCLUSIONS The magnitude of ground reaction forces during shallow water running are affected by immersion level, running speed and gender and, for this reason, these factors should be taken into account during exercise prescription.

Incidência de lesões em velejadores brasileiros de diferentes níveis técnicos

The first step to reduce the incidence of injuries in athletes is to assess the characteristics of occurrence, providing background for the structure and application of prevention programs. This study had the aim to investigate the incidence of injuries in sailing athletes of different technical levels. The sample was composed of 172 sailors, divided in three groups: 89 beginners, participants in the Optimist qualifying of the World Championship (group 1); 29 juvenile sailors, participants in the Youth Sailing Cup (group 2) and 54 national elite sailors, participants in the Pre-Olympic Sailing Week (group 3). The data collection instrument was a mixed questionnaire and the data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. Five athletes from group 1 (5.6%); five athletes from group 2 (17.2%) and 15 athletes from group 3 (27.8%) reported some kind of injury related with the modality. Higher incidence of injury was observed in the back and knee and the most reported diagnostic was muscular injury, followed by cuts, sprains and tendinitis. The incidence in sailing is low if compared with other sport modalities, despite the high physical demand required during the actions on the boat. It was verified that the professional athletes, who had higher age mean and time of practice, suffered the most injuries. On the other hand, the lowest incidence was among children and adolescents. Therefore, it is important that prevention programs start from the first years of practice in order to reduce the risk to future outbreaks, especially of chronic nature. Based on this information concerning kinds of injury, we suggest inclusion of exercises specific to musculature conditioning and compensation in the training programs, as well as stretching and relaxation sessions.

A produção de conhecimento em fisioterapia: análise de periódicos nacionais (1996 a 2009)

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the production of knowledge from one area may facilitate the understanding of their identity as well as pointing out which direction is traveling. OBJECTIVE: To determine which area of studies and greater occurrence of descriptors in articles published in magazines at physiotherapy in periodicals of national circulation. METHOD: This is a documental research with a qualitative approach through content analysis. We included abstracts from journals of physiotherapy Brazilians, ranked higher or equal to B2 in WebQualis and free access to the website. With these criteria was selected: Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy and Physical Therapy in Movement, from 1996 to 2009. The items discussed were: keywords and study area. We used the program to count words TextStat. RESULTS: We analyzed 726 articles. Areas of study occurred more frequently orthopedics, neurology, pulmonology and pediatrics, which together comprise 65% of production in physical therapy, and orthopedics, alone accounts for 36% of the studies. In relation to the keyword, the prevalence was highest descriptor physiotherapy, followed by elderly and physical activity. Discussion: As for area studies, especially considering the practice of orthopedics physical therapist that has historically focused on hospitals and rehabilitation clinics under the supervision of the orthopedic doctors and seeking its independence a second time. In relation to the descriptors, the highest frequency of the word therapy should be reassessed by the researchers, because it reflects the content of studies. CONCLUSION: The scientific production in orthopedics was more frequent, reflecting the largest professional performance.

Subjective criteria associated with return-to-play in sports physical therapy

Introduction The Subjective Daily Assessment Scale (ESAD) is based on the visual analog scale (VAS) and assesses six parameters (pain, edema, heat, mobility, sensitivity, and confidence).Objective This study aimed to examine the association between the analyzed variables as assessed by the ESAD and physical therapy clinical discharge and return-to-play of injured athletes.Method Eighty-one patient records of athletes were analyzed; mean sample age was 23.9 ± 6.3 years. The athletes received treatment through the Sports Physical Therapy program of Santa Catarina State University, Brazil, between 2008 and 2011. Six parameters were ranked on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being the best possible condition and 10 the worst. Data analysis was conducted using stepwise Cox regression.Results At the time of the injury, the mean score for confidence was 5.82 ± 0.48, and at the time of return-to-play, it was 0.48 ± 1.1; the mean score for pain decreased from 3.7 ± 2.64 to 0.34 ± 0.83. However, due to the strong association between pain and confidence, only confidence remained in the final model. For each reduction in the value reported for confidence, the probability of return-to-play was 0.62 times greater.Conclusion The results showed that confidence was the best variable for predicting athlete return-to-play.

Achados em ressonância magnética artrográfica de indivíduos com lesão do labrum acetabular

OBJECTIVE: To describe the MR arthrographic findings in subjects with suspected acetabular labral tears of the hip. METHOD: 108 hip MRa results were analyzed in 2007-2008. Two radiologists independently interpreted the images, and the consensual answers between them were considered for analysis. Based on their opinions, information was obtained on the location, staging of the chondral and labral lesions, anatomic alterations, and the presence of trochanteric bursitis and tendonitis. RESULTS: 1st degree labral lesions occurred in 41% of cases, 2nd degree in 31%, and 3rd degree in 29%. The cam type FAI was common in 36% of cases, pincer FAI in 11%, and mixed cam-pincer FAI in 13%; in these cases 57% had grade III labral lesions. 1st degree chondral lesions were observed in 51% of acetabulum, 2nd degree in 13%, and 3rd degree in 18%. CONCLUSION: The morphologic alterations that cause cam type FAI were the most common. With respect to the degree of labral and chondral lesions, 1st degree lesions were the most common, irrespective of the presence or type of FAI, except in mixed cam-pincer FAIs, in which 3rd degree lesions were predominant. No relationship was observed between the degree of labral and chondral lesion.

Skin Cooling and Force Replication at the Ankle in Healthy Individuals: A Crossover Randomized Controlled Trial

CONTEXT Proprioception of the ankle is determined by the ability to perceive the sense of position of the ankle structures, as well as the speed and direction of movement. Few researchers have investigated proprioception by force-replication ability and particularly after skin cooling. OBJECTIVE To analyze the ability of the ankle-dorsiflexor muscles to replicate isometric force after a period of skin cooling. DESIGN Randomized controlled clinical trial. SETTING Laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS Twenty healthy individuals (10 men, 10 women; age = 26.8 ± 5.2 years, height = 171 ± 7 cm, mass = 66.8 ± 10.5 kg). INTERVENTION(S) Skin cooling was carried out using 2 ice applications: (1) after maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) performance and before data collection for the first target force, maintained for 20 minutes; and (2) before data collection for the second target force, maintained for 10 minutes. We measured skin temperature before and after ice applications to ensure skin cooling. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) A load cell was placed under an inclined board for data collection, and 10 attempts of force replication were carried out for 2 values of MVIC (20%, 50%) in each condition (ice, no ice). We assessed force sense with absolute and root mean square errors (the difference between the force developed by the dorsiflexors and the target force measured with the raw data and after root mean square analysis, respectively) and variable error (the variance around the mean absolute error score). A repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS The absolute error was greater for the ice than for the no-ice condition (F1,19 = 9.05, P = .007) and for the target force at 50% of MVIC than at 20% of MVIC (F1,19 = 26.01, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS The error was greater in the ice condition and at 50% of MVIC. Skin cooling reduced the proprioceptive ability of the ankle-dorsiflexor muscles to replicate isometric force.

Análise epistemológica dos estudos de conclusão de curso nos programas de Pós-Graduação com Doutorado do Brasil

Abstract Objectives : To analyze knowledge production related to physiotherapy through the analysis of Postgraduate thesis and dissertation. Materials e methods : This descriptive study is a content analysis based on two cat-egories: subjects and keywords. Keywords were analyzed only if they appeared more than 5 times, this fre-quency was verified through TextSTAT software. The following postgraduate courses were included: Science of Rehabilitation from University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Physiotherapy from Federal University of Sao Carlos (UFSCar) and Science of Rehabilitation from University of Sao Paulo (USP). All studies from these Postgraduate programs available on internet sites were analyzed. Results : We veri fied 219 studies, Orthopedics was the most prevalent subject, followed by Pulmonology and Pediatrics. In relation to keywords, physical activity presented the highest prevalence, followed by elderly, physiotherapy and gait. Conclusion : After analyzing part of the knowledge production in physiotherapy, we concluded that Orthopedics subject is in evidence, this reflects a greater production in this area which is also considered the largest professional area. The studies could be characterized as one dimensional since it generally envolves only one knowledge area, not allowing other point of views to interfere in the same analyzed aspect. Furtheremore, there seems to be a scarcity of studies related to social aspects, since no studies related to this topic were found.

Método dinamométrico para avaliação da escora em barcos tipo Catamaran

This study aimed to propose and to validate a method for the measurement of hiking distance (Hd) and hiking moment (Hm) in Catamaran boats, through the use of force plates. This new method proposes the measurement by dynamometry, with the positioning of a force plate below each boat hoof to measure the Ground Reaction Forces (GRF). Based on the classic static equations Hd and Hm were determined. In order to validate the method a validation of competing was carried out through the comparison with kinematic values measured through the Peak Motus system. Intraclass correlation coeficient was used. Different positions in two different inclinations of the boat, simulating the boat heeling, had been analyzed. The results showed a high correlation (ICC > 0.99) and a small average error (1.00% for Hd and 0.96% for Hm) between the methods. Thus, the new method seems to be valid and efficient since it measured the variables in a fast and precise way, facilitating the analysis and assisting sailors and coaches on decision taking