Andreas Kramer

The influence of vibration type, frequency, body position and additional load on the neuromuscular activity during whole body vibration

This study aimed to assess the influence of different whole body vibration (WBV) determinants on the electromyographic (EMG) activity during WBV in order to identify those training conditions that cause highest neuromuscular responses and therefore provide optimal training conditions. In a randomized cross-over study, the EMG activity of six leg muscles was analyzed in 18 subjects with respect to the following determinants: (1) vibration type (side-alternating vibration (SV) vs. synchronous vibration (SyV), (2) frequency (5–10–15–20–25–30xa0Hz), (3) knee flexion angle (10°–30°–60°), (4) stance condition (forefoot vs. normal stance) and (5) load variation (no extra load vs. additional load equal to one-third of the body weight). The results are: (1) neuromuscular activity during SV was enhanced compared to SyV (Pxa0<xa00.05); (2) a progressive increase in frequency caused a progressive increase in EMG activity (Pxa0<xa00.05); (3) the EMG activity was highest for the knee extensors when the knee joint was 60° flexed (Pxa0<xa00.05); (4) for the plantar flexors in the forefoot stance condition (Pxa0<xa00.05); and (5) additional load caused an increase in neuromuscular activation (Pxa0<xa00.05). In conclusion, large variations of the EMG activation could be observed across conditions. However, with an appropriate adjustment of specific WBV determinants, high EMG activations and therefore high activation intensities could be achieved in the selected muscles. The combination of high vibration frequencies with additional load on an SV platform led to highest EMG activities. Regarding the body position, a knee flexion of 60° and forefoot stance appear to be beneficial for the knee extensors and the plantar flexors, respectively.

Exergaming With Additional Postural Demands Improves Balance and Gait in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis as Much as Conventional Balance Training and Leads to High Adherence to Home-Based Balance Training

OBJECTIVEnTo assess the effectiveness of and adherence to an exergame balance training program with additional postural demands in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).nnnDESIGNnMatched controlled trial, assessment of balance before and after different balance training programs, and adherence to home-based balance exercise in the 6 months after the training.nnnSETTINGnA neurorehabilitation facility and center for MS.nnnPARTICIPANTSnPatients with balance problems (N=70) matched into 1 of the training groups according to age as well as balance and gait performance in 4 tests. Nine patients dropped out of the study because of scheduling problems. The mean age of the 61 remaining participants was 47±9 years, and their Expanded Disability Status Scale score was 3±1.nnnINTERVENTIONSnThree weeks of (1) conventional balance training (control), (2) exergame training (playing exergames on an unstable platform), or (3) single-task (ST) exercises on the unstable platform.nnnMAIN OUTCOME MEASURESnTest scores in balance tests and gait analyses under ST and dual-task (DT) situations. Furthermore, in the 6 months after the rehabilitation training, the frequency and type of balance training were assessed by using questionnaires.nnnRESULTSnAll 3 groups showed significantly improved balance and gait scores. Only the exergame training group showed significantly higher improvements in the DT condition of the gait test than in the ST condition. Adherence to home-based balance training differed significantly between groups (highest adherence in the exergame training group).nnnCONCLUSIONSnPlaying exergames on an unstable surface seems to be an effective way to improve balance and gait in patients with MS, especially in DT situations. The integration of exergames seems to have a positive effect on adherence and is thus potentially beneficial for the long-term effectiveness of rehabilitation programs.

Repetitive hops induce postactivation potentiation in triceps surae as well as an increase in the jump height of subsequent maximal drop jumps.

Postactivation potentiation (PAP) has been defined as the increase in twitch torque after a conditioning contraction. The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of hops as conditioning contractions to induce PAP and increase performance in subsequent maximal drop jumps. In addition, we wanted to test if and how PAP can contribute to increases in drop jump rebound height. Twelve participants performed 10 maximal two-legged hops as conditioning contractions. Twitch peak torques of triceps surae muscles were recorded before and after the conditioning hops. Then, subjects performed drop jumps with and without 10 conditioning hops before each drop jump. Recordings included ground reaction forces, ankle and knee angles and electromyographic activity in five leg muscles. In addition, efferent motoneuronal output during ground contact was estimated with V-wave stimulation. The analyses showed that after the conditioning hops, twitch peak torques of triceps surae muscles were 32% higher compared to baseline values (P < 0.01). Drop jumps performed after conditioning hops were significantly higher (12%, P < 0.05), but V-waves and EMG activity remained unchanged. The amount of PAP and the change in drop jump rebound height were positively correlated (r2 = 0.26, P < 0.05). These results provide evidence for PAP in triceps surae muscles induced by a bout of hops and indicate that PAP can contribute to the observed performance enhancements in subsequent drop jumps. The lack of change in EMG activity and V-wave amplitude suggests that the underlying mechanisms are more likely intramuscular than neural in origin.

Whole Body Vibration Training - Improving Balance Control and Muscle Endurance

Exercise combined with whole body vibration (WBV) is becoming increasingly popular, although additional effects of WBV in comparison to conventional exercises are still discussed controversially in literature. Heterogeneous findings are attributed to large differences in the training designs between WBV and “control” groups in regard to training volume, load and type. In order to separate the additional effects of WBV from the overall adaptations due to the intervention, in this study, a four-week WBV training setup was compared to a matched intervention program with identical training parameters in both training settings except for the exposure to WBV. In a repeated-measures matched-subject design, 38 participants were assigned to either the WBV group (VIB) or the equivalent training group (CON). Training duration, number of sets, rest periods and task-specific instructions were matched between the groups. Balance, jump height and local static muscle endurance were assessed before and after the training period. The statistical analysis revealed significant interaction effects of group×time for balance and local static muscle endurance (p<0.05). Hence, WBV caused an additional effect on balance control (pre vs. post VIB +13%, p<0.05 and CON +6%, pu200a=u200a0.33) and local static muscle endurance (pre vs. post VIB +36%, p<0.05 and CON +11%, pu200a=u200a0.49). The effect on jump height remained insignificant (pre vs. post VIB +3%, pu200a=u200a0.25 and CON ±0%, pu200a=u200a0.82). This study provides evidence for the additional effects of WBV above conventional exercise alone. As far as balance and muscle endurance of the lower leg are concerned, a training program that includes WBV can provide supplementary benefits in young and well-trained adults compared to an equivalent program that does not include WBV.

Effects of conditioning hops on drop jump and sprint performance: a randomized crossover pilot study in elite athletes.

BackgroundIt has previously been shown that conditioning activities consisting of repetitive hops have the potential to induce better drop jump (DJ) performance in recreationally active individuals. In the present pilot study, we investigated whether repetitive conditioning hops can also increase reactive jump and sprint performance in sprint-trained elite athletes competing at an international level.MethodsJump and sprint performances of 5 athletes were randomly assessed under 2 conditions. The control condition (CON) comprised 8 DJs and 4 trials of 30-m sprints. The intervention condition (HOP) consisted of 10 maximal repetitive two-legged hops that were conducted 10xa0s prior to each single DJ and sprint trial. DJ performance was analyzed using a one-dimensional ground reaction force plate. Step length (SL), contact time (CT), and sprint time (ST) during the 30-m sprints were recorded using an opto-electronic measurement system.ResultsFollowing the conditioning activity, DJ height and external DJ peak power were both significantly increased by 11xa0% compared to the control condition. All other variables did not show any significant differences between HOP and CON.ConclusionsIn the present pilot study, we were able to demonstrate large improvements in DJ performance even in sprint-trained elite athletes following a conditioning activity consisting of maximal two-legged repetitive hops. This strengthens the hypothesis that plyometric conditioning exercises can induce performance enhancements in elite athletes that are even greater than those observed in recreationally active athletes.. In addition, it appears that the transfer of these effects to other stretch-shortening cycle activities is limited, as we did not observe any changes in sprint performance following the plyometric conditioning activity.

Robotic guidance induces long-lasting changes in the movement pattern of a novel sport-specific motor task

Facilitating the learning or relearning of motor tasks is one of the main goals of coaches, teachers and therapists. One promising way to achieve this goal is guiding the learner through the correct movement trajectory with the help of a robotic device. The aim of this study was to investigate if haptic guidance can induce long-lasting changes in the movement pattern of a complex sport-specific motor task. For this purpose, 31 subjects were assigned to one of three groups: EA (early angle, n=10), LA (late angle, n=11) and CON (control, n=10). EA and LA successfully completed five training sessions, which consisted of 50 robot-guided golf swings and 10 free swings each, whereas CON had no training. The EA group was guided through the movement with the wrist being bent early during backswing, whereas in the LA group it was bent late. The participants of EA and LA were not told about this difference in the movement patterns. To assess if the robot-guided training was successful in shaping the movement pattern, the timing of the wrist bending during the backswing in free swings was measured before (PRE), one day after (POST), and 7 days after (FUP) the five training sessions. The ANOVA (time×group×angle) showed that during POST and FUP, the participants of the EA group bent their wrist significantly earlier during the backswing than the other groups. Post-hoc analyses revealed that this interaction effect was mainly due to the differences in the wrist angle progression during the first 5° of the backswing. The robot-guided training was successful in shaping the movement pattern, and these changes persisted even after 7 days without further practice. This might have implications for the learning of complex motor tasks in general, as haptic guidance might quickly provide the beginner with an internal model of the correct movement pattern without having to direct the learners attention towards the key points of the correct movement pattern.

How to prevent the detrimental effects of two months of bed-rest on muscle, bone and cardiovascular system : an RCT

Physical inactivity leads to a deconditioning of the skeletal, neuromuscular and cardiovascular system. It can lead to impaired quality of life, loss of autonomy, falls and fractures. Regular exercise would be a logical remedy, but the generally recommended high-volume endurance and strength training programs require a lot of time and equipment. In this randomized controlled study with 23 healthy participants, we established that a short, intensive jump training program can prevent the large musculoskeletal and cardiovascular deconditioning effects caused by two months of physical inactivity during bed rest, particularly the loss of bone mineral mass and density, lean muscle mass, maximal leg strength and peak oxygen uptake. The jump training group showed no significant changes with respect to these indicators of musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health after 60 days of bed rest, whereas the control group exhibited substantial losses: up to −2.6% in tibial bone mineral content and density, −5% in leg lean mass, −40% in maximal knee extension torque and −29% in peak oxygen uptake. Consequently, we recommend jump training as a very time-efficient and effective type of exercise for astronauts on long-term space missions, the elderly and sedentary populations in general.

Involvement of a Novel Class C Beta-Lactamase in the Transglutaminase Mediated Cross-Linking Cascade of Streptomyces mobaraensis DSM 40847

Streptomyces mobaraensis DSM 40847 secretes transglutaminase that cross-links proteins via γ-glutamyl-ε-lysine isopeptide bonds. Characterized substrates are inhibitory proteins acting against various serine, cysteine and metalloproteases. In the present study, the bacterial secretome was examined to uncover additional transglutaminase substrates. Fractional ethanol precipitation of the exported proteins at various times of culture growth, electrophoresis of the precipitated proteins, and sequencing of a 39 kDa protein by mass spectrometry revealed the novel beta-lactamase Sml-1. As indicated by biotinylated probes, Sml-1, produced in E. coli, exhibits glutamine and lysine residues accessible for transglutaminase. The chromogenic cephalosporin analogue, nitrocefin, was hydrolyzed by Sml-1 with low velocity. The obtained Km and kcat values of the recombinant enzyme were 94.3±1.8 μM and 0.39±0.03 s-1, respectively. Penicillin G and ampicillin proved to be weak inhibitors of nitrocefin hydrolysis (Ki of 0.1 mM and 0.18 mM). Negligible influence of metals on β-lactamase activity ruled out that Sml-1 is a Zn2+-dependent class B beta-lactamase. Rather, sequence motifs such as SITK, YSN, and HDG forming the active core in a hypothetical structure may be typical for class C beta-lactamases. Based on the results, we assume that the novel transglutaminase substrate ensures undisturbed growth of aerial hyphae in Streptomyces mobaraensis by trapping and inactivating hostile beta-lactam antibiotics.

Conditioning hops increase triceps surae muscle force and Achilles tendon strain energy in the stretch-shortening cycle

Postactivation potentiation can improve athletic performance, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. This study investigated the effect of conditioning hops on triceps surae muscle force and tendon strain and its contribution to potentiated stretch‐shortening cycle (SSC) performance. Thirty‐two subjects participated in two experiments. In both experiments, subjects performed three drop jumps (DJs) after prior conditioning with 10 maximal hops, three unconditioned DJs served as control. Ground reaction forces, kinematics, and triceps surae electromyographic activity were recorded. Ultrasound imaging was used to determine fascicle lengths (FASC) of the gastrocnemius (GM) and soleus muscles (experiment 1) and the length of the Achilles tendon (experiment 2) during the DJs. DJ height after the conditioning hops was significantly higher compared to control DJs (experiment 1: +12% and experiment 2: +19%). A significantly shorter GM FASC during the DJs performed after the conditioning hops coincided with an increased force acting on the triceps surae muscle. Moreover, the triceps surae muscle‐tendon unit (MTU) showed increased energy absorption during the eccentric phase of the DJs and increased energy release during the concentric phase. The second experiment revealed a higher Achilles tendon strain in DJs performed after the conditioning hops compared to control DJs. No significant differences in muscle activities were observed. The shorter FASC in GM and the larger Achilles tendon strain facilitated MTU energy transfer from the eccentric to the concentric phase during the DJ. Thereby, conditioning hops improved SSC efficacy and DJ performance.

Motor learning of a dynamic balance task : Influence of lower limb power and prior balance practice

OBJECTIVESnWe wanted to verify if the learning to learn effect observed in the learning of visuomotor tasks is also present when learning a balance task, i.e., whether the learning rate of a balance task is improved by prior practice of similar balance tasks.nnnDESIGNnSingle centre, parallel group, controlled training study.nnnMETHODSn32 young healthy participants were divided into a control and a training group. The training groups practice consisted of 90 trials of three balance tasks. Forty-eight hours after the training, we recorded performance during the acquisition (90 trials) of a novel balance task in both groups, and 24h thereafter we measured its retention (10 trials).nnnRESULTSnMixed models statistical analysis showed that the learning rate of both the acquisition and the retention phase was not influenced by the 90 prior practice trials performed by the training group. However, participants with high lower limb power had a higher balance performance than participants with low power, which can be partly explained by the higher learning rate observed during the acquisition phase for participants with high power.nnnCONCLUSIONSnContrary to visuomotor or perceptual tasks, we did not find a learning to learn effect for balance tasks. The correlation between learning rate and lower limb power suggests that motor learning of dynamic balance tasks may depend on the physical capability to execute the correct movement. Thus, a prior strength and conditioning program with emphasis on lower limb power should be considered when designing a balance training, especially in fall prevention.