Running and Physical Activity in an Air-Polluted Environment: The Biomechanical and Musculoskeletal Protocol for a Prospective Cohort Study 4HAIE (Healthy Aging in Industrial Environment-Program 4).

Daniel Jandaĉka ,Miika T Nieminen,Victor Casula,Pavel Brtva,Veronika Horka,Jan Malus,Radim Sram,Gareth Irwin,Roman Farana,Jan Plesek,Gabriela Beinhauerova,Julia Freedman Silvernail,Jaroslav Uchytil,Steriani Elavsky,Klara Balazova,Milos Golian,Joseph Hamill,Adam Motyka,Jan Urbaczka,Jiří Skýpala ,David Zahradník ,Markéta Rygelová ,Denisa Blaschová ,Vladimír Juráš ,Lenka Knapová ,Dominik Vilímek

doi:10.3390/ijerph17239142

Abstract

Far too little attention has been paid to health effects of air pollution and physical (in)activity on musculoskeletal health. The purpose of the Healthy aging in industrial environment study (4HAIE) is to investigate the potential impact of physical activity in highly polluted air on musculoskeletal health. A total of 1500 active runners and inactive controls aged 18–65 will be recruited. The sample will be recruited using quota sampling based on location (the most air-polluted region in EU and a control region), age, sex, and activity status. Participants will complete online questionnaires and undergo a two-day baseline laboratory assessment, including biomechanical, physiological, psychological testing, and magnetic resonance imaging. Throughout one-year, physical activity data will be collected through Fitbit monitors, along with data regarding the incidence of injuries, air pollution, psychological factors, and behavior collected through a custom developed mobile application. Herein, we introduce a biomechanical and musculoskeletal protocol to investigate musculoskeletal and neuro-mechanical health in this 4HAIE cohort, including a design for controlling for physiological and psychological injury factors. In the current ongoing project, we hypothesize that there will be interactions of environmental, biomechanical, physiological, and psychosocial variables and that these interactions will cause musculoskeletal diseases/protection.

Highlights

The health effects of poor air quality are unlikely to be limited to cardiovascular and respiratory problems
The results indicated that the T2 relaxation times of the knee cartilage were within normal physiological ranges (Figure 7A,B)
We introduced the biomechanical and musculoskeletal imaging protocol designed to investigate the musculoskeletal and neuro-mechanical health in the 4HAIE human cohort

Summary

Introduction

The health effects of poor air quality are unlikely to be limited to cardiovascular and respiratory problems. Far too little attention has been paid to the health effects of air pollution on the musculoskeletal system. Musculoskeletal problems represent a global threat to healthy aging and can lead to the development of musculoskeletal diseases [1]. Reduced physical function often leads to mental health decline, increased risk of developing other chronic diseases, and increased all-cause mortality [1,2]. The English Longitudinal Study of Aging described a possible link between air pollution exposure and cartilage damage in the English population [3]. The English Longitudinal Study of Aging did not directly measure tissue quality, air pollution associated with participants’ physical activity, or the biomechanical load of musculoskeletal system [3]. To understand the effect of air pollution on the musculoskeletal system, it may be helpful to examine regularly physically active and inactive individuals permanently living in an air-polluted versus unaffected (control) regions

Methods

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Discussion

Conclusion