The effects of Kinesio taping-combined exercise on the balance and gait ability of hemiplegic patients

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the effect of the Kinesio taping method on the balance ability and gait ability of hemiplegic stroke patients by applying it to the lower extremities of the ankle on the affected side, addressing instability and asymmetry by improving the stability of the muscles and ankle joint. Methods: This study confirmed the general characteristics of hemiplegic patients diagnosed with stroke. Kinesio taping was applied to the lower extremities of 15 subjects in the experimental group, and they performed mat and treadmill exercises. In addition, basic mat and treadmill exercises were performed by the 15 subjects in the control group. The exercise regimens were performed 18 times: three times a week for six weeks. Results: In the paired-sample T-test used for within-group comparison of BBS, TUG and stance time on nonparetic side value, there was a significant difference between pre- and post-test for experimental group. However, in the control group, there was a statistically significant difference only in TUG. In the inter-group comparison, the experimental group showed a statistically significant improvement in BBS, TUG and stance time on nonparetic side value compared to the control group. Conclusion: The experiment’s results demonstrate that the application of Kinesio taping-combined exercise provides stability of the muscles and ankle joints of the lower extremities during walking by improving balance ability, and improves overall gait stability by increasing the stance phase time of the affected side in hemiplegic stroke patients.

Physical Exercise vs. Metformin to Improve Delivery- and Newborn-Related Outcomes Among Pregnant Women With Overweight: A Network Meta-Analysis

Background: Overweight/obesity is associated with the risk of delivery- and newborn-related complications in pregnancy. Interventions such as exercise or metformin could reduce the risk of these complications.Objective: To estimate and compare the effects of different types of exercise interventions (i.e., aerobic, resistance, combined exercise) and metformin on delivery- and newborn-related outcomes among pregnant women with overweight/obesity.Methods: MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library databases and the gray literature were searched from inception to September 2021. This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CDR: 42019121715). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of metformin or an exercise intervention aimed at preventing cesarean section, preterm birth, macrosomia, or birth weight among pregnant women with overweight/obesity were included. Random effects meta-analyses and frequentist network meta-analyses (NMA) were conducted for each outcome.Results: Fifteen RCTs were included. In the NMA, metformin reduced the risk of cesarean section (RR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.46, 0.95), combined exercise reduced the risk of macrosomia (RR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.95), and aerobic exercise reduced birth weight (mean difference = −96.66 g, 95% CI: −192.45, −0.88). In the subgroup among pregnant women with obesity, metformin reduced the risk of cesarean section (RR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.45, 0.97).Conclusions: Combined exercise could reduce the risk of macrosomia in pregnant women with overweight, whereas metformin could reduce the risk of cesarean section in pregnant women with obesity. However, previous evidence suggests a larger effect of physical exercise in other outcomes for this population group. Therefore, the medicalization of healthy pregnant women with obesity is not justified by the current evidence.Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO: CRD42019121715; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42019121715

The Effect of Eight Weeks of Combined Training (Endurance-Intermittent Resistance and Endurance-Continuous Resistance) on Coagulation, Fibrinolytic and Lipid Profiles of Overweight Women

Introduction. Inflammatory and coagulation factors are among the various factors that are involved in the development of cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of eight weeks of combined training (endurance-intermittent resistance and endurance-continuous resistance) on coagulation, fibrinolytic and lipid profiles of overweight women. Material and Methods. This was a quasi-experimental study of 36 overweight women, who were divided into three groups of endurance-intermittent resistance training (n = 12), endurance-continuous resistance training (n = 12) and control (n = 12). The training was performed during eight weeks, three times a week, and each session lasted for 80 to 90 minutes. Blood samples were analyzed for the concentrations of coagulation, fibrinolytic and lipid profiles before and after the completion of the training program. Results. Fibrinogen levels, prothrombin time (PT), partial thromboplastin time (PTT) and platelet count decreased significantly at the end of the training in both intervention groups. However, serum levels of D-dimer increased significantly in both training groups. Also, the levels of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) decreased significantly, while the levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) increased significantly. Conclusions. Combined exercise improved most coagulation factors and lipid profiles at the end of the training period. Therefore, the results of our research suggest that a combined exercise program can improve the health of overweight women.