Common Physical Activity Research Articles

Effectiveness of Adding Strengthening Lower Extremity Exercise on Gait Speed of Hajj Pilgrims Who Receive Walking Aerobic Exercises

Background: In the Hajj pilgrimage, the daily activities of Hajj Pilgrims also require good walking skills. Walking is the most common physical activities. Individuals with limited mobility have been found to have greater energy costs related to daily life tasks. Resistance training is a type of exercise that can increase muscular speed, power, strength, hypertrophy, and coordination. The decreased muscle strength leads to decrease in walking ability. Objective: Researchers want to compare that adding strengthening lower extremity exercise can improve the gait speed on Hajj Pilgrims more than control group who receive walking aerobic exercise only. Methods: A randomized controlled trial was used for this research. There were 36 participants divided into an 18-person intervention group and an 18-person control group. The groups received walking aerobic exercises five times a week and the intervention group were added strengthening lower extremity exercise twice a week. A 4-meter gait speed test was used to evaluate gait speed both pre- and post- a six-week course of intervention. Results: After six weeks, there was a significant increase in gait speed in both the intervention group (p=0.000) and the control group (p=0.000). There’s no significant difference between the interventions of each group (0.86 ± 0.58) compared to the control group. (0.87 ± 0.66) (p=0.968). Conclusion: Walking aerobic exercise and adding strengthening lower extremity exercise can increase gait speed significantly. However, walking aerobic exercise with or without strengthening lower extremity exercise addition there is an increase in gait speed.

Common mental disorders and physical activity levels in college students during COVID-19 pandemic

Common mental disorders and physical activity levels in college students during COVID-19 pandemic

The Biomechanics of Musculoskeletal Tissues during Activities of Daily Living: Dynamic Assessment Using Quantitative Transmission-Mode Ultrasound Techniques.

The measurement of musculoskeletal tissue properties and loading patterns during physical activity is important for understanding the adaptation mechanisms of tissues such as bone, tendon, and muscle tissues, particularly with injury and repair. Although the properties and loading of these connective tissues have been quantified using direct measurement techniques, these methods are highly invasive and often prevent or interfere with normal activity patterns. Indirect biomechanical methods, such as estimates based on electromyography, ultrasound, and inverse dynamics, are used more widely but are known to yield different parameter values than direct measurements. Through a series of literature searches of electronic databases, including Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and IEEE Explore, this paper reviews current methods used for the in vivo measurement of human musculoskeletal tissue and describes the operating principals, application, and emerging research findings gained from the use of quantitative transmission-mode ultrasound measurement techniques to non-invasively characterize human bone, tendon, and muscle properties at rest and during activities of daily living. In contrast to standard ultrasound imaging approaches, these techniques assess the interaction between ultrasound compression waves and connective tissues to provide quantifiable parameters associated with the structure, instantaneous elastic modulus, and density of tissues. By taking advantage of the physical relationship between the axial velocity of ultrasound compression waves and the instantaneous modulus of the propagation material, these techniques can also be used to estimate the in vivo loading environment of relatively superficial soft connective tissues during sports and activities of daily living. This paper highlights key findings from clinical studies in which quantitative transmission-mode ultrasound has been used to measure the properties and loading of bone, tendon, and muscle tissue during common physical activities in healthy and pathological populations.

Video analysis of anterior cruciate ligament tears of professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are devastating for elite athletes, including those in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The purpose of this study was to describe common in-game mechanisms of injury, playing situations, and anatomic positioning of players who sustained an ACL injury in the NBA. ACL tears which occurred in NBA games during the previous 16 seasons (2007-2022) and had accessible video clips were identified through publicly available reports. Thirty-one ACL tears were identified with quality videos available. Nearly all players were on offense (93.5%, 29/31). Most ACL tears (29/31, 93.5%) did not involve direct contact to the injured extremity. The most common physical activity at the time of injury was landing from any type of jump (45.2%, 14/31). Anatomically, the knee was frequently in early flexion (58.8%, 10/17) and abducted (77.4%, 24/31); the foot was commonly abducted (87.1%, 27/31); and the hip was usually abducted (64.5%, 20/31) and flexed (80.6%, 25/31). Almost all players had another individual near them at the time of injury, with 90.3% (28/31) and 96.8% (30/31) having someone within 2ft and 5ft. Most ACL tears occurred inside the lane, regardless of mechanism of injury (26/31, 83.9%). ACL tears in the NBA were primarily not due to direct contact of the injured extremity but did have common anatomic patterns. The findings of this study can be used in the future to help reduce the risk of injury through the adaptation of current training activities.

The associations of daily steps and body mass index with incident gastroesophageal reflux disease in older adults.

High body mass index (BMI) is a major risk factor of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a prevalent morbidity of older adulthood linked to lower quality of life and an increased risk of esophageal cancers. Daily stepping behavior, the most common physical activity of older adulthood, is associated with an array of favorable health outcomes, sometimes independent of high BMI. Whether stepping behavior is associated with the incidence of GERD independently or in combination with BMI is currently unclear. We followed 442 individuals (58.4% female) aged 65-91 years enrolled in the Physical Activity and Aging Study. Baseline steps were obtained by pedometer and categorized by tertiles (lower, middle, upper), while BMI was categorized into normal weight, overweight, and obesity. To explore joint associations, daily steps were dichotomized into "high steps" (middle/upper tertiles) and "low steps" (lower tertile), while BMI was dichotomized into normal weight and overweight/obesity. The joint exposure categories included "low steps and overweight/obesity," "low steps and normal weight," "high steps and overweight/obesity," and "high steps and normal weight." We identified 35 (7.9%) cases of GERD over a mean follow-up of 2.5 years. Compared to the lower tertile of steps, the hazard ratios (HRs) [95% confidence intervals (95% CIs)] of GERD were 0.44 (0.20-0.96) and 0.17 (0.05-0.54) for the middle and upper tertiles, respectively, after adjusting for confounders (including BMI). Compared to normal weight, the HRs (95% CIs) of GERD were 1.35 (0.54-3.37) and 3.00 (1.19-7.55) for overweight and obesity, respectively, after adjusting for confounders (including steps). In a joint analysis, compared to "low steps and overweight/obesity," the HRs (95% CIs) of GERD were 0.32 (0.10-1.00), 0.23 (0.10-0.54), and 0.20 (0.07-0.58) for "low steps and normal weight," "high steps and overweight/obesity," and "high steps and normal weight," respectively. Higher daily steps were associated with a lower risk of GERD in older adults, independent of BMI. Since accumulating steps through walking is an achievable and acceptable modality of physical activity in older adulthood, future lifestyle interventions designed to achieve high daily steps counts may have favorable implications for the development of GERD in older adults of any BMI status.

Effects of sport or physical recreation for adults with physical or intellectual disabilities: a systematic review with meta-analysis

ObjectivesTo evaluate the effects of sport or physical recreation on participation, mobility and quality of life for adults living with disabilities.DesignSystematic review with meta-analysis.Data sourcesSix databases searched from inception to...

A One Session Gait Retraining Protocol with Metronome Augmentation Increases Cadence in Novice and Recreational Runners.

Running is a common leisure physical activity that carries a risk for running related injury (RRI). Non-experienced runners are more likely to sustain RRIs. One form of gait retraining focuses on increasing cadence to improve running biomechanics related to RRI. Protocols for increasing cadence must be pragmatic to be implemented into clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to determine if a pragmatic protocol including one instructional session, followed by independent gait retraining with metronome augmentation resulted in increased cadence and altered biomechanics in novice and recreational runners. Randomized Controlled Trial. Thirty-three novice or recreational adult runners completed a 12 Minute Cooper Run on an indoor track. Variables measured during the 12 Minute Cooper Run included distance, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), heart rate (HR), and 3-D biomechanics using inertial measurement units (IMUs). After baseline testing, the intervention group received instruction and five minutes of gait retraining at a cadence set 5-10% higher than baseline with metronome augmentation (Pro Metronome- Tempo, Beat; by Xiao Yixiang). They then ran two to three times a week for two weeks up to 30 minutes per session with the metronome set at the new cadence. After two weeks, repeat testing using the same protocol was completed. A Mann-Whitney U test analyzed differences between groups. Cadence at one minute (p = 0.037) and average cadence over the entire run (p=0.002) increased in the intervention group only with a large effect size (Cohens d = 0.837). No other group differences were found. A pragmatic gait retraining protocol with metronome augmentation including one instructional and four to six independent sessions over a two-week duration increased cadence without negative effects on HR, RPE, distance. Biomechanics did not change with this intervention. Further research with pragmatic gait retraining protocols that increase cadence are needed with larger sample sizes, repeated measures over time, across runners of various abilities and experience levels. Level 2.

RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE METABOLIC COST OF DAILY PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES ACROSS THE LIFESPAN

Abstract Americans spend over 90% of their activity related energy expenditure performing common daily activities. However, there is a gap in knowledge pertaining to potential age-related differences in the metabolic cost of performing these activities which diminishes proper physical activity prescription. We hypothesized age differences in both the absolute and relative metabolic cost of performing common daily physical. Participants (n=248, age: 20-94 yrs) performed 33 activities (e.g. dressing, walking, making a bed, gardening, computer work) in a standardized setting. A portable indirect calorimeter was worn for approximately 6-10 minutes to achieve steady-state metabolic rate. A graded exercise treadmill test was performed to quantify peak metabolic rate. A metabolic equivalent (MET as a function of 3.5 milliliter•min-1•kg-1) and percentage of peak were used to express absolute and relative metabolic rate, respectively. Watching television (1.0+/-0.36 METs; 15.6+/-5.7% of peak) produced the lowest and climbing stairs (6.2+/-2.2 METs; 84.8+/-17.0% of peak) elicited the highest metabolic rate. Results from mixed effect regression models adjusting for health conditions, demographics and anthropometry showed no association between absolute MET and age. However, when expressed relative to peak, adjusted models showed a strong association with age (0.66+/-0.33% per year, p=0.006). As an example, adults < 40 yrs old worked at 34.1+/-14.8% of peak during a leisurely walk while those 80+ years old worked at 64.2+/-16.3%. Aging is associated with a substantial increase in the relative metabolic cost of performing common daily physical activities. These results could have implications on prescribing physical activity older adults to achieve higher fitness.

Prediction of Physical Activity Patterns in Older Patients Rehabilitating After Hip Fracture Surgery: Exploratory Study.

Building up physical activity is a highly important aspect in an older patient's rehabilitation process after hip fracture surgery. The patterns of physical activity during rehabilitation are associated with the duration of rehabilitation stay. Predicting physical activity patterns early in the rehabilitation phase can provide patients and health care professionals an early indication of the duration of rehabilitation stay as well as insight into the degree of patients' recovery for timely adaptive interventions. This study aims to explore the early prediction of physical activity patterns in older patients rehabilitating after hip fracture surgery at a skilled nursing home. The physical activity of patients aged ≥70 years with surgically treated hip fracture was continuously monitored using an accelerometer during rehabilitation at a skilled nursing home. Physical activity patterns were described in our previous study, and the 2 most common patterns were used in this study for pattern prediction: the upward linear pattern (n=15) and the S-shape pattern (n=23). Features from the intensity of physical activity were calculated for time windows with different window sizes of the first 5, 6, 7, and 8 days to assess the early rehabilitation moment in which the patterns could be predicted most accurately. Those features were statistical features, amplitude features, and morphological features. Furthermore, the Barthel Index, Fracture Mobility Score, Functional Ambulation Categories, and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment score were used as clinical features. With the correlation-based feature selection method, relevant features were selected that were highly correlated with the physical activity patterns and uncorrelated with other features. Multiple classifiers were used: decision trees, discriminant analysis, logistic regression, support vector machines, nearest neighbors, and ensemble classifiers. The performance of the prediction models was assessed by calculating precision, recall, and F1-score (accuracy measure) for each individual physical activity pattern. Furthermore, the overall performance of the prediction model was calculated by calculating the F1-score for all physical activity patterns together. The amplitude feature describing the overall intensity of physical activity on the first day of rehabilitation and the morphological features describing the shape of the patterns were selected as relevant features for all time windows. Relevant features extracted from the first 7 days with a cosine k-nearest neighbor model reached the highest overall prediction performance (micro F1-score=1) and a 100% correct classification of the 2 most common physical activity patterns. Continuous monitoring of the physical activity of older patients in the first week of hip fracture rehabilitation results in an early physical activity pattern prediction. In the future, continuous physical activity monitoring can offer the possibility to predict the duration of rehabilitation stay, assess the recovery progress during hip fracture rehabilitation, and benefit health care organizations, health care professionals, and patients themselves.

Return to physical activity after the surgical treatment of distal biceps tendon tears

Introduction. Distal biceps tendon tears remain relatively rare, representing 3% of all biceps injuries and having an incidence of 1.2 per 100,000. A distal biceps tendon tear is usually caused by an eccentric load to a flexed elbow and despite mostly affecting 40-50-year-old men, it also occurs in physically active patients at a younger age. Aim. The purpose of this study was to analyze whether physically active patients return to a pre-injury level of activity after the surgical reconstruction of distal biceps tendon tears. Materials and methods. The study included 20 patients treated surgically due to distal biceps tendon tears. The data from patients’ medical histories were analyzed. The post operative outcome and the level of physical activity was assessed using the Author’s Physical Activity Questionnaire (APAQ), Oxford Elbow Score (OES) and QuickDASH. A follow-up was conducted on average after 45.8 (±14.52) months. Results. All patients reported that they had returned to their pre-injury physical activity after surgery. Sixteen patients (80%) reached a pre-injury activity level, while 4 (20%) were unable to return to the same activity level. The reasons included fear of re-injury (n=4) and pain in the operated limb during physical activity (n = 2). The most common physical activities were: weightlifting (n = 11, 55%) and martial arts (n = 6, 30%). Patients before the injury undertook physical exercise 4.32 (±1.67) times a week, and post-injury 3.84 (±1.95) times a week (p = 0.035). The median time spent doing physical activity during the week decreased from 360 (IQR, 285-450) minutes pre-injury to 300 (IQR, 180-420) minutes post-surgery (p = 0.028). The patients started returning to training sessions on average 12.05 (±10.65) weeks after surgical treatment and a full return to physical activity was observed after 36 (±33.87) weeks. In the Oxford Elbow Score, the average score was 46.74 (±2.2), while the QuickDASH score was 1.58 (range, 0-6.8). Conclusions. The surgical treatment of a distal biceps tendon tear allows patients to return to physical activity in most cases.

Dance and Psychological Health: Effect of Dance Participation on Social Development

Dance is listed among the most common physical activities that have been integrated into almost all cultures and societies worldwide. The art of dancing engages an individual’s cognitive, social, and physical facets, all of which are integral components of psychological health and wellbeing. The social element of dance has been integrated into the modern health sector and other social settings to influence the relationship between psychological health and wellbeing and social support-related challenges. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether engaging in dance has an impact on the social dimension of psychological health and well-being. The initial hypothesis of the study, which was based on a literature review, was that participating in dance positively influences the social dimension of psychological well-being. An online literature review search that was conducted on the Google Scholar database for research published between 2013 and 2023 yielded 169 results from which 20 most recent studies between 2019-2023 were selected for inclusion in the final analysis. Dance promotes social wellness regardless of the settings in which it is performed by influencing the cognitive and behavioral processes regulating social relations among humans. Thus, dance is an effective vehicle for social support and a vital network for healthy social connections. Recent dance-based trends and dance practice characteristics could potentially serve as the new modes of social connections to promote social welfare.

A survey questionnaire evaluating physical activity patterns and determinants in patients with chronic liver disease.

Physical activity can reduce the risk of morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD), whereas physical inactivity adversely affects clinical outcomes. Since data on physical activity in CLD are scarce, we conducted a questionnaire survey to assess the physical activity patterns and determinants in patients with CLD. We surveyed 437 patients from outpatient clinics at Gifu University Hospital about their physical activity patterns and determinants in 2022 using a validated questionnaire. The primary objective was to examine the proportion of patients who exercised and the clinical characteristics of patients who achieved high levels of physical activity. The secondary objectives were to explore the types, motivations, barriers, and preferences for physical activity. Among the 397 eligible patients (median age 68years; 51% men; and median Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score 6), 55.4% reported performing physical activity less than once a week. Physical activity frequency was not associated with sex, body mass index, comorbidities, or hepatic reserve. Among the respondents, 60.4% expressed concern regarding physical strength, and 80.6% expressed concern regarding physical inactivity. The main barriers to physical activity were work, household chores, and health problems. However, many respondents expressed their willingness to increase their physical activity frequency with some promotional policies. Walking was the most common physical activity practiced in the past year and the activity most respondents wanted to try in the future. Patients with CLD are insufficiently active and need physical activity interventions, especially regarding walking.

O.2.1-3 Exercise Referral Schemes in the UK: mapping provision and aims

Abstract Purpose A common physical activity intervention in the UK is that of an Exercise Referral Scheme (ERS) where a health professional is able to signpost a service user towards local physical activity opportunities, often in a local sports centre (Bully et al., 2015). While there have been a number of reviews over recent decades, the provision of ERS’s across the UK is far from standardised (Oliver et al., 2021). The purpose of this study was to outline the provision of ERS across England and to examine how the schemes are framed and communicated in terms of their content, purpose, and approach. Methods A database was established and systematic searching online was conducted to collect the online details of exercise referral schemes from every region in the country. Each programme’s online information was then analysed using a Content Analysis approach as it offers a “systematic, objective, quantitative analysis of message characteristics” (Neuendorf, 2016, p. 1). This method has been commonly used to engage with publicly available data in a range of web-based materials as it can be an excellent way of examining patterns and trends in communication across multiple sources (Kim & Kuljis, 2010). Results 625 unique sites were identified across 168 distinct geographical footprints. Stated delivery partners included the leisure provider (91%), at sometimes one other partner (24%). 57% were listed as being 12 weeks in duration with 10% longer and 27% not stating the duration. Many of the projects did not have a stated aim (37%) although many (36%) outlined the general benefits of being physically active. 18% identified mental health as a benefit and only 10% mentioned anything about socialising or meeting other people. Conclusions This study found that the information publicly available on ERS schemes in England is inconsistent and often lacking in detail. Implications are that schemes should consider and then publish specific aims and objectives, and more broadly consider how they communicate the details of their programmes to stakeholders and potential participants. Support/Funding Source No funding was received to undertake this project

Pediatric Diving-Related Injuries in Swimming Pools Presenting to US Emergency Departments: 2008-2020.

Recreational swimming/diving is among the most common physical activities in US children and a significant cause of morbidity across the United States. This study updates the national epidemiology of diving-related injuries. The Consumer Product Safety Commission's National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database was queried for patients aged 0 to 19 from 2008 to 2020 who presented to any of the 100 National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-participating emergency departments for a diving-related injury. Dive characteristics such as dive height, dive skill, dive direction, and dive sequence were determined from case narratives. A total of 1202 cases were identified for analysis corresponding to a total national estimate of 37,387 diving related injuries during the period from 2008 to 2020 and a national incidence of 3.6 injuries per 100,000 population. Males accounted for 64% of injuries. The average yearly incidences of injury in the 10 to 14 and 15 to 19 age groups were identical at 5.8 per 100,000. Contact with the diving board or platform was the most common cause of injury (34%). Diving backwards or attempting a flip or handstand dive were associated with increased odds of sustaining an injury resulting from contact with the diving board or platform (odds ratio, 16.0 and 6.9, respectively). In 2020, the incidence of diving-related injury fell to 1.6 per 100,000 population. Diving injuries are common in children and adolescents, especially in boys aged 10 to 19. There was a significant reduction in diving-related injury corresponding with the COVID-19 pandemic.

DEVELOPMENT OF A SET OF CONTROL EXERCISES BASED ON THE ASSESSMENT OF COMBAT CAPABILITIES

As the military environment is characterized by high levels of physical activity, physical activity is an important component of military action. The aim of the present study was to identify the most physically demanding daily and training (expected battle) tasks performed in the Latvian Army Land Force units (NAF LFU) through the development and application of a questionnaire survey. The results obtained in the study were used to start developing a set of NAF physical fitness control exercises. Based on adapted questionnaires, was developed a questionnaire for the NAF LFU, which allowed to determine most physically demanding daily and combat tasks, as well as dominant physical qualities and physical activities. The questionnaire was then distributed to 70 ground combat soldiers (with the most service and deployments experience as well as sports education), of whom 57 responded (81%). A field test – GB Combat test was carried out as part of the case study in the NAF LFU. Test was chosen by specialists and determined as the most suitable, evaluating the results of the questionnaire and the tasks to be performed by the NAF LFU. 52 soldiers participated in the pilot test. The five most physically demanding training tasks were identified: attack/ quick attack, fight in built-up area (FIBUA), defense, retreat/ delay and preparing fighting positions. The most common physical activities that characterize these tasks are indicated: crawling, running and bending, squatting. As the most important physical qualities indicated – muscular endurance 27.74%, less important physical qualities – speed 22.10%, muscular strength 21.32% and agility 20.36%. The five most physically demanding daily tasks were identified: field training, maintenance of equipment, marching, relocation of equipment and physical fitness training. The most common physical activities that characterize these tasks are indicated: carrying, lifting and running. As the most important physical qualities indicated - muscular endurance 33.08% and muscular strength 31.54%. The GB Combat test, evaluating by a rating system developed by the British Armed Forces (system - pass/fail), was not passed by 11 soldiers.

Physical activity: associations with health and summary of guidelines.

The understanding of how physical activity and insufficient physical activity are associated with health outcomes has increased considerably over the past decades. Along with physical activity, the evidence on the associations between sedentary behavior and health has increased, which has resulted in the introduction of recommendations of sedentary behavior. In this article, we 1) present terminology for physical activity and sedentary behavior epidemiology, 2) show the relevant scientific evidence on associations of physical activity and sedentary behavior with selected health-related outcomes and 3) introduce the global guidelines for physical activity and sedentary behavior by the World Health Organization (WHO). Health-related outcomes include cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, total mortality, glucose regulation and type 2 diabetes, adiposity, overweight, obesity, cancer, musculoskeletal and bone health, brain health, and quality of life. These health-related outcomes are reflected across age groups and some population groups, such as pregnant and postpartum women. Furthermore, we discuss physical activity levels across Nordic countries and over time. For the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations, shared common physical activity guidelines were not developed. Instead, each country has created their own guidelines that are being referenced in the article, along with the global WHO guidelines.

Fostering weight status understanding among exercise science and health students by simulating common physical activities with additional body mass.

Overweight and obesity rates continue to rise and appear unlikely to abate. While physical activity (PA) is an important contributor to health and successful weight maintenance, exercise science and health students (ESHS) often endorse negative weight status biases that could undermine PA promotion. This experiential learning activity was intended to help foster weight status understanding among ESHS. Nine ESHS completed the learning activity across two 75-minute class periods. During the initial didactic lesson, the instructor presented on psychophysiological responses to PA among normal and overweight individuals. During the second simulation lesson, the students first responded with their predictions of how the experience of four common physical activities, including shoe tying, brisk walking, running, and climbing and descending stairs, could differ with additional body mass. Next, students twice completed each of the four physical activities while first wearing a weighted vest that simulated 16 lb followed by 32 lb of additional mass. At the beginning, middle, and end of the stair climb and descent, the students provided ratings of affective valence (i.e., pleasure-displeasure). Following the PA simulations, the students wrote about their experiences and how their PA promotion strategies could be modified for overweight clients. The changes in student qualitative responses, particularly following the 32-lb simulations, suggested an increased understanding of the psychophysiological experience of PA while carrying additional mass. Learning activities like this one may be meaningful additions to ESHS curricula aiming to mitigate weight status bias and improve PA promotion among overweight clients.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Exercise science and health students (ESHS) often enter the field with the noble intention to help people become more physically active. However, many ESHS endorse negative weight status biases that could undermine health promotion efforts among overweight individuals. Experiential learning simulations that approximate the experiences of physical activity while overweight may be helpful tools to foster understanding and reduce bias. This article outlines a two-part didactic/simulation learning activity to promote weight status understanding among ESHS.

Enriching organisational design for games: the case of badminton in physical education

ABSTRACT Purpose: Providing students with enjoyable experiences in Physical Education (PE) is considered a key variable in research on increasing Physical Activity (PA) levels. Designing game formats in PE is relevant to achieving this aim. Coupling principles of Motor Praxeology (MP) and the Constraints Led Approach (CLA) to design three games, the aim of this study was to examine how participants’ sex, age and skill levels (organismic constraints) interacted with varied manipulations of task and environmental constraints in the organisational design of badminton games to increase their enjoyment and PA. Method: Participants were students (n = 55, Mage = 14.0, SD = 2.41, 41.8% girls, aged 11–19) enrolled in a PE unit with three distinct badminton organisational designs for games: Individual Tournament (IT), Team Score (TS) and Personal Challenge (PC). IT challenges students in a group of a homogeneous skill level with a one-on-one competition. TS consists of a series of one-on-one games amongst a group of students with a heterogeneous skill level. PC is a competition between students in a heterogenous-level group, adopting a handicap score system. Enjoyment and level of PA was measured using a pleasure scale and accelerometers. Results: Results indicated little effect of organisational design on pupils’ enjoyment but showed a difference in their PA: younger and skilled boys moved less in the PC design compared to the TS organisational design. Discussion/conclusion: Our results suggest that potential interactions between the format of the organisational design and individual differences in students could be relevant for increasing PA in PE programmes. In exploring the effects of interactions of organisational designs for games, goal tasks and students’ characteristics, a combination of MP and CLA frameworks helps to address some of the prevailing beliefs about pleasure and the commitment made by students in common physical education play and activity formats. Our study showed that there is no ideal organisational design for engaging students, but that the most fruitful formats depend on the specific interests of the students. Practical implications: These theoretical frameworks invite PE teachers to develop organisational designs by providing interaction between goal-oriented tasks and social variables (e.g. relationships between players) to provoke richer experiences in all students from different skill levels.

Exploration of the minimum necessary FVIII level at different physical activity levels in pediatric patients with hemophilia A.

Physical activity can increase joint stability and reduce the risk of injury in hemophilia patients. There is limited clinical data on target trough FVIII levels during physical activity in hemophilia A patients. Hence, this study aimed to explore the target trough FVIII level required to avoid bleeding during different physical activities in hemophilia A patients. Patients with severe or moderate hemophilia A, who underwent pharmacokinetics (PK) tests at our center were enrolled in this study. Physical activities and clinical information such as bleeding were recorded. The FVIII level during physical activity was calculated by the WAPPS-Hemo. A total of 105 patients were enrolled in this study. A total of 373 physical activities were recorded, of which 57.6% (215/373) was low-risk activities and the remaining 42.4% (158/373) was medium-risk activities. Most common physical activities were bicycling (59.0%), swimming (43.8%), running (48.6%), and jumping rope (41.0%). The FVIII trough level of low-risk physical activity was 3.8 IU/dl (AUC = 0.781, p = 0.002) and moderate-risk physical activity was 7.7 IU/dl (AUC = 0.809, p < 0.001). FVIII trough levels [low-risk activities: 6.1 (3.1, 13.2) IU/dl vs. 7.7 (2.3, 10.5) IU/dl, moderate-risk activities: 9.6 (5.8, 16.9) IU/dl vs. 10.2 (5.5, 11.0) IU/dl] were not statistically different between the mild arthropathy group and the moderate-severe arthropathy group. Multiple bleeding risk tended to increase with physical activities classified as moderate-risk (OR [95% CI]: 3.815 [1.766-8.238], p = 0.001). The minimum necessary FVIII level increased with higher risk physical activity, irrespective of arthropathy.

Running addiction.

Running is a common physical activity of an aerobic nature that is carried out mostly outdoors and presents a healthy lifestyle. However, the positive effect of running often masks the downsides of potential addiction that can compromise an individual's physical, mental, and social functioning. Most often there is a thin and unclear line separating passionate athletes and running addicts. Thus, it is necessary to educate the running community to raise awareness of the negative effects of over-training, prevent complications and injuries and to seek the necessary help. The study sample consisted of runners from the Croatian population of both genders, aged 18 to 75, who have been running for more than a year. The respondents were divided into groups according to the favorite length of the racing race. Groups were compared in terms of nutritional supplements usage, running-related injuries, as well as the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on their running volume. Difference between groups in Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI) questionnaire outcome scores was also accessed. The statistical analysis included the answers of 644 people of both genders, among which 309 (48%) men and 335 (52%) women. The average age of the respondents was 42 years (18-75), and the average age of running was 5 years (1-42). Only among the respondents who started running most recently (1 to 10 years), and those who run the longest races (longer than 100 km) were found to use nutritional supplements significantly more (71.43%, P<0.001) and sustained injuries associated with running more than rest of the groups (100%, P=0.013). Due to the pandemic, only respondents who have been running for the longest time (31-42 years) and prefer to run races from 21 to 42 km significantly reduced the amount of training (75%, P=0.037). The risk for addiction was significantly positively associated with the use of dietary supplements, the favorite length of the race and the frequency of injuries, while there was no association with the length of running. Running is a high-risk sport for addiction development. All the benevolent attitudes and positive effects of running often mask the downsides of addiction that can compromise an individual and his or her physical, mental, and social functioning. Due to the high percentage of addiction risk of 25%, it is necessary to educate the racing community to raise awareness of the negative effects of overtraining, prevent complications and seek the necessary help.