Magdalena Hagner-Derengowska

Changes in level of VO2max,blood lipids, and waist circumference in the response to moderate endurance training as a function of ovarian aging

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of moderate endurance training on a set of physiological parameters accompanying menopausal transition. Methods: One hundred sixty-eight women participated in the study. The cohort was divided into three subgroups: premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal. A 12-week moderate intensity Nordic Walking program was administered to the cohort. The changes in body mass index (BMI), total fat mass (TF), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides (TGs), and waist circumference (WC) were assessed by means of appropriate statistical methods. Results: Significant differences are observed in V˙O2max and cholesterol levels as a function of age, both ovarian and chronological. BMI, TF, LDL, HDL, TGs, and WC also fluctuate, however insignificantly, as a function of age. Administration of a 12-week Nordic Walking program results in significant changes in the parameters studied. The only exception is HDL level in postmenopausal women. Conclusions: Significant decreases in BMI, TF, LDL, TGs, and WC and increase in HDL in premenopausal and perimenopausal women indicate the outstanding role the appropriately chosen moderate endurance training may play in the quality of daily life in perimenopausal women.

Correlations between postural stability and strength of lower body extremities of women population living in long-term care facilities

The present study was aimed at analyzing correlation between strength of lower body extremities and postural stability in function of age. A pool of 180 women divided into 6 age groups (65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85-89 and 90-94 years) was examined. They all were informed-consent participants. The results suggest that age is negatively correlated with lower body strength and positively correlated with decrease of postural balance. There is also an exponential correlation between the strength of lower body part and postural balance. The conclusion was derived that postural stability is at least partially controlled by the strength of lower body. The age of 75 in women population seems to be a threshold above which the neurodegenerative and muscle degeneration processes are responsible for significant increase of risk of fall.

Effects of Nordic Walking and Pilates exercise programs on blood glucose and lipid profile in overweight and obese postmenopausal women in an experimental, nonrandomized, open-label, prospective controlled trial.

Objective:Cardiometabolic effects of physical exercise depend on its intensity, duration, and type. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of two exercise models, Nordic Walking (NW) and Pilates, on postmenopausal women. Methods:The study comprised 196 overweight or obese women: 20 were advised to maintain their previous level of physical activity (control group) whereas the others started either an NW exercise program (n = 88) or a Pilates exercise program (n = 88). Blood was collected twice for testing: before the program commenced and after it had ended. Results:Of the 196 women who enrolled in the study, 147 (75%) completed the study; among those women, 69 (47%) completed a 10-week NW exercise program, 58 (39%) completed a 10-week Pilates exercise program, and 20 (14%) were in the control group. After 10 weeks, women in the NW group showed a significant reduction in body weight (6.4%), body mass index (6.4%), blood glucose (3.8%), total cholesterol (10.4%), non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (16.7%), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (12.8%), and triglycerides (10.6%), as well as an increase in HDL cholesterol (9.6%). Significantly smaller—although still favorable—changes, except for glucose and HDL cholesterol levels, were observed in the Pilates group (decreases of 1.7%, 1.7%, 1.6%, 5.3%, 8.3%, 7.5%, and 6% and an increase of 3.1%, respectively). Nevertheless, at the end of the study, the percentage of women with target concentrations of the lipid fractions had significantly increased in both exercise groups. No significant changes in the studied parameters were found in the control group. On multiple regression analysis, type of exercise program was an independent predictor of amplitude changes in most of the studied parameters. Conclusions:Exercise training in accordance with the NW model causes statistically and clinically more significant changes in glucose and basic blood lipid levels than do Pilates and dietary intervention alone.

Deterioration of basic coordinative parameters defines life quality of elderly.

The objective of the studies was to analyze the level of deterioration of basic coordinative parameters and to derive the present correlation. 180 female participants with no neurological disorders and limb surgery were studied by means of flamingo, kinesthetic differentiation, spatial orientation and reaction to signals tests. t-test for un-paired data and Pearson correlation analyses were performed. Nonlinear gradual deterioration of studied parameters in function of age was observed. The correlation between postural balance, kinesthetic differentiation, and reaction to signals was observed. The obtained results indicate that significant correlation between the coordinative parameters may influence daily life functioning. It has also been shown that decline of the basic coordinative parameters can be driven be neurodegenerative processes and environmental factors such as high calorie intake, physical and mental inactivity, toxins and/or infectious agents.

Age- and menopause-related differences in physiological factors of health quality in women aged 35–60

The purpose of this study was to elucidate using time series analysis age and menopause induced differences in selected health quality related physiological factors. The study was conducted, using the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), and the NHANES 1999-2002 data, on women aged 35-60. Subjects who had not had surgical menopause, did not use contraceptives, did not smoke, and did not breastfeed during the examination, and did not use contraception and for whom follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone (LH) activity was assessed, were included in the study. Menopausal status was defined by months since the last period (<2, 2-12, and >12 months for pre-, peri-, and postmenopause, respectively). The results indicate that postmenopausal women, aged less than 45, are characterized by a decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP), an increase in high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels, and a decrease in triglyceride (TG) levels. It was also determined that aging is the main factor leading to physiological variability in systolic blood pressure and high density lipoprotein levels, in pre- and perimenopausal women, and in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) activity in peri- and postmenopausal women.

The Probable Explanation for the Low Friction of Natural Joints.

The surface of an articular cartilage, coated with phospholipid (PL) bilayers, plays an important role in its lubrication and movement. Intact (normal) and depleted surfaces of the joint were modelled and the pH influence on the surface interfacial energy, wettability and friction were investigated. In the experiments, the deterioration of the PL bilayer was controlled by its wettability and the applied friction. The surrounding fluid of an undamaged articular cartilage, the synovial fluid, has a pH value of approximately 7.4. Buffer solutions were formulated to represent the synovial fluid with various pH values. It was found that the surface interfacial energy was stabilised at its lowest values when the pH varied between 6.5 and 9.5. These results suggested that as the PL bilayers deteriorated, the hydration repulsion mechanism became less effective as friction increased. The decreased number of bilayers changed the wettability and lowered PL lubricant properties.

Lamellar slippage of bilayers—A hypothesis on low friction of natural joints

The cartilages amphoteric surface behavior is a physical phenomenon in biological lubrication. However, there is a lack of knowledge on amphoteric phospholipids bilayers and in overcoming friction in cartilage joints. In this paper, friction experiments were conducted, and the cartilages surface was characterized using pH and wettability, while the interfacial energy and coefficients were determined. The lamellar slippage of bilayers and a short-range repulsion between the interfaces of negatively charged (-PO4 (-)) cartilage surfaces resulted in low frictional properties of the joint.

The Effect of Two Different Cognitive Tests on Gait Parameters during Dual Tasks in Healthy Postmenopausal Women

Introduction. The paper aims to evaluate the influence of two different demanding cognitive tasks on gait parameters using BTS SMART system analysis. Patients and Methods. The study comprised 53 postmenopausal women aged 64.5 ± 6.7 years (range: 47–79). For every subject, gait analysis using a BTS SMART system was performed in a dual-task study design under three conditions: (I) while walking only (single task), (II) walking while performing a simultaneous simple cognitive task (SCT) (dual task), and (III) walking while performing a simultaneous complex cognitive task (CCT) (dual task). Time-space parameters of gait pertaining to the length of a single support phase, double support phase, gait speed, step length, step width, and leg swing speed were analyzed. Results. Performance of cognitive tests during gait resulted in a statistically significant prolongation of the left (by 7%) and right (by 7%) foot gait cycle, shortening of the length of steps made with the right extremity (by 4%), reduction of speed of swings made with the left (by 11%) and right (by 8%) extremity, and reduction in gait speed (by 6%). Conclusions. Performance of cognitive tests during gait changes its individual pattern in relation to the level of the difficulty of the task.

The influence of a ten-week Nordic walking training-rehabilitation program on the level of lipids in blood in overweight and obese postmenopausal women

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a ten-week Nordic Walking (NW) rehabilitation program on chosen anthropometric parameters and the level of basic lipids in overweight and obese postmenopausal women’s blood. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 32 women aged 50–68 (average: 59.7 ± 5.9 years). The study was carried out following a non-randomized model and entailed NW rehabilitation 5 times a week, which lasted for 10 weeks, as well as a low-calorie 1,500 kcal diet. The therapeutic results of the study were measured through changes in anthropometric and biochemical parameters. The results were subjected to a statistical analysis. [Results] After 10 weeks of NW rehabilitation it was observed that participants lost weight and their body mass index dropped. Additionally, whereas levels of total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides dropped, and the level of HDL increased. [Conclusion] Rehabilitation carried out according to the NW model resulted in statistically significant changes in basic lipids in blood which, considerably increased the percentage of persons who achieved the recommended level of blood lipids. Obese persons were characterised by a smaller rehabilitation weight loss. More intense workouts and cooperation with a dietician are required.

Changes in body posture in children between the 10th and 13th years of age

Abstract Introduction The possibility of detecting postural defects early, a significant development with respect to available therapeutic methods, and an awareness of the necessity for continuous and individually adjusted treatment, are regarded as an important progression in the modern conservative treatment of faulty postures. Aim This work aimed at determining changes in body postures in 10- and 13-year old children within a 3-year period. Materials and Methods This research was conducted in Mlawa in two primary schools and involved 10-year old children, who were reexamined after a 3-year period, at the age of 13. The final group included in this research consisted of 76 subjects. Results and Discussion Changes in body posture observed in the study group over the 3-year period are as follows: 34.29% of children manifested excellent and good posture during examination I; whereas during examination II 45.71% of children had good posture. The adopted methodology did not allow us to determine physiological changes concerning body silhouette. However, it allowed us to detect posture abnormalities, and to diagnose postural defects. Conclusions The results confirmed the occurrence of changes in body postures in children between the 10 th and 13 th years of age. These changes, defined as detected body posture abnormalities, showed both improving and worsening tendencies with respect to the analyzed elements of body posture. A general percentage analysis showed an improvement in the body posture of children within a 3-year period.