Natália Batista Albuquerque Goulart

Relação entre os níveis de atividade física e qualidade de vida de idosos sedentários e fisicamente ativos

INTRODUCAO: O nivel de atividade fisica pode interferir na capacidade funcional, influenciando na saude e qualidade de vida dos idosos. OBJETIVO: Comparar os niveis de atividade fisica e qualidade de vida entre idosos que praticam exercicios fisicos regulares e idosos sedentarios, e verificar a associacao entre o nivel de atividade fisica e a qualidade de vida nos grupos. METODOS: Foram avaliados 50 idosos do sexo feminino (n= 34) e masculino (n= 16), com idade de 70,24±8,8 anos, divididos em dois grupos - sedentarios (G1, n=25) e praticantes de exercicios fisicos regulares (G2, n=25). Realizou-se entrevista individual, aplicando-se Anamnese; Questionario Internacional de Atividade Fisica (IPAQ) e Perfil de Saude de Nottingham (PSN). A normalidade dos dados foi testada por meio do teste de Shapiro-Wilk, utilizando-se ainda os testes U de Mann-Whitney (qualidade de vida) e Qui-Quadrado (nivel de atividade fisica). A associacao entre o nivel de atividade fisica e a qualidade de vida foi avaliada por meio do teste ETA2 (p<0,05). RESULTADOS: Em relacao ao PSN, o G1 apresentou reduzida qualidade de vida, comparado ao G2. Ja para o IPAQ, somente o G1 apresentou diferenca significativa (p=0,00) em relacao ao G2. Alem disso, para o G1, 50% do nivel de atividade fisica foram associados a qualidade de vida, enquanto o G2 apresentou 64%. CONCLUSOES: De acordo com os resultados encontrados no presente estudo, idosos praticantes de exercicios fisicos e idosos sedentarios apresentam bom nivel de atividade fisica. Entretanto, idosos praticantes de exercicios regulares possuem maior nivel de atividade fisica, explicando a melhor qualidade de vida neste grupo.

Muscle architecture and torque production in stroke survivors: an observational study

Objective: Spasticity poststroke leads to muscle weakness and soft tissue contracture, however, it is not clear how muscle properties change due this motor neural disorder. The purpose was to compare medial gastrocnemius muscle architecture and mechanical properties of the plantarflexor muscles between stroke survivors with spasticity and healthy subjects. Methods: The study included 15 stroke survivors with ankle spasticity and 15 healthy subjects. An isokinetic dynamometer was used for the evaluation of maximal isometric plantarflexor torque and images of the medial gastrocnemius muscle were obtained using ultrasonography. Images were collected at rest and during a maximum voluntary contraction. Results: The affected limb showed reduced fascicle excursion (0.9 ± 0.7 cm), shorter fascicle length, and reduced muscle thickness (0.095 ± 0.010% of leg length and 1.18 ± 0.20 cm, at rest) compared to contralateral (1.6 ± 0.4 cm, 0.106 ± 0.015% of leg length and 1.29 ± 0.24 cm, respectively) and to healthy participants (1.8 ± 0.7 cm, 0.121 ± 0.019% of leg length and 1.43 ± 0.22 cm, respectively). The contralateral limb showed lower force (between 32 and 40%) and similar architecture parameters compared to healthy participants. Conclusion: The affected limb had a different muscle architecture that appears to result in lower force production. The contralateral limb showed a decrease in force compared to healthy participants due to the other neural impairments than muscle morphology. Spasticity likely leds to adaptations of muscle architecture in the affected limb and in force reductions in both limbs of stroke survivors.

Achilles tendon morphology, plantar flexors torque and passive ankle stiffness in spastic hemiparetic stroke survivors

Background: The present study compared the Achilles tendon morphological characteristics, plantar flexor toque and passive ankle stiffness between hemiparetic spastic stroke survivors and healthy subjects. Methods: The Achilles tendon length was measured at the affected and contralateral limbs of twelve hemiparetic stroke survivors with ankle spasticity and twelve healthy subjects. The ankle was held at three different angles (20° plantar flexion, 0° and maximum dorsiflexion) while an ultrasound system was used to capture images from the Achilles tendon. Active and passive plantar flexor torque production was measured using an isokinetic dynamometer. Findings: There was no significant difference in tendon length and Achilles tendon complacency between stroke survivors [affected limb: 20.8 (1.59) cm at 0° and 0.11 (0.09) cm/N; contralateral limb: 20.8 (1.7) cm at 0° and 0.12 (0.08) cm/N] and healthy subjects [20 (2.78) cm at 0° and 0.15 (0.1) cm/N]. The contralateral limb was stronger than the affected limb, while healthy participants presented larger active torque in relation to stroke survivors. There was no significant difference in passive ankle stiffness between the affected [0.43 (0.08) N/°] and the contralateral limb [0.40 (0.11) N/°], but affected limb was significantly stiffer than the healthy subjects [0.32 (0.07) N/°]. Interpretation: The larger passive torque and ankle joint stiffness from stroke survivors with similar Achilles tendon length compared to healthy subjects seem to be unrelated to tendon extensibility. HighlightsSpastic stroke survivors had similar Achilles tendon length compared to healthy individuals.Spastic stroke survivors had higher passive torque compared to healthy subjects.Affected and unaffected limbs had similar passive torque.Ankle joint stiffness from stroke survivors seem to be unrelated to tendon extensibility.

Effects of Tai Chi Chuan on the elderly balance: a semi-experimental study

Aging impairs the functional capacity, possibly compromising the balance over the years. However, Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art that can provide balance improvements in elderly people. This study aimed to evaluate balance in elderly after three and six months of Tai Chi Chuan practicing. Participants were 27 individuals (62±4.4 years) who underwent Tai Chi Chuan training (one hour each) twice a week, for six months. Balance was assessed by the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Romberg test, all evaluated before and after three and six months of practicing. MANOVA for repeated measures was used to compare times in TUG and BBS tests. The Cochrane Q test was used to compare moments and frequencies in the Romberg test (α=0.05). Results showed significant improvement in TUG performance (p≤0.01), BBS score (p≤0.01) and in the Romberg test (p≤0.01) after three and six months, compared with pre-training. These results suggest that Tai Chi Chuan practice can improve the balance in elderly people.

Avaliação do torque passivo de flexão plantar e torque ativo de flexão dorsal em ginastas rítmicas e não atletas

O treinamento realizado por atletas de elite acarreta demandas funcionais especificas que produzem mudancas nos tendoes e nas propriedades musculares. Nas atletas de ginastica ritmica (GR) ha uma exigencia maior de controle motor em posicoes extremas de flexao plantar. Esta demanda pode alterar o torque passivo dos flexores plantares bem como influenciar na amplitude de movimento (ADM) de flexao dorsal e torque dos dorsiflexores. No presente estudo foi comparada a ADM de flexao dorsal de GR e meninas nao atletas (MNA), e determinada a correlacao entre o torque passivo dos flexores plantares (TPFP) e o torque ativo dos flexores dorsais (TAFD). O estudo incluiu 10 GR e 10 MNA. A ADM de flexao dorsal foi medida com um goniometro. O TPFP e TAFD foram avaliados por meio de um dinamometro isocinetico em cinco ângulos articulares (20o, 10o, 0o, -10o e -20o). O teste T para amostras independentes foi utilizado para a comparacao entre os grupos (α = 0,05). O coeficiente de correlacao de Pearson indicou uma correlacao negativa alta e moderada entre o TPFP e TAFD para as GR e NA, respectivamente. GR apresentaram menor ADM de flexao dorsal comparadas as MNA. O TPFP foi significativamente maior nas GR comparado as MNA. Por outro lado, o TAFD foi maior nas MNA. A correlacao do TPFP com o TAFD foi de r = -0,82; p < 0,01 e r = -0,68; p < 0,01 para GR e MNA, respectivamente. Os resultados sugerem que a alta demanda mecânica nos flexores plantares na GR aumenta o TPFP que pode influenciar negativamente na ADM dos flexores dorsais e no TAFD.