Swimming Program Research Articles

Quantitative study of the influence of swimming therapy on osteoporosis rat models based on synchrotron radiation computed tomogaphy.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease with a variety of causes, leading to bone pain and fragility to fracture. Major treatment methods include nutrition therapy, exercise therapy, drug therapy and surgical treatment, among which exercise therapy, such as swimming, is the most effective. To investigate the optimal swimming therapy regime for postmenopausal women, the effects of eight weeks of different intensity swimming exercises were studied in rat models. After the swimming program, lumbar vertebrae were dissected from all the rats and scanned by synchrotron radiation computed tomography (SRCT). Histomorphometry analysis and finite-element analysis were carried out on the trabecular structure of the L4 lumbar based on the acquired SRCT slices. Histomorphometry analysis showed that swimming can alleviate the decrease in bone strength induced by estrogen deficiency, and moderate-intensity swimming was found to have the most significant effect.

Estudo de caso de um programa individualizado de natação em cadeirante portador de poliomielite: análise de parâmetros bioquímicos, qualidade de vida e capacidade física funcional

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of a supervised swimming program on biochemical parameters, quality of life and functional physical capacity in poliomyelitis - bearing wheelchair users. MethodologyLongitudinal case / control study, both with poliomyelitis, female wheelchair users. The evaluations were made forty-eight hours pre- and post-training program. Our results indicate that the swimming program reduced cholesterol by 19%, triglyceride by 18%, glucose by 11%, and anxiety levels by 42%. Concomitantly, overall health increased by 13%, mental health by 11%, upper limb strength by 10%, and flexibility by 23%.

Kick, Stroke and Swim: Complement Your Swimming Program by Engaging the Whole Body on Dry Land and in the Pool

The Kick, Stroke and Swim (KSS) program can be used to engage students in swimming-skill acquisition and fitness training using a variety of modalities, strategies and techniques on dry land. Practicing swim strokes and techniques on land gives all levels of swimmers — from beginner to competitive — a kinesthetic awareness of the individual components of each stroke that will enhance skill development and refinement. The KSS program assists with assessing the fundamental techniques of each skill component, may be used with peer assessments, and is a helpful tool to demonstrate proper technique for parental assistance. The swimming strokes executed on a variety of equipment such as a physioball, playground ball, therapy roller, therapy half-roller and BOSU ball, can address the skills of swimmers at different levels. Practicing these skills and techniques on the pool deck and in other land-based spaces during physical education class or at home, may assist students with retention and skill development. In addition, KSS training may enhance stroke acquisition and improvement of a student's overall fitness level, and land training could offer students an opportunity to build a confident skill base before entering the pool. This article will provide techniques, strategies and ideas for physical educators and swim instructors to engage swimmers at all levels.

Swimming training alleviated insulin resistance through Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling in type 2 diabetic rats.

Objective(s):Increasing evidence suggests that regular physical exercise improves type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the potential beneficial effects of swimming on insulin resistance and lipid disorder in T2DM, and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear.Materials and Methods:Rats were fed with high fat diet and given a low dosage of Streptozotocin (STZ) to induce T2DM model, and subsequently treated with or without swimming exercise. An 8-week swimming program (30, 60 or 120 min per day, 5 days per week) decreased body weight, fasting blood glucose and fasting insulin.Results:Swimming ameliorated lipid disorder, improved muscular atrophy and revealed a reduced glycogen deposit in skeletal muscles of diabetic rats. Furthermore, swimming also inhibited the activation of Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling pathway, decreased Wnt3a mRNA and protein level, upregulated GSK3β phosphorylation activity and reduced the expression of β-catenin phosphorylation in diabetic rats.Conclusion:The trend of the result suggests that swimming exercise proved to be a potent ameliorator of insulin resistancein T2DM through the modulation of Wnt3a/β-catenin pathway and therefore, could present a promising therapeutic measure towards the treatment of diabetes and its relatives.

놀이를 적용한 기초 생존수영 프로그램 운영방안

놀이를 적용한 기초 생존수영 프로그램 운영방안

Do summertime swim lessons provide children with adequate moderate-to-vigorous physical activity?

Summer swim programs provide opportunities for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in addition to teaching an essential survival skill. This dual purpose found in swim classes is especial...

Swimming exercise reverses CUMS-induced changes in depression-like behaviors and hippocampal plasticity-related proteins

BackgroundStress-induced failed resilience of brain plasticity can contribute to the onset and recurrence of depression. Chronic stress has been reported to open windows of epigenetic plasticity in hippocampus. However, how hippocampal plasticity underlies depression-like behaviors and how it adapts in response to stress has not been addressed. The present study aimed to investigate the signaling mechanisms of CUMS affecting hippocampal plasticity-related proteins expression and the regulation of swimming exercise in mice. MethodsMale C57BL/6 mice were subjected to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for 7 weeks. From the 4th week, CUMS mice were trained in a moderate swimming program for a total of 4 weeks. A videocomputerized tracking system was used to record behaviors of animals for a 5-min session. Real-time PCR and Western Blotting were used to examine gene expression in mouse hippocampus. ResultsOur results demonstrated that CUMS induced depression-like behaviors, which were reversed by swimming exercise. Moreover, the behavioral changes induced by CUMS and exercise were correlated with hippocampal plasticity-related proteins expression of growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) and synaptophysin (SYN). The molecular mechanisms regulating this plasticity may include SIRT1/mircoRNA, CREB/BDNF, and AKT/GSK-3β signaling pathways. LimitationsWe did not establish a correlation between depression-like behaviors induced by chronic stress and epigenetic changes of hippocampal plasticity, either a causal molecular signaling underling this plasticity. ConclusionsOur findings have identified swimming exercise effects on CUMS-induced changes in depression-like behaviors and hippocampal plasticity-related proteins, which provide a framework for developing new strategies to treat stress-induced depression.

OGT-related mitochondrial motility is associated with sex differences and exercise effects in depression induced by prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids

BackgroundPrenatal exposure to glucocorticoids (GCs) has been found to trigger abnormal behaviors and deleterious neurological effects on offspring both in animals and in humans. The sex differences in depression have been replicated in numerous studies across cultures, persisting throughout the reproductive years. As an X-linked gene in rodents and in humans, O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) may provide a novel perspective for the sex differences in depression. MethodsIn the last third of pregnancy (gestational day 14–21), rats were subcutaneously administered either 0.13mg/kg dexamethasone-21-phosphate disodium salt (0.1mg/kg DEX) or vehicle (0.9% saline) once a day for 7 days. Adolescent (4 weeks) offspring were then trained in a swimming program or not. ResultsHere we found that adult offspring rats exposed to DEX prenatally exhibited sex-specific depression-like behaviors, males being more vulnerable than females. Swimming exercise ameliorated the above-mentioned depressive syndromes, which may be a compensatory effect for male disadvantage suffering from prenatal stress. Furthermore, the effects of prenatal DEX exposure and swimming exercise on depression were associated with OGT-related mitochondrial motility, including PINK1/Parkin pathway and AKT/GSK3β pathway. LimitationsRepresentative kymographs of mitochondrial motility were not detected and no causal effects were obtained by OGT gene overexpression or gene knockout in this study. ConclusionsOur results provide a new perspective for better understanding sex differences and exercise effects in depression and may offer new mechanism-based therapeutic targets for depression.

The effects of water-based exercise on postural control in children with spastic cerebral palsy

Objective: Swimming and water-based exercise (WE) programs can provide vigorous physical activity in a fun and a motivating environment. The...

The Effectiveness of Primary Teaching Swimming Programme for 6–7 Year-old Children

There is little information in literary sources about the programme’s content of formation of primary swimming skills, the choice of exercises on land and water as well as the common effectiveness of their compilation programme relating to 6–7 year-old children. This question is hardly analysed even in various papers analyzing primary training of young swimmers in Lithuania.
 Hypothesis: it is likely that children who will complete the primary teaching swimming programme which consists of 16 trainings will acquire such primary swimming skills that will be needed for learning their further swimming techniques as well as they will become physically stronger.
 The aim of the work: to prepare 6–7 year-old children teaching swimming programme consisting of 16 trainings by developing their primary swimming skills and evaluate its effectiveness.
 By summarizing all the results of this research, we have examined that our primary teaching swimming programme of five skills has been considered effective: the majority of children analyzed improved their primary swimming skills. It can be established that our hypothesis was supported. Children that completed our designed primary teaching swimming programme have gained primary swimming skills that are needed to learn other swimming techniques in their further learning process. Finally, by having the ability to complete various tasks, they have become physically stronger.

Effects of a swim program for children with autism spectrum disorder on skills, interest, and participation in swimming

The purpose of this study was to determine if a sensory-based, learn-to-swim program improved swim skills and increased physical activity of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Forty-two children with ASD (39 male/three female) participated in eight, 30-minute Sensory Supported Swimming© lessons. Researchers tested swim skills at the first and last lessons and parents completed surveys about their children. Results indicated parents felt their children were more physically active both during swim lessons and outside lessons. Children had increased interest in swimming, and parents planned to begin or increase family swimming activities. Swim skills of all children improved, 74 percent improved at least one level. The learn-to-swim program with sensory supports was effective in improving swim skills and increasing physical activity of children with ASD.

Benefits of a structured swim program for children diagnosed within the autism spectrum disorder

There is a persistent increase in the number of children who are diagnosed with a form of autism. Many therapeutic programs and interventions available have been known to be beneficial for individuals with disabilities. Therapy in the aquatic setting has been useful for the healing purposes of individuals with musculoskeletal or neuromuscular conditions for many years. Clinicians are now beginning to expand the use of aquatic therapy to a new population, which is children with autism, for healing purposes and as an early intervention. A single-subject design was utilized using the Aquatic Behavior Observation Scale (ABOS) to assess and measure behavioral changes for each of the three subjects while participating in an aquatic observation. The ABOS instrument measured the areas of 1) oriented to present; 2) social and communication skills; 3) control of emotions; and 4) responses to stimuli. Levels of responsiveness in each subcategory varied from participant to participant, and observation-by-observation. Data collected from this study suggest that the subjects diagnosed within the autism spectrum were able to demonstrate mild improvements during the application of the intervention.

Sink or Swim: Promoting Youth Development Through Aquatics Programs in Baltimore, Maryland

Youth participation in structured recreational activities promotes positive youth development. Engagement with others as part of a team or through group activities allows youth to develop skills in social interaction, goal setting, discipline, emotional maturity, physical activity competence, and many other abilities. As a recreational activity, group-oriented sport, and life skill, swimming has the potential to positively affect youth development in many different domains. Despite the promise of swimming for youth development, large disparities exist in access to and use of pools and swim programming. Swimming opportunities are much less available and less utilized by minority populations, especially in inner-city urban areas. In Baltimore City, Maryland, programs have attempted to improve youth swimming abilities and promote pool use for physical fitness, but participation has been low. The objective of this study is to understand the factors influencing use of swim programming offered in Baltimore, in order to identify suggestions for improving swim programs to more effectively engage inner city minority youth. Researchers conducted 13 in-depth-interviews, three focus group discussions, and six pool observations. Informants included Baltimore City parents, teachers, young adults (18-24 years old), aquatics staff, and city officials from both swimming and non-swimming backgrounds. Findings suggest that important barriers to youth participation in swimming include inconsistent availability of swim programs, limited knowledge of swimming opportunities, variant local definitions of swimming ability, and a lack of role models. Motivators to swimming participation include supportive role models and perceptions of swimming as a gateway to employment opportunities. To improve programs promoting youth development through swimming, the identified barriers and motivators should be addressed by developing messaging focused on: skills of competent swimmers, pool and class schedules, financial costs and support, pool safety, transportation options, benefits of indoor pools, the growing diversity of swimmers, family-oriented aquatic activities, the social and physical appeal of swimming, and employment opportunities swimming can provide. Community outreach and engagement with schools and parent organizations could help change social norms and increase youth participation in swimming. This would provide youth, both in Baltimore and other urban populations, with more opportunities for positive development. Subscribe to JPRA

Inglês

Project NATESC/UNIVILLE occurs to the school since 2005, with regular classes in swimming and twoevaluations anthropometric annually. During the practice period, the percentage of fat tends to decrease, but in the recess atschool these values increase. This factor suggests to establish a partnership with parents to encourage healthy goalwas to develop a swim program that prioritize work in a team - teachers, students, and parents – for the reduction and/or control ofbody weight of the adolescents and encourage healthy research was conducted with schoolchildren 10 to 13 years, ofthe schools public of Joinville-SC. sample was composed of 19 boys and 20 girls. data collected were weight, height,folds tricipital and subscapular skinfold. protocols used were the Slaughter (1988) and the classification according toLohman (1987). As the instrument was considered to be the swim program and seminar awareness were conducted with theparents of the school. Shapiro-Wilk test showed normality in all data, therefore, we adopted the Student t test for pairedsamples/independent and the test F. Contrary to what had been going on, this group of the sample showed decrease in thepercentage of fat during the school break. female has decreased to 7.98% and the male 6,93% on the average. This resultmay be related with the lecture: The Effect of Obesity in Pre-adolescents and Adolescents, and the importance of acquiringhealthy habits. It's considered that there was the awareness of parents, encouraging the school positively in the regulation offeeding and in the practice of physical activities, helping to control the trend of increase in rates of obesity. In this study, the schoolof both sexes showed a decrease in the percentage of fat, according to the classification proposed by Lohman (1987).

Inhibition of Oxidative Stress by Antioxidant Supplementation Does Not Limit Muscle Mitochondrial Biogenesis or Endurance Capacity in Rats.

The objective of the present study was to analyze the activation and expression patterns of upstream and downstream factors of PGC-1α to determine whether antioxidant (AO) supplementation inhibits mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscles as an adaptation to endurance training, as well as to analyze changes in endurance capacity based on such findings. For this objective, 24 male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were allocated into 4 groups (vehicle-sedentary, V-Sed; vehicle-exercise, V-EX; antioxidant-sedentary, AO-Sed; antioxidant-exercise, AO-EX) of 6 rats each. The rats were then treated with vitamin C (500 mgkg-1 body weightd-1) or a placebo for 8 wk, and a swimming program was implemented in some rats during the last 4 wk of this period. Immediately after the last training session, blood was collected from the tail of each rat, and TBARS was measured to test the effect of vitamin C as an AO. As a result, increased oxidative stress from exercise was inhibited by vitamin C supplementation. Analysis of whether reduced oxidative stress by vitamin C supplementation also inhibited mitochondrial biogenesis within skeletal muscles showed that phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and AMPK, along with levels of PGC-1α, NRF-1, mtTFA, and mitochondrial electron transport enzymes, increased after endurance training in spite of vitamin C supplementation. Moreover, running time, distance, and total work increased significantly in the exercise group as compared to those in the sedentary group, regardless of vitamin C supplementation. These results indicate that mitochondrial biogenesis and endurance capacity increase as a result of endurance training, regardless of AO supplementation.

Feasibility of a Swimming Intervention to Improve Sleep Behaviors of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Children with ASD experience high rates of sleep disturbance, but there are limited interventions addressing sleep in this population. We investigated the feasibility and acceptability of a specialized swim program, Sensory Enhanced Aquatics, for children with ASD. Additionally, we examined the extent to which the physical activity intervention impacted children’s sleep behavior as well as specific child characteristics in those most responsive to intervention. We used a pre-post intervention design to test the effects of an 8-week swim intervention on sleep of ten children aged 5-12 years. Caregivers completed measures of sleep disturbance, autism severity, and sensory processing. Findings showed that children differentially responded to the swim intervention based on autism severity and sensory processing. Children with increased sensory sensitivity and decreased autism severity showed decreased sleep disturbance following the intervention. Results showed that the intervention was feasible and highly acceptable. Sensory Enhanced Aquatics differentially improved the sleep behaviors of children with ASD based on specific child characteristics. This is relevant to recreational therapist who may need to match intervention to child characteristics for best response. Subscribe to TRJ

Analyzing the Effects of 16 Weeks Swimming Exercises of Children Aged 7-13 on Anthropometric Measurements and Somatotype

By the carried study, it’s aimed to expose the effects of 16 weeks swimming exercises of sedentary girl and boys aged 7-13 on anthropometric measurements and somatotype components. In total 114 children, healthy 53 girls, the average age 9.35±2.14 years and 61 boys, the average age 9.56±2.74 years under the summer school joining to swimming lessons participated to this research. Height, body mass, chest, waist and hip circumference measurements and 10 anthropometric measurements of research group necessary for somatotype calculation has taken before and after the 16 weekly swimming program. Somatotype calculations evaluated by Heath-Carter somatotype method. Data tested in p<0.05 significance level via Paired Samples t-Test. With the data obtained before and after swimming exercises, as compared to boys and girls separately, all the data apart from height, medial calf skinfold, waist/hip ratio, mesomorph coefficient in girls and all the data apart from height and waist/hip ratio are significantly different in boys. Somatotype values in preliminary test of girls changed from 4.99-3.64-2.35 to 4.45-3.78-2.8 and of boys changed from 4.67-3.72-2.24 to 3.92-4.15-2.38. The findings of the study show that swimming exercises have effects on the decrease in body mass and increase in muscle mass. Given the characteristics of the investigated age group, the period of pre-adolescent girls tend to increase the lubrication, swimming exercises to be held in this age group would benefit for weight control and create a healthier future generation. Swimming exercises are important for preventing weight gain and deal with existing problems of technology and inactivated lifestyle especially in the puberty period children.

Sensory Patterns, Obesity, and Physical Activity Participation of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Obesity is a public health concern for the population in general and for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) specifically. The purpose of this study was to understand relationships between sensory patterns, obesity, and physical activity engagement of children with ASD (N = 77) sampled from a specialized community-based swimming program. This retrospective correlational study analyzed program data. Results show that almost half (42.2%) of the children were overweight or obese, and sensory avoiding behaviors were related to higher body mass index (BMI). Children participated in few formal and informal physically active recreation activities. Sensory seeking behaviors were associated with increased participation in informal activities, and higher BMI was associated with less participation in both formal and informal activities. Practitioners should consider sensory processing patterns and BMI when developing community-based programs to promote physical activity of children with ASD.

Effect of Aquatic Program Therapy on Dynamic Balance in Down’s Syndrome Children

Purpose: to examine the effect of swimming program therapy on dynamic balance in Down’s syndrome patients. Subject: Thirty children suffering from Down’s syndrome ranging in age from 8to 12 years from both sexes. Subjects were divided randomly into two groups of an equal numbers, control group which received selected physical therapy program and study group which received the same treatment program while receiving controlled swimming program for three successive months. Methods: The patients Step Width step Length and Speed was evaluated before and after the suggested treatment program by Balance Master System. The data were collected and analyzed using paired and unpaired t-test to compare the difference between the results. Results: this study revealed that there were significant differences of all the measured variables between the control and study groups Conclusion: swimming therapy program has got clear effect when added to the treatment program in Down’s syndrome children.

Executive functions improvement following a 5-month aquaerobics program in older adults: Role of cardiac vagal control in inhibition performance

The aims of this study were to examine the effects of aerobic exercise on measures of executive performance and their relationships with changes in cardiorespiratory fitness, cardiac vagal control (heart rate variability) and psychological variables. Thirty-six sedentary seniors aged 60–75 years were randomly assigned to a swimming and aquaerobics program or a stretching program two times a week for 21 weeks. Executive functions (inhibition, updating of working memory and cognitive flexibility) and cardiorespiratory fitness (estimated VO2max) were assessed at the start, after 10 weeks of program and at the end of the program. Resting HRV and measures of psychological outcomes (depression, self-efficacy, decisional balance) were obtained at the start and at the end of the program. Participants of both groups significantly improved their VO2max level, their psychological state and their performance for the 2-back task. Only the participants in the aquaerobics group significantly improved their vagally-mediated HRV and their performance for the Stroop test and the verbal running-span test at the end of the program. Only improvements in cardiac vagal control and in inhibition were shown to be functionally related. These results are discussed in line with the model of neurovisceral integration.