Land-based Exercise Research Articles

Abstract 13330: Swimming Exercise in Youth Athletes is Associated With Reduced Cardiovascular Risk Factors: An Analysis of the HeartBytes Dataset

Background: The American Heart Association has defined cardiovascular health using eight components related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, including BMI, blood pressure, and physical activity. Swimming exercise has been widely promoted for the prevention of CVD; however, its relationship with CVD risk factors has rarely been examined in adolescents and compared to that of land-based exercise. Methods: Data was obtained from in-person surveys and physical examinations conducted by the nonprofit Simon’s Heart organization. Multivariate logistic regression models adjusting for age, sex, BMI, participation in sports, and activity level per week were performed to assess the relationship between swimming exercise and each outcome. Chi-square tests between swimmer and non-swimmer athletes were run to compare outcomes by exercise modality. Results: Among 7,154 adolescents ranging from ages 12 to 20, 686 (9.6%) were swimmers (52% male, age = 14.6 ± 1.85, BMI = 20.8 ± 3.65, mean arterial pressure (MAP) > 100 = 1.7%); 5,642 (78.9%) were involved in non-swimming sports (55.4% male, age = 15.1 ± 1.82, BMI = 21.6 ± 5.77, MAP > 100 = 3.42%), and 813 (11.4%) did not play sports. Swimmers were less likely than all non-swimmers to have an obese BMI or BMI greater than 30 (OR: 0.49, CI: 0.26-0.85, p = .018) and a high MAP or MAP greater than 100 (OR: 0.44, CI: 0.20-0.84, p = .025). Similarly, tests of differences between swimmer and non-swimmer athletes were significant for obese BMI ( p = .002) and high MAP ( p = .002). A significantly higher proportion of swimmers (53.1%) versus non-swimmer athletes (38.8%) performed more than 10 hours of physical activity per week ( p < 0.001), and swimmers were more likely to be highly active (OR: 1.59, CI: 1.35-1.87, p < .001). A lower percentage of swimmers reported abnormal cardiac symptoms such as chest pain compared to non-swimmer athletes, but these differences were non-significant. Conclusions: This study identified a lower likelihood of two CVD risk factors among swimmers, which is consistent with existing literature suggesting a cardiovascular benefit to swimming exercise. This may be explained by higher levels of physical activity per week among swimmers. More studies are needed to further elucidate the effects of swimming on CVD risk.

Motor Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review

Though not considered a core diagnostic criterion, most children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) present with motor impairments that persist into adolescence. In addition, compared to same-age peers, children with ASD participate less in physical, leisure, and recreation activities. The World Health Organization considers participation to be critical to quality of life. This scoping review presents the types of interventions used to address gross motor impairments, and the standardized outcome measures within the domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), used to evaluate the impact of the interventions. Results produced 17 articles and five types of motor interventions, including land-based exercise, motor physical activity interventions; sports-based, active recreation; movement-based mind-body interventions; equine or therapeutic horseback riding, and active video games/virtual and augmented reality. The interventions were provided by either a single discipline or an interprofessional team, with physical and recreational therapy being underrepresented as team members. Most studies used outcome measures in the body functions and structures, and activities domains of the ICF and few in the participation domain. The results of this study will be important to professionals for planning, implementing, and monitoring interventions for children with ASD.

Effect of Water-Based vs. Land-Based Exercise Intervention (postCOVIDkids) on Exercise Capacity, Fatigue, and Quality of Life in Children with Post COVID-19 Condition: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Evidence suggests that COVID-19 can cause lasting health consequences called post-COVID-19 condition. We conducted a three-group, randomized controlled trial for children aged 10-12 years with post COVID-19 condition. Participants were randomized to AQUA, LAND, or CONTROL groups. The AQUA and LAND training sessions were conducted twice a week for eight weeks. The primary outcomes were exercise capacity, measured using the modified Balke treadmill protocol, and fatigue, measured using the Cumulative Fatigue Symptoms Questionnaire (CFSQ). The secondary outcome was health-related quality of life (HRQoL), measured with the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) for children and parents. A total of 74 of the 86 children completed the intervention and attended the post-intervention assessment. The absolute maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) values increased after both AQUA (p = 0.001) and LAND (p = 0.004) interventions. No significant differences were found in the degree of total fatigue and individual fatigue symptoms. A significant improvement was found in the PedsQL reported by the parents in the LAND group. In conclusion, the applied eight-week water-based and land-based exercise training programs improved exercise capacity in children aged 10-12 years old with post COVID-19 condition. The parents of the children in the training groups also noted an improvement in HRQoL.

Effectiveness of the aquatic physical therapy exercises to improve balance, gait, quality of life and reduce fall-related outcomes in healthy community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Opting to use aquatic or land-based physical therapy exercises to improve balance, gait, quality of life and reduce fall-related outcomes in community-dwelling older adults (CDOAs) is still a questionable clinical decision for physiotherapists. Assess the quality of evidence from randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials that used aquatic physical therapy exercises to improve balance, gait, quality of life and reduce fall-related outcomes in CDOAs. Articles were surveyed in the following databases: MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS, LILACS, Web of Science, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), PEDro, CINAHL, SciELO and Google Scholar, published in any language, up to July 31, 2023. Two independent reviewers extracted the data and assessed evidence quality. The risk of bias of the trials was evaluated by the Cochrane tool and evidence quality by GRADE approach. Review Manager software was used to conduct the meta-analyses. 3007 articles were identified in the searches, remaining 33 studies to be read in full, with 11 trials being eligible for this systematic review. The trials included presented low evidence quality for the balance, gait, quality of life and fear of falling. Land-based and aquatic physical therapy exercises improved the outcomes analyzed; however, aquatic physical therapy exercises were more effective in improving balance, gait, quality of life and reducing fear of falling in CDOAs. The meta-analysis showed that engaging in aquatic physical therapy exercises increases the functional reach, through of the anterior displacement of the center of pressure of CDOAs by 6.36cm, compared to land-based physical therapy exercises, assessed by the Functional Reach test: [CI:5.22 to 7.50], (p<0.00001), presenting low quality evidence. Aquatic physical therapy exercises are more effective than their land-based counterparts in enhancing balance, gait, quality of life and reducing the fear of falling in CDOAs. However, due to methodological limitations of the trials, this clinical decision remains inconclusive. It is suggested that new trials be conducted with greater methodological rigor, in order to provide high-quality evidence on the use of the aquatic physical therapy exercises to improve the outcomes analyzed in CDOAs.

Comparison of Water-Based and Land-Based High-Intensity Interval Training Effects on Aerobic Capacity and Spinal Stabilization

The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of a two-week period of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in water and land-based running on aerobic capacity and spinal stabilization. Forty-one healthy young participants were divided into water-based exercise, land-based exercise, and control groups. Aerobic capacity was measured with 20-m Shuttle Run Test, and spinal stabilization was tested with 60° Flexion test and Sorensen test. Water and land-based exercise groups performed six sessions of HIIT program for two weeks. A significant improvement in aerobic capacity and spinal stabilization was found between the baseline and after two-week evaluations in both the water and land based HIIT exercise groups (p

Evaluate the effectiveness of hydrotherapy versus land-based exercises outcome on pain and quality of life among patients with rheumatoid arthritis: triple-blind randomized controlled trial

Background: Evaluate the effectiveness of hydrotherapy versus land-based exercise outcomes to decrease pain and improve the quality of life among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: Triple-blind, randomized controlled, parallel-group, multiple arm trial was conducted between 29/09/2019 to 30/09/2021 at the Department of PMR, KG University Lucknow India and randomization was done through the SNSOE. Eligible 90 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. The intervention (RJHLERA) was administered in both study groups. NRPS used for pain and RJQOL-22 Scale was used for QoL. Results: The pre-test results showed all the subject’s average pain scores and quality of life had either poor or neither poor nor good levels of the RJQOL-22 scale. At the post-test, in terms of pain, the hydrotherapy exercise group showed the maximum response with an average pain score of 3.64±1.89, the land-based exercises group showed the next to maximum response with an average pain score of 5.88±1.37 while the control group showed the least response with an average pain score of 7.63±1.41. and in terms of quality of life, the hydrotherapy exercise group showed the maximum response with 67.9% very good, and 21.4% good. The land-based exercises group showed the next to maximum response with 19.2% good while the group the clear control group showed the least response. Conclusions: Effectiveness of hydrotherapy versus land-based exercises, in comparison to land-based exercises the Hydrotherapy exercises group showed the maximum response to reduce the pain and improve the quality of life among chronic rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Hypotensive Effects of Aquatic Exercise Training in Older Adults.

Although regular exercise can help reduce blood pressure, older adults often struggle with adhering to land-based exercise due to barriers such as arthritis pain, functional limitations, and fear of falling. Aquatic exercise is a good alternative mode of exercise that may reduce barriers and improve adherence. However, limited evidence is available on the effectiveness of aquatic exercise in reducing blood pressure in older adults with isolated systolic hypertension. This study aimed to determine the effects of an 8-week aquatic exercise program on arterial blood pressure in older adults. Twenty-five participants were randomized to a control (n=12, 81±8 years) or aquatic exercise group (n=13, 83±7 years). The exercise group received aquatic cognitive-motor training at a moderate-intensity for 45 minutes per session three times per week for eight weeks. The non-exercising control group received a one-hour fall prevention seminar and was asked to maintain their normal physical activity level. Baseline characteristics were not different between the groups. After eight weeks, the exercise group had reductions in systolic blood pressure (135±11 vs. 126±13 mmHg, p<0.01) and pulse pressure (68±8 vs. 60±8 mmHg, p<0.01) without significant change in diastolic blood pressure. There were no significant changes in the control group. Aquatic cognitive-motor training performed at a moderate-intensity was effective in inducing clinically meaningful reductions in systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure in older adults.

The effects of water temperature on cerebral blood flow during aquatic exercise

PurposeRecent studies suggest that episodic increases in cerebral blood flow (CBF) may contribute to the improvement in brain health associated with exercise training. Optimising CBF during exercise may enhance this benefit. Water immersion in ~ 30–32 °C augments CBF at rest and during exercise; however, the impact of water temperature on the CBF response has not been investigated. We hypothesised that cycle ergometry in water would increase CBF compared to land-based exercise, and that warm water would attenuate the CBF benefits.MethodsEleven young heathy participants (nine males; 23.8 ± 3.1 yrs) completed 30 min of resistance-matched cycle exercise in three separate conditions; non-immersion (Land), 32 °C and 38 °C water immersion up to the level of the waist. Middle cerebral artery velocity (MCAv), blood pressure, and respiratory measures were assessed throughout the exercise bouts.ResultsCore temperature was significantly higher in the 38 °C immersion than 32 °C (+ 0.84 ± 0.24 vs + 0.04 ± 0.16, P < 0.001), whilst mean arterial pressure was lower during 38 °C exercise compared to Land (84 ± 8 vs 100 ± 14 mmHg, P < 0.001) and 32 °C (92 ± 9, P = 0.03). MCAv was higher in 32 °C immersion compared to the Land and 38 °C conditions throughout the exercise bout (68 ± 10 vs 64 ± 11 vs 62 ± 12 cm/s, P = 0.03 and P = 0.02, respectively).ConclusionOur findings suggest that cycle exercise in warm water attenuates the beneficial impact of water immersion on CBF velocity due to redistribution of blood flow to subserve thermoregulatory demand. Our findings suggest that, whilst water-based exercise can have beneficial effects on cerebrovascular function, water temperature is a key determinant of this benefit.

What are the effects of adjunctive therapies in addition to land-based exercise therapy for people with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip or knee?

What are the effects of adjunctive therapies in addition to land-based exercise therapy for people with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip or knee?

Are adjunctive therapies necessary on top of land-based exercise therapy for hip or knee osteoarthritis? A Cochrane Review summary with commentary.

The author declares no conflicts of interest. None.

Effectiveness of Land- and Water-based Exercise on Fatigue and Sleep Quality in Women With Fibromyalgia: The al-Ándalus Quasi-Experimental Study

ObjectiveTo assess the effectiveness of 24 weeks of land- and water-based exercise on fatigue and sleep quality in women with fibromyalgia, and the persistence of changes 12 weeks after exercise cessation. DesignQuasi-experimental study. SettingUniversity facilities and fibromyalgia associations. ParticipantsWomen with fibromyalgia (N=250; 50.8±7.6 years old). InterventionsParticipants were assigned to land-based exercise (n=83), water-based exercise (n=85), or no exercise control (n=82) groups. The intervention groups engaged in a similar multicomponent exercise program for 24 weeks. Main Outcome MeasuresThe Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used. ResultsIntention-to-treat analyses revealed that, compared with the control group, at week 24: (i) the land-based exercise group improved physical fatigue (mean difference -0.9 units; 95% confidence interval -1.7 to -0.1; Cohen's d=0.4) and (ii) the water-based exercise group improved general fatigue (-0.8; -1.4 to -0.1, d=0.4), and global sleep quality (-1.6; -2.7 to -0.6, d=0.6). Additionally, compared with the land-based exercise group, the water-based exercise group improved global sleep quality (-1.2; -2.2 to -0.1, d=0.4). Changes were generally not sustained at week 36. ConclusionLand-based multicomponent exercise improved physical fatigue, whereas water-based exercise improved general fatigue and sleep quality. The magnitude of the changes was small-to-medium, and no benefits were maintained after exercise cessation.

Acute mental benefits of aquatic exercises in middle-aged women

ABSTRACTBackground and aims: Aquatic exercises are popular leisure activities worldwide, primarily among women. These activities are especially beneficial for aging people and individuals having difficulties performing land-based exercises. Their physical health benefits have already been documented in the academic literature, but research on their mental health effects is still non-existent. However, leisure exercises promoting mental health are advantageous in a fast-paced and often stressful world. Therefore, in this in-situ (natural life setting) field study, we examined the acute mental benefits of aquatic exercises in 30 voluntary consenting women having a mean age of 57.57 (SD = 12.67) years. Methods: Using a within-participants research design, the subjectively perceived feeling states and felt arousal, along with positive and negative affect, were recorded before and after exercise. Moreover, the personal expectancies regarding the expected feelings after exercise were assessed before the workout to determine the influence of anticipation effects. Results: The findings revealed that core affect and positive affect improved substantially from before to after exercise (p &lt; .001), as confirmed by the large effect sizes (Cohen’s d &gt; 0.80). Negative affect decreased nonsignificantly (p = .062), but it was already low before exercise. Although expectancy scores were high before the exercise class, they did not correlate (p &gt; .05) with the dependent measures’ magnitude of changes (pre-class – post-class scores). Conclusions: These findings suggest that women who participate in an aquatic exercise class report experiencing significant positive changes in their feelings, demonstrating this popular exercise’s acute mental health benefits. Although further controlled research is needed in this area, the current results have promising implications for middle-aged women’s mental health preservation and promotion.

The effectiveness of hydrotherapy on return to play in sports following hip arthroscopic surgery: a comparative study.

The postoperative management of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is variable with favourable surgical outcomes. Yet there is no evidence on the efficacy of hydrotherapy in athletes undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAI. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role and the impact of hydrotherapy on return to sports following hip arthroscopy for symptomatic FAI. 2 cohorts of mixed level of athletes from various sports: a hydrotherapy group that followed land-based exercises in combination with hydrotherapy exercises and a control group that followed solely the same land-based exercises. Pre- and postoperative pain and hip-specific outcome scores were completed, and patient satisfaction was rated. A total of 88 hip arthroscopies were included with a minimum of 2 years follow-up; the hydrotherapy group comprised of 36 hips and the control group, 52 hips. There was a significant improvement in time to return to previous performance (HR 1.91, 95% CI, 1.21-3.01; p = 0.005) in the hydrotherapy group compared with the control. The hip-specific scores and patient satisfaction were considerably improved in the hydrotherapy group. The analysis of our data indicates that the incorporation of hydrotherapy into postoperative rehabilitation for hip arthroscopy for FAI accelerates the return of athletes to their pre-injury performance, since recovery time decreased significantly.

The impact of acute exercise on appetite control: Current insights and future perspectives

The interaction of exercise with appetite control and energy intake has been widely studied due to the ability of exercise-related energy expenditure to influence energy and substrate balance. Many empirical studies have explored appetite and energy intake responses to acute (single) exercise bouts involving a variety of protocols in diverse populations revealing several consistent trends. The balance of evidence suggests that acute moderate-to-vigorous intensity land-based exercise suppresses subjective appetite feelings and the orexigenic hormone acylated ghrelin and elevates the anorexigenic hormones peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-1. These perturbations are transient and hormone concentrations usually return to resting values in the hours after exercise without evoking compensatory increases in appetite or energy intake on the same day. This evidence counters the popular assertion that exercise transiently increases appetite and may prompt greater energy intake at subsequent meals. The indifference of the appetite control system to acute exercise-induced energy deficits contrasts with the immediate increases in appetite and energy intake provoked by equivalent diet-induced energy deficits. There is, however, considerable inter-individual variability in subjective appetite and hormonal responses to acute exercise with some individuals experiencing greater exercise-induced appetite suppression than others. Current evidence supports the promotion of exercise as a strategy for inducing a short-term energy deficit but the relevance of this for long-term appetite regulation and the control of body mass remains uncertain.

A triple-blinded randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of hydrotherapy versus land-based exercises outcome on pain among patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Background: The goal of the study was to determine the effectiveness of hydrotherapy versus land-based exercise outcomes to reduce pain in chronic rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: A triple-blinded, randomized controlled, parallel-group, multiple arm trial was conducted between 29/09/2019 to 30/09/2021. Single centre, the study was done at the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation, KGMU (India). Eligible 90 patients were adults aged from 17 to 75 years old suffering from chronic RA) and randomization through the SNSOE method. The intervention (RJHLERA) administered was hydrotherapy exercise (Weekly 30-minute for 6 weeks exercises in a hydrotherapy bathtub, and land-based exercises (Weekly 30-minute for 6 weeks of exercises on land and 11 minutes of active exercise for the control group. NRPS scale was used for pain assessment. Results: The result revealed that pain score, In the pre-test, all the subjects had almost the same average pain score for selected subjects in each group. In the post-test, the hydrotherapy exercise group showed the maximum response with an average pain score of 3.64±1.89. the land-based exercises group showed the next to maximum response with an average pain score of 5.88±1.37 while the clear control group showed the least/poor response with an average pain score of 7.63±1.41. Hall et al and conclusion of the study is hydrotherapy produced the greatest improvement. Conclusions: The study recommends hydrotherapy and land-based exercise as safe, inexpensive interventions. Amongst hydrotherapy exercises and land-based exercises, Hydrotherapy showed the maximum (much better) to reduce the pain.

The added value of supervised hydrotherapy sessions to a 12-week exercise program after breast cancer treatment: a three-arm pseudo-randomized pilot study

Sufficient physical activity after breast cancer treatment is crucial for improvement of a wide range of health-related outcomes and survival. The first aim of this pilot study was to explore whether adding supervised hydrotherapy sessions to a standard 12-week exercise program consisting of already two supervised sessions of land-based exercises has beneficial effects on physical and mental functioning and quality of life in breast cancer survivors. As a secondary aim, the added value of a third supervised training session with land-based exercises to the same standard exercise program was investigated. Breast cancer patients who finished primary cancer treatment were allocated to one of the three 12-week exercise programs, i.e. a standard exercise program with two supervised land-based exercise sessions per week (control group) or the same standard program with an additional weekly supervised hydrotherapy session (hydrotherapy-group) or land-based exercise session (land-based exercise group). The efficacy of the three programs was tested by comparing changes in physical and mental functioning and quality of life from pre- until post-intervention. Twenty-six (41%) patients were allocated to the control group, 21 (33%) to the hydrotherapy-group and 16 (26%) to the land-based exercise group. The results show no differences in any outcome between the three groups. Comparing the two exercise programs with three supervised sessions, results show a significantly larger improvement in the self-reported moderate (median (IQR) +1240 (412;3330) vs. +50(-1088;1125);p=0.020) and total physical activity level (+2982 (878;5457) vs. +370(-576;1718);p=0.008) in the hydrotherapy-group compared to the land-based exercise group. The opposite was found for the outcome ‘physical symptoms’, a subscale from the health-related quality of life questionnaire with a larger improvement in the land-based exercise group compared to the hydrotherapy-group (+3(0.6;4.8) vs. +0.6(-0.8;2.1); p=0.008). In conclusion, the results of this pilot study indicate that adding a third weekly supervised session to a 12-week exercise program consisting of already two weekly supervised sessions had no added value for the improvement of physical and mental functioning and quality of life after breast cancer treatment. If a third supervised session is organized, hydrotherapy may be a valuable exercise modality since moderate and total physical activity levels seem to improve more compared to an exercise program with three supervised land-based exercise sessions. For self-reported physical symptoms although, a land-based exercise program seems more beneficial. Because of the limited sample size and pilot study design all obtained findings need to be interpreted with caution.

Differences in the prefrontal cortex responses of healthy young men performing either water-based or land-based exercise at light to moderate intensity

Cerebral blood flow increases more during water-based exercise than land-based exercise owing to the effects of end-tidal CO2 (PETCO2) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) changes due to water immersion. However, it is unclear whether oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentrations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are increased more by water-based or land-based exercise. We hypothesized that oxy-Hb concentrations in the PFC are higher during water-based exercise than land-based exercise when the exercise intensity is matched. To test this hypothesis, 10 healthy participants (age: 24.2 ± 1.7 years; height: 1.75 ± 0.04 m; weight: 69.5 ± 5.2 kg) performed light- to moderate-intensity cycling exercise in water (water-based cycling (WC); chest-high water at 30 °C) and on land (LC). Stroke volume, cardio output, heart rate, MAP, respiratory rate, PETCO2, and oxy-Hb in the PFC were assessed during 15 min of exercise, with exercise intensity increased every 5 min. Both WC and LC significantly increased oxy-Hb concentrations in the PFC as exercise intensity was increased (intensity effect: p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in oxy-Hb concentrations during WC and LC in most prefrontal areas, although significant differences were found in areas corresponding to the left dorsolateral PFC (exercise effect: p < 0.001). Thus, WC and LC increase oxy-Hb concentrations in the PFC in a similar manner with increasing exercise intensity, but part of the PFC exhibits enhanced oxy-Hb levels during WC. The neural response of the PFC may differ during water-based and land-based exercise owing to differences in external information associated with water immersion.

A Triple-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trialto Evaluate the effectiveness of Hydrotherapy versus Land-based exercises outcome on Quality of Life among patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

A Triple-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trialto Evaluate the effectiveness of Hydrotherapy versus Land-based exercises outcome on Quality of Life among patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Effects of exercise during water immersion on arterial function in humans.

Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) provides a valid bioassay of vascular function in humans. Although water immersion induces hemodynamic effects that modify brachial artery shear stress, it is unclear whether water-based exercise modifies FMD. We hypothesized that exercise in 32°C water would decrease brachial artery shear and FMD relative to land-based exercise, whereas exercise in 38°C would increase brachial shear and FMD. Ten healthy participants (8 males; 23.9 ± 3.3 yr) completed 30 min of resistance-matched cycle exercise in three separate conditions: on land and in 32°C and 38°C water. Brachial artery shear rate area under the curve (SRAUC) was measured throughout each condition, with FMD measured pre- and postexercise. Brachial SRAUC increased during exercise in all conditions and was highest across the 38°C condition compared with Land and 32°C conditions (38°C: 27,507 ± 8,350 vs. Land: 9,908 ± 4,738 vs. 32°C: 13,840 ± 5,861 1/s, P < 0.001). Retrograde diastolic shear was greater during 32°C than both Land and 38°C conditions (32°C:-3,869 ± 2,198 vs. Land:-1,602 ± 1,334 vs. 32°C:-1,036 ± 1,754, P < 0.01). FMD increased as a result of 38°C (6.2 ± 1.9 vs. 8.5 ± 2.7%, P = 0.03), with no change in the Land exercise (6.3 ± 2.4 vs. 7.7 ± 2.4%, P = 0.10) or 32°C condition (6.4 ± 3.2 vs. 6.7 ± 3.2%, P = 0.99). Our findings indicate that cycle exercise in hot water attenuates retrograde shear, increases antegrade shear, and FMD. Exercise in 32°C water induces central hemodynamic changes relative to land-based exercise, but these do not translate to increases in FMD in either condition, likely due to the impact of increased retrograde shear. Our findings indicate that modification of shear has direct acute impacts on endothelial function in humans.

The effects of a land-based home exercise program on surfing performance in recreational surfers

ABSTRACT Surfing has become a popular, non-age dependent sport that can be performed at most beaches. Hence, coaches and athletes have recognised the importance of physical preparation to enhance athletic performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a sport-specific, land-based-home exercise programme (LB-HEP) on sport-specific assessments related to surfing performance in recreational surfers. Twenty-two year-round recreational surfers divided into two groups: the exercise group (EG) performed the LB-HEP 3 times a week for 8 weeks while the control group (CG) maintained their current exercise. Both groups were instructed to continue surfing during the study period. Each surfer completed sport-specific measurements related to surfing demands both pre-test and post-test (8 weeks). There was a significant interactive effect of time and group (p = .009, ηp 2 =.298) on the surfer’s performance questionnaire showing greater improvements in the EG. Additionally, the EG had an improvement on time to pop-up when compared to the CG (ηp 2 =.160). Based on the results, the LB-HEP is an effective training programme for all experience levels of recreational surfers to improve surfing performance measures short term.