Treadmill Walking Exercise Research Articles

Regular Exercise Training Decreases Circulating Myostatin In Older Overweight Women At Rest And In Response To Acute Exercise

Myostatin (growth and differentiation factor (GDF) 8) inhibits skeletal muscle growth, whereas follistatin (FST) can inhibit GDF8 to promote skeletal muscle growth. GDF15 may be a biomarker of stress, and also impact skeletal muscle growth. The PURPOSE of this project was to determine if an acute bout of exercise in older women could positively influence these three circulating biomarkers. METHODS: Overweight, older women (64.0±1.3 years; BMI=32.8±1.0 kg•m-2; n=18) participated in an acute bout of cardiorespiratory and resistance exercise before and after a 12-week training intervention. The training intervention consisted of 3 d/wk of progressive supervised treadmill walking and resistance exercise at a moderate to vigorous intensity. Blood was collected before acute exercise (PRE), immediately after (POST), 1 hour recovery (1HR), and 2 hour recovery (2HR). Serum GDF8, FST, and GDF-15 were measured with commercially available ELISA kits. RESULTS: BMI did not change (p>0.05). GDF8 was higher (p<0.05) at PRE, 1HR, and 2HR before the exercise training intervention. Both before and after the training intervention, an acute bout of exercise increased (p<0.05) GDF8 at POST, 1HR, 2HR compared to PRE. FST increased (p<0.05) from PRE to 1HR and 2HR both before and after the intervention. GDF15 increased (p<0.05) from PRE to POST before the intervention, but PRE to POST, 1HR, and 2HR after the intervention. CONCLUSION: Regular exercise training can reduce the acute exercise effect on circulating GDF8. Further, acute exercise will increase FST before and after an exercise training intervention. These results were independent of a change in BMI. Together, this may be a potential mechanism for exercise to help maintain skeletal muscle mass during aging.

Effects Of Mental Fatigue On Maximal Exercise Test Performance In Physically Active And Sedentary Adults

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of mental fatigue on maximal treadmill walking exercise performance. METHODS: 50 young male (n = 25) and female (n = 25) adults were recruited to perform a maximal treadmill walking exercise test to volitional exhaustion on two occasions. Prior to the exercise test, participants performed a cognitive task in a randomized, counterbalanced manner for 30 minutes, with the incongruent Stroop task in the mental fatigue condition, and leisure magazine reading in the control condition. Subjective ratings of perceived mood, fatigue, and motivation to exercise were assessed before and after the cognitive task. Perceptual and physiological responses were collected throughout the exercise test. RESULTS: Significant decrease in perceived mood (p < 0.001) and motivation (p = 0.001), and significant increase in fatigue (p = 0.028) were found in the mental fatigue condition. Participants were found to rate their perceived physical exertion higher during the exercise test in the mental fatigue condition (p = 0.042). However, there were no significant differences in physiological responses and test exhaustion time. CONCLUSIONS: Mental fatigue increased perceived physical exertion during maximal treadmill walking exercise but did not impair exercise performance in both active and sedentary adults.

Excessive walking exercise precipitates diabetic neuropathic foot pain: hind paw suspension treadmill exercise experiment in a rat model

The harmful effects of excessive mechanical loading on diabetic neuropathy and the reason diabetic neuropathic symptoms are common in feet are unclear. In this study, the hind paw suspension treadmill exercise model was used in rats to investigate whether mechanical loading applied to the front paws precipitates neuropathic pain, especially in diabetic conditions. Thirty-two rats were divided into six groups according to the presence of diabetes (DM) and the intensity of mechanical loading applied to the front paws: DM-Hi (high-intensity); DM-Lo (low-intensity); DM-No (non-mechanical loading); Sham-Hi; Sham-Lo; and Sham-No. DM was induced by streptozotocin injection. For high-intensity or low-intensity mechanical loading, treadmill walking exercise was conducted with or without hind paw suspension, respectively. The mechanical withdrawal threshold of the front paw decreased significantly after 8 weeks only in the DM mechanical loading groups (DM-Hi and DM-Lo), and high-intensity loading more significantly decreased the front-paw withdrawal threshold than low-intensity loading. In the DM-Hi group only, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) increased significantly, and intra-epidermal nerve fibers (IENF) in the front paws decreased significantly. In diabetic conditions, mechanical overloading such as excessive walking is likely to precipitate mechanical allodynia and damage IENF¸ which could explain why diabetic neuropathic symptoms are common in feet. This finding might be related to up-regulation of intracellular signaling cascades such as MIF, rather than inflammatory processes.

비만남자대학생의 8주 트레드밀 운동이 신체구성, 인슐린저항성, 심혈관질환 위험인자 및 심폐체력에 미치는 영향

The study was attempted to investigate the effects of 8 weeks of Treadmill exercise on body composition, Insulin Resistance, Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Cardiopulmonary fitness in Obese Male College Students. The subjects of this study were selected by dividing 10 male students from K University in C with no professional athletic experience with a body fat rate of 25% In the exercise program, exercise intensity was set at HRR 50~70%. Treadmill walking and running exercise was performed for 5 times, 50 minutes per week for a total of 8 weeks. Paired t-test was performed on the measured values of the dependent variables before and after exercise, and the statistical significance level of hypothesis test was set to .05. Experimental results show that 8-weeks Treadmill exercise program increases the amount of physical activity in Obese Male College Students and has a positive effect on obesity indices such as weight, body fat, VFA, waist circumference, and insulin, HOMA-IR, FFA, TG, Systolic blood pressure, VO₂max. In summary the 8 weeks of Treadmill exercise was effective for obesity in obese male college students.

Cardiopulmonary exercise test indices of respiratory buffering before and after aerobic exercise training in women with pulmonary hypertension: Differentiation by magnitudes of change in six-minute walk test performance.

To compare post-aerobic exercise training adaptations in cardiorespiratory functional capacity across three groups of patients with PH: those with high (HI), low (LI) and negative (NEG) post-training increases in 6MWD. Participants were 25 females (age 54±11 years; BMI 31±7kg/m2) who completed a vigorous, 10-week, thrice weekly, supervised treadmill walking exercise program. Cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPET) and 6MWT were completed before and after training. Ten of the 25 participants were classified as HI (range=47-143m), 11 were classified as LI (range=4-37m) and 4 were classified as NEG (range=-17 to -53m). Peak CPET duration, WR and time to anaerobic threshold (AT) were significantly higher (p<0.05) after training in both the LI and HI groups but not in the NEG group. There was a significant improvement in VE/VCO2 (p=0.042), PETCO2 (p=0.011) and TV (p=0.050) in the HI group after training, but not in the NEG or LI group. These findings suggest that sustained ventilatory inefficiency and restricted respiratory buffering may mediate exercise intolerance and impede the ability to adapt to exercise training in some patients with PH.

Protocol for a systematically-developed, phase I/II, single-blind randomized controlled trial of treadmill walking exercise training effects on cognition and brain function in persons with multiple sclerosis

Slowed cognitive processing speed (CPS) is a common and debilitating consequence of multiple sclerosis (MS) that is notoriously difficult to treat. As such, we undertook a systematic line of research that indicated that supervised, progressive treadmill walking exercise (TMWX) training might improve CPS and brain functioning among fully-ambulatory persons with MS. The current study will be the first adequately-powered, single-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) that examines the efficacy of 12-weeks of TMWX training compared with an active control condition on CPS, thalamocortical brain connectivity (based on resting-state fMRI), and exploratory functional outcomes in 88 fully-ambulatory persons with MS who present with slowed CPS. The intervention condition involves supervised, progressive TMWX training 3 times/week over 12-weeks; this initially involves 15-min of light-to-moderate intensity TMWX that progresses up to 40-min of vigorous intensity TMWX. The active control condition involves supervised, minimal intensity, stretching-and-resistance exercise that will be delivered on the same frequency as the intervention condition. The primary study outcomes involve Symbol Digit Modalities Test performance (i.e., CPS) and fMRI-based measures of thalamocortical resting-state functional connectivity. Exploratory study outcomes involve measures of community participation, activities of daily living, quality of life, and functional mobility. All study outcomes will be administered before and after the 12-week study period by treatment-blinded assessors. If successful, the current study will provide the first Class I evidence for the effects of TMWX training as an approach for improving CPS and its neural correlate, and possibly mitigating the impact of slowed CPS on functional outcomes in MS.

Effects of the Downhill Walking on Thoracic Angle and Thoracic Extensor Activity in Kyphosis Patients

This study investigated the effect of the downhill treadmill walking exercise (DTWE) on thoracic angle and thoracic erector spinae (TES) activation in subjects with thoracic kyphosis.

열환경에서 공기호흡기를 장착한 소방방화복 착용과 반복 트레드밀 걷기운동이 열스트레스 호르몬과 생리학적 반응에 미치는 영향

열환경에서 공기호흡기를 장착한 소방방화복 착용과 반복 트레드밀 걷기운동이 열스트레스 호르몬과 생리학적 반응에 미치는 영향

Corticospinal excitability changes following downhill and uphill walking.

Locomotor exercise may induce corticospinal excitability and/or cortical inhibition change in the knee extensors. This study investigated whether the mode of muscle contraction involved during a locomotor exercise modulates corticospinal and intracortical responsiveness. Eleven subjects performed two 45-min treadmill walking exercises in an uphill (+ 15%) or a downhill (- 15%) condition matched for speed. Maximal voluntary isometric torque (MVIC), voluntary activation level (VAL), doublet (Dt) twitch torque, and M-wave area of the knee extensors were assessed before and after exercise. At the same time-points, motor-evoked potential (MEP), cortical silent period (CSP), and short-interval cortical inhibition (SICI) were recorded in the vastus lateralis (VL) and rectus femoris (RF) muscles. After exercise, uphill and downhill conditions induced a similar loss in MVIC torque (- 9%; p < 0.001), reduction in VAL (- 7%; p < 0.001), and in M-wave area in the VL muscle (- 8%; p < 0.001). Dt twitch torque decreased only after the downhill exercise (- 11%; p < 0.001). MEP area of the VL muscle increased after the downhill condition (p = 0.007), with no change after the uphill condition. MEP area of the RF muscle remained stable after exercises. CSP and SICI did not change in the two conditions for both muscles. Downhill walking induces an increase in MEP area of the VL muscle, with no change of the CSP duration or SICI ratio. The eccentric mode of muscle contraction during a locomotor exercise can modulate specifically corticospinal excitability in the knee extensors.

Ventilatory Efficiency Among Patients With Pulmonary Hypertension With Varying Levels Of Adaptation To Exercise Training

The 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is universally accepted as a measure of functional capacity in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). While aerobic exercise training (AET) has generally been shown to improve exercise tolerance and 6MWT distance in patients with PH, some patients have been observed to adapt differently to AET, with minimal or even negative changes in 6MWT distance being reported. Differences in patient characteristics and peak ventilatory efficiency to AET have not been characterized and compared in these subset of patients. PURPOSE: To determine differences in ventilatory efficiency, defined as peak ventilatory equivalents for O2 uptake (VE/VO2), peak ventilatory equivalents for CO2 output (VE/VCO2), end-tidal CO2 (PETCO2) and tidal volume (TV), in patients with high (HI, >42 meters), low (LI, 0-42 meters) and negative (NEG, <0 meters) change in 6MWT distance after AET. METHODS: Subjects were 25 females (age 54±11 years; BMI 31±7 kg/m2) enrolled in the NIH Exercise Therapy for Advanced Lung Disease Trial. Participants completed 24-30 supervised treadmill walking exercise sessions, over 10 consecutive weeks, at a training intensity of 70% to 80% of heart rate reserve. The thrice-weekly sessions were 30-45 minutes in duration. A cardiopulmonary exercise test and 6MWT was completed before and after the 10-weeks of training. Ten of the 25 subjects were classified as HI (range = 47-143 meters), 11 were classified as LI (range = 4 - 37 meters) and 4 were classified as NEG (range = -17-53 meters). RESULTS: After AET, peak values in VE/VO2 (p=0.02), VE/VCO2 (p=0.002), PETCO2 (p=0.016) and TV (p=0.016) were improved for the HI versus NEG group. Peak values for VE/VCO2 (p=0.003) and TV (p=0.041) were improved for the LI versus NEG group. CONCLUSION: Previous studies suggest that reduced ventilatory efficiency (VE/VCO2) is associated with a poor prognostic outcome in patients with PH. To our knowledge this is the first study to look at changes in ventilatory efficiency after AET, specifically in HI, LI and NEG subsets. Findings from this study suggest that reduced ventilatory efficiency may also contribute to reduced functional capacity in patients with PH, contributing to the etiological basis for the association between 6MWD and mortality in these patients. Funding NIH IRP [1 Z01 CL060068-05 CC].

Immediate Effects of the Downhill Treadmill Walking Exercise on Thoracic Angle and Thoracic Extensor Muscle Activity in Subjects With Thoracic Kyphosis

Immediate Effects of the Downhill Treadmill Walking Exercise on Thoracic Angle and Thoracic Extensor Muscle Activity in Subjects With Thoracic Kyphosis

S100A8/A9, Exercise, and Creatine in Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterized by progressive breakdown of articular cartilage, and increasing joint pain and stiffness. Chronic inflammation is thought to play a central role in cartilage degradation, with pro‐inflammatory cytokines such as S100 A8/A9 potentially associated with disease progression and elevated levels of systemic cartilage oligomeric protein (COMP). The purpose of this prospective RCT was to examine the influence of weight bearing exercise and creatine supplementation on S100 A8/A9 levels in patients with mild‐moderate knee OA. Twenty‐six (26) knee OA patients were randomized into 3 groups: (1.) Lower Body Positive Pressure supported treadmill walking exercise, (2.) Creatine supplementation, and (3.) Control. Following radiographic confirmation of OA severity, patients were evaluated at baseline and following a 12 week intervention on the following parameters: (1.) body anthropometry; (2.) knee joint range of motion; (3.) Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire for chronic knee pain, joint symptoms, and dysfunction; (4.) acute knee pain during 30 minutes of full weight‐bearing treadmill walking; and (5.) serum biomarkers (S100 A8/A9 and COMP). A longitudinal multi‐level model of analysis was used to evaluate multiple independent variables at the same time. Data suggested that the LBPP exercise improved KOOS scoring on the Sport/Recreation Function subscale, and that creatine supplementation improved KOOS scoring on the Quality of Life subscale. SCOMP levels were also positively correlated with both acute and chronic knee joint pain, joint symptoms, and scoring on the KOOS Activity of Daily Living subscale. Unfortunately, S100 A8/A9 levels were un‐influenced by either LBPP exercise or creatine supplementation, but concentrations were moderately correlated with patient BMI and scoring on the KOOS subscales of Pain and Activities of Daily Living. Further research is needed to clarify what role (if any) pro‐inflammatory proteins such as S100 A8/A9 play in cartilage degradation, and future investigations should focus on examining synovial based biomarkers that are specific to the affected joint.Support or Funding InformationOngoing support provided by the Max Rady College of Medicine, the Pan Am Clinic Foundation, and funding through the Paul H.T. Thorlakson Foundation.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Comparison of the effects of short-term stair climbing and walking exercise on vascular function in healthy young adults

Stair climbing is a form of physical activity that can be easily accessible in worksites and public settings, but it remains unclear whether stair climbing exercise is more effective in improving vascular health than walking exercise. The aim of this study was to compare the short-term effects of stair climbing exercise and walking exercise on vascular function in healthy young adults. Eighteen healthy adults were randomized to either the stair climbing exercise group (n=10) or the walking exercise group (n=8). The stair climbing exercise was performed inside a building, while the walking exercise involved a brisk walking exercise on the treadmill at the same exercise intensity (50-60% of heart rate reserve) for 2 weeks, 30 min/day, and 3 times/week. Peak oxygen uptake was measured by maximal cardiopulmonary exercise test. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (c-f PWV) and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) as indexes of vascular function were measured using applanation tonometry and ultrasound machine, respectively. These variables were measured at baseline and again after 2 weeks of supervised exercise in both groups. FMD improved similarly in both groups (stair climbing: 11.5±2.2 to 14.3±2.4%, walking: 10.8±1.3 to 12.1±2.9%, time effect: p&lt;0.05). However, an improvement in c-f PWV did not reach statistical significance in both groups (stair climbing: 6.83±0.8 to 6.40±0.88 m/s, walking: 6.61±0.8 to 6.46±0.85 m/s, p=0.051). No changes in peak oxygen uptake were observed in any group (stair climbing: 35.47±7.83 to 37.03±8.26 mL/kg/min, walking: 37.46±5.21 to 38.33±6.73 mL.kg/min, p=0.726). These findings suggest that both short-term stair climbing and treadmill walking exercises were comparatively effective in improving conduit artery endothelial function in healthy young adults.

Rationale and design of a single-blind, randomised controlled trial of exercise training for managing learning and memory impairment in persons with multiple sclerosis

IntroductionThis randomised controlled trial (RCT) examines treadmill walking exercise training effects on learning and memory performance, hippocampal volume, and hippocampal resting-state functional connectivity in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) who...

Cardiorespiratory responses of ambulatory hemiplegic stroke survivors to treadmill walking exercises in Tehran, Iran

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability and post challenges in the society due to impaired neuromuscular control, decreased functional mobility, balance deficits and reduced cardiorespiratory fitness, and hence physiotherapy interventions can play a significant role in facilitating individuals with impairment, disability and functional limitations. Exercise training among the post stroke population can facilitates improvement in cardiovascular, respiratory and neuromuscular function. However there appear to be a dearth of knowledge and literature on the response of cardiorespiratory parameters of stroke survivors to treadmill walking exercises in Iran. This study was therefore designed to investigate the cardiorespiratory response of ambulatory hemiplegic stroke survivors to treadmill walking exercise. The 32 participants for this study were recruited using consecutive sampling technique, in which 17 were male while 15 were female. An Informed consent and data form were used to obtain the participants’ consent and socio-demographic information. The study was a pre and post experimental design involving the participant’s own maximum walking ability on the treadmill. The Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation were used to describe the participants’ demographic and baseline characteristics which were Age, Weight, Height, and Body Mass Index. The inferential statistics of paired t-test was used to compare the cardiorespiratory parameters of the participants’ within gender, while unpaired t-test was used for comparison between genders. The level of statistical significance was set at alpha equal 0.05. The result showed that 53.1% of the participants were male while 46.9% were female. The mean age of the participants was 52.37±10.15 years (range of 33-74 years), Mean weight was 68.82±8.6, Mean height was 1.68±0.18 and Mean BMI was 27.71±7.64 respectively. There was a significant difference between male and female participants before and after treadmill walking exercise in their Pulse rate (t=3.19, p=0.006), Systolic blood pressure (t=2.67, p=0.03) and Respiratory rate (t=6.19, p=0.001), except for Diastolic blood pressure which showed no significant difference (t=0.79, p=0.4). Comparison between male and female selected parameters all showed significant difference in their Systolic blood pressure (t=24.38, p=0.001), Diastolic blood pressure (t=9.36, p=0.001) and Respiratory rate (t=15.12, p=0.001) respectively, except for pulse rate which showed no significant difference (p = 0.86, t = 0.17). It was concluded that there was significant increase in the pulse rate, systolic blood pressure and respiratory rate following treadmill walking exercises but changes seen in diastolic blood pressure were not significant. It is recommended that treadmill walking exercise be considered by rehabilitation professionals when developing exercise prescription programs for rehabilitation of ambulatory hemiplegic stroke survivors to optimize the cardiorespiratory benefits associated with exercise. It is also recommended that Rehabilitation professionals encourage people after stroke to participate in exercise interventions such as treadmill walking exercise to improve cardiorespiratory health.

Effects of lumbar stabilisation and treadmill exercise on function in patients with chronic mechanical low back pain

Background/Aims: Multifidus muscle is an important contributor to low back pain as it atrophies and is inhibited during the first episode of low back pain. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of lumbar stabilisation exercise with treadmill walking on multifidus muscle activation, pain intensity and functional disability among people with chronic mechanical low back pain. Methods: Individuals with chronic mechanical low back pain were randomised into two groups: Group 1 (n=25) performed lumbar stabilisation exercises following the McGill protocol; and Group 2 (n=25) followed the modified Bruce treadmill walking protocol. Participants walked or exercised three times a week for 8 weeks. Pain intensity (measured using a visual analogue scale), functional disability (using the Oswestry Disability Index Questionnaire) and amplitude of multifidus muscle activation (using a surface electromyography machine) were assessed at baseline and at the end of week 8. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, paired and independent t-tests at α≤0.05. Findings: There were no significant differences between the groups' anthropometric and clinical characteristics at baseline. Both groups demonstrated significant reductions in pain intensity and functional disability and increases in multifidus muscle activation at the end of the study (all P&lt;0.05). Group 1 had lower pain intensity (2.60 ± 0.48 vs 4.50 ± 0.12) and functional disability (24.20 ± 4.06 vs 40.00 ± 10.56) and significantly higher multifidus muscle activation levels (40.00 ± 4.16 vs 26.95 ± 4.04; P&lt;0.05) than Group 2 at the end of week 8. Conclusions: Lumbar stabilisation exercises are more effective than treadmill walking exercises in activating the multifidus muscle, reducing pain intensity and functional disability in individuals with chronic mechanical low back pain.

A single exercise bout and locomotor learning after stroke: physiological, behavioural, and computational outcomes.

Previous work demonstrated an effect of a single high-intensity exercise bout coupled with motor practice on the retention of a newly acquired skilled arm movement, in both neurologically intact and impaired adults. In the present study, using behavioural and computational analyses we demonstrated that a single exercise bout, regardless of its intensity and timing, did not increase the retention of a novel locomotor task after stroke. Considering both present and previous work, we postulate that the benefits of exercise effect may depend on the type of motor learning (e.g. skill learning, sensorimotor adaptation) and/or task (e.g. arm accuracy-tracking task, walking). Acute high-intensity exercise coupled with motor practice improves the retention of motor learning in neurologically intact adults. However, whether exercise could improve the retention of locomotor learning after stroke is still unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of exercise intensity and timing on the retention of a novel locomotor learning task (i.e. split-belt treadmill walking) after stroke. Thirty-seven people post stroke participated in two sessions, 24h apart, and were allocated to active control (CON), treadmill walking (TMW), or total body exercise on a cycle ergometer (TBE). In session 1, all groups exercised for a short bout (∼5min) at low (CON) or high (TMW and TBE) intensity and before (CON and TMW) or after (TBE) the locomotor learning task. In both sessions, the locomotor learning task was to walk on a split-belt treadmill in a 2:1 speed ratio (100% and 50% fast-comfortable walking speed) for 15min. To test the effect of exercise on 24h retention, we applied behavioural and computational analyses. Behavioural data showed that neither high-intensity group showed greater 24h retention compared to CON, and computational data showed that 24h retention was attributable to a slow learning process for sensorimotor adaptation. Our findings demonstrated that acute exercise coupled with a locomotor adaptation task, regardless of its intensity and timing, does not improve retention of the novel locomotor task after stroke. We postulate that exercise effects on motor learning may be context specific (e.g. type of motor learning and/or task) and interact with the presence of genetic variant (BDNF Val66Met).

Cerebral Blood Flow Characteristics Responses Following Acute Aerobic Exercise in Individuals with and without Down Syndrome

Individuals with Down Syndrome (DS) commonly experience low to moderate levels of cognitive impairment and are at a high risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's diseases (AD). Reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF) and altered CBF characteristics have been observed in the aging population without DS and has shown to have detrimental effects on cerebral microvasculature, which may increase the risk of developing dementia and AD. However, differences in CBF and its characteristics between individuals with and without DS and its response to exercise have not been studied.PurposeTo examine the differences in CBF and its characteristics following a 20‐minute bout of moderate intensity walking in individuals with and without DS.MethodsThirty‐eight young (DS=19, Age=25 yrs) individuals with and without DS participated in this study. Changes in mean middle cerebral artery velocity (mMCAv), mMCAv characteristics (pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI)) and hemodynamic variables were measured before, immediately post and 30‐minute post exericse.ResultsBaseline hemodynamics, systolic blood pressure (BP), diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and mMCAv were not different between the DS and control group (p&gt;0.05 for all). Neither group showed changes in mMCAv after moderate intensity treadmill walking exercise (p&gt;0.05). However, the DS group exhibited significantly higher PI and RI at all time points when compared to controls (p&lt;0.05 for both).ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that CBF was not altered in individuals with DS at rest and following moderate intensity exercise and was not different from that of controls. However, higher PI and RI in DS group may be associated with reduced distal cerebral perfusion and microvascular damage in individuals with DS. DS (N = 19) Control (N = 19) Baseline Immediate post EX 30‐minute post EX Baseline Immediate post EX 30‐minute post EX SBP (mmHg) 122±14 126±11* 121±13 120±10 130±12* 121±11 DBP (mmHg) 69±9 75±8* 70±9 72±6 81±8* 74±9 MAP (mmHg) 93±10 98±8* 94±9 94±7 103±7* 96±8 mMCAv (cm/s) 64.3±14.9 62.8±13.9 60.8±14.6 69.4±13.1 69.8±14.8 69.6±14.1 PI‡ 0.97±0.14 1.04±0.19 1.02±0.14 0.87±0.12 0.89±0.15 0.86±0.14 RI‡ 0.60±0.05 0.61±0.06 0.61±0.05 0.56±0.05 0.56±0.05 0.55±0.05 Significant group difference, Significant time difference from the baseline. Mean ± SD, Significance level, p &lt; 0.05 This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

The Experimental Effects of Acute Walking on Cognitive Creativity Performance

To examine the experimental effects of acute moderate-intensity walking exercise on cognitive creativity. Twenty young adults (Mage = 21.3 yrs) completed a within-subject experimental protocol involving three trials on a single laboratory visit. Trials 1 and 2 were control trials involving creativity task performance. Following Trial 2, participants completed a 15-minute acute bout of treadmill walking exercise. After this, participants completed the Trial 3 creativity assessment. For all trials, both convergent (Remote Associates Task) and divergent (Alternative Uses Task) creativity was assessed. There was no statistically significant experimental effect of acute exercise on convergent creativity performance (F=0.48; P=.62; η2=.05). Results were similar for divergent creativity. Our findings do not provide evidence that acute walking enhances cognitive creativity.

The effect of low-load exercise on joint pain, function, and activities of daily living in patients with knee osteoarthritis

BackgroundKnee osteoarthritis has a lifetime risk of nearly one in two, with obese individuals being most susceptible. While exercise is universally recognized as a critical component for management, unsafe or ineffective exercise frequently leads to exacerbation of joint symptoms. AimEvaluate the effect of a 12week lower body positive pressure (LBPP) supported low-load treadmill walking program on knee pain, joint function, and performance of daily activities in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). DesignProspective, observational, repeated measures investigation. SettingCommunity based, multidisciplinary musculoskeletal medicine clinic. PatientsThirty-one patients, aged 50–75, with a BMI ≥25kg/m2 and radiographic confirmed mild to moderate knee OA. InterventionTwelve week LBPP treadmill walking exercise regimen. Outcome measuresThe Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) were used to quantify joint symptoms and patient function; isokinetic thigh muscle strength was evaluated; and a 10-point VAS was used to quantify acute knee pain while walking. Baseline and follow-up data were compared in order to examine the effect of the 12week exercise intervention. ResultsThere was a significant difference between baseline and follow-up data: KOOS and COPM scores both improved; thigh muscle strength increased; and acute knee pain during full weight bearing walking diminished significantly. ConclusionsParticipation in a 12week LBPP supported treadmill walking exercise regimen significantly enhanced patient function and quality of life, as well as the ability to perform activities of daily living that patient's self-identified as being important, yet difficult to perform.