Marcos Roberto Kunzler

Does skin stimulation compensate impairments in postural control after ankle plantar flexors fatigue

It has been suggested that skin stimulation using tape glued to the skin over the Achilles tendon helps to improve postural control. It was recently shown that these effects might emerge only after muscle fatigue and not during non-fatigue standing. Here we tested the influence of skin stimulation on postural control before and after fatigue of ankle plantar flexors. Eighteen subjects stood quietly on a force plate while the center of pressure was monitored before and after fatigue of ankle plantar flexors muscles, with and without medical tape glued to the skin over the Achilles tendon. Our results suggested main effects of tape stimulation before fatigue (P<.05) and significant effect of tape stimulation after fatigue only for amplitude of center of pressure in the anteroposterior direction. The novelty of our study is that most of the center of pressure variables are improved by skin stimulation when the ankle plantar flexors are not fatigued. Therefore the benefits of tape stimulation during fatigue condition are questionable.

Methodological Aspects of Infrared Thermography in Human Assessment

Infrared thermography presents some important advantages in the determination of skin temperature, as it is a safe, non-invasive and non-contact technique with wide applications in the field of sports sciences. Like many others techniques, valid measurement in thermography requires following strict methodological steps from data acquisition to analyses and interpretation. In this chapter, we discuss the methodological aspects that must be taken into account when acquiring thermic images, along with some practical examples and recommendations based on the current literature.

Leg skin stimulation can be a strategy to improve postural control in the elderly

Previous studies suggested that skin stimulation by using medical tape glued to the skin over the Achilles tendon can improve postural control in young adults. Such strategy can be valuable if helping to improve postural control in the elderly. Here, we tested the effects of skin stimulation on the postural control of elderly while standing barefoot. Twenty-two voluntary elderly had postural control assessed under different conditions of skin stimulation. Center of pressure was monitored while they stood quietly barefoot on a force plate during standing with and without medical tape glued to the skin over the Achilles tendon. There were effects of skin stimulation for anteroposterior amplitude of center of pressure displacement, mediolateral amplitude of center of pressure displacement, and area of the ellipse for 95% of center of pressure data (P<.05). These results are promising considering that skin stimulation by using medical tape is feasible even for low incoming subjects and possible to self manage for improvements in postural control.

Acute Effects of Walking Exercise on Stair Negotiation in Sedentary and Physically Active Older Adults

BACKGROUND In negotiating stairs, low foot clearance increases the risk of tripping and a fall. Foot clearance may be related to physical fitness, which differs between active and sedentary participants, and be acutely affected by exercise. Impaired stair negotiation could be an acute response to exercise. Here we determined acute changes in foot clearances during stair walking in sedentary (n = 15) and physically active older adults (n = 15) after prolonged exercise. METHODS Kinematic data were acquired during negotiation with a 3-steps staircase while participants walked at preferred speed, before and after 30 min walking at preferred speed and using a treadmill. Foot clearances were compared before and after exercise and between the groups. RESULTS Sedentary older adults presented larger (0.5 cm for lead and 2 cm for trail leg) toe clearances in ascent, smaller (0.7 cm) heel clearance in the leading foot in descent, and larger (1 cm) heel clearance in the trailing foot in descent than physically active. CONCLUSION Sedentary older adults negotiate stairs in a slightly different way than active older adults, and 30 min walking at preferred speed does not affect clearance in stair negotiation.

Using the Olympic spirit to improve teaching and learning process: the biomechanics Olympic Games

the olympic games started in Athens, on April 6, 1896, inspired by the ancient games held in Olympia ([5][1]). After many years, the Olympic Games remain as one of the biggest events in the world. The “Olympic spirit” regards unity among people and nations, mutual respect, and the determinant

Can exercise induced muscle damage be related to changes in skin temperature

OBJECTIVE Measurement of skin temperature using infrared thermography has become popular in sports, and has been proposed as an indicator of exercise-induced muscle damage after exercise. However, the relationship between skin temperature and exercise-induced muscle damage is still unclear. Here we set out to investigate the relationship between skin temperature and exercise-induced muscle damage. APPROACH Twenty untrained participants completed a protocol of exercise for calf muscles. Before and after exercise blood samples were collected to determine creatine kinase and acetylcholinesterase activity. Thermal images were recorded from the exercised muscles to determine skin temperature. Delayed onset muscle soreness was quantified. Correlations between skin temperature and exercise-induced muscle damage were analyzed considering thermal data, creatine kinase and acetylcholinesterase activity at different time moments. MAIN RESULTS We found delayed onset muscle soreness and an increased creatine kinase activity 48 h after exercise (P  <  0.01). Skin temperature parameters (average, maximal, amplitude and difference pre- and post-exercise, immediately after and 48 h after) did not correlate with the creatine kinase responses (P  >  0.05). Acetylcholinesterase activity remained stable (P  =  0.59). SIGNIFICANCE We recommend caution when considering changes in skin temperature as dependent on the level of localized and symmetric muscle damage considering calf muscles in untrained participants.

30 min of treadmill walking at self-selected speed does not increase gait variability in independent elderly

ABSTRACT Walking is one of the preferred exercises among elderly, but could a prolonged walking increase gait variability, a risk factor for a fall in the elderly? Here we determine whether 30 min of treadmill walking increases coefficient of variation of gait in elderly. Because gait responses to exercise depend on fitness level, we included 15 sedentary and 15 active elderly. Sedentary participants preferred a lower gait speed and made smaller steps than the actives. Step length coefficient of variation decreased ~16.9% by the end of the exercise in both the groups. Stride length coefficient of variation decreased ~9% after 10 minutes of walking, and sedentary elderly showed a slightly larger step width coefficient of variation (~2%) at 10 min than active elderly. Active elderly showed higher walk ratio (step length/cadence) than sedentary in all times of walking, but the times did not differ in both the groups. In conclusion, treadmill gait kinematics differ between sedentary and active elderly, but changes over time are similar in sedentary and active elderly. As a practical implication, 30 min of walking might be a good strategy of exercise for elderly, independently of the fitness level, because it did not increase variability in step and stride kinematics, which is considered a risk of fall in this population.

Saúde no parque: características de praticantes de caminhada em espaços públicos de lazer

A pratica regular de caminhada pode tornar a populacao mais ativa fisicamente. Buscamos relatar as atividades desenvolvidas com praticantes de caminhada em ambientes publicos de lazer em Uruguaiana - RS. Os participantes foram entrevistados, avaliados fisicamente, e divididos em faixas etarias. Resultados sugerem que idosos tem maior frequencia e sao motivados pela orientacao medica. Jovens assumem prazer na realizacao da pratica. Adultos de meia idade sao maioria, e se exercitam pela preocupacao com a saude. Alteracoes posturais observadas sugerem precaucao quanto ao tipo e forma de atividade fisica praticada, mostrando a necessidade de maior orientacao profissional em espacos de lazer.

ANÁLISE DA FAIXA ETÁRIA PREDOMINANTE DENTRE PRATICANTES DE CAMINHADA E CORRIDA EM ESPAÇO PÚBLICO

O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar o perfil dos praticantes de caminhada e corrida em espaco publico (parque) Dom Pedro II, na cidade de Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, observando as faixas etarias. A amostra aleatoria foi composta por 158 sujeitos, 71 homens e 87 mulheres, que foram avaliados em um projeto de extensao no periodo de setembro a dezembro de 2010. Os voluntarios foram submetidos a uma avaliacao de anamnese. Os resultados apontaram que adultos de meia idade compreendem mais da metade dos praticantes (53,16%), sendo tambem os que predominantemente possuem um trabalho formal (85,54%), porem praticam atividade fisica com menos frequencia semanal do que os idosos, 85,54% contra 91,18, respectivamente. Ha preocupacao em praticar exercicios com objetivos ligados a prevencao, acontecendo ja na faixa etaria de adultos jovens, onde os motivos para a pratica estao mais relacionados a saude e bem-estar.