muscle fitness
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2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Yuan Yang ◽  
Jia-hui Li ◽  
Nan-Jun Xu ◽  
Wei-Yi Yang ◽  
Jun Liu

Importance. Tai Chi exercise mostly involves muscle fitness with biological, biomechanical, and psychosomatic medicine in elderly rehabilitation. Increased incidents related to elderly muscle fitness deficiency tend to be an urgent public health issue. However, there is a controversy on the effects of Tai Chi exercise on muscle fitness, especially the lower body strength of the elderly. Objective. To determine whether lower body strength such as keen extension and flexion strength may be improved by Tai Chi exercise in older adults from the perspective of evidence-based medicine. Methods. Databases of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched up to July 1, 2021. Randomized clinical trials are adopted to compare Tai Chi exercise with sedentary behavior or other low intensity exercise in terms of influence on lower body strength rehabilitation, especially keen extension and flexion strength in people aged over 60. A meta-analysis was performed to discuss outcomes of lower body strength, knee muscle strength, and knee extension/flexion strength. Results. A total of 25 randomized trials involving 1995 participants fulfilled the inclusion criteria. (1) Tai Chi exercise significantly improved elderly lower body strength (−0.54, [−0.81, −0.28], p < 0.00001 , I2 = 74%), but there was no differential improvement in the strength of the knee joints (0.10, [−0.02, 0.23], p = 0.11 , I2 = 34%). (2) Elderly individual lower body strength declined with age, while this trend was suppressed by Tai Chi exercise (−0.35, [0.14, 0.56], p = 0.001 , I2 = 70%). (3) Although Tai Chi exercise did no significantly improve the large muscle group of knee joint extensor like quadriceps femoris (3.15, [−0.69, 6.99], p = 0.24 , I2 = 26%), it showed marked enhancement to the strength of deep small muscle group of knee joint flexor (10.25, [6.90, 13.61], p < 0.00001 , I2 = 0%). The heterogeneity might be caused by distinguished measurements of muscle strength. Therefore, Tai Chi exercise specifically enhanced some certain muscle strength of knee joints and improved muscle fitness rehabilitation as well as function activity for elderly. Conclusions. In this RCT meta-analysis, Tai Chi exercise has positive effects on lower body strength of elderly. Although no obvious improvement on the knee extensor is observed, it may be used as a rehabilitation treatment for training stable deep muscle groups to improve the knee flexion strength significantly.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 4373
Author(s):  
Silvia Pérez-Piñero ◽  
Vicente Ávila-Gandía ◽  
Jacobo A. Rubio Arias ◽  
Juan Carlos Muñoz-Carrillo ◽  
Pilar Losada-Zafrilla ◽  
...  

The aim of a 12-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study was to assess the effect of daily supplementation with a natural extract of Spinacia oleracea L. (4 × 500 mg capsules/day; total 2 g per day) combined with a moderate-intensity training program (1 h session/3 times a week) on skeletal muscle fitness in adults over 50 years of age. Muscle strength assessed by isokinetic and isometric dynamometry improved significantly in the experimental (n = 23) and the placebo (n = 22) groups, but the magnitude of improvement was higher in the experimental group, with between-group differences in almost all variables, including isokinetic at 60° s−1 in knee extension, peak torque (p < 0.007); total work per repetition maximum (p < 0.009); isokinetic at 180°s−1 in knee extension, peak torque (p < 0.002); total work (p < 0.007); total work per repetition maximum (p < 0.005); average power (p < 0.027); isometric in knee extension, peak torque (p < 0.005); and average peak torque (p < 0.002). Similar findings were observed for muscle quality. Changes in quality of life (SF-36) were not found, except for improvements in the role physical (p < 0.023) and role emotional (p < 0.001) domains, likely as a result of the physical training sessions. A nutritional survey did not revealed changes in dietary habits. No adverse events were recorded. In subjects over 50 years of age, moderate-intensity strength training combined with daily supplementation for 12 weeks with a natural extract of Spinacia oleracea L. improved muscle-related variables and muscle quality. Maintaining muscle health is a key component of healthy aging.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1439
Author(s):  
Rafael Melo De Oliveira ◽  
Eduardo Borba Neves ◽  
Samir Ezequiel Da Rosa ◽  
Runer Augusto Marson ◽  
Rodrigo Gomes de Souza Vale ◽  
...  

Following the increase in the employment of women in conflicts around the world, the federal government of Brazil enacted a law which determines the participation of women in the military. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of six months of physical training (PT) on the physical fitness of young Brazilian Army cadets to carry out the physical assessments provided in military training. Sixty-eight members of the (19.4 ± 1.0 years) military from the Brazilian Army (BA), with BMI of (23.61 ± 2.17/21.81 ± 2.26) respectively and divided in two groups (men/women) participated in the study. PT was conducted by Manual EB20-MC10.350. Anthropometric measurements and assessment of body composition by dual X-ray absorptiometry were performed. The Student’s t test, percentage evolution equation, and Levene test were used. Results showeda significant increase in anthropometric variables and cardiorespiratory fitness in both groups. Bone health variables and visceral fat presented a significant increase in the malegroup. In terms of muscle fitness (handgrip and isometric strength of the legs and push-up and pull-up), there was no significant variation between thegroups. Percentage evolution was greater in female group. The conclusion shows PT was able to cause beneficial changes, promoting positive improvement in bone health, especially in women. Also, PT was shown to enhance cardiorespiratory capacity, and muscle fitness of the upper limbs in all participants.


Author(s):  
Chunchun Wu ◽  
Yongjin Xu ◽  
Zhaojing Chen ◽  
Yinhang Cao ◽  
Kehong Yu ◽  
...  

Physical activity could improve the muscle fitness of youth, but the systematic analysis of physical activity elements and muscle fitness was limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to explore the influence of physical activity elements on muscle fitness in children and adolescents. We analyzed literature in Embase, EBSCO, Web of Science, and PubMed databases from January 2000 to September 2020. Only randomized controlled studies with an active control group, which examined at least 1 muscle fitness evaluation index in individuals aged 5–18 years were included. Articles were evaluated using the Jaded scale. Weighted-mean standardized mean differences (SMDs) were calculated using random-effects models. Twenty-one studies and 2267 subjects were included. Physical activity had moderate effects on improving muscle fitness (SMD: 0.58–0.96, p < 0.05). Physical activity element subgroup analysis showed that high-intensity (SMD 0.68–0.99, p < 0.05) physical activity < 3 times/week (SMD 0.68–0.99, p < 0.05), and < 60 min/session (SMD 0.66–0.76, p < 0.01) effectively improved muscle fitness. Resistance training of ≥ 3 sets/session (SMD 0.93–2.90, p < 0.01) and < 10 repetitions/set (SMD 0.93–1.29, p < 0.05) significantly improved muscle fitness. Low-frequency, high-intensity, and short-duration physical activity more effectively improves muscle fitness in children and adolescents. The major limitation of this meta-analysis was the low quality of included studies. The study was registered in PROSPERO with the registration number CRD42020206963 and was funded mainly by the Ministry of Education of Humanities and Social Science project, China.


Author(s):  
Rossana Gomez-Campos ◽  
Ruben Vidal-Espinoza ◽  
Luis Felipe Castelli Correia de Campos ◽  
Cynthia Lee Andruske ◽  
Jose Sulla-Torres ◽  
...  

The Horizontal Jump (HJ) is a daily tool that could be used to categorize the level of muscle fitness performance of the lower limbs. The goal was to compare the muscle fitness with those of international studies and to propose percentiles to assess the HJ performance of children and adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total number of 3023 children and adolescents between the ages of 6.0 to 17.9 were studied. Weight, height, waist circumference (WC), and lower limb muscle fitness were evaluated. The student HJ performance values in Chile were inferior when compared to HJ performance in Brazil, Poland and Europe. For the Greek study, differences occurred only from age 6 to 15 years old. In comparison to Colombia, students showed better muscle fitness performance. These differences appeared in childhood and lasted until the beginning of adolescence. Percentiles were created to assess the lower limb fitness being an easy tool to be used and applied to classify lower limb strength.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 459
Author(s):  
Cristianne Morgado Montenegro ◽  
Tatiana Affornali Tozo ◽  
Beatriz Oliveira Pereira ◽  
João Otacílio Libardoni Dos Santos

Introduction: Currently, postural deviations represent one of the biggest epidemiological problems among children and adolescents. Objective: To analyze whether there is an association between aerobic fitness and the level of physical activity in children and adolescents and the occurrence of postural deviations in children and adolescents. Methods: The study analyzed 380 children and adolescents, 54% female and 46% male, between 10 and 18 years old. The selected variables were: Aerobic fitness, Physical activity level, and Postural deviations. To determine the variables, Fitnessgram, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the method of photogrammetry of Postural Assessment Based on Digital Image version 3.1 were used. Results: There were statistically significant association between aerobic fitness and lumbar hyperlordosis in males (p = 0.049). Binary logistic regression adjusted for the boys' group (OR = 3.268) showed the possibility of lumbar hyperlordosis to develop three times more in boys with adequate aerobic fitness. Conclusion: Boys with lumbar hyperlordosis had satisfactory levels of aerobic fitness. Other risk factors, such as muscle fitness, seem to influence the occurrence of lumbar hyperlordosis.Keywords: posture, physical fitness, physical activity, children.


Electronics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 2147
Author(s):  
Ching-Kun Chen ◽  
Shyan-Lung Lin ◽  
Tasi-Chu Wang ◽  
Yu-Jie Lin ◽  
Chieh-Liang Wu

Physical fitness is the overall ability of the body to adapt to the working environment and perform sporting and daily activities. The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between muscle fitness and the electromyography (EMG) signals of lower limbs under varying exercise intensity. The standing long jump was used as a test task for assessing the power of the lower limb muscles. Participants were university freshmen who belonged to the top 20%, middle 20%, and bottom 20% groups in terms of physical fitness norms. The EMG signals of the participants’ lower limbs while they performed squats were collected under four exercise intensities of repetitions maximum (RM): no load, 8RM, 18RM, and 28RM; the features of the signals were extracted using time-domain and frequency-domain analysis. Statistical analysis was also performed. The top and bottom groups exhibited significant differences time-domain indicators mean absolute value (MAV) and average amplitude change (AAC) in the low-intensity exercise (28RM). The MAV, variance of EMG (VAR), root mean square (RMS), and AAC were significantly different between the top and bottom groups in the three graded intensities (8RM, 18RM, and 28RM). The mean frequency (MNF) and median frequency (MDF), which are frequency-domain indicators, were significantly different between the top and bottom groups in the low-intensity (28RM) and moderate-intensity (18RM) exercises.


Author(s):  
Marko Jezdimirović ◽  
Anđela Đošić ◽  
Stefan Đorđević ◽  
Tomislav Okičić

The aim of this research was to examine the effects of a 6-week off-season period on body composition and muscle fitness in young soccer players. A total of 48 young soccer players, randomly selected for the experimental group-EG (n=24; Age: 16.83±1.14 years; Height: 175.35±6.68 cm) and control group-CG (n=24; Age: 16.80±1.19 years; Height: 178.18±6.97 cm) took part in this research. The variables of body composition (body mass, body fat mass and BMI) and muscle fitness (CMJ, CMJAS, 20m sprint, slalom test and slalom test with ball) were measured. The first testing session (TS1) took place immediately after the end of the competition period. The second testing session (TS2) was after 2 weeks and the third testing session (TS3) was after 6 weeks from the beginning of the preparation period. Statistically significant differences were found after TS2 and TS3 in all the variables (p<0.05) except in the variables of agility (slalom test and slalom test with a ball) in CG. A significant difference in the experimental group after TS2 was found in the 20m sprint (p<0.05) and after TS3 in body mass (p<0.05), body fat mass (p<0.05), BMI (p<0.05) and the 20m sprint (p<0.05). An effect size analysis showed significant increases after TS2 between EG and CG in the variable body fat mass (ES=-0.73, moderate) and significant decreases in the variable CMJAS (ES=0.60, moderate). Significant increases after TS3 between EG and CG were found in the variable body fat mass (ES=-0.93, moderate) and significant decreases in both the variable of jumping performance CMJ (ES=0.81, moderate) and CMJAS (ES=0.91, moderate).


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