Arm Curl Research Articles

Analysis of the Physiognomy of Unique Sets in the Maximum Number of Repetitions Strategy—The Case of One-Arm Scott Machine Seated Bicep Curls

The aim of this paper is to analyze the physiognomy of unique sets in the maximum number of repetitions (MNR) strategy and different correlations between the maximal forces, duration and volume for a relevant exercise in the case of a small muscle group. The research methodology proposes testing, in two phases, a total of 30 male students, for bicep curl exercises carried out on a bicep Scott machine. The obtained results showed that there were significant differences between the maximum forces (Fmax) developed during the initial and final repetitions of the exercise sets or for different machine loads. There was a large correlation between the load and Fmax and an inverse correlation between the load and MNR or between the MNR and Fmax. The deterioration of the execution mode, represented by the profile of the final repetition of high-duration sets, was also tested and analyzed. We concluded that the study of the physiognomy of cycles and comparisons at the level of relevant repetitions have revealed new perspectives for the design of periodization strategies, for the possibility of manipulating adapted muscular response or compensatory acceleration training for small muscle groups or the MNR strategy.

Increasing Functional Performance in Older Women

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to evaluate differential effects of a 16-week protocol where participants were randomized into a strength-training (ST) group, Activities of Daily Living (ADL) training group, and a control group. Six physical outcome measures were assessed using the Senior Fitness Test, pre and post study, across ninety women in an assisted living community. A series of repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant group × time interactions across the six physical domains measured (p ≤ .01). Post hoc analysis indicated that ST and ADL groups improved significantly more than the control group across each physical domain. The ST group also outperformed the ADL group in the 30 Second Chair Stand and 30 second arm curl. The key finding is that it is important to incorporate both strength and ADL training sessions because both facilitated significant improvements across all six fitness domains above and beyond controls.

Establishing Normative Data for 10RM Strength Scores in College-Aged Females

Training recommendations for novice to intermediate lifters include loads that correspond to a 10RM, yet there has not been normative data established for college aged females. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to provide 10RM normative reference values for various strength exercises for 18 to 25-year-old females. The exercises for this study included were the Lat Pulldown, Bench Press, Seated Front Press, Preacher Curl, and the Leg Press. Every testing and training occurred using the same equipment and in the same facility. Testing occurred prior to the structured training program began and then again upon completion of 12 weeks of training. A total of 371 subjects (age = 19.86 +1.43years; height = 64.51 +2.90 inches; pre-test bodyweight = 151.19 +36.05 pounds; pre-test body fat percentage = 29.20 +8.89 percent body fat; post-test bodyweight = 153.66 +36.80 pounds; post-test body fat percentage = 30.76 +8.44 percent body fat; years of strength training experience = 2.28 +2.38 years), participated in the study. Bodyweight categories were derived based upon two established classification systems used in competitive lifting sports. Percentiles and performance rankings for each weight category were reported, where the weighted average method was used to determine the percentile break points. These norms provide a range of possible 10RM loads as well as a reference to the strength levels, which could be useful to more effectively assess and design resistance training programs.

The Longitudinal Association Between Physical Activity and Physical Function in Older Women.

PurposeThe age-related decline in physical function is ameliorated by physical activity; however, less is known about changes in physical function in active vs. inactive older women. The purpose of this study was to determine the longitudinal associations between physical activity and physical function in community-dwelling older women.Methods238 participants (age 79.0 ± 5.1) were dichotomized into two activity groups [inactive (IG); n = 144 or active (AG); n = 94] based on self-reported exercise at baseline. Repeated measures ANCOVA, controlling for age, measured differences in physical function between activity groups at baseline and 48-months using the Timed Up and Go, 30-s chair stand, and 30-second arm curl. Differences in Timed Up and Go classification [normal (≤ 8.23 s); preclinical limitations/limited physical function (>8.23 s)] were analyzed using chi-square tests for activity group and for activity-age group (AG, <80 years; AG, ≥ 80 years; IG, <80 years; IG, ≥ 80 years).ResultsThe repeated measures ANCOVA yielded a significant main effect for activity group for the Timed Up and Go (p = 0.006), 30-s chair stand (p = 0.002) and 30 s arm curl (p = 0.007) and a significant time main effect for the Timed Up and Go (p = 0.016). There were no significant group by time interactions. A larger proportion of the IG than the AG (58.2 vs. 86.5%, respectively) had Timed Up and Go scores >8.23 s (p < 0.001). At 48-months, individuals in the AG were more likely to have normal Timed Up and Go scores compared to those in the IG in both age groups [ = 42.56, p < 0.001].ConclusionOlder women who engaged in regular exercise at baseline had higher levels of objectively measured physical function and were less likely to have abnormal Timed Up and Go scores. These findings help illustrate the long-term benefit of exercise on physical function in older women.

Deceptive intensities: An exploratory strategy for overcoming early central fatigue in resistance training

Neuropsychological stress induced by misleading information can limit human performance, possibly by early central fatigue mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the impact caused by prescribing misleading intensities of resistance exercise on acute electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) responses and the total number of repetitions to exhaustion. Collegiate female students performed three sets of biceps curls to exhaustion. The actual intensity for all sets was set at 65% 1-Repetition Maximum (1-RM). However, participants were deceptively informed that the intensities were 60%, 65%, or 70% 1-RM. The number of repetitions to fatigue and the magnitude of EEG and EMG signals were analyzed. The number of repetitions to exhaustion was significantly lower in greater announced intensities (18.11 ± 8.44) compared to lower (29.76 ± 16.28; p = 0.017) and correctly (27.82 ± 11.01; p = 0.001) announced intensity. The correlation between frontal and motor-cortex signals was significant in lower (r = 0.72, p = 0.001) and higher (r = 0.64, p = 0.005) announced intensities. The median and mean frequencies of EMG signal and Root Mean Square (RMS) did not show any significant difference between sets, but the peak-to-peak range (PPR) of biceps EMG signals was significantly higher in lower intensity (0.145 ± 0.042) when compared with higher (0.104 ± 0.044; p = 0.028) or correctly (0.126 ± 0.048; p = 0.037) announced intensity. It seems that deceptive information regarding the mass of an object could affect the number of repetitions to exhaustion and PPR to cover muscle capacity in endurance-type strength training.

Relationship between hypertrophy, strength gains and tensiomyography adaptations: a moderator role of contraction duration.

The aim of the study was to investigate how the relationship between resistance training-induced hypertrophy, strength, and passive contractile adaptations is affected by contraction duration. Twenty university students (11 males) were randomly assigned to either the fast eccentric/fast concentric phase group (F/F; 1s both phases) or the slow eccentric/fast concentric phase group (S/F; 4s and 1s, respectively). Both experimental groups completed a 7-week biceps curl training programme with a total of 14 sessions (2days/week). Elbow flexor muscle thickness (MT), one-repetition maximum (1RM), and tensiomyographic (TMG) parameters (radial displacement-Dm and contraction time-Tc) were assessed. The percentage change (∆) in MT correlated significantly with the ∆1RM only in the S/F group (r = 0.712, p < 0.05). Both groups demonstrated significant negative associations between ∆MT and ∆Dm (r = 0.717-0.760, p < 0.01). Conversely, no significance was found between ∆MT and ∆Tc (F/F: r = -0.398, p = 0.255; S/F: r = 0.410, p = 0.239), ∆1RM and ∆Tc (F/F: r = -0.278, p = 0.436; S/F: r = 0.223, p = 0.536), nor ∆1RM and ∆Dm (F/F: r = -0.131, p = 0.719; S/F: r = -0.351, p = 0.320). The main findings indicate that the relationship between hypertrophy and strength gains is significantly stronger when resistance training was paced with slower eccentric contractions comparing to fast ones. On the other hand, reduced Dm values indicate increase in MT regardless of contraction duration, while strength gains are not correlated with corresponding TMG changes.

Muscle Fatigue Analysis by Visualization of Dynamic Surface EMG Signals Using Markov Transition Field.

Muscle fatigue analysis is important in the diagnosis of neuromuscular diseases. Analysis of surface electromyography (sEMG) signals by non-linear probabilistic approach is useful in studying their transitions and thus the neuromuscular system. In this study, a method to visualize sEMG signals using Markov transition field (MTF) under fatigue conditions is proposed. sEMG signals are acquired from 45 healthy participants during biceps curl exercise. They are filtered and divided into ten equal segments. Markov transition matrix is constructed and corresponding MTF image is generated. The average self-transition probability is extracted and compared for both non-fatigue and fatigue segments. It is observed that the extracted feature shows high statistical significance with p value less than 0.001. The increase in average self-transition probability under fatigue condition correlates with the reduction in the degree of signal complexity. Thus, encoding of sEMG signals to images is helpful in analyzing the complexity of the neuromuscular system. Clinical Relevance- This approach may be helpful in analyzing muscle fatigue related with various myoneural conditions.

Acute Effects of Static Stretching Combined with Vibration and Nonvibration Foam Rolling on the Cardiovascular Responses and Functional Fitness of Older Women with Prehypertension.

Simple SummaryThirty-seven percent of the US adult population have prehypertension, and a quarter to half of these over 65 years of age progress to hypertension in four years. Along with healthy diet, exercise or physical activity is one of the critical lifestyle factors for this population. General exercise recommendation or prescription to individuals who have cardiovascular risks is provided by organizations such as ACSM and AHA, but more detailed information and research are still needed. As the first component of any exercise program, finding the proper warm-up routine is important. We aimed to examine the acute immediate effects of three different warm-up protocols on cardiovascular responses and functional fitness testing in older women with prehypertension. Thirteen qualified subjects went through three protocols (static stretching with and without foam rolling, and stretching with vibration rolling) in three different sessions. Blood pressure was not altered only in the static stretching with foam rolling condition. Interestingly, adding the vibration component to the stretching increased the upper body flexibility and stretching. We therefore suggest the combination of static stretching with foam rolling as the safe and effective protocol for older women with prehypertension.We compared the effects of three warm-up protocols (static stretching (SS), static stretching with vibration foam rolling (SS + VFR), and static stretching with nonvibration foam rolling (SS + FR) on the blood pressure and functional fitness performance in older women with prehypertension. Thirteen older women went through different protocols in separate visits, and their systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, brachial pulse pressure (BPP), functional fitness test (back scratch (BS), chair-sit-and-reach, 30 s arm curl (AC), 30 s chair stand, 2 min step, 8-foot up and go), and single-leg standing balance (SLB) were recorded. The SBP and BPP were significantly higher after SS and SS + VFR than after SS + FR. Both SS + FR and SS + VFR significantly improved the 2 min step, when compared with SS. Additionally, SS + VFR significantly improved the BS and AC performance. However, compared with SS and SS + FR, SS + VFR significantly reduced the SLB performance. Therefore, SS + FR may be a better warm-up protocol for older women in maintaining blood pressure. On the other hand, even though SS + VFR induced superior shoulder flexibility, aerobic endurance, and arm strength, it could impair balance.

Assessing physical function after completing a supervised education and exercise program in adults with type 2 diabetes and exploring exercise motivation at one-year follow up: A case series study.

Exercise programs for adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) improve glycemic control and physical function. However, diabetes complications, disability, and motivation pose challenges for exercise participation. The purpose of the study was to: 1) measure change in fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, anthropometrics (i.e. BMI and waist circumference), and physical function (i.e. endurance, agility and balance, upper and lower-body strength and flexibility) after completing an eight-week education and exercise program for adults with T2D; and 2) explore the experience of exercise continuation in people living with T2D at one-year follow-up. A mixed methods case series design was conducted. Participants were ≥ 18years and had a clinical diagnosis of T2D (glycated hemoglobin (A1C) ≥ 6.5%). Participants completed two one-hour exercise sessions and one one-hour education session per week for eight weeks. Blood glucose, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and physical function were measured at baseline and after completing the program. Follow-up telephone interviews were conducted at one, six, and 12-months and thematic analysis was employed to analyze interviews. Twelve participants completed the program. Clinically significant improvements were observed for waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, six-minute walk test (6MWT), timed up-and-go test (TUG), 30-second chair stand test (CST) and arm curls. Three themes emerged from the interviews that described participant reflections and experiences with a supervised education and exercise program for management of their T2D: 1) medical management; 2) lifestyle management; and 3) finding what works. Conclusion: Supervised programming improves physical function and may mitigate disability. Physiotherapists are qualified to assess and treat physical function through education and exercise.

Muscle activity with 0.5 T upright MRI-DESS to measure T2 in biceps and triceps.

The purpose of this study was to determine if muscle activity of the biceps followed by isometric flexion changes T2 measured in the biceps. It is hypothesized that an increase in T2 will be observed in the biceps but not in the triceps after flexion exercise. Ten healthy volunteers were imaged with a one-channel neck coil while seated in a 0.5 T upright open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner using a three-dimensional double echo steady-state (DESS) sequence. Volunteers were imaged while relaxing their arm for 10, 20, and 30 minduring an isometric biceps flexion immediately following performance of biceps curls to exhaustion, and again after relaxing for 10 and 20 min. Voxel-wise T2 was calculated by fitting to a DESS signal equation in regions segmented at muscle centers to determine mean T2 . During isometric biceps flexion immediately following biceps curls, mean T2 increased (average 33%, p < 0.05) in the biceps but not in the triceps. By 20 min after curls, mean T2 decreased (p < 0.05), and was near preactivity values. In contrast, there was no change in triceps T2 across any activity or postactivity time points. Intra-rater repeatability was excellent (ICC: 0.90-0.97). This study demonstrated that measuring T2 in an active muscle is feasible using a DESS sequence in an upright open MRI scanner. This could enable the study of muscle function while the muscle is working and weight-bearing, rather than of the "fatigue" of the muscles after activity. In comparison to electromyography, MRI also enables the study of deep muscles and allows simultaneous assessment of activity and function.

BENEFITS OF ELDERLY EXERCISE IN IMPROVING ELDERLY FITNESS IN WAKARLELI VILLAGE SOUTHWEST MALUKU DISTRICT, IN 2021

Technological developments affect a person's life. One of the signs is the level of public health, life expectancy is getting longer, so the number of elderly residents will increase. The growth of the world's population aged over 60 years exceeds 7% of the total population. Indonesia is one of the countries with very rapid growth of the elderly population due to low mortality and birth rates. Problems that often arise in the elderly are fitness problems so that they are disturbed in carrying out daily activities. Interventions that can be given to help overcome the fitness of the elderly are elderly gymnastics. This activity was carried out with the aim of knowing the benefits of exercise in improving the fitness of the elderly. The intervention method used to overcome the fitness of the elderly is to offer elderly arts. The elderly exercise given is very useful to maintain and maintain conditions to stay fit and maintain physiological physical properties such as elasticity, contractility, and endurance. This activity is given to the elderly in Wakarleli Village, Southwest Maluku Regency in 2021. The measuring instrument used to measure the elderly's fitness is using arm curls. Respondents who took part in this activity numbered 11 people with an average age of over 60 years. After doing elderly exercise for 6 (six) times, p is 0.003 smaller than 0.05 (0.003 &lt;0.05), which means that elderly exercise can improve the fitness of the elderly in Wakarleli Village in 2021.

Interventions for Body Composition and Upper and Lower Extremity Muscle Strength in Older Adults in Rural Taiwan: A Horizontal Case Study.

The purpose of this study was to understand the effects of a physical activity program and high-protein supplementation on body composition and upper and lower extremity muscle strength in male older adults in rural areas. In this study, 60 healthy male older adults (mean age 77.5 ± 4.6 years) from rural areas were recruited and randomly assigned to experimental group A (intervention of the physical activity program and high-protein supplementation), experimental group B (daily routine, with only intervention of high-protein supplementation), or control group C (daily routine). Experimental group A (EGa) carried out a physical activity plan three times a week, with an exercise intensity and calorie consumption of 250 kcal (5METs × ⅔hr × 75) for 3 months and drank a high-protein supplement (1.3 g/kg BW/day) after each exercise; experimental group B (EGb) followed only the intervention of high-protein supplementation. All the participants underwent pre- and post-tests for body composition, waist–hip circumference (WC, HC), handgrip strength (HS), 30 s dominant arm curl, 30 s sit to stand, and 2 min step tests. The results of the study showed that EGa significantly decreased body mass index (BMI), body fat mass (BFM), body fat percentage (BFP), WC, HC, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and increased basal metabolic rate and muscle mass. Although both EGa and EGb used high-protein supplementation, EGa’s added three-month intervention of a physical activity program made it easier for that group to increase muscle mass and muscle strength. The WHR decreased from 1.015 to 0.931, representing a decrease of 8.28%, and an obvious weight loss effect was achieved. Thus, we concluded that the best way to maintain muscle strength in older adults is through physical activity with resistance and protein supplementation, which can reduce muscle loss in older adults.

Comparison between the Impacts of Memory and Arithmetic-Based Dual Tasks on Physical Performance in Women with Fibromyalgia.

Simple SummaryThis article focuses on comparing two types of cognitive tasks (memory or arithmetic) while performing a physical task. The application of two simultaneous tasks is known as the dual-task paradigm. In fibromyalgia, its analysis has become of great interest since most of the activities of daily living involve physical and cognitive tasks that are impaired in this disease. The physical fitness tests chosen for this study took into account the flexibility, strength, and movement patterns involved in activities of daily living. The simultaneous cognitive tests were: (1) Immediately before the test, three random words had to be memorized by participants, and immediately after the test these words had to be recalled aloud (memory task); and (2) counting aloud backward in rows of two, starting from a random number between 50 and 100 (arithmetic task). The results showed that the arithmetic task had a more significant impact on physical performance than the memory task on the upper-extremity flexibility and lower-extremity strength of women with fibromyalgia. In addition, cognitive performance was lower in the arithmetic- than in the memory-based task. The characteristics of the sample, environment, complexity of the motor task, and difficulty of the simultaneous cognitive task may also be relevant for understanding the differences in interference caused by the two types of cognitive task (arithmetic or memory).Background: Fibromyalgia symptoms have a significant impact on the ability to perform activities of daily living. These activities require the ability to perform two or more tasks at the same time, which is known as a dual task. Purpose: To analyze physical and cognitive performance differences between memory and arithmetic dual tasks. Methods: Twenty-five women with fibromyalgia participated in this study. Participants performed three physical tests (back scratch, arm curl, and 10-step stair) as a single task and under two types of dual task (memory and arithmetic). Results: Differences between the single and dual tasks were observed in the back scratch and the 10-step stair tests using the arithmetic dual-task. Significant differences were only observed for the memory dual-task in the 10-step stair test. In addition, the performance in the back scratch and in the 10-step stair was significantly lower under the arithmetic compared to the memory-based dual task. Furthermore, a significant difference between these two types of dual task was obtained in the dual-task cost of 10-step stair. Regarding cognitive performance, a significantly lower percentage of correct responses was found in the AbDT compared to the MbDT in the 10-step stair test. Conclusions: the AbDT could have a higher impact on physical performance than the MbDT during the back scratch and the 10-step stair tests. The characteristics of the sample, environment, complexity of the motor task, and difficulty of the simultaneous cognitive task may also be relevant for understanding the differences in dual-task interference.

Assessment of Muscle Fatigue Using EMG under Long Duration and High Intensity Fatigue Condition

Evaluation of local muscle fatigue has been conducted over past decades to investigate the process of fatigue accumulation and to reduce effect of fatigue in EMG field. The purpose of this study was to investigate fatigue in isotonic contractions, which can inflict the same fatigue on the subject during dynamic contractions. Local muscle fatigue was measured by changing the load level and exercise time in dumbbell curl comprising isotonic contractions through power spectrum changes. Five healthy males and five healthy females performed dumbbell curls with 1 kg load for two minutes, and on other days when no fatigue occurred due to the previous exercise, performed for one minute with a 2 kg load. The muscle fatigue was estimated by median frequency before and after fatigue, the decrease was greater than in the trial wherein a load of 2 ㎏ was applied for one minute than in the trial where a load of 1 kg was applied for two minutes for the females. The decrease in the median frequency is quantitative data indicated by the slowing of the motor unit actional potential (MUAP), suggesting exercise intensity is more sensitive to the slowing of the MUAP than the exercise duration.

Bicep Curl Count: Computer Vision Based Counting

Abstract: Gym is a place which is mostly used by everyone these days. It is important to have a good trainer in order to guide you so that you can avoid injuries. Gym machines are getting upgraded at a high pace like Flexnet, which provides us with a AI based virtual assistant. Virtual assistant is used by mostly everyone in daily life like while walking to count steps, or the use of SIRI or ALEXA which are also an example of virtual assistant. These assistants are required in gym to count our repetitions while we are exercising. So this project uses MediaPipe and its inbuilt libraries with the help of Computer Vision to get the best result. With the help of this project we are marking the various coordinates of our body and then calculating the angle of our left arm to measure our arm angle and then counting the repetitions of it. Keywords: AI, Virtual Assistant, ALEXA, SIRI, Repetitions, Computer Vision.

Correlation analysis of physical fitness and its impact on falls in 2130 community- dwelling older adults: a retrospective cross-sectional study

BackgroundAs the community-dwelling population ages in Taiwan, concerns regarding long-term care have grown more urgent. Physical fitness plays a key role in enabling community-dwelling older adults to independently complete daily tasks and avoid falling accidents. However, the effect of physical fitness on falls and other fitness-related factors remains poorly understood.MethodsIn this retrospective cross-sectional study, 2130 community-dwelling older adults were recruited from a rural region of Taiwan. Each of these participants completed a demographics interview and frailty questionnaire and reported their history of falls. We evaluated each participant’s height and body weight measurements, calf circumference, bone mass density, and results on the grip strength, single-leg standing, chair sit-and-reach, 8-ft up-and-go, 30-second chair stand, 2-minute step, 30-second arm curl, 6-m walk, and back scratch tests to determine their overall physical fitness, which consisted of their body composition, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and cardiopulmonary fitness.ResultsThe prevalence of falls in the preceding year among the older adults surveyed was 20.8%, and the resultant hospitalization rate was 10.9%. The older adults who were more physically active in the past week, had regular exercise habits, lived with family, and had no history of hospitalization due to falls, exhibited greater performance on the physical fitness tests. Three time fallers exhibited lower levels of overall physical fitness than did those who had not fallen. The nonfallers outperformed the fallers in grip strength (participants who had not fallen and those who had fallen once, twice, or three times in the preceding year: 24.66 ± 0.19 vs. 23.66 ± 0.35 vs. 20.62 ± 0.71 vs. 22.20 ± 0.90 kg) and single-leg standing duration (19.38 ± 0.39 vs. 16.33 ± 0.78 vs. 13.95 ± 1.67 vs. 12.34 ± 1.82 seconds).ConclusionsExercise habits, living status, hospitalization due to falls, and amount of exercise were all associated with physical fitness in community-dwelling older adults. The results of all of the assessments indicated that the participants who had fallen three times exhibited lower levels of physical fitness than did those who had not fallen in the previous year. Physical measurements, including grip strength and single-leg standing duration, are associated with an individual’s risk of falling, which indicates that they should be considered in the development of geriatric physical fitness and fall-prevention programs.

How Many Calories Do Bicep Curls Burn?

How Many Calories Do Bicep Curls Burn?

SAfety and Feasibility of EArly Resistance Training After Median Sternotomy: The SAFE-ARMS Study.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to determine the safety and feasibility of subacute upper limb resistance exercise on sternal micromotion and pain and the reliability of sternal ultrasound assessment following cardiac surgery via median sternotomy.MethodsThis experimental study used a pretest–posttest design to investigate the effects of upper limb resistance exercise on the sternum in patients following their first cardiac surgery via median sternotomy. Six bilateral upper limb machine-based exercises were commenced at a base resistance of 20 lb (9 kg) and progressed for each participant. Sternal micromotion was assessed using ultrasound at the mid and lower sternum at 2, 8, and 14 weeks postsurgery. Intrarater and interrater reliability was calculated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Participant-reported pain was recorded at rest and with each exercise using a visual analogue scale.ResultsSixteen adults (n = 15 males; 71.3 [SD = 6.2] years of age) consented to participate. Twelve participants completed the study, 2 withdrew prior to the 8-week assessment, and 2 assessments were not completed at 14 weeks due to assessor unavailability. The highest median micromotion at the sternal edges was observed during the bicep curl (median = 1.33 mm; range = −0.8 to 2.0 mm) in the lateral direction and the shoulder pulldown (median = 0.65 mm; range = −0.8 to 1.6 mm) in the anterior–posterior direction. Furthermore, participants reported no increase in pain when performing any of the 6 upper limb exercises. Interrater reliability was moderate to good for both lateral–posterior (ICC = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.58 to 0.83) and anterior–posterior micromotion (ICC = 0.83; 95% CI = 0.73 to 0.89) of the sternal edges.ConclusionBilateral upper limb resistance exercises performed on cam-based machines do not result in sternal micromotion exceeding 2.0 mm or an increase in participant-reported pain.ImpactUpper limb resistance training commenced as early as 2 weeks following cardiac surgery via median sternotomy and performed within the safe limits of pain and sternal micromotion appears to be safe and may accelerate postoperative recovery rather than muscular deconditioning.

Resistance training during cardiac rehabilitation improves physical performance in patients with coronary artery disease: a randomised controlled trial

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Slovenian Research Agency Background Resistance training (RT) is an adjunct exercise therapy to aerobic training (AT) in cardiac rehabilitation, but it remains unknown whether the dose-dependent relationship between RT load (high load [HL] vs. low load [LL]) and improvement in anthropometry, body composition and physical performance exists in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Purpose The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of HL-RT and LL-RT on top of AT in comparison to AT on anthropometry, body composition and physical performance in patients with CAD. Methods A total of 79 patients with a stable CAD were randomised to HL-RT+AT (n = 21), LL-RT+AT (n = 19) or AT (n = 19) and performed 36 training sessions. Fifty-nine patients with mean (SD) age 61 (8) years and left ventricular ejection fraction 53 (9) % completed the study. AT progressed from 50 % to 80% of peak power output achieved at baseline cardiopulmonary exercise test, and RT progressed from 70% of one repetition maximum (1-RM) to 80% of 1-RM in HL-RT group, and from 35% of 1-RM to 40% of 1-RM in LL-RT group. We measured anthropometry (body mass, waist and hip circumference, and waist to hip circumference ratio), body composition (lean body mass and %, body fat mass and %, and phase angle) and physical performance evaluating upper muscle strength (arm curl and hand grip test) and lower muscle strength (five sit-to stand test, up-and-go test, heel raise test), mobility (gait speed test), flexibility (back scratch test, sit-and-reach test), balance (stork balance test) and submaximal endurance (6 min walk test distance) at baseline and post-training. Results Waist circumference and waist-to-hip circumference ratio decreased significantly following LL-RT (both p &amp;lt; 0.01), without post-training differences between training interventions in other anthropometry measures and body composition measures (all p &amp;gt; 0.079). HL-RT and LL-RT induced improvements in all physical performance measures, while AT alone did not improve gait speed, upper limb flexibility and performance of up-and-go test. HL-RT was associated with greater improvement in gait speed (+12 %, p =0.044), arm curl test (+13 %, p = 0.037) and time of Up-and-go test (+9 %, p &amp;lt;0.001) compared to AT group, while LL-RT improved more time of Up-and-Go test (+18 %, p &amp;lt; 0.001) and time of five sit-to-stands (+14 %, p = 0.016) compared to AT. There was no difference between HL-RT and LL-RT in post-training change of physical performance measures. Conclusions The addition of RT to AT is associated with greater improvements in submaximal muscle strength and mobility compared to AT and should be encouraged in future multimodal exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation.

Differences in Blood Flow Patterns and Endothelial Shear Stress at the Carotid Artery Using Different Exercise Modalities and Intensities.

Endothelial dysfunction is the first pathophysiological step of atherosclerosis, which is responsible for 90% of strokes. Exercise programs aim to reduce the risk of developing stroke; however, the majority of the beneficial factors of exercise are still unknown. Endothelial shear stress (ESS) is associated with endothelial homeostasis. Unfortunately, ESS has not been characterized during different exercise modalities and intensities in the carotid artery. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine exercise-induced blood flow patterns in the carotid artery. Fourteen apparently healthy young adults (males = 7, females = 7) were recruited for this repeated measures study design. Participants completed maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) tests on a Treadmill, Cycle-ergometer, and Arm-ergometer, and 1-repetition maximum (1RM) tests of the Squat, Bench Press (Bench), and Biceps Curl (Biceps) on separate days. Thereafter, participants performed each exercise at 3 different exercise intensities (low, moderate, high) while a real-time ultrasound image and blood flow of the carotid artery was obtained. Blood flow patterns were assessed by estimating ESS via Womersley’s estimation and turbulence via Reynold’s number (Re). Data were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model. Pairwise comparisons with Holm-Bonferroni correction were conducted with Hedge’s g effect size to determine the magnitude of the difference. There was a main effect of intensity, exercise modality, and intensity * exercise modality interaction on both ESS (p < 0.001). Treadmill at a high intensity yielded the greatest ESS when compared to the other exercise modalities and intensities, while Bench Press and Biceps curls yielded the least ESS. All exercise intensities across all modalities resulted in turbulent blood flow. Clinicians must take into consideration how different exercise modalities and intensities affect ESS and Re of the carotid artery.