Lynn B. Panton

A Comparison of Physical Functional Performance and Strength in Women With Fibromyalgia, Age- and Weight-Matched Controls, and Older Women Who Are Healthy

Background and Purpose. The purpose of this study was to compare functionality and strength among women with fibromyalgia (FM), women without FM, and older women. Subjects. Twenty-nine women with FM (age [X̅±SD]=46±7 years), 12 age- and weight-matched women without FM (age=44±8 years), and 38 older women who were healthy (age=71±7 years) participated. Methods. The Continuous Scale–Physical Functional Performance Test (CS-PFP) was used to assess functionality. Isokinetic leg strength was measured at 60°/s, and handgrip strength was measured using a handgrip dynamometer. Results. The women without FM had significantly higher functionality scores compared with women with FM and older women. There were no differences in functionality between women with FM and older women. Strength measures for the leg were higher in women without FM compared with women with FM and older women, and both women with and without FM had higher grip strengths compared with older women. Discussion and Conclusion. This study demonstrated that women with FM and older women who are healthy have similar lower-body strength and functionality, potentially enhancing the risk for premature age-associated disability.

Resistance exercise training improves heart rate variability in women with fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by generalized muscle pain, low muscle strength and autonomic dysfunction. Heart rate (HR) variability (HRV) is reduced in individuals with FM increasing their risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We tested the hypothesis that resistance exercise training (RET) improves HRV, baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and muscle strength in women with FM. Women with FM (n = 10) and healthy controls (n = 9), aged 27–60 years, were compared at baseline. Only women with FM underwent supervised RET 2 days per week for 16 weeks. Baseline and post‐training measurements included HRV and spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity (BRS, alpha index) from continuous electrocardiogram and blood pressure (BP) recorded with finger plethysmography during 5 min in the supine position. RR interval, total power, log transformed (Ln) squared root of the standard deviation of RR interval (RMSSD), low‐frequency power and BRS were lower (P<0·05), and HR and pulse pressure were higher (P<0·05) in women with FM than in healthy controls. After RET, mean (SEM) total power increased (387 ± 170 ms2, P<0·05), RMSSD increased (0·18 ± 0·08 Ln ms, P<0·05) and Ln of high‐frequency power increased (0·54 ± 0·27 Ln ms2, P = 0·08) in women with FM. Upper and lower body muscle strength increased by 63% and 49% (P<0·001), and pain perception decreased by 39% in women with FM. There were no changes in BRS, HR and BP after RET. Our study demonstrates that RET improves total power, cardiac parasympathetic tone, pain perception and muscle strength in women with FM who had autonomic dysfunction before the exercise programme.

Effect of carbohydrate-protein supplement timing on acute exercise-induced muscle damage

PurposeTo determine if timing of a supplement would have an effect on muscle damage, function and soreness.MethodsTwenty-seven untrained men (21 ± 3 yrs) were given a supplement before or after exercise. Subjects were randomly assigned to a pre exercise (n = 9), received carbohydrate/protein drink before exercise and placebo after, a post exercise (n = 9), received placebo before exercise and carbohydrate/protein drink after, or a control group (n = 9), received placebo before and after exercise. Subjects performed 50 eccentric quadriceps contractions on an isokinetic dynamometer. Tests for creatine kinase (CK), maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and muscle soreness were recorded before exercise and at six, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h post exercise. Repeated measures ANOVA were used to analyze data.ResultsThere were no group by time interactions however, CK significantly increased for all groups when compared to pre exercise (101 ± 43 U/L) reaching a peak at 48 h (661 ± 1178 U/L). MVC was significantly reduced at 24 h by 31.4 ± 14.0%. Muscle soreness was also significantly increased from pre exercise peaking at 48 h.ConclusionEccentric exercise caused significant muscle damage, loss of strength, and soreness; however timing of ingestion of carbohydrate/protein supplement had no effect.

Interrelationship among muscle, fat, and bone: connecting the dots on cellular, hormonal, and whole body levels.

While sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity have been recognized in the last decade, a combined concept to include decreased muscle mass and strength, as well as decreased bone mass with coexistence of adiposity is discussed here. We introduce a new term, osteopenic obesity, and operationalize its meaning within the context of osteopenia and obesity. Next, we consolidate osteopenic obesity with the already existing and more familiar term, sarcopenic obesity, and delineate the resulting combined condition assigning it the term osteosarcopenic obesity. Identification and possible diagnosis of each condition are discussed, as well as the interactions of muscle, fat and bone tissues on cellular level, considering their endocrine features. Special emphasis is placed on the mesenchymal stem cell commitment into osteoblastogenic, adipogenic and myogenic lineages and causes of its deregulation. Based on the presented evidence and as expounded within the text, it is reasonable to say that under certain conditions, osteoporosis and sarcopenia could be the obesity of bone and muscle, respectively, with the term osteosarcopenic obesity as an encompassment for all.

Osteosarcopenic obesity: the role of bone, muscle, and fat on health

Osteopenia/osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and obesity are commonly observed in the process of aging, and recent evidence suggests a potential interconnection of these syndromes with common pathophysiology. The term osteosarcopenic obesity has been coined to describe the concurrent appearance of obesity in individuals with low bone and muscle mass. Although our understanding of osteosarcopenic obesity’s etiology, prevalence, and consequences is extremely limited, it is reasonable to infer its negative impact in a population that is aging in an obesogenic environment. It is likely that these individuals will present with poorer clinical outcomes caused by the cascade of metabolic abnormalities associated with these changes in body composition. Clinical outcomes include but are not limited to increased risk of fractures, impaired functional status (including activities of daily living), physical disability, insulin resistance, increased risk of infections, increased length of hospital stay, and reduced survival. These health outcomes are likely to be worse when compared to individuals with obesity, sarcopenia, or osteopenia/osteoporosis alone. Interventions that utilize resistance training exercise in conjunction with increased protein intake appear to be promising in their ability to counteract osteosarcopenic obesity.

Acute and timing effects of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) on indirect markers of skeletal muscle damage

BackgroundWhile chronic β-Hydroxy β-Methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation (≥ 2 wk) lowers exercise induced muscle damage, its acute or timing effects have not been examined. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute and timing effects of oral HMB supplementation on serum creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), muscle soreness, and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC).MethodsSixteen non-resistance trained men (22 ± 2 yrs) were assigned to HMB-Pre or HMB-Post groups. In a crossover design, all subjects performed 55 maximal eccentric knee extension/flexion contractions on 2 occasions on either the right or left leg. HMB-Pre (N = 8) randomly received 3 grams of either a placebo or HMB before and a placebo after exercise. HMB-Post (N = 8) received a placebo before and either 3 grams of HMB or a placebo after exercise. Muscle damage tests were recorded before, at 8, 24, 48, and 72 hrs post exercise.ResultsThere was a reduction in MVC and an increase in soreness in the quadriceps and hamstrings following exercise (p < 0.001). Although HMB-Pre approached significance in attenuating soreness for the quadriceps (p = 0.07), there was no time × group effect. Serum indices of damage increased, peaking at 48 hrs for CK (773%) (p < 0.001) and 72 hrs for LDH (180%) (p < 0.001). While there were no time × group effects of HMB on CK and LDH, post hoc analysis revealed that only HMB-Pre showed no significant increase in LDH levels following exercise.ConclusionOur findings suggest no clear acute or timing effects of HMB supplementation. However, consuming HMB before exercise appeared to prevent increases in LDH.

Relationship of Physical Performance with Body Composition and Bone Mineral Density in Individuals over 60 Years of Age: A Systematic Review

The purpose of this review was to examine the relationship between physical performance and body composition measurements, including fat/muscle mass and bone mineral density (BMD) in individuals ≥60 years of age. Various measurements used to assess body composition, BMD, and physical performance (PP) were discussed as well. Medline/PubMed, CINAHL, and SCIE were used to identify articles. After limiting the search for age and kind of physical performance measures, 33 articles were evaluated. Higher fat mass was associated with poorer physical performance while higher muscle mass was a predictor of better physical performance, especially in the lower extremities. Additionally, evidence showed that higher muscle fat infiltration was a determinant of poorer physical performance. BMD was shown to be a good predictor of physical performance although the relationship was stronger in women than in men. Developing standardized methods for PP measurements could help in further investigation and conclusions of its relationship with body composition.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE PERCEIVED QUALITY OF COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTS ON LOW-INCOME WOMEN’S EFFORTS TO WALK MORE

There is increasing interest in how the quality of community environments influences health. We present the results of a pilot study designed to encourage overweight and obese low-income women to increase their level of physical activity, and explore the factors that either support or constrain their walking. The findings suggest that even relatively small increases in lifestyle physical activity among overweight or obese low-income women (an increase in 2,000 steps per day) can lead to significant weight loss. The interviews we carried out with study participants suggest there are several ways in which the perceived quality of community environments affects low-income women’s efforts to increase their steps. Having friends and family living within walking distance was supportive of participant’s efforts, in some cases because their homes represented places to walk to, and in others because in addition, friends and family were walking companions. The perceived lack of safety participants reported as a constraint to walking reflected in some cases the fear of being assaulted or harassed, and in others the fear that passers-by would not stop to help if needed. Our findings point to the importance of including community-level interventions that address residents’ safety and security concerns, along with future efforts to increase physical activity and decrease obesity among low-socioeconomic status groups.

Beta-hydroxy-beta-methyl-butyrate blunts negative age-related changes in body composition, functionality and myofiber dimensions in rats

PurposeTo determine the effects of 16 wk. of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) administration on age-related changes in functionality and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) determined myofiber dimensions.MethodsTwelve young (44 wk.), 6 middle-aged (60 wk.), 10 old (86 wk.), and 5 very old (102 wk.) male Fisher-344 rats body composition and grip strength were assessed at baseline. Following, 6 young, 6 middle-aged, 5 old and 5 very old rats were sacrificed for baseline myofiber dimensions and gene transcript factor expression in the soleus (SOL) and gastrocnemius (GAS). The remaining 6 young and 5 old rats were given HMB for 16 wk. and then sacrificed.ResultsFat mass increased in the middle-aged control condition (+49%) but not the middle-aged HMB condition. In addition, fat mass declined (-56%) in the old HMB condition but not the old control condition. Normalized strength declined and maintained respectively in the control and HMB conditions from 44 to 60 wk. and increased (+23%) (p < 0.05) from 86 to 102 wk. in only the HMB condition. Declines occurred in myofiber size in all muscles from 44 to 102 wk. in the control condition(-10 to -15%), but not HMB condition. Atrogin-1 mRNA expression in the SOL and GAS muscles was greater in the 102-wk control condition than all other conditions: SOL (+45%) and GAS (+100%). This elevation was blunted by HMB in the 102 wk. old SOL. There was a condition effect in the SOL for myogenin, which significantly increased (+40%) only in the 102-wk. HMB group relative to the 44-wk. group.ConclusionsHMB may blunt age-related losses of strength and myofiber dimensions, possibly through attenuating the rise in protein breakdown.

Effects of Static Stretching on Energy Cost and Running Endurance Performance

Wilson, JM, Hornbuckle, LM, Kim, J.-S, Ugrinowitsch, C, Lee, S.-R, Zourdos, MC, Sommer, B, and Panton, LB. Effects of static stretching on energy cost and running endurance performance. J Strength Cond Res 24(9): 2274-2279, 2010-Stretching before anaerobic events has resulted in declines in performance; however, the immediate effects of stretching on endurance performance have not been investigated. This study investigated the effects of static stretching on energy cost and endurance performance in trained male runners. Ten trained male distance runners aged 25 ± 7 years with an average &OV0312;O2max of 63.8 ± 2.8 ml/kg/min were recruited. Participants reported to the laboratory on 3 separate days. On day 1, anthropometrics and &OV0312;O2max were measured. On days 2 and 3, participants performed a 60-minute treadmill run randomly under stretching or nonstretching conditions separated by at least 1 week. Stretching consisted of 16 minutes of static stretching using 5 exercises for the major lower body muscle groups, whereas nonstretching consisted of 16 minutes of quiet sitting. The run consisted of a 30-minute 65% &OV0312;O2max preload followed by a 30-minute performance run where participants ran as far as possible without viewing distance or speed. Total calories expended were determined for the 30-minute preload run, whereas performance was measured as distance covered in the performance run. Performance was significantly greater in the nonstretching (6.0 ± 1.1 km) vs. the stretching (5.8 ± 1.0 km) condition (p < 0.05), with significantly greater energy expenditure during the stretching compared with the nonstretching condition (425 ± 50 vs. 405 ± 50 kcals). Our findings suggest that stretching before an endurance event may lower endurance performance and increase the energy cost of running.