António José Silva

Fat-Free Mass, Strength, and Sarcopenia are Related to Bone Mineral Density in Older Women

This study examined the association between fat-free mass (FFM) and muscle strength with bone mineral density (BMD), and compared the BMD values between sarcopenic and nonsarcopenic older women. After the exclusion criteria were applied, a total of 246 volunteers (age: 66.51+/-6.37 yr) participated in the analysis. Subjects underwent FFM and BMD evaluation by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and quadriceps strength by an isokinetic dynamometer. To address the potential for confounding by height, FFM values were considered relative to body height squared. For fat mass correction, fat-adjusted FFM was calculated. Individuals were classified as sarcopenic if their appendicular FFM was less than 5.45 kg/m2. All the evaluated FFM indexes were significantly correlated with the measured BMD sites. Sarcopenic individuals presented significantly lower whole body and trochanter BMD, and were significantly more prone to have low BMD. Muscle strength was also correlated with BMD sites; however, when it was expressed relative to body weight, the significance disappeared. Nevertheless, volunteers with low relative strength had higher risk of having low trochanter BMD. It can be concluded, in older women, that FFM is significantly correlated with BMD independently of height and fat mass. Muscle strength was also correlated with BMD, although the correlation was weaker when corrected for body weight. Finally, sarcopenic elderly women were more likely to have low BMD and muscle strength.

A Systematic Review of the Effects of Pilates Method of Exercise in Healthy People

OBJECTIVE To evaluate evidence for the effectiveness of the Pilates method of exercise (PME) in healthy people. DATA SOURCES Published research was identified by searching Science Direct, MEDLINE, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, PEDro, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, and Web of Science. STUDY SELECTION Research studies published from inception to May 7, 2011 were selected for evaluation. Two reviewers independently applied the inclusion criteria to selected potential studies. Studies were included if they were published in a peer-reviewed journal, written in the English language, conducted as a randomized controlled trial (RCT) or quasi-RCT in healthy people, had an inactive and/or exercise control group(s), included key study outcomes, and used the PME as the study intervention in at least 1 study arm. DATA EXTRACTION Two reviewers independently extracted data (study, design, subjects, intervention, key outcomes results), applied the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale to assess the method quality of selected studies, and determined the strength of the evidence using the best evidence synthesis grading system. DATA SYNTHESIS Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. PEDro scale values ranged from 3 to 7 (mean, 4.1), indicating a low level of scientific rigor. The outcomes studied most often were flexibility, muscular endurance, strength, and postural alignment. The PME appears to be effective in improving flexibility (strong evidence), dynamic balance (strong evidence), and muscular endurance (moderate evidence) in healthy people. CONCLUSIONS There was strong evidence to support the use of the PME at least to the end of training to improve flexibility and dynamic balance and moderate evidence to enhance muscular endurance. Future RCTs should focus on the components of blinding, concealed allocation, subject adherence, intention-to-treat analysis, and follow-up designs.

Effects of high-speed power training on functional capacity and muscle performance in older women.

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of 12 weeks high-speed power training on isometric contraction (handgrip strength), maximal strength (1RM), muscle power (walking velocity, counter movement jump and ball throwing) and functional tasks of the arm and leg muscles (sit-to-stand and get-up and go). Fifty-six older women were divided into an experimental group and a control group [EG, n=28, 62.5 (5.4) years; CG: n=28, 62.5 (4.3) years]. The EG was submitted to a high-speed power training that consisted of 40% of one repetition maximum (1<RM) to 75% of 1RM); 3 sets 4-12 reps, countermovement jump and medicine ball (1.5 kg) throwing. Over the 12-week training period, the EG significantly increased dynamic and isometric strength performance (57% to 61%), muscle power (range from 14% to 40%) (P<0.05) and function (P<0.05). No significant magnitudes of increase were observed in the CG. These data indicate that high-speed power training is an effective exercise approach leading to large gains in upper and lower extremity muscle performance and function capacity.

Effects of social and environmental determinants on overweight and obesity among Brazilian schoolchildren from a developing region

OBJECTIVE To identify the social and environmental determinants most strongly associated with overweight and obesity in Brazilian schoolchildren from a developing region. METHODS Data were collected from a community-based survey of schoolchildren from the Valley of Jequitinhonha, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The sample was composed of 5 100 school children aged 6-18 years. Overweight and obesity were defined by body mass index based on the current method recommended by the World Health Organization in 2007. Social and environmental determinants were collected by using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 11.1% and 2.7% in girls and 8.2% and 1.5% in boys, respectively. The chance of overweight was higher in schoolchildren who engaged in remunerated work (odds ratio [OR] = 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30- 3.26), whose parents had higher education levels (OR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.12-2.07), who had two or fewer siblings (OR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.21-2.49), and who were in a high economic class (OR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.32-2.85). Schoolchildren who traveled by car to school (OR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.14-1.91), lived < 5 km from school (OR = 1.64, 95% CI 1.06-2.39), and consumed foods sold in the school cafeteria (OR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.19-2.16) presented high odds of being overweight. CONCLUSIONS The background from a particular region of a country should be considered when implementing preventive measures regarding overweight and obesity, especially for very poor, developing regions like the Valley of Jequitinhonha. Measures taken should consider a multilevel intervention that includes the family, school, and physical environment.

Physical exercise and reduction of pain in adults with lower limb osteoarthritis: a systematic review

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease. The knee and hip joints are the most frequently affected. Treatments fall into three main categories: pharmacological, non-pharmacological, and surgical. Treatments can be applied alone or in combination. In the last few years, within the non-pharmacological category have been a growing importance of physical exercise programs aimed to reduce pain in knee and hip joints. The purpose of this review was to summarize evidence for the effectiveness and structure of exercise programs on pain in patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis. To that end, several databases were searched, retrieving 33 studies that evaluated the influence of different exercise programs on pain. These studies were grouped according to the characteristics of the exercise program: land-based intervention (strength program, Tai Chi, aerobic program), aquatic intervention (hydrotherapy), and mixed exercise programs. The main conclusions drawn were: (i) despite recommendations for the use of exercise programs as pain therapy in patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis, very few randomized clinical studies were conducted; (ii) the structure of the exercise programs (content, duration, frequency and duration of the session) is very heterogeneous; (iii) on overall, exercise programs based on Tai Chi have better results than mixed exercise programs, but without clear differences.

Genetic Inheritance Effects on Endurance and Muscle Strength

Top-level sport seems to play a natural Darwinian stage. The most outstanding athletes appear to emerge as a result of exogenous influences of nature and/or coincidence, namely, the contingency of practicing certain sport for which their talents best fit. This coincidence arises because certain individuals possess anatomical, metabolic, functional and behavioural characteristics that are precisely those required to excel in a given sport. Apart from the effects of training, there is strong evidence of genetic influence upon athletic performance. This article reviews the current state of knowledge regarding heritable genetic effects upon endurance and muscle strength, as reported by several twin and family studies. Due, probably, to the inaccuracy of the measurement procedures and sampling error, heritability estimates differ widely between studies. Even so, the genetic inheritence effects seem incontrovertible in most physical traits: ~40–70% for peak oxygen uptake and cardiac mass and structure, and ~30–90% for anaerobic power and capacity, ranging according to the metabolic category. Studies in development by several researchers at this present time seem to guarantee that future reviews will include twins and family studies concerning genes associated with the adaptive processes against hormetic agents, such as exercise, heat and oxidative stress.

Muscle performance and functional capacity retention in older women after high-speed power training cessation.

Power declines more steeply than strength with advancing age and training cessation among older women and is associated with the loss of functional ability. We tested the hypothesis that the impact of 6 weeks of detraining (DT) subsequent to 12 weeks of high-speed power training on maximal strength (1RM) of the arm and leg muscles, power performance (counter movement jump and ball throwing) and functional task (sit-to-stand test) would decrease physical performance, and specifically power performance. Thirty-seven older women were divided into an experimental group and a control group [EG, n=20, 65.8 (2.5) years; CG: n=17, 64.8 (2.8) years]. Muscular strength, power and functional testings were conducted before the initiation of training (T1), after 12 weeks (T2) and after 6 weeks of DT (T3). During the 12 weeks of training, EG significantly increased their dynamic strength performance (range from 41.9 to 64.1%), muscle power output (range from 18.2 to 33.6%) (p<0.05) and function (15.8%) (p<0.05). No significant differences were observed in the magnitude of the increases in CG. Short-term DT led to larger effects on maximal strength (18.1-23.8%) (p<0.05) of both upper and lower extremity muscles than in muscle power (2-4.5%) and function (2.8%) (p<0.05). However, all measurements remained higher (12.6-36.4%; p<0.05) than in pre-training levels. These data indicated that DT may induce larger declines in muscle strength than in power output and preserved physical independence, mediated in part, by the effectiveness of high-speed power training particularly developed for older women.

Effects of musical cadence in the acute physiologic adaptations to head-out aquatic exercises.

Barbosa, TM, Sousa, VF, Silva, AJ, Reis, VM, Marinho, DA, and Bragada, JA. Effects of musical cadence in the acute physiologic adaptations to head-out aquatic exercises. J Strength Cond Res 24(1): 244-250, 2010-The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships between musical cadence and the physiologic adaptations to basic head-out aquatic exercises. Fifteen young and clinically healthy women performed, immersed to the breast, a cardiovascular aquatic exercise called the “rocking horse.” The study design included an intermittent and progressive protocol starting at a 90 b·min−1 rhythm and increasing every 6 minutes, by 15 b·min−1, up to 195 b·min−1 or exhaustion. The rating of perceived effort (RPE) at the maximal heart rate achieved during each bout (HRmax), the percentage of the maximal theoretical heart rate estimated (%HRmax), and the blood lactate concentration ([La-]) were evaluated. The musical cadence was also calculated at 4 mmol·L−1 of blood lactate (R4), the RPE at R4 (RPE@R4), the HR at R4 (HR@R4), and the %HRmax at R4 (%HRmax@R4). Strong relationships were verified between the musical cadence and the RPE (R2 = 0.85; p < 0.01), the HRmax (R2 = 0.66; p < 0.01), the %HRmax (R2 = 0.61; p < 0.01), and the [La-] (R2 = 0.54; p < 0.01). The R4 was 148.13 ± 17.53 b·min−1, the RPE@R4 was 14.53 ± 2.53, the HR@R4 was 169.33 ± 12.06 b·min−1, and the %HRmax@R4 was 85.53 ± 5.72%. The main conclusion is that increasing musical cadence created an increase in the physiologic response. Therefore, instructors must choose musical cadences according to the goals of the session they are conducting to achieve the desired intensity.

Effects of Pilates-Based Exercise on Life Satisfaction, Physical Self-Concept and Health Status in Adult Women

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Pilates-based mat exercises on life satisfaction, perception of appreciation by other people, perception of physical appearance, perception of functionality, total physical self-concept, and perception of health status in healthy women. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in Évora, Portugal, in 2008, in which 62 healthy adult women were randomized to a Pilates-based mat (experimental group) (n = 38, mean age ± SD, 41.08 ± 6.64 years) or a control group (n = 24, mean age ± SD, 40.25 ± 7.70 years). Experimental group participants performed the Initial Mat of Body Control Pilates twice per week, 60-minutes per session. Repeated measurements were performed at baseline, 3 months and 6 months. No significant differences between the two groups were observed in life satisfaction, perception of appreciation by other people, perception of physical appearance, perception of functionality, total physical self-concept, and perception of health status at three time point measures (baseline, after 3 months, and after 6 months). No significant differences were observed in the control group over time. The experimental group showed significant improvements between baseline and six months in life satisfaction (p = .04), perception of appreciation by other people (p = .002), perception of physical appearance (p = .001), perception of functionality (p = .01), total physical self-concept (p = .001), perception of health status (p = .013) and between three and six months in life satisfaction (p = .002), perception of appreciation by other people (p = .05), perception of physical appearance (p = .001), perception of functionality (p = .02), and total physical self-concept (p = .001). Life satisfaction, perception of appreciation by other people, perception of physical appearance, perception of functionality, total physical self-concept and perception of health status may improve after 6 months of Pilates-based mat exercise.

Does Pilates-Based Exercise Improve Postural Alignment in Adult Women?

A randomized, controlled trial was conducted to determine the effect of Pilates-based exercise on postural alignment. Seventy-four adult women (mean age ± SD, 34.9 ± 16.4 years) were randomized to a Pilates-based mat class (n = 40) or a control group (n = 34). Pilates-based exercise participants were taught the Initial Mat of Body Control Pilates for 6 months, twice a week, for 60 minutes per session; the control group received no exercise intervention. Repeated measurements were performed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months of the frontal alignment of the thoracolumbar spine, shoulder, and pelvis, and sagittal alignment of the head and pelvis. No differences were found in either group, over time, on frontal alignment of the thoracolumbar spine and pelvis. The experimental group showed significant improvements in frontal alignment of the shoulder and sagittal alignment of the head and pelvis at 6 months. The Pilates-based exercise enhanced some parameters of the postural alignment of women, as measured by frontal alignment of the shoulder and sagittal alignment of the head and pelvis. The significant improvement in sagittal alignment of the head may imply that 6 months of Pilates-based exercise enhances sagittal alignment of the cervical or thoracic spine.