Evaluation Of Physical Capacity Research Articles

Comprehensive Physical Work Capacity Evaluations for Korean Farmers Assessed in Healthy Volunteers.

To establish the lower limits of normative values of the physical work capacity for Korean farmers in healthy working individual. We developed a comprehensive set of physical work capacity evaluation items that encompass common farming tasks. These items include measurements of trunk flexion/extension angles, strength (hand grip, trunk flexion/extension, leg/back lifting, and pushing/pulling), and positional tolerances. We calculated the normative values for the items and defined the normal range in 124 healthy volunteers aged 20-79 years. We calculated the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to validate the test-retest reliability of the measurements protocol. The normal values for each measurement item were as follows: trunk flexion and extension angle (65.3°±11.6° and 29.6°±6.6°), dominant hand grip strength (32.2±10.5 kgf), trunk flexion and extension strength (288.4±119.0 N and 297.3±129.9 N), leg and back lifting strength (452.9±233.5 N and 349.2±166.7 N), pushing and pulling strength (214.7±75.1 N and 221.7±63.3 N), and positional tolerance time (squat: 76.8±9.0 seconds, front: 73.8±7.7 seconds, twist: 82.2±8.8 seconds, upward: 71.9±11.3 seconds). Regarding test-retest reliability, all strength measurements demonstrated excellent absolute agreement (ICC, 0.91-0.96). However, positional tolerance showed poor-to-moderate absolute agreement (ICC, 0.37-0.58). We conducted measurements of muscle strength and positional tolerance in healthy participants of various ages, focusing on tasks commonly performed by Korean farmers. The outcomes hold significant value as they offer a pertinent instrument for assessing the appropriateness of workers, thereby carrying implications for rehabilitation objectives, legal evaluations, and work capacity assessments within the agricultural domain.

Contemporary practices of physical trainers in professional soccer: A qualitative study.

Physical trainers (PTs) are integral for managing load, reducing injury and optimizing performance in professional soccer. However, little is known about how this practitioners operate in the applied setting and how some of the nuances experienced influence practice. This study explored the contemporary practices of PTs in professional soccer. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with eight PTs from different professional teams in European and South American leagues. Interview questions were designed to extract information on the evaluation of physical abilities, monitoring and control of training and injury prevention. Subsequently, the interviews were video-recorded, transcribed, translated and analyzed using a content analysis approach. The results suggest that the evaluation of physical capacities is carried out by PTs at the beginning of the preseason. It also appears that it is attempted that this process of regular testing is applied during the competitive period, with most participants conducting partial physiological and physical evaluations at different stages throughout the competitive season. In relation to the monitoring and control of training, subjective feedback scales are used to estimate the internal load, and the use of GPS devices is common to quantify external loads. Injury prevention programmes were implemented by all participants and were generally in a multi-component format focused on preventing or optimizing physical capabilities. These insights can be used as a scientific reference point to inform applied practice in professional soccer, especially for practitioners that are inexperienced and aspiring to enhance how they operate in the field. Future investigations should explore the practices of PTs in detail and across a wider network in order to gain deeper and comprehensive insights into the applied soccer environment.

Assessment of Exercise Capacity in Post-COVID-19 Patients: How Is the Appropriate Test Chosen?

There is a wide range of sequelae affecting COVID-19 survivors, including impaired physical capacity. These sequelae can affect the quality of life and return to work of the active population. Therefore, one of the pillars of following-up is the evaluation of physical capacity, which can be assessed with field tests (such as the six-minute walk test, the one-minute standing test, the Chester step test, and the shuttle walking test) or laboratory tests (such as the cardiopulmonary exercise test). These tests can be performed in different contexts and have amply demonstrated their usefulness in the assessment of physical capacity both in post-COVID-19 patients and in other chronic respiratory, metabolic, cardiologic, or neurologic diseases. However, when traditional tests cannot be performed, physical function can be a good substitute, especially for assessing the effects of an intervention. For example, the Short Physical Performance Battery assessment and the Timed Up and Go assessment are widely accepted in older adults. Thus, the test should be chosen according to the characteristics of each subject.

Evaluation of physical and physiological capacities of elite’s Brazzaville football field and assistant referees (Republic of Congo)

Evaluation of physical and physiological capacities of elite’s Brazzaville football field and assistant referees (Republic of Congo)

Does category of strength predict return-to-work after occupational injury?

BackgroundOccupational accidents may lead laborers to lose their working capacities, affecting their physical and mental health. Occupational rehabilitation helps improve the ability of patients with occupational accidents and suggests appropriate jobs to avoid second injuries. This study aimed to identify whether any of the functional capacity evaluation (FCE) strength subtests predicted successful return to work.MethodsData were collected of 84 patients receiving government-subsidized occupational rehabilitation between September 2016 and December 2018. A structured questionnaire was employed for pre- and post-training assessment, including basic information, information of the occupational accident, status of the laborer at the opening of the injury case, physical requirement for the job, and physical capacity. Eight subtests of strength were included in the physical capacity evaluation, i.e., carrying, lifting to several levels, power grip, and lateral pinch, to explore the association between the strength tests and return to work.ResultsThe unadjusted model showed that for every additional kilogram in bilateral carrying strength before work hardening training, the odds of successful return to work increased (crude odds ratio [OR] = 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01–1.24, p = 0.027). After adjustment for basic demographic information and pre-accident physical functional elements of work, the odds of successful return to work increased (adjusted OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.04–1.54, p = 0.02) for every additional kilogram in the pre-training bilateral carrying strength. There were no statistically significant differences observed in the other seven subtests.ConclusionThrough thorough evaluation and work hardening training provided in the occupational rehabilitation, patients’ physical capacity can be understood and improved. However, a full evaluation of functional capacities is prolonged and time-consuming. This study provides evidence that pre-work-hardening bilateral carrying strength may be a promising predictor of return to work and we recommend to consider it as a prioritized test to assist in determining appropriate advice regarding return to work.

Two-Stage Physical Economic Adjustable Capacity Evaluation Model of Electric Vehicles for Peak Shaving and Valley Filling Auxiliary Services

A large number of renewable energy and EVs (electric vehicles) are connected to the grid, which brings huge peak shaving pressure to the power system. If we can make use of the flexible characteristics of EVs and effectively aggregate the adjustable resources of EVs to participate in power auxiliary services, this situation can be alleviated to a certain extent. In this paper, a two-stage physical and economic adjustable capacity evaluation model of EVs for peak shaving and valley filling ancillary services is constructed. The main steps are as follows: with the help of the deep learning ability of the AC (Actor-Critic) algorithm, the optimal physical charging scheme of EV fleet is determined to minimize the grid fluctuation under the travel constraints of private EVs, and the optimized charging power is transferred to the second stage. In the second stage, load aggregators encourage users to participate in ancillary services by setting subsidy prices. In this stage, the model constructs a user decision model based on a logistic function to describe the probability of users accepting dispatching instructions. With the goal of maximizing the revenue of load aggregators, the wolf colony algorithm is used to solve the optimal solution of the time-sharing subsidy level, and finally the economic adjustable capacity of the EV fleet considering the subjective decision of users is obtained.

Physical and emotional sequelae after hospitalization for COVID-19

Facing a severe life-threatening disease has physical and emotional consequences for patients. To evaluate the physical and emotional sequelae in patients who survived COVID-19 pneumonia. This cross-sectional study collected data from post-COVID-19 pneumonia patients admitted to an outpatient follow-up program in a public hospital in Chile. One month after hospital discharge, the evaluation of physical capacity was carried out through the 1-minute sit-to-stand test (1STST). In addition, the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale were applied. We included 70 patients aged 63 ± 13 years (54% women). Eighty-five percent of the patients were able to execute the 1STST with an average of 20.6 ± 4.8 repetitions. Forty-eight percent of the patients had a performance below the 2.5th percentile according to the reference values and 28% of patients had exertional desaturation. The CFS classified as mildly vulnerable or with some degree of frailty to 33% of patients. Twenty-five percent of the patients presented symptoms of depression and 33% of anxiety. Patients who survived COVID-19 have a decrease in physical capacity and a significant proportion of depression and anxiety one month after hospital discharge.

Evaluation of physical activity level and exercise capacity in patients with varicose veins and chronic venous insufficiency.

The clinical indication of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is related to functional performance and the benefits of physical activity in patients with CVI are known. Despite its importance, the literature is limited in this regard. This study aimed to determine exercise capacity and physical activity level in patients with varicose veins and CVI. Volunteers who came to the polyclinic with leg pain complaints were enrolled in the study. Individual sociodemographic and clinical information was recorded. Individuals' pain severity was assessed by the visual analog scale (VAS) and exercise capacity was assessed by 6-minute walk test (6MWT). International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to assess the level of physical activity. The study group consisted of 51 individuals who were diagnosed with varicose veins and CVI. The control group consisted of 51 individuals without varicose veins and CVI diagnosis. In the study group, the VAS during activity was significantly higher compared to the control group. The 6MWT distance, distance %, IPAQ total score and IPAQ walking score of the control group were significantly higher in comparison with the study group (p<0.05). We believe that our findings will lead the planning of interventions to increase the level of physical activity in CVI patients.

Mismatch between self-estimated and objectively assessed exercise capacity in patients with congenital heart disease varies in regard to complexity of cardiac defects.

Regular evaluation of physical capacity takes a crucial part in long-term follow-up in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). This study aims to examine the accuracy of self-estimated exercise capacity compared to objective assessments by cardiopulmonary exercise testing in patients with CHD of various complexity. We conducted a single centre, cross-sectional study with retrospective analysis on 382 patients aged 8-68 years with various CHD who completed cardiopulmonary exercise tests. Peak oxygen uptake was measured. Additionally, questionnaires covering self-estimation of exercise capacity were completed. Peak oxygen uptake was compared to patient's self-estimated exercise capacity with focus on differences between complex and non-complex defects. Peak oxygen uptake was 25.5 ± 7.9 ml/minute/kg, corresponding to 75.1 ± 18.8% of age- and sex-specific reference values. Higher values of peak oxygen uptake were seen in patients with higher subjective rating of exercise capacity. However, oxygen uptake in patients rating their exercise capacity as good (mean oxygen uptake 78.5 ± 1.6%) or very good (mean oxygen uptake 84.8 ± 4.8%) was on average still reduced compared to normal. In patients with non-complex cardiac defects, we saw a significant correlation between peak oxygen uptake and self-estimated exercise capacity (spearman-rho -0.30, p < 0.001), whereas in patients with complex cardiac defects, no correlation was found (spearman-rho -0.11, p < 0.255). The mismatch between self-estimated and objectively assessed exercise capacity is most prominent in patients with complex CHD.Registration number at Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin Ethics Committee: EA2/106/14.

Oxygen uptake efficiency slope: a reliable surrogate parameter for exercise capacity in healthy and cardiac children?

Cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) provides accurate evaluation of physical capacity and disease severity in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). However, full participation to obtain optimal measure of VO2max may be difficult. As an alternative, the oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) is a reproducible and reliable parameter measured during CPET, which does not require a maximal exercise to be interpretable. This study aimed to evaluate the OUES of a large cohort of children with CHD, in comparison with healthy controls. We also intended to identify, in this specific population, the clinical and CPET variables associated with the OUES. This cross-sectional study was carried out between November 2010 and September 2015 in two tertiary care paediatric and congenital cardiology centres. 709 children were included (407 CHD and 302 healthy controls). The association of clinical characteristics with weight-normalised OUES (OUESkg) was studied using a multivariable analysis. The mean OUESkg was significantly lower in CHD than in healthy controls (38.6±8.5 and 43.9±8.5; p<0.001, respectively), especially in the most severe CHD. The OUESkg correlated with VO2max (r=0.85, p<0.001), with cut-off values for normal exercise capacity of 38.4 in boys and 31.0 in girls. The decrease of OUESkg was associated with increased age, increased Body Mass Index, number of cardiac catheter or surgical procedures, female gender and decreased forced vital capacity (Z-score). The OUES is significantly impaired in children with CHD and strongly correlates with VO2max. The OUES has the same clinical determinants as VO2max and therefore may be of interest in submaximal exercise. NCT01202916.

Oxygen uptake efficiency slope in children with congenital heart disease versus healthy children

Cardio-pulmonary exercise test (CPET) provides accurate evaluation of physical capacity and disease severity in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). However, in clinical practice, full participation to obtain optimal measure of VO2 max may be difficult. As an alternative, the oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) is a reproducible and reliable parameter measured during CPET, which does not require a maximal exercise to be interpretable. This study aimed to evaluate the OUES of a large cohort of children with CHD, and to compare the results with those of healthy controls. We also intended to identify, in this specific population, the clinical and CPET variables associated with the OUES. This cross-sectional multicenter study enrolled 709 children (407 CHD and 302 healthy controls). The association of clinical characteristics with weight-normalized OUES (OUES kg ) was studied using a multivariable analysis. The mean OUES kg was significantly lower in CHD than in healthy controls (respectively 38.6 ± 8.5 and 43.9 ± 8.5; P < 0.001). The OUES kg was predominantly affected in the most severe CHD. The OUES kg correlated well with VO2 max ( r = 0.85, P < 0.001). The decrease of OUES kg was associated with increased age, increased BMI, number of cardiac catheter or surgical procedures, female gender and decreased FVC (Z-score). The OUES is significantly impaired in children with CHD and strongly correlates with VO2 max . The OUES has the same clinical determinants as VO2max and therefore may be of interest in submaximal exercise.

Oxygen uptake efficiency slope in children with congenital heart disease versus healthy children

BackgroundCardio-pulmonary exercise test (CPET) provides accurate evaluation of physical capacity and disease severity in children with congenital heart disease (CHD). However, in clinical practice, full participation to obtain optimal measure of VO2max may be difficult. As an alternative, the oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) is a reproducible and reliable parameter measured during CPET, which does not require a maximal exercise to be interpretable. This study aimed to evaluate the OUES of a large cohort of children with CHD, and to compare the results with those of healthy controls. We also intended to identify, in this specific population, the clinical and CPET variables associated with the OUES. Methods and resultsThis cross-sectional multicenter study enrolled 709 children (407 CHD and 302 healthy controls). The association of clinical characteristics with weight-normalized OUES (OUESkg) was studied using a multivariable analysis. The mean OUESkg was significantly lower in CHD than in healthy controls (respectively 38.6±8.5 and 43.9±8.5; P<0.001). The OUESkg was predominantly affected in the most severe CHD. The OUESkg correlated well with VO2max (r=0.85, P<0.001). The decrease of OUESkg was associated with increased age, increased BMI, number of cardiac catheter or surgical procedures, female gender and decreased FVC (Z-score). ConclusionThe OUES is significantly impaired in children with CHD and strongly correlates with VO2max. The OUES has the same clinical determinants as VO2max and therefore may be of interest in submaximal exercise.

Effect of Core Stability Exercise on Cross-Sectional Area of Lumbar Multifidus Muscle and Physical Capacity

Research background and hypothesis. Our research novelty was the validation of the use of the method of Ultrasound Imaging to measure the changes in the size of the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the multifidus muscle, performing exercises for lumbar stability. Stabilization exercises have been designed in order to enhance the neuromuscular control system correct the dysfunction.Research aim. The purpose of this study was to establish the effect of core stability exercise for cross-sectional area of lumbar multifidus muscle and physical capacity for elderly women.Research methods. The elderly women (n = 22) were in occupations involving light or no manual work and did not take part in sports. CSA of the multifidus muscle was measured from L2 to L5 vertebral segments. These measures were taken with ultrasound „TITAN TM ” (SonoSite, USA). For the assessment of physical capacity we estimated the women’s static strength endurance of back muscles and dynamic strength endurance of abdominal muscles. The tests were done three times: the first testing occurred before exercises for training lumbar stability, the second – after four months, and the third – after eight months of applying exercises for training lumbar stability.Research results. The results of study showed that after eight months of stability exercises, the subjects had significantly larger right side multifidus CSA than before practice – 9.01 ± 1.1, the left side of the lumbar multifidus muscle was 8.23 ± 0.9 (p &lt; 0.05). After the evaluation of physical capacity we revealed that after eight moths it was 97.6 ± 2.8 s (very good), compared to the values before the research (25.4 ± 9.2) (p &lt; 0.05).Discussion and conclusions. After the core stabilization exercise program multifidus CSA values were significantly larger than before practice, multifidus muscle asymmetry decreased. Physical activity programs adapted to the elderly women increased their physical capacities.Keywords: lumbar stability, physical activity programs, age.

Identifying Subgroups of Patients With Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain Based on a Multifactorial Approach: Protocol For a Prospective Study.

BackgroundLow back pain, especially nonspecific chronic low back pain (LBP), the leading cause of disability worldwide, represents both social and economic problems. Different therapeutic management techniques can be used, but their effects vary. Clinicians and researchers attribute the variation in the efficacy of therapeutic and management techniques to the heterogeneity of the nonspecific chronic low back pain population, and they agree that nonspecific chronic LBP must be subgrouped.ObjectiveThis study aims to identify nonspecific chronic LBP subgroups based on a multifactorial approach, including biomechanical, physical, and psychosocial data.MethodsA total of 100 nonspecific chronic LBP patients and 30 healthy participants aged between 18 and 60 years will be recruited for this prospective study. A psychosocial profile will be established using questionnaires on anxiety, depression, functional disability, pain, fear of pain, avoidance belief, and physical activity. A physical capacity evaluation will be conducted. It will evaluate flexibility of the hips, lumbar spine, and lateral thoracolumbar segment, as well as trunk (extensor and flexor) muscle endurance. The subjects will perform functional daily life activities, such as walking, object lifting, forward bending, sit-to-stand, stand-to-sit, balance, and usual postures. Full body kinematics, kinetics, and surface electromyography of the trunk and hip muscles will be assessed during these tasks. The clustering classification methods for the statistical analysis will be determined according to the data and will be used to identify the subgroups of nonspecific chronic LBP patients.ResultsData collection started in September 2017 and will be completed with the inclusion of all the participants (100 nonspecific chronic LBP and 30 control). The study results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at relevant international conferences.ConclusionsNumerous studies have showed that the therapeutic management of nonspecific chronic LBP is difficult and has inconstant effects caused by the complexity and heterogeneity of nonspecific chronic LBP. Identifying subgroups with a multifactorial approach is more comprehensive and closer to the pathophysiology of nonspecific chronic LBP. It also represents benefit interests and a challenge both clinically and socially. The perspective of this study is expected to support clinicians for a more adapted therapeutic management for each subgroup.

A Model of Dickson Index Corrected for Pupils

Ruffier – Dickson test is a popular method in school physical education because of a simple procedure and apparatuses, good reliability and validity in evaluation of physical capacity. It is well-known in sports and physical rehabilitation too. The aim of the research is to prepare a model of Dickson index, which should be suitable for school physical education. Two ways to reach this purpose, taking into account a normal heart rate in rest corresponding to pupil’s age (70–102 min-1), are proposed. They are a model of correction of Dickson index formula and a model of correction of assessment gradations. A ratio of a normal heart rate in rest of school age pupils and adults should be accepted as a parameter of correction of Dickson index formula. Three measures of heart rate values in Ruffier – Dickson test should be reduced proportionally to this ratio. Application of the corrected formula results in a statistically significant improvement in assessment of young patients’ cardiovascular system state (p < 0.01). The results of modeling are presented in simple tabular and graphical forms that are suitable for humanists who are unready to use mathematical methods.

Brain computer interface with the P300 speller: Usability for disabled people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

ObjectivesAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease, restricts patients’ communication capacity a few years after onset. A proof-of-concept of brain–computer interface (BCI) has shown promise in ALS and “locked-in” patients, mostly in pre-clinical studies or with only a few patients, but performance was estimated not high enough to support adoption by people with physical limitation of speech. Here, we evaluated a visual BCI device in a clinical study to determine whether disabled people with multiple deficiencies related to ALS would be able to use BCI to communicate in a daily environment. MethodsAfter clinical evaluation of physical, cognitive and language capacities, 20 patients with ALS were included. The P300 speller BCI system consisted of electroencephalography acquisition connected to real-time processing software and separate keyboard-display control software. It was equipped with original features such as optimal stopping of flashes and word prediction. The study consisted of two 3-block sessions (copy spelling, free spelling and free use) with the system in several modes of operation to evaluate its usability in terms of effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction. ResultsThe system was effective in that all participants successfully achieved all spelling tasks and was efficient in that 65% of participants selected more than 95% of the correct symbols. The mean number of correct symbols selected per minute ranged from 3.6 (without word prediction) to 5.04 (with word prediction). Participants expressed satisfaction: the mean score was 8.7 on a 10-point visual analog scale assessing comfort, ease of use and utility. Patients quickly learned how to operate the system, which did not require much learning effort. ConclusionWith its word prediction and optimal stopping of flashes, which improves information transfer rate, the BCI system may be competitive with alternative communication systems such as eye-trackers. Remaining requirements to improve the device for suitable ergonomic use are in progress.

Assessment of physical activity, capacity and nutritional status in elderly peritoneal dialysis patients

BackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of sedentarism, and to assess physical capacity and nutritional status in a cohort of older patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD), with respect to age-matched non-dialysis CKD population, using highly accessible, simple methods, namely the Rapid Assessment of Physical activity (RAPA) test and the 30″ Sit-to-stand (STS) test.MethodsThis cross-sectional multicenter study included 151 renal patients older than 60 years; 71 pts. (44 m, age 72 ± 7 yrs) were on PD and 80 pts. (63 m, age 74 ± 7 yrs) were affected by 3–4 stage CKD.ResultsThe prevalence of sedentary/underactive patients was double of that of the active patients as assessed by RAPA test, both in the PD (65.3%) and in the CKD (67.5%) cohort.The 30"STS test showed a reduced physical performance in both groups: 84.5% of PD patients and 87.5% of CKD patients did not reach the expected number of stands by age and gender. A malnutrition-inflammation score (MIS) ≥ 6 occurred in 37 % of PD patients and in 2.5 % of CKD patients. In PD patients, an independent significant association was observed between 30”STS test and MIS (beta -0.510, p = 0.013), as well as between RAPA and MIS (beta -0.544, p = 003) and phase angle (beta -0.506, p = 0.028).ConclusionsA high prevalence of low- performance capacity and sedentarism has been detected among elderly patients on PD or with CKD stage 3–4. Apart from age, a condition of malnutrition-inflammation was the major determinant of poor physical activity and capacity in PD patients. Better body composition seems to be positively associated with physical activity in PD and with physical capacity in CKD patients. Routine clinical management should include a close evaluation of nutritional status and evaluation of physical activity and capacity which can be easily assessed by RAPA and 30″STS tests.

A new outlook on the evaluation of health state and physical capacity of skiers with disabilities as exemplified by a female Paralympic Champion

AbstractIntroduction: Initially, sport for the disabled (including skiing) was only considered to be a follow-up to rehabilitation. Modifications concerning the rules and classifications of athletes (reducing the number of classes) led to increased competition and to the fact that winning started to be determined more by physical performance features than by a type of dysfunction. This required more regular training and greater training loads as well as observing health state and training effectiveness more carefully. The aim of the work is to present the methodology of assessing health state of the athletes and the level of their physical capacity and to discuss the results of the research conducted on a female skier during the period of her greatest achievements. Materials and methods: The research group consisted of cross-country skiers with motor disabilities who were preparing for Paralympic Games in the years 2002-2010. A regular complex model of assessing health was implemented. It consisted of medical examinations and a physical capacity test (to failure) during which selected physiological and metabolic indices as well as the amount of work and mean power were marked. Results: Health assessment consisted of the report confirming that the athlete is capable of taking part in training sessions and competitions. The results of a physical capacity test, i.e. duration of work, peak power and power at the anaerobic threshold as well as heart reactions show the moment when the subject demonstrated the highest level of physical capacity in the course of the observation. Conclusions: A regular observation makes it possible to prevent negative health consequences of increased training loads and to monitor the reactions of the subjects’ bodies to the tasks in particular periods of the preparation cycle. Sports achievements of the female athlete confirm the effectiveness of the training and observation, while her features may serve as an example of morpho-functional posture which enabled her to compete for the title of the Paralympic Champion in cross-country skiing.

A new equation based on the 6-min walking test to predict VO2peak in women with obesity

Objective: The 6-min walking test (6 MWT) is commonly used to assess obese patients’ aerobic fitness, but it has rarely been compared with a direct measurement of maximal aerobic capacities (VO2max or VO2peak) in obese adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the distance covered during a 6 MWT with objectively measured VO2peak and to propose a new equation to predict VO2peak from this walking test in obese patients.Methods: One hundred and thirty-seven obese patients (45.6 ± 12.5 years) admitted to our hospital for a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program were enrolled. After assessment of their body composition, the participants were asked to perform a 6 MWT and their maximal aerobic capacities (VO2peak) were measured.Result: There is a significant linear relation between VO2peak and the distance covered during the 6 MWT (p < 0.001; r = 0.349). The determinant of VO2peak was body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, fat free mass, leading to the follow prediction equation VO2peak such as VO2peak (l/min) = (body mass index ×0.0150065) − (waist-to-hip-ratio × 0.8595088) + (fat-free-mass × 0.0295478) + (6-min walk test ×0.0020672) − 0.5853372.Conclusion: The 6-min walk test is a reliable method to reflect obese women’s aerobic capacities and the distance covered can be used to accurately estimate VO2peak according to our newly proposed equation.Implication for rehabilitationObesity is a worldwide disease and physical capacity evaluation is a key point for rehabilitation.The six minutes’ walk test is commonly used in obese people to assess aerobic fitness.This study proposes a new equation using 6 MWT performance to estimate VO2peak.

Cortisol, DHEA, and depression in the elderly: the influence of physical capacity.

Major depression have been associated with cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) changes in old depressed patients. We examined the association between depression, cortisol, and DHEA, correcting for confounding variables, including physical capacity. In addition, the association between hormone levels and physical capacity in these two experimental groups was also analyzed. Depressed patients (n = 32) and healthy control (n = 31) old adults, both matched for age, were analyzed. Subjects were submitted to a physical capacity evaluation, including physical activity levels, functional fitness test, and balance scale. Depressed patients showed significant lower levels of cortisol than controls, which became non-significant after controlling for physical capacity. A positive correlation was observed between cortisol levels and physical capacity. The data suggest that physical capacity modulates the relationship between depression and cortisol levels and needs to be taken into consideration in the future investigations.