Asian Journal of Sports Medicine
Volume:14 Issue: 4, Dec 2023

 Excessive production of salivary nitric oxide (s-NO) is a risk factor for oral diseases such as Sjögren syndrome and periodontal disease. Although s-NO is known to be affected by exercise, it is unclear how the difference in exercise intensities affects the s-NO response.

 The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effect of different exercise intensities (high vs. low intensity) on s-NO production using a cross-over design.

 Five healthy male young adults (21.6 ± 0.9 years) performed two ergometer exercises for 30 min at different exercise intensities: 50% heart rate (HR)reserve (low-intensity condition) and 80% HRreserve (high-intensity condition). Saliva samples were collected before (pre) and after (post 0-h and post 1-h) exercises.

 The s-NO concentration significantly increased (P < 0.05) after the high-intensity exercise (∆changes in post 0-h; +244 ± 53 µmol/L, post 1-h; +352 ± 58 µmol/L), but the s-NO concentration did not change after the low-intensity exercise (∆changes in post 0-h; +11 ± 37 µmol/L, post 1-h; +64 ± 69 µmol/L).

 This study reveals that s-NO production is dependent on exercise intensities, suggesting that low-intensity exercise can be possible without increasing the risk of oral diseases.

 Pain is a relevant clinical symptom to ask for medical management. Since pain is a subjective sensation, its intensity is difficult to precisely assess.

 The present study aimed to determine whether heart rate variability (HRV) can be a potential parameter to evaluate the pain-relieving effect of low-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).

 Athletes with lower limb musculoskeletal injuries were voluntarily included in the study. The Pain pressure threshold (PPT) was measured before TENS, immediately after the intervention, and 24 hours after the treatment. Heart rate variability was also determined from electrocardiography (ECG) monitoring throughout the intervention.

 The HRV of 25 participants revealed that 30 minutes of low-frequency electrical stimulation immediately increased PPT (before = 2.67 ± 0.79; after = 2.92 ± 0.90, P = 0.011). Thirteen participants had more than a 10% increase in PPT after the intervention; nevertheless, three participants had a decrease in PPT. The PPT was returned to the baseline 24 hours after the intervention. Electrocardiography demonstrated that only the frequency domain of low frequency-high frequency (LF/HF) ratio was significantly increased after the intervention (before = 1.454 ± 0.739; after = 1.922 ± 1.378; P = 0.035) but not time-domain HRV. Time-domain HRV significantly decreased during the intervention before returning to the baseline. The correlation between the change in PPT is mostly correlated with LF/HF.

 Heart rate variability revealed the potential change in sympathovagal balance toward the sympathetic domain during low-frequency TENS intervention. The frequency-domain LF/HF ratio was the most sensitive parameter to be affected by pain.

 Many developmental theories have mentioned the motivation to move as a motor driver and used it to explain how children acquire new movement patterns.

 Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between motivation to move and the development of fundamental movement skills (FMS) among urban and rural preschool children in Iran.

 The statistical population of this cross-sectional study included a sample of 4-6-year-old preschool children and their caregivers from Khorramabad urban and rural areas in Iran. A sample of 400 (202 from urban areas and 198 from rural areas) were selected using stratified random sampling. Data collection tools included the Children Movement Motivation Questionnaire (CMMQ) and Test of Gross Motor Development–Third Edition (TGMD-3). The Pearson correlation coefficient and independent t-tests at a significance level of P < 0.05 were used to analyze the research data.

 In both groups of children resident in urban and rural areas, a positive and significant relationship was observed between the CMMQ and TGMD-3. A significant difference was found between urban and rural children on scores of the CMMQ and TGMD-3, with rural children scoring higher on both.

 This work provides support for the link between motivation and motor development in children. Moreover, the child's environment also has an impact on both motivation and development. Both motivation and the child's environment should be considered when developing programs that support typical development or rehabilitation plans for children who are not developing typically.

 Physical features, such as body balance and reaction time, can significantly influence the overall performance of Padel's professional athletes.

 In this paper, we aimed to compare motor performance abilities before and after exhaustion in amateur padel athletes.

 A total of 32 padel amateur athletes participated in our study and performed Y balance test trials and a complex sensometric examination to measure their capabilities before and after exhaustion by the Bruce test.

 Our results showed a significant change in both balance and reaction time before and after exhaustion (P < 0.05 for both parameters), indicating that fatigue had a negative effect on the motor performance of padel players. Cohen’s d was considered moderate (0.2 < d < 0.5) both for balance (d = 0.44) and reaction time (d = 0.41). Data suggested that amateur padel athletes struggled to maintain or improve their balance quality after long-term physical activity, showing the importance of high-intensity training for adapting the central nervous system. Reaction time is negatively affected by fatigue compared to resting reaction time due to the exhaustion effect of the muscle reception of central nervous system stimuli.

 Based on our results, focusing on body balance and reaction time training would help reduce the negative impact of fatigue, improve the effectiveness of technical abilities, increase the possibility of scoring during a competitive game, and prevent injuries. Coaches of amateur players should focus on improving the physical abilities of players and give more importance to fitness training in addition to padel training.

 Dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation) is a common health problem in women of reproductive age, affecting the individual’s health, job performance, and quality of life.

 This research investigated the effect of three ten-day yoga courses and zinc sulfate on primary dysmenorrhea in non-athlete girls.

 Forty-eight girls (18 to 25 years old) suffering from dysmenorrhea in Karaj participated in this clinical trial. Cluster sampling was used to select the subjects, and they were allocated to four groups: the placebo group, the yoga and placebo group, the zinc sulfate group, and the yoga and zinc sulfate group. Before the research, the serum levels of prostaglandin E were measured in the laboratory using the ELISA method. Then, the yoga training group (from the 22nd day of menstruation to the third day of bleeding for ten days, 45 minutes every day) performed yoga exercises. The exercise program of this research was five asanas. Also, yoga, stretching, strength training, and breathing and relaxation techniques were performed between the asanas training, which mainly involved the abdomen and lower back.

 The results showed that yoga exercises and zinc sulfate supplementation significantly affected (decreased) the levels of prostaglandin E in non-athlete girls (F1,43 = 17.564, P = 0.001, η = 0.290). Also, exercise alone affected prostaglandin E levels significantly (P < 0.05) compared to other groups. However, the supplement alone did not influence prostaglandin E levels significantly (P > 0.05). In addition, exercises and zinc sulfate supplementation significantly affected anthropometric measures.

 According to the results, three ten-day yoga exercise programs and zinc sulfate supplements improved primary dysmenorrhea.

Context:

 Recently, the use of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) tools for assessing athletes’ performance in returning to sports and neuromuscular training has experienced significant growth across all age groups. Through this technology, by utilizing laboratory facilities and creating a three-dimensional simulated sports environment that closely resembles the reality and conditions of each sports discipline, athletes can train and undergo evaluation under controlled conditions. The VR and AR systems have been used recently to prevent and rehabilitate Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries and assess the motor control of injured individuals. This scoping review aimed to investigate the impact of VR and AR exercises on ACL injury prevention, ACL rehabilitation, and expediting the return to sports process.

Evidence Acquisition: 

The scoping review follows the reporting system of systematic and meta-analysis studies (PRISMA-ScR) and utilizes the guidelines provided by the Joanna Briggs Institute for conducting various stages of work and data extraction. This study was registered in the PROSPERO database with code CRD42023446354. The search for English articles was conducted in electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, SPORT Discuss, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Cochrane, using keywords such as virtual reality, rehabilitation, injury prevention, simulation, augmented reality, ACL, and anterior cruciate ligament until the end of June 2022. Inclusion criteria encompassed any primary research involving both athletes and non-athletes across all levels (from beginners to professional) and all ages and genders (male and female) who have experienced unilateral anterior cruciate ligament injury and have undergone any type and degree of sports or therapeutic intervention using VR and AR systems.

 Twenty-six out of 204 comprehensive studies were reviewed based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results showed that biomechanical parameters related to ACL injury were measured using various methods such as real-time biofeedback, virtual reality, and augmented reality. The factors investigated showed significant changes after exercise in VR and AR environments.

 Anterior cruciate ligament injury (or any other sports injury) cannot be summarized in a single musculoskeletal dimension involving mechanical or movement dysfunction. The failure of current approaches to prevent ACL injuries, rehabilitation, and risk assessment is due to the neglect of cognitive and neurological aspects of the injury. New methods such as augmented neuromuscular training (aNMT), multidimensional rehabilitation approaches, and the utilization of virtual reality technology and novel training strategies based on the strengths of VR and AR systems (such as optimal strategy) can compensate for this scientific and practical gap.

 Despite the many therapeutic benefits of swimming, there is still conflicting evidence about its benefits for bone health and osteoporosis prevention, especially in elite swimmers according to their sex. It is known that sex differences can affect the acquisition of minerals by the bone.

 The aims of this study were to compare the bone mineral density (BMD) of swimmers with that of non-athletes (NA) and compare the corresponding values in male (MS) and female swimmers (FS).

 This cross-sectional study was performed on young athletes (18 - 24 years old) of the Iranian national swimming team, who were training for at least 11 hours per week and NA. To this end, 56 swimmers (14 males, 14 females) and NA (14 males, 14 females) were enrolled in 4 groups. The DEXA device was used to assess BMD (g/cm2) and T-scores of the proximal femur and lumbar spine.

 All the swimmers had significantly higher BMD of the femur neck, trochanter, Ward’s triangle, and lumbar spine than NA (males/females) (P < .05). Also, the BMD of FS (except in trochanter and Ward’s triangle) was significantly higher than MS (P < .05). Finally, T-scores of FS in lumbar spine and femur neck areas were significantly higher than MS and NA (P < .05).

 Unexpectedly, BMD relatively improved by performing competitive swimming. Meanwhile, FS, especially in the femur neck, seemed more adaptable to swimming-related loads and BMD acquisition in comparison to MS. Further studies are needed to determine the definitive response to bone acquisition by sex, given the limitations of the present study.

 Various methods of instructional feedback, whether provided before, during, or immediately after performance, come in different forms, such as verbal communication, educational booklets, and video technology. Choosing the most suitable feedback method is crucial to help learners pinpoint specific motion segments contributing to errors.

 This study aimed to compare 2 feedback methods and assess their impact on correcting errors in beginners’ basketball skills. The control group received verbal correction during the performance, occasionally supplemented by educational booklets. In contrast, the experimental group received immediate visual correction using video technology right after the performance.

 A total of 80 beginner learners participated in this study, randomly divided into the control group (n = 40) and the experimental group (n = 40). The experiment spanned 8 weeks, with two sessions conducted per week.

 Positive results were observed for both feedback methods when comparing pre- and post-measurements within each group. However, upon comparing post-measurement results between the two groups, the results appeared in favor of the immediate visual correction method.

 The immediate visual correction method utilizing video technology demonstrated greater effectiveness in rectifying errors in learners’ basketball skills.