Grounded in social facilitation theory, this study compared the impact on exercise intensity of a virtual versus a live competitor, when riding a virtual reality-enhanced stationary bike ("cybercycle"). It was hypothesized that competitiveness would moderate effects. Twenty-three female college students were exposed to three conditions on a cybercycle: solo training, ...

Little is known about how women who exercise during pregnancy are perceived. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the positive exercise stereotype (i.e., the general tendency for exercisers to be evaluated more positively than nonexercisers) extends to pregnancy. Adult women (N = 202, mean age = 38.55 ...

It was investigated if athletes subjected to four weeks of living in normobaric hypoxia (3,000 m; 16 h × day(-1)) while training at 800 - 1,300 m ("Live High - Train Low", LHTL) increase muscular and systemic capacity for maintaining pH and K(+) homeostasis as well as intense exercise performance. ...

Given the transient nature of exercise-induced improvements in insulin sensitivity, it has been speculated that daily exercise is preferred to maximize the benefits of exercise for glycemic control. The current study investigates the impact of daily exercise versus exercise performed every other day on glycemic control in type 2 diabetic ...

D-dimer, microparticles, and p-selectin are venous thrombotic risk markers. Elevated p-selectin is associated with increased cardiovascular events. We examined the effects of exercise and air travel on the markers of vascular risk in marathon runners. Forty-one persons participating in the 114th Boston Marathon (April 19, 2010) were divided into travel ...

To assess the association between very short daily non-exercise physical activity (PA) lasting <5 min and metabolic syndrome (MS). A total of 42 females (50 ± 6 years) wore a pedometer with a one-axial accelerometer (Lifecorder, Kenz, Japan) to determine the time and the frequency of PA and the moderate to vigorous intensity PA ...

Although the development of early-onset dementia is a radical and invalidating experience for both patient and family there are hardly any non-pharmacological studies that focus on this group of patients. One type of a non-pharmacological intervention that appears to have a beneficial effect on cognition in older persons without dementia ...

Background. Tai Chi is a traditional Chinese medicine exercise used for improving neuromuscular function. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Tai Chi versus proprioception exercise program on neuromuscular function of the ankle in elderly people. Methods. Sixty elderly subjects were randomly allocated into three groups of 20 subjects ...

This work encourages the exercise of consideration, observation and critical reading of the design of handbags and the relation to the conditions imposed by tropical climate. Our purpose is to highlight some critical and conceptual thoughts on the matter of the design of fashion accessories in Brazil, ergonomics and aesthetic- ...

Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine the database indexing of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for a meta-analysis addressing the effects of exercise on pain and physical function in adults with arthritis and other rheumatic diseases (AORD). Methods. The number, percentage, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for included ...

The tropical climate is unique in that the seasons are dominated by the movement of the tropical rain belt, resulting in dry and wet seasons rather than the four-seasonal pattern of changes in temperature and day length seen in other parts of the world. Humid tropics are characterized by consistently ...

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic disease characterized by the focal deterioration and abrasion of articular cartilage. The goals of therapy are preserving normal joint function, relieving pain and improving quality of life (QOL). This study is performed to investigate whether glocosamine sulfate and exercise could both delay joint structure ...

Strength improvement of the shoulder muscles is a major goal in rehabilitation or athletic conditioning programs. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of shoulder core exercises on the isometric torque of glenohumeral joint movements. A total of 36 healthy females with no history of shoulder injury ...

Impedance cardiography is a noninvasive technique, based on sensing the variation in the electrical impedance of the thorax caused by variation in the blood volume during the cardiac cycle, for monitoring the stroke volume and some other cardiovascular indices. Respiratory and motion artifacts cause baseline drift in the sensed impedance ...

BACKGROUND: Exercise-induced left bundle branch block (EI-LBBB) is an infrequent finding. Its prevalence and prognostic significance are not clear. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate, in a longitudinal study, the prevalence and prognostic significance of EI-LBBB in American war veterans. METHODS: We evaluated 9,623 patients submitted to an exercise test (ET) in treadmill ...

Background: We wished to investigate potential causes of dialysis-induced hypotension (DIH), including the attenuated cardiovascular response to sympathetic system activation during exercise and myocardial dysfunction. Methods: This study included 26 end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with DIH, 30 ESRD patients without DIH (Non-DIH), and 30 control subjects. Each patient was ...

Aim:  In recent years blood sphingolipids attracted much attention and have been implicated in both pathophysiology and prevention of cardiovascular diseases and insulin resistance. However, factors affecting concentration and metabolism of sphingolipids in blood remain poorly recognized. We have previously found that exercise alters skeletal muscle sphingolipid metabolism. This finding ...

Exercise is a cornerstone of diabetes management and the prevention of incident diabetes. However, the impact of the mode of exercise on cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in type 2 diabetes is unclear. We conducted a systematic review of the literature between 1970 and October 2009 in representative databases for the ...

Although the role of psychological risk factors has been underemphasized, considerable evidence indicates the adverse effects of various psychosocial stressors in the pathogenesis and recovery from cardiovascular diseases. Substantial data, especially from cardiac rehabilitation and exercise training programs, have demonstrated the role of physical activity, exercise training, and cardiorespiratory fitness, ...

For most of human history, the environmental demands of survival necessitated prodigious amounts of physical exertion. The avoidance of predators, hunting, gathering, and the literal "chopping wood and carrying water" of daily existence provided a wholesome dose of physical activity that obviated the need for deliberate exercise. Nevertheless, 21st century ...

It was recently demonstrated that musculoarticular (MA) stiffness is related to sprint cycling performance in nonfatigued conditions. This study examined whether relatively stiffer cyclists were more effective at sprinting under fatigued conditions, as occurs during endurance cycling competitions. MA stiffness of the quadriceps was assessed in 21 trained male cyclists ...

PURPOSES:: To assess the cardiovascular responses during constant load walking and to identify predictors of this response in peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients. METHODS:: Seventy-nine patients with PAD performed a constant load treadmill test (2 mph, 0% grade). During the test, systolic blood pressure (BP), diastolic BP, and heart rate ...

Exercise adaptations result from a coordinated response of multiple organ systems, including cardiovascular, pulmonary, endocrine-metabolic, immunologic, and skeletal muscle. Among these, the cardiovascular system is the most directly affected by exercise, and it is responsible for many of the important acute changes occurring during physical training. In recent years, the ...

Longevity and reduced mortality and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality and morbidity compared with the general population are described among former athletes in a few studies only. The aim of the study was to assess the outcomes of mortality and CVD morbidity after 30 years follow-up in long-term cross country skiers. ...

The presynaptic norepinephrine transporter (NET) mediates synaptic clearance and recycling of norepinephrine. NET-deficient transgenic mice have elevated blood pressure (BP), heart rate, and catecholamine concentrations. However, the in-vivo effects of common NET variants on cardiovascular regulation at rest and during exercise are unknown. We studied cardiovascular responses and plasma catecholamine ...

Sildenafil improves oxygen delivery and maximal exercise capacity at very high altitudes (≥4,350 m), but it is unknown whether sildenafil improves these variables and longer-duration exercise performance at moderate and high altitudes where competitions are more common. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of sildenafil on cardiovascular ...

Research regarding the benefits of exercise for cardiovascular and metabolic health is extensive and well-documented. However, weight-bearing exercise may not be suitable for individuals with orthopaedic or musculoskeletal limitations, excess adiposity or other medical conditions. Water-based exercise may provide an attractive alternative to land-based exercise for achieving improved health and ...

Physical activity, exercise training and fitness are associated with decreased cardiovascular risk. In the context that a risk factor "gap" exists in the explanation for the beneficial effects of exercise on cardiovascular disease, it has recently been proposed that exercise generates hemodynamic stimuli which exert direct effects on the vasculature ...

Physical activity and exercise training (ET) enhance overall cardiorespiratory fitness (ie, fitness), thus producing many benefits in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Substantial evidence also indicates that acute and chronic inflammation is involved in the development and progression of atherosclerosis and major cardiovascular events. The most commonly ...

Lake, JP, Lauder, MA, and Smith, NA. Does side dominance affect the symmetry of barbell end kinematics during lower-body resistance exercise? J Strength Cond Res 25(3): 872-878, 2011-The aim of this study was to examine whether ground kinetic asymmetries significantly affected measures of bar end power output during bilateral lower-body ...

This case study was done to determine whether physical fitness plays a part in performing flute repertoire. Most repertoire allows performers the choice of where to breathe. However, there exists a "brute" repertoire where breathing is prescribed by the composer, which poses physical challenges for performers. The author contrasted pieces ...

We have shown previously that combined short-arm centrifuge and aerobic exercise training preserved several physiologically important cardiovascular functions in humans. We hypothesized that artificial gravity (AG) and exercise is effective to prevent changes of physical problems during head-down bed rest (HDBR). To test this hypothesis, 12 healthy male subjects had ...

BACKGROUND: The molecular mechanisms of exercise training induced cardiovascular protection are poorly understood. There is growing evidence that reactive oxygen species may be involved in a number of these adaptations and that antioxidants may be used to investigate this effect. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of exercise training and/or antioxidant ...

Bunker, DJ, Rhea, MR, Simons, T, and Marin, PJ. The use of whole-body vibration as a golf warm-up. J Strength Cond Res 25(2): 293-297, 2011-The purpose of this case series was to test the effectiveness of an active warm-up for recreational golfers using a whole-body vibration (WBV) platform. The variables ...

Psychological factors such as stress and depression have already been established as primary and secondary cardiovascular risk factors. More recently, the role of anxiety in increasing cardiac risk has also been studied. The underlying mechanisms of increased cardiac risk in panic disorder patients seem to reflect the direct and indirect ...

Mielke, M, Housh, TJ, Hendrix, CR, Zuniga, J, Camic, CL, Schmidt, RJ, and Johnson, GO. A test for determining critical heart rate using the critical power model. J Strength Cond Res 25(2): 504-510, 2011-The purposes of this study were to (a) determine if the mathematical model that has previously been ...

Regular aerobic exercise at moderate intensities and an increased physical fitness are associated with a reduced risk of fatal and nonfatal coronary events in middle-aged individuals. In contrast, moderate and vigorous physical exertion is associated with an increased risk for cardiac events, including sudden cardiac death in individuals harbouring cardiovascular ...

Chronic administration of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) can generate serious cardiovascular side effects such as arterial hypertension (HTA) in clinical and sport fields. It is hypothesized that nitric oxide (NO) can protect from noxious cardiovascular effects induced by chronic administration of rHuEPO. On this base, we studied the cardiovascular effects ...

Exercise has been shown to have positive effects on the brain and cognition in healthy older adults, though no study has directly examined possible cognitive benefits of formal exercise programs in persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) living in structured facilities. Thirty-one participants completed neuropsychological testing and measures of cardiovascular ...

Dynamic exercise evokes sustained blood pressure and heart rate (HR) increases. Although it is well accepted that there is a CNS mediation of cardiovascular adjustments during dynamic exercise, information on the role of specific CNS structures is still limited. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BST) is involved in ...

Current studies intimate the fetal cardiovascular and respiratory systems benefit from exercise throughout pregnancy. These changes persist after birth suggesting that exercise exposure has long-term health benefits lasting into adulthood. Individuals exposed to exercise in utero show no signs of cardiovascular disease (CVD) as adults. Considering the pandemic of CVD ...

Does exercise using a gaming console result in similar cardiovascular demand and energy expenditure as formally prescribed exercise in adults with cystic fibrosis? How do these patients perceive gaming console exercise? Randomised cross-over trial with concealed allocation and intention-to-treat analysis. 19 adults with cystic fibrosis admitted to hospital for treatment ...

The respiratory pattern is often modified or even blocked during flexibility exercises, but little is known about the cardiovascular response to concomitant stretching and the Valsalva maneuver (VM) in healthy subjects. This study evaluated the heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and rate-pressure product (RPP) during and after large ...

To examine whether central command contributes differently to the cardiovascular responses during voluntary static exercise engaged by different muscle groups, we encouraged healthy subjects to perform voluntary and electrically-evoked involuntary static exercise of ankle dorsal and plantar flexion. Each exercise was conducted with 25% of the maximum voluntary force of ...

The discovery of circulating angiogenic cells (CACs) with cardiovascular regenerative potential has transformed our understanding of the health and maintenance of cardiovascular tissues. We will describe the influence of acute exercise and exercise training on CAC characteristics and evidence for mechanisms that may be important in the optimization of CAC ...

It is well known that regular physical exercise alter cardiac function and autonomic modulation of heart rate variability (HRV). The paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus (PVN) is an important site of integration for autonomic and cardiovascular responses, where nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role. The aim of our study was ...

The aim of this review was to examine the physiological effects of vibration exercise (VbX), including the cardiovascular indices and to elucidate its potential use for those with compromised health. VbX has long been acknowledged as a potential modality in sport, exercise, and health sectors. Muscle force and power have ...

Eleven male judoka, who compete at national level, were recruited with the aim of investigating changes in peak leg power as a result of successive judo bouts and their relationship with lactate production. The participants executed a force-velocity curve to determine peak power in a 908 squat exercise in concentric ...

Resting heart rate (which ranges from 60 to 80 bpm) is one of the simplest cardiovascular parameters, and has been considered as a predictor of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. To determine the predictive value of resting heart rate (RHR) before exercise stress testing (ET) for cardiovascular (CV) and all-cause mortality. ...

We investigated the difference in the cadence-efficiency relationship between young and older competitive cyclists. Eight young (24.3 ± 5.3 yr) and eight older (65.6 ± 2.8 yr) competitive cyclists participated in two laboratory sessions. The first consisted of an incremental maximal cycling test to determine the freely chosen pedal cadence ...