Despite clear recommendations on the minimal amount of physical activity for achieving health benefits and reducing risk of chronic disease, the majority of people in the Western world remain sedentary. As a 'lack of time' has been identified as one of the main barriers to becoming and remaining physically active, in the past decade research has focused on high-intensity interval training (HIT) as a time-efficient alternative to aerobic exercise. Although initial studies convincingly demonstrated equal or better health benefits with various HIT protocols compared to much larger volumes of aerobic exercise, these HIT protocols tend to be very strenuous and as such are unlikely to be adhered to by sedentary populations. Furthermore, most HIT protocols are not as time-efficient as sometimes claimed, with the total time per exercise session generally exceeding 20-30 minutes. This thesis aimed to characterise the effects of a novel reduced-exertion HIT (ReHIT) protocol, requiring a maximum of 2 x 20 s all-out sprint efforts in a 10 min training session, upon insulin sensitivity, aerobic capacity, glycogen utilisation and associated acute metabolic responses. The ReHIT exercise bouts were well tolerated by participants, but were associated with a substantial disturbance of physiological homeostasis including muscle glycogen degradation, lactate accumulation, excursions in plasma volume, post-exercise oxygen consumption, respiratory exchange ratio and heart rate, as well as a skeletal muscle signalling response through AMPK, and increases in skeletal muscle GLUT4 and PGC1α mRNA expression (Chapter 4 and 5). The combined training studies (n=49) provide some support for improvements in key disease biomarkers following ReHIT, with improvements in insulin sensitivity observed in men, and increased aerobic capacity observed in men and women (Chapter 7). These observations highlight a potential regulatory role for glycogen in exercise-induced adaptation. However, the mean improvements in insulin sensitivity in men were not consistent between the two training studies (Chapter 2 and 6), and there was a high level of variability observed between individuals (Chapter 6 and 7). Therefore, the impact of ReHIT on insulin sensitivity needs to be further explored in the context of a randomised controlled trial, and the mechanisms underpinning the large variability in adaptive response need to be characterised.

This meta-analysis investigated the association of gender and socioeconomic position with cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescents. Public health professionals know the importance of physical activity level as a modifiable behavior; however, the literature has revealed that more research is needed on the association of sociodemographic variables like gender and socioeconomic position with cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescents. Using the physical fitness and health outcomes conceptual model as a guide, the overall effect sizes across studies were assessed as well as the moderators of study design, sample size, age, and country. A systematic review of literature identified a total of 18 peer-reviewed studies meeting inclusion criteria, which yielded a total of 41 unique effect sizes. Meta-analysis utilizing a random effects model indicated that gender and socioeconomic position are associated with cardiorespiratory fitness and that age and country moderated these effects. The positive social change implication of this meta-analysis may provide evidence-based knowledge to public health officials, physical educators, and health educators who are considering changes in school health promotion policies and health promotion interventions geared toward different gender and socioeconomic groups. Long term results include increased physical activity, decreased clustered cardiovascular risk factors, and lowered all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality as adolescents track into adulthood.

Nugaros smegenų pažeidimas pasireiškia motorinių, sensorinių ir vegetacinių funkcijų pokyčiais. Pažeidus nugaros smegenis, žmogus patiria motorikos, jutimų bei šlapimo pūslės ir žarnyno funkcijos sutrikimų, kurie būna pagrindiniai veiksniai, lemiantys negalią. Asmenų patyrusių nugaros smegenų pažeidimus savarankiškumą lemia pažeidimo lygis, laipsnis, amžius ir lytis. Asmenys su nugaros smegenų pažeidimais susiduria su judėjimo problemomis tiesiogiai dėl pažeidimo ir pažeidimo simptomų dažniausiai veda sėslų gyvenimo būdą ir yra fiziškai neaktyvūs, todėl jų aerobinio pajėgumo rodikliai gerokai mažesni nei įgaliųjų. Tyrimo tikslas – nustatyti ir įvertinti sportuojančių ir nesportuojančių neįgaliųjų asmenų su skirtingais nugaros pažeidimais aerobinį pajėgumą rankų ergometrijos metu amžiaus ir pažeidimo trukmės aspektais. Uždaviniai : 1. Nustatyti ir įvertinti sportuojančių ir nesportuojančių asmenų su nugaros smegenų pažeidimais aerobinio pajėgumo rodiklius priklausančius nuo pažeidimo lygio. 2. Nustatyti ir įvertinti sportuojančių ir nesportuojančių asmenų su nugaros smegenų pažeidimais aerobinio pajėgumo rodiklius pagal amžių. 3. Nustatyti ir įvertinti sportuojančių ir nesportuojančių asmenų su nugaros smegenų pažeidimais aerobinio pajėgumo rodiklius priklausančius nuo pažeidimo trukmės. Tyrimas buvo atliekamas paraplegikų asociacijoje „Landšafto terapijos ir rekreacijos centre“ Monciškėse. Buvo ištirta 21 asmuo su nugaros smegenų pažeidimais. Tyrimo metodai:... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Motor, sensory and vegetative deficits are well-known consequences of spinal cord injury. Spinal cord injury is associated with motor, sensory, urinary and bowel systems dysfunction, which are leading causes of disability. Level and degree of injury, age and gender are determinants of independency of person with spinal cord injury. Persons with spinal cord injuries often are not physically active and lead a sedentary life because of subsequences of spinal cord injury, thus their aerobic capacity is lower than able-bodies. Aim of research: Ascertain and evaluate the aerobic performance of persons with different spinal cord injuries during arm ergometry. Goals: 1. Ascertain and evaluate taking and not taking part in sports persons with spinal cord injuries aerobic performance dependent from spinal cord injuries levels. 2. Ascertain and evaluate taking and not taking part in sports persons with spinal cord injuries aerobic performance dependent from age. 3. Ascertain and evaluate taking and not taking part in sports persons with spinal cord injuries aerobic performance dependent from lesion time. The researches were carried out in paraplegics association. In this research participate 21 persons with spinal cord injuries. Research methods – Constantly increasing continuous physical loads have been applied to all persons with spinal cord injuries by using a arm ergometer “Monark”. The wheel frequency was 70 times/ min (rotations). The persons gas analyzer „Oxygon Mobile“... [to full text]

Judėjimo funkcijų praradimas po nugaros smegenų traumos gali įtakoti sėslų gyvenimo būdą. Fizinio aktyvumo sumažėjimas veda prie organizmo būklės pablogėjimo ir jėgos mažėjimo atliekant fizinį darbą. Taip pat žmonių, turinčių stuburo smegenų pažeidimus, kasdienis aktyvumas nėra pakankamas, kad sustabdytų fizinio pajėgumo prastėjimą. Fizinio pajėgumo trūkumas atliekant įvairias užduotis, gali būti rimta kliūtis savarankiškumui, ir priversti žmogų būti priklausomu nuo aplinkinių pagalbos. Šis regresavimo procesas atliekant fizines treniruotes gali būti grįžtamasis. Tyrimo problema : ar dviej�� savaičių intensyvi aerobinio lavinimo programa veiksmingai įtakoja asmenų su stuburo smegenų pažeidimais aerobinių pajėgumo rodiklių didėjimą? Tyrimo tikslas : nustatyti ir įvertinti trumpalaikės ir intensyvios treniruočių programos įtaką, asmenų, turinčių skirtingus nugaros smegenų pažeidimus, aerobinio pajėgumo rodikliams. Uždaviniai : 1. Nustatyti ir įvertinti tiriamųjų turinčių aukštus nugaros smegenų pažeidimus (Th1-Th7) aerobinio pajėgumo rodiklių pokytį po treniruočių ciklo. 2. Nustatyti ir įvertinti tiriamųjų turinčių vidutinius nugaros smegenų pažeidimus (Th8-L1) aerobinio pajėgumo rodiklių pokytį po treniruočių ciklo. 3. Nustatyti ir įvertinti tiriamųjų turinčių minimalias judėjimo negalias aerobinio pajėgumo rodiklių pokytį po treniruočių ciklo. Tyrimo hipotezė: Intensyvi 2 savaičių aerobinio pajėgumo lavinimo programa gali pagerinti asmenų, turinčių stuburo smegenų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Losing motional functions after spinal cord injury may influence sedentary life manner. Reduction of physical activity leads to body impairment and decreased force during physical work. Also everyday activity of individuals, having spinal cord injury, is not sufficient to stop decline of physical capability. Lack of capability while doing various tasks may be serious difficulty to self-sufficiency, and make an individual dependant on the people round about. This regression may be reversible by doing physical training. Problem of research: does two weeks applicable manual activity effectively influence aerobic capability rate increment of individuals having spinal cord injury. Purpose of research: assess and evaluate short and intense training programs impact to aerobic capability rate of individuals having different spinal cord injuries. Tasks: 1. Assess and evaluate aerobic capability rate increment of individuals having high spinal cord injuries (Th1-Th7) after training cycle. 2. Assess and evaluate aerobic capability rate increment of individuals having medium spinal cord injuries (T81-L1) after training cycle. 3. Assess and evaluate aerobic capability rate increment of individuals having minimum motional disability. Hypothesis of research: Intense two weeks duration applicable manual activity may greatly improve aerobic capability rate of individuals having spinal cord injuries. The researches were carried out in „Landšafto terapijos ir rekreacijos centre“ Monciškėse. In... [to full text]

Key-words: echocardiography, cardiac hypertrophy, aerobic capacity. Subject of the study. Endurance athletes' left ventricular morphofunction. Background. Whether left ventricular structure and function depend on the mode of the regularly performed endurance exercise is not conclusive. If it depended indeed, specialists in sports medicine, exercise physiologist, as well as athletic coaches would have a great possibility to design the architecture and predict the function of athletes' and possibly certain type of patients myocardium in response to aerobic exercise of different kind. Aim. To determine the peculiarities of the left ventricular structure and function between athletes of different endurance sports. Objectives: 1. To compare endurance athletes' left ventricular structure and function with that of healthy sedentaries. 2. To compare left ventricular structure between athletes of different endurance sports. 3. To compare left ventricular function between athletes of different endurance sports. Hypothesis. Distance-running- and swimming-induced haemodynamic overload triggers more substantial eccentric left ventricular remodelling when compared with canoe-kayak- and road-cycling-training. Regular paddling induces concentric left ventricular hypertrophic adaptation to similar extent as road cyclists' performed loads. Either mode of endurance exercise training has negative effect upon myocardial function. Conclusions. Myocardial mass is significantly greater in endurance... [to full text]

Alternation of indicators of lactate and vegetative systems during heightening of load. Purpose of the investigation was to compare alternation of vegetative systems indicators and blood lactate concentrations and during iterative load heightening. Tasks of the investigation: to compare alternation of vegetative systems indicators during replacement and recovery under different loads in respect of lactate threshold. Eight young healthy males took part in the investigation. Average age of subjects was 21,7 years. Investigation was carried out in Laboratory of Sports Physiology of Lithuania Physical Education Academy. Every subjects has undergone two different investigations: working with veloergometer. One –interval increasing load (3 min of work and 3 min of rest), mill-pedalling frequency – 70 times per minute; the other one – continuous increasing load until subject’s inability to maintain required pedalling frequency. The first load was 70 W. Capillary blood sampling was done from finger at the end of the third min of each load during interval test. While doing continuous increasing load subjects after the warming-up (5 min of work with 50 W of capacity) with the help of the veloergemeter produced continuous load that was heightened by 21 W every minute. Wheeling frequency was 70 times per minute. Starting load was 70 W. Load was continuously heightened until the fatigue, i.e. until the subject was able to take a new load for one minute. During the whole investigation and... [to full text]

Vaikų ir paauglių fizinio pajėgumo lygis mažėja (Tomkinson et al., 2003; Tomkinson et al., 2007). Tai kelia nerimą, todėl kad šiose amžiaus grupėse fizinio pajėgumo lygis yra glaudžiai susijęs su fizine ir protine sveikata, kaip trumpalaike, taip ir ilgalaike (Malina, 1996; Ortega et al., 2008). Mokslininkai padarė išvadą, kad visi vaikai, ir turintys ir neturintys sveikatos sutrikimų, turi būti skatinami didesniam bendram fiziniam aktyvumui, bet ypač vidutinio ir didelio intensyvumo fiziniam aktyvumui (Kao et al., 2009). Pagal „Kūno kultūros silpnesnės sveikatos moksleiviams metodines rekomendacijas“ vaikai yra skirstomi i medicinines fizinio pajėgumo grupes, kurios atitinka moksleivio sveikatos būklę, fizinį išsivystymą, svarbiausių organizmo sistemų ir organų funkcinę būklę bei fizinį parengtumą. Nėra tirta, ar tikrai moksleivių, priskirtų paruošiamajai grupei, fizinis pajėgumas yra mažesnis, nei tų, kurie neturi objektyvios priežasties gauti mažesnį fizinį krūvį per kūno kultūros pamokas. Tam, kad sužinoti, kas turi įtakos fiziniam pajėgumui, papildomai buvo išskirta sportuojančiųjų moksleivių grupė ir vertinamas bendro fizinio aktyvumo ir skirtingo jo intensyvumo ryšys su fiziniu pajėgumu ir sveikata. Hipotezė: Moksleivių fizinis pajėgumas labiau priklausys nuo fizinio aktyvumo, nei nuo sveikatos būklės, kurią atspindi priklausymas pagrindinei ar parengiamajai (medicininei fizinio pajėgumo) grupei. Tyrimo tikslas: išanalizuoti moksleivių fizinio pajėgumo komponentų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Longitudinal studies show a decline in physical fitness level in children and adolescents (Tomkinson et al., 2003; Tomkinson et al., 2007). It causes concern about youth health because the level of physical fitness of this age groups is closely related to physical and mental health (Malina, 1996; Ortega et al., 2008). Both healthy children and children with health problems should be encouraged to engage in more physical activity especially moderate or vigorous physical activity (Kao et al., 2009). According to „Physical activity for weaker health schoolchildren recommendations” (Švedas et al.., 2003), schoolchildren are divided into medical physical fitness groups. These groups are formed according to health condition, physical development, main body system functioning, and physical fitness level. There are no data about real physical fitness level of preparation group compared with main group schoolchildren who have no reason to get lower loading during physical education. In our study we separated school children, participating in sport activity, and measured total physical activity, different intensity of physical activity, and their association with physical fitness and health. Hypothesis: the physical fitness of school children more dependent on physical activity than health condition or belonging to lower physical fitness group. Aim of research: to analyze the association between schoolchildren physical fitness components, physical activity and health according to... [to full text]

Tyrimo objektas – irkluotojų aerobinis pajėgumas. P. Karoblio (2003) teigimu talentingų sportininkų paieška, jų atranka ir sportinis rengimas – viena svarbiausių šiuolaikinio sporto problemų. Svarbiausia yra sudaryti palankias sąlygas siekti aukštų sportinių pasiekimų, todėl turėtų būti tinkamai projektuota sportininkų rengimo sistema: treniruočių metodika, organizavimas, kontrolė ir valdymas. Irklavime varžomasi klasikinėje 2000m distancijoje. Distancijos įveikimo trukmė nuo 5 min. 20 s iki 9 min, priklausomai nuo valčių klasės, meistriškumo ir nuo oro sąlygų. Irklavime sportinius rezultatus sąlygoja sportininkų fizinio ir funkcinio pajėgumo lygmuo. Funkcines irkluotojų galimybes ir jų realizavimą lemia daugelis jų veiksnių: organizmo aerobiniai ir anaerobiniai gebėjimai, techninis ir taktinis bei psichologinis parengtumas (Skernevičius, 1997). Kintant socialinėms, ekonominėms sąlygoms, plėtojant sportą, didėjant konkurencijai iškyla problema, kaip tobulinti Lietuvos didelio meistriškumo irkluotojų rengimą, kad jų meistriškumas pasiektų tarptautinį lygį, leistų iškovoti medalius svarbiausiose varžybose, dėl to svarbu stebėti sportininkus, atliekant fiziologinius testavimus. Tačiau mažai analizuotas Lietuvos irkluotojų rengimas metiniu ciklu, kurie ruošiasi olimpinėms žaidynėms: apie jų treniruočių fizinius krūvius, organizmo fizinių ir funkcinių galių kaitą ir raidą nėra daug informacijos. Kadangi Lietuvoje irkluotojams mažai atliekami fiziologiniai testavimai, siekiant... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Research object – rowers‘ aerobic capacity. P. Karoblis (2003) according to the talented athletes in the selection and preparation of sports one of the most important problems of modern sport. The key is to facilitate the achievement of high sports achievements and should be properly designed by athletes training system: training methods, organization, control and management. Rowing competed classic 2000 m distance. Superable time of distance is 5 minutes 20 seconds to 9 minutes depending on boat class, craftsmanship and the weather. Rowing sports performance athletes causes physical and functional capacity level. Rowers functional capabilities and their realization is determined by many factors: the body's aerobic and anaerobic capacity, technical and tactical and psychological maturity (Skernevičius, 1997). Changing social, economic conditions for the development of the sport increasing competition there is a problem how to improve the elite rowers of Lithuanian preparing, their mastery of reach international level, would win medals in major competitions conditions, it is important to monitor athletes during physiological stress. However, Lithuania rowers are few analyzed preparing the annual cycle of preparing for the Olympics: their physical training load, the organism physical and functional abilities change and evolution is not a lot of information. Since Lithuania rowers made few physiological stress to control and monitor the fitness of athletes, we believe, that this... [to full text]

14 pregnant women were investigated of the age of 24-33 (on the 26th pregnancy week) and 12 not pregnant women of the age of 24-33. Women who were investigated were divided into 3 groups: the first group consisted of 7 pregnant women who did exercises in the water for 60 minutes 3 times a week; the second group – 7 pregnant women who didn’t do exercises in the water; and the third group – 12 not pregnant women who didn’t do exercises. All the three groups did load of the same physical intensity which was gradually increased with using veloergometre “ Monak 834 E Ergomedic”, with mask of gas analyzer “ Oxycon Mobile” which ascertained spiroergometrical index ( lung ventilation, oxygen uptake, breath volume, breath rate, the maximum oxygen pulse, coefficient of respiration) and the pulsometre “ Polar Accurex- Puls”, which registered heart rate. After the load in the 1th and 2th groups of pregnant women the foetus heart rate was registered by the electronic stethoscope. The results of our investigation showed that gymnastic exercises have a positive effect upon the aerobic capacity of pregnant women. The length of child – birth is shorter of pregnant women who do exercises and also complications is less than of not exercised pregnant women. All the women who were investigated gave birth to healthy new born babies; however the weight of new born babies of pregnant women who did exercises was smaller.

The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate postural balance, physical activity, physical capacity and their associations in young people (16-20 years) with intellectual disability (ID), mild to moderate. The aim was also to study the reliability and concurrent validity of postural balance tests. To evaluate postural balance, one assessor used five common postural balance tests and one new test. The tests were performed twice for 89 young people with ID (one to twelve days apart). Intraclass correlation coefficients greater than 0.80 were achieved for four of the common balance tests: Extended Timed Up and Go Test (ETUGT), Modified Forward Reach Test (MFRT), One-Leg Stance Test (OLS), and a Force Platform Test (FPT). The smallest real difference ranged from 12% to 40%; less than 20% is considered to be low. For the six balance tests, the concurrent validity varied between none to low. Falls are more common for young people with ID compared to young people without ID. One reason could be impaired postural balance. The postural balance for young people with ID has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, five balance tests and three muscle strength tests were used to compare young people with ID with an age-matched control group without ID (n=255). The young people with ID had significantly lower scores on most of the postural balance tests and muscle strength tests of the trunk and lower limbs. Muscle strength, height, and body mass index had no strong association with postural balance. The results also illustrated that young people with ID did not rely more on vision for their balance ability compared to peers without ID. It seems that postural balance is impaired for young people with ID when evaluated with common tests. An everyday situation is to react to unexpected balance disturbances to avoid falls by using different postural responses. Since young people with ID seem to fall more often than peers without ID, it is valuable to investigate if those postural responses are different between the groups. Therefore, young people with and without ID (n=99) were exposed to six backward surface translations and several postural muscle responses were evaluated: muscle synergies and strategies, muscle onset latency, time-to-peak amplitude, and adaptation. The responses of the investigated muscles – the gastrocnemius, the biceps femoris, and the erector spinae L4 level – were measured using electromyography. The results showed that there were no differences between the two groups with respect to synergies or strategies, muscle onset latency, and time-to-peak amplitude. An overall pattern was seen, that young people with ID adapted their muscle response slower in all three muscles than peers without ID, but this pattern was not statistically significant. Studies have shown that people with ID have impaired postural balance, a lower level of physical activity, and lower aerobic capacity compared to people without ID. The association is however not investigated. Therefore, postural balance (postural sway indirectly measured with the subjects standing on a force platform), physical activity (measured with a pedometer), and aerobic capacity (measured with a sub-maximal ergometer cycle test) were used to assess young people with and without ID (n=106). To investigate the subjects’ view of their own health, the subjects completed an adapted questionnaire that addressed their perceived health. The analysis showed no significant associations between postural balance, level of physical activity, and aerobic capacity. The subjects in the ID group, both men and women, had significantly lower aerobic capacity compared to subjects without ID. The answers from the health questionnaire did not correspond to the measured outcomes from the physical tests for young people with ID. In conclusion, ETUGT and MFRT can be used to evaluate change in postural balance over time in young people with mild to moderate ID. The low concurrent validity suggests that the postural balance tests probably challenge various subsystems. Young people with ID have impaired postural balance and perform lower on muscle strength tests than age-matched controls. Postural muscle responses after external perturbations seem to be similar for young people with and without ID, but the ability to adapt muscle responses after repeated perturbations appears to be slower for young people with ID. The studies in the thesis also indicate that young people with ID have reduced level of physical activity and lower aerobic capacity. The lack of association between the different physical functions indicates that they should be evaluated and exercised separately. Young persons with ID might have more difficulty realising the health advantage of being physically active, as they do not seem to make this connection. Because of this, it is important that parents/guardians, school staff, physiotherapists, and others encourage them to participate in physical activity.