Exercise Related Respiratory Problems in the Young—Is It Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction or Laryngeal Obstruction?

Complaints of breathlessness during heavy exercise is common in children and adolescents, and represent expressions of a subjective feeling that may be difficult to verify and to link with specific diagnoses through objective tests. Exercise-induced asthma and exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction are two common medical causes of breathing difficulities in children and adolescents that can be challenging to distinguish between, based only on the complaints presented by patients. However, by applying a systematic clinical approach that includes rational use of tests, both conditions can usually be diagnosed reliably. In this invited mini-review, we suggest an approach we find feasible in our everyday clinical work.

A Cloth Facemask Causes No Major Respiratory or Cardiovascular Perturbations during Moderate to Heavy Exercise

Objectives: To investigate whether wearing a cloth facemask could affect physiological and perceptual responses to exercise at distinct exercise intensities in non-trained men and women. Methods: In a crossover design, participants (17 men and 18 women) underwent a progressive square-wave test at four intensities (i. at 80% of the ventilatory anerobic threshold [80%VAT]; ii. at VAT; iii. at the respiratory compensation point [RCP]; iv. at exercise peak [Peak] to exhaustion), with or without a triple-layered cloth mask (Mask or No-Mask). Several physiological, metabolic and perceptual measures were analyzed. Results: Mask reduced inspiratory capacity at all exercise intensities vs. No-Mask (p<0.0001), irrespective of sex. Mask reduced respiratory frequency vs. No-Mask (p=0.001) at Peak (-8.3 breaths/min; CI: -5.8, -10.8), RCP (-6.9 breaths/min; CI: -4.6, -9.2) and VAT (-6.5 breaths/min; CI: -4.1, -8.8), but not at Baseline or at 80%VAT. Mask also reduced tidal volume (p<0.0001) at both RCP (-0.5L; CI: -0.3, -0.6) and Peak (-0.8L; CI: -0.6, -0.9), but not at Baseline, 80%VAT or VAT. Shallow breathing index was increased with Mask at Peak compared to No-Mask (11.3; CI: 7.5, 15.1), but not at any other intensities. Mask did not change heart rate, lactate, ratings of perceived exertion, blood pressure or oxygen saturation. Conclusions: Wearing a cloth facemask during exercise at moderate to heavy intensities is unlikely to incur significant respiratory or cardiovascular changes, irrespective of sex. These data can inform new exercise recommendations for health during the COVID-19 pandemic and debunk unfounded allegations of harmful effects of masks during exercise. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04887714

Hyperlactatemia and lactate acidosis in the practice of pediatricians

Assessment of blood lactate / lactic acid levels by a General pediatrician is sometimes difficult. Lactate is a product of cellular metabolism of glucose, fatty acids, and some interchangeable amino acids. The norm of lactate in the blood is not defined by international standards, so it depends on the methodology and reagents used in the laboratory. The level of lactate in the blood is the result of an equilibrium between the processes of its formation and utilization. The leading causes of increased blood lactate are anaerobic muscle activity (heavy exercise, seizures), impaired liver and kidney function, lung and heart diseases (respiratory failure, circulatory failure), diabetes, sepsis, regional tissue circulatory disorders (burns and injuries), shocks, some severe abnormalities in the condition of newborns, mitochondrial diseases, and medications. Lactatacidosis is a rare dangerous complication caused by certain pathological conditions (diseases or syndromes), which can end in death. Identification of the cause of lactic acidosis and differential diagnosis of its type is a crucial factor for choosing a treatment strategy. Lactatacidotic coma in diabetes mellitus is a rare, but possible complication, that requires intensive complex treatment in intensive care units. The pediatrician should be able to assess the level of lactate in the blood, analyze the possible causes of hyperlactatemia, and know the algorithm of actions in the development of lactate acidosis.

Biochemical Markers of Ovarian Reserve in Females, Effect of Exercise on Such Reserves

Background: Female who are in fertile period of their life and prefer a sedentary life style rather than performing regular physical exercise, whether light or heavy exercise show different hormonal pattern which effect their physical health. Such hormonal changes are directly related to the level of ovarian reserve of hormones which are negatively affected by lack of exercise. The ovarian pool of hormones decline with age and also lack of physical exercise. Among the large pool of biochemical markers AMH (anti-mullerian hormone) appears to be the most important and helpful indicator of ovarian reserve. Inclusion criteria: Healthy females between 25 to 35 years of age were included in the study. Exclusion criteria: Females below 25 years and above 35 years of age were excluded from the study, in addition those females having some medical problem or using some medication were also excluded from the study. Material and Methods: 20 females consented to participate in the study who were divided in two groups. These females were living a sedentary life before they joined the gymnasium. One group was subjected to light aerobic exercise and other group to heavy physical exercise. Tests before the start of study were conducted and were repeated after 08 weeks of study to observe the effect of both exercises on the ovarian reserves of different hormones. Results: The comparison between both groups were observed, the values before and after exercise has a remarkable difference, a decrease in values were observed in body weight, BMI, waist and hip ratio after exercise. Slight reduction in E2 and FSH level after aerobic exercises was observed. Whereas in heavy exercise group significant difference i.e. increase in level of FSH was observed at the same time, significant decrease in AMH level was also observed. The difference between E2 and LH had no significance in heavy exercise group. Conclusion: Those females who were living sedentary life and performed light aerobic exercise, even for a longer time period did not showed significant change in the E2, LH, FSH and AMH level of hormones. However, heavy exercise reduces the level of AMH and increases the level of FSH. These finding suggest heavy exercise may affect fertility in a negative way especially in females with low ovarian reserves. Keywords: Exercise, spinning, ovarian reserve, AMHh anti-mullerian hormone

The Motor Function Evaluation of College Students’ Physical Activity State From the Perspective of Educational Psychology

College students have taken part in less and less physical activities as a result of the common static lifestyle in recent years, lowering the level of motor function. This phenomenon has been a source of concern for schools and the government, and it is necessary to take corresponding measures to change it. The general motor function level of Chinese college students is explored first based on artificial intelligence and the human–computer interaction technology. The Physical Activity Questionnaire for College Students is compiled by referring to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and 561 students from colleges in Tianjin province are assessed based on the functional movement screen (FMS). Spearman correlation and multivariate regression analysis (MRA) are used to analyze the correlation between the motor function and physical activity status. In terms of lunch break frequency, the proportion of students having one to two lunch breaks in a week is the highest (54.15%); in terms of the frequency of doing moderate physical exercise, the proportion of students doing moderate physical exercise for 1–2 days in a week is the highest (50.61%); in terms of the frequency of doing heavy physical exercise, the proportion of students doing heavy exercise for 1–2 days in a week is the highest (47.26%); in terms of the sedentary time, the proportion of students with sedentary time more than 5 h in a day is the highest (40.61%); in terms of eye use time, the proportion of students with 8–10 h eye use time in a day is the highest (43.61%). Besides, in terms of the FMS score, the proportion of students with 13–15 FMS is the highest (48.46%). The hurdle step (21.03%), straight knee lift (22.52%), and body rotation stability (18.31%) have a relatively low proportion among the three-point items. There is a positive correlation between motor function score with the time of moderate exercise and the time of heavy exercise (P &lt; 0.05). College students generally have insufficient rest time, long eye use time, and long sitting time, leading to a low level of motor function, manifested by an asymmetry between both sides of the body and poor trunk stability. It is recommended to add hurdling steps, straight knee lifts, and body rotation stability tests to college physical education courses.

COMPARISON OF SOME BIOCHEMICAL VARIABLES DURING KICKBOXING COMPETITIONS

Background: Kickboxing is a high-intensity, intermittent combat sport, which is characterized by short-term complex abilities and tactical key movements. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the factors related to variability in potential biochemical parameters and competition behavior of high-level kickboxing athletes. Methods: Blood samples of athletes, which were obtained pre- and post-maximal competition applied in accordance with the period, were investigated. In the study, a total of 50 athletes, which consisted of 39 male and 11 female amateur athletes with a mean age of 20.08 ± 6.33. Results: Significant differences were determined in the Body Mass Index (BMI) values between females and males. It was determined that athletes’ Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), Alanine Transaminase (ALT), Total Oxidant Level (TOL) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) values were significantly increased pre- and post-competition while it was determined that Total Antioxidant Level (TAL) were significantly decreased (p<0.05). According to the findings, it was observed that there were statistically significant differences between serum antioxidant, oxidant and liver enzymes of amateur level kickboxing athletes pre- and post-competition. Conclusion: In conclusion, considering the effects of effects of strikes received on the chest area and the effects of the liver, which is located in the intersection of all metabolic pathways, on muscle, increases in liver enzymes is an ordinary situation. It was finally observed that the strikes received caused increases in liver enzyme levels while decreased TAL and increased TOL levels were encountered based on antioxidant enzyme levels spent for removing the free radicals formed as a result of heavy exercise. <p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0746/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Sudden Paralysis in an American Football Player! Monster Football?

This case of ascending paralysis, following an episode of diarrhea, was initially misinterpreted as Guillain-Barré syndrome. The prominent hypokalemia led to the search for other differential diagnoses, initially interpreted as a rare case of periodic hypokalemic paralysis, which usually occurs in Asians after intake of large amounts of starch foods, such as Spaghetti, or rest after heavy exercise. In this case, the reason for the hypokalemia with associated paralysis was caused by a hyperhyreosis factitia through denied intake of T3.

Electromyographic Comparison of Flywheel Inertial Leg Curl and Nordic Hamstring Exercise Among Soccer Players

Purpose: The Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) has been shown to considerably reduce hamstring injuries among soccer players. However, as the load in the NHE is the person’s own bodyweight, it is a very heavy exercise and difficult to individualize. The flywheel inertial leg curl (FLC) could be an alternative since the eccentric overload is based on the amount of work produced in the concentric movement. Therefore, the primary aim of this study was to compare the activation in the hamstrings at long muscle lengths in the NHE and the FLC in amateur soccer players. Methods: Fifteen male amateur soccer players performed 5 repetitions in each exercise in a randomized and counterbalanced order. The concentric and eccentric movements were divided into lower and upper phases. Surface EMG was measured distally, proximally, and in the middle, at both muscles. Results: In the lower phase in the eccentric movement, there were no significant differences between the 2 exercises (P = .101–.826). In the lower concentric movement, the FLC led to higher activation in all parts of both the biceps femoris (31%–52%, P < .001) and the semitendinosus (20%–35%, P = .001–.023). Conclusion: Both exercises activated the hamstrings similarly at long muscle lengths during eccentric contractions (Nordic hamstring, nonsignificantly higher). However, when performing concentric contractions, the FLC induced higher activations. Therefore, the FLC could be a useful alternative to the NHE and particularly suitable for weaker athletes before progressing to NHE.

EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF VERY HEAVY EXERCISE ON MUSCLE ACTIVITY BY TENSIOMYOGRAPHY IN PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL PLAYERS

Aim: This study was carried out to investigate the changes in muscle contraction parameters after very heavy exercise in professional football players with Tensiomyography, which is a non-invasive method. Method: Professional licensed football players in the A team of the team they play in the Turkish Super League (n = 11), whose age is 27.27 ± 1.55 years, weight is 74.82 ± 1.83kg, and height is 178.1 ± 1.76cm. participated. Tensiomyography measurements are bilateral m. The first measurement was taken from the rectus femoris muscle before heavy exercise (MET = 11) and the second measurement after it. In the measurements made, the muscle; Contraction time (Tc), maintenance time (Ts), relaxation time (Tr), displacement (Dm), lag time (Td) and contraction velocity (Vc) were evaluated. GraphPad Prism 9.0 program was used to analyze the data. Results: In the measurements made, a statistically significant decrease was observed in Dm, Td and Vc values in the right and left extremities compared to the 1st and 2nd measurements (p <0.05). Conclusion: As a result of our study, the change of muscle contraction properties with the acute effect of heavy exercise was performed with tensiography was evaluated. It was observed that heavy exercise created significant differences in muscle displacement, contraction speed and lag time. It is a passive, non-invasive and easy method for evaluating the performance and muscle activities of athletes after heavy exercise. tensiomyography needs to be investigated with further studies.