Elizabeth K. Bailey

Effects of an over-the-counter vented mouthguard on cardiorespiratory responses to exercise and physical agility.

Abstract Bailey, SP, Willauer, TJ, Balilionis, G, Wilson, LE, Salley, J, Bailey, EK, and Strickland, TL. Effects of an over-the-counter vented mouthguard on cardiorespiratory responses to exercise and physical agility. J Strength Cond Res 29(3): 678–684, 2015—Many athletes avoid using mouthguards because they believe that they impair their ability to breath and negatively affect performance. Recently, some manufacturers have developed “vented” mouthguards (VentMGs) to address this concern. The purposes of this investigation were to describe the impact of a commercially available “vented” boil-and-bite mouthguard on the physiological responses to graded exercise and to determine whether the use of the same mouthguard influences performance during traditional physical agility tests. Recreationally trained males (n = 15) (age = 24 ± 1 year; = 43.5 ± 1.9 ml·kg−1·min−1; body mass index = 25.2 ± 0.9) completed 3 randomly assigned trials where they wore no mouthguard (control), a traditional mouthguard (TradMG), or a VentMG. During each trial, subjects completed a modified maximal exercise test on a cycle ergometer and a series of physical agility tests (40-m dash, vertical leap, broad jump, 3-cone drill, and shuttle run). No differences were seen between control and the TradMG in any cardiorespiratory measures at any time during the maximal exercise test. Ventilation and blood lactate were lower (p ⩽ 0.05) during VentMG at 200 W and at MAX; however, no differences in were observed. Although TradMG had no impact on physical agility, VentMG produced a higher (1.9 cm; p = 0.03) vertical leap than control. Both mouthguard conditions negatively affected perceptions of breathability, comfort, and ability to communicate, but no differences existed between the 2 conditions. These findings confirm that TradMG has no negative impact on physiological function during exercise and physical agility; however, VentMG may have a positive impact at higher workload and on vertical leap.

Predictors of Health Related Quality of Life in Adults 50 Years and Older

Background: Perceived health related quality of life (HRQoL) and measures of physical function are consistently measured to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. In older adults there are numerous measures of physical function. Purpose: To determine which measures of physical function are most closely associated with HRQoL in adults 50 years of age and older. Methods: 64 participants (54-93 years of age) completed assessments of HRQoL (Short Form Health Survey, Version 2 (SF-12v2 ) and World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL BREF)) and questionnaires related to self-esteem and physical activity. Participants were also assessed for six minute walk distance (6MWD), muscle strength, balance, gait, and lower extremity function (Short Performance Physical Battery; SPPB). Correlation analysis was performed between and within all dependent and independent measures. Forward Stepwise-Linear regression was performed to determine which independent measures predicted dependent measures. Results: The physical component score (PCS) and the mental component score (MCS) of the SF-12v2 were independent of each other unlike the domains of the WHOQOL BREF. The independent measures were best able to predict WHOQOL Physical Health (r2 =0.60), WHOQOL Psychological Health (r2 =0.58), and PCS (r2 =0.43). SPPB score best predicted PCS and WHOQOL Physical Health. The vestibular component of balance best predicted WHOQOL Psychological Health and Social Relationships. Self- esteem helped predict MCS, WHOQOL Psychological Health, and WHOQOL Social Relationships. 6MWD, muscle strength, and specific measurements of gait did not enter into any of the predictive equations for HRQoL. Conclusion: SPPB, vestibular component of balance, and self-esteem may be important tools in assessing HRQoL in older adults.

The Influence of Various Distraction Stimuli on Affective Responses during Recumbent Cycle Ergometry

(1) Background: Acute bouts of exercise have been associated with affective changes. Exercise supplemented with distraction may divert attention from unpleasant feelings commonly associated with exercise to more pleasant feelings. The purpose of this study was to compare affective responses to exercise with and without distraction. (2) Methods: 25 individuals volunteered for this investigation and completed all three conditions. This study included three 30 min cycle ergometry exercise conditions, a control condition with no stimuli and two test conditions; one supplemented with a self-selected video and the other self-selected music. The Feeling Scale (FS) was administered prior to, every 10 min during, immediately following, and 10 min post exercise. (3) Results: These data demonstrate a significant condition effect for FS during exercise. The condition effect was due to FS being greater in the video and distraction conditions. There was no time by condition interaction seen during exercise. (4) Conclusion: These data indicate that distraction may be effective in supporting a more pleasant exercise experience and could potentially increase exercise adherence.

Coordinated and Aerobic Exercise do not Improve Attention in Graduate Students

Acute coordinative exercise, represented by various sports skills requiring bilateral use of hands or feet, has been shown to improve attention in school age children in a classroom setting. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if acute aerobic and coordinative exercise improves attention in graduate students in the same setting. Twenty- eight students (19 Women, 9 men; Age=24±1 years; BMI=22.9±0.6) enrolled in a graduate education program completed 3 sessions, each separated by 7 d. Immediately before a 1 h classroom lecture, subjects completed either 15 m of quiet sitting, aerobic exercise (walking), or coordinative exercise. Coordinative exercise consisted of a sequence of bilateral activities requiring gross and fine motor movement using balls of various sizes and types. Prior to and immediately after the lecture, subjects completed the d2 Test of attention. Subjects did not exercise or drink caffeine prior to participation. Heart rate was similar during aerobic and coordinative exercise. The total number of items processed (TN) and concentration performance (CP) increased from immediately post exercise to post-lecture in all conditions. The number of errors following coordinative exercise before the lecture was greater than the other conditions. The results of this investigation suggest that aerobic and coordinative exercise do not influence attention in graduate students.