Introduction: Maximum running acceleration essential components in many sports. The identification of specific training protocols to maximize sprint speed would be useful knowledge for soccer coaches and players. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a high-speed treadmill with the use of a body-weight support system in a 6-week sport acceleration program on: 40-yard sprint time, maximal isometric knee flexor and extensor strength. Methods: 32 female soccer players (age 16 ± 1.19 yrs) participated in two treatment groups and one control group. Both treatment groups participated in a 12-session sport acceleration program. The first treatment group utilized a body-weight support system while on a high-speed treadmill; the second group used a standard treadmill with no body weight support system. The control group, NT, did not participate in a sports acceleration program and did not alter their exercise routines outside of the study. Results: For each variable an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was performed. 40-yard sprint times for treatment groups were shown to improve significantly as compared to the control group (p = 0.0007 for high-speed treadmill with body-weight support system, p= < 0.0001 for standard treadmill without body-weight support system). Isometric flexor and extensor strengths did not show significant differences between treatment groups and control group. P-values for the high-speed with body-weight support system were (p = 0.53) for flexors and (p = 0.51) for extensors as compared to the control group. P-values for the standard treadmill with no body-weight support system were (p = 0.19) for extensors and (p = 0.0263) for flexors. It is noted that the extensor muscles were nearly significant for the standard treadmill with no body-weight support system. Discussion: These results can help high school coaches and athletes determine the optimal treadmill training regime. The current study shows that a high-speed treadmill with body-weight support system is just as beneficial as standard treadmill training.

The purposes of this study are 1) to investigate the development of physical fitness through the medium of fifteen-minute exercise routines in junior college physical education classes; 2) to determine the relationship between each of four exercise routines and the improvement of physical development in a specific body area; and 3) to compare the results of intensive, isometric, calisthenic, and continuous exercise routines to determine if any one routine was of greater value to three alternate routines in assisting the individual to attain a higher degree of physical fitness development.

Tonic arterial smooth muscle can produce strong contractions indefinitely by formation of slowly cycling crossbridges (latchbridges) that maintain force at a high energy economy. To fully understand the uniqueness of mechanisms regulating tonic arterial contraction, comparisons have been made to phasic visceral smooth muscles that do not sustain high forces. This study explored mechanisms of force maintenance in a phasic artery by comparing KCl-induced contractions in the tonic, femoral artery (FA) and its primary branch, the phasic saphenous artery (SA). KCl rapidly (5 N/m2) and [ca2+]i (250 nM) in FA and SA. By 10 min, [ca2+]i declined to 175 nM in both tissues but stress was sustained in FA (1.3 x 105N/m2) and reduced by 40% in SA (0.8 x l05 N/m2). Reduced tonic stress correlated with reduced myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation in SA (28% vs. 42% in FA). SA expressed more MLC phosphatase than FA, and permeabilized (β-escin) SA relaxed more rapidly than FA in the presence of MLC kinase blockade, suggesting that MLC phosphatase activity in SA was greater than that in FA. The reduction in MLC phosphorylation in SA was insufficient to account for reduced tonic force (latchbridge model), and SA expressed more "fast" myosin isoforms than did FA. Cytochalasin-D reduced force-maintenance more in FA than SA. These data support the hypothesis that strong force-maintenance is absent in SA because expressed motor proteins do not support latchbridge formation, and because actin polymerization is not stimulated.

Title: Unilateral functional asymmetry of forearm muscles in sport climbers Objectives: The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of experienced strain injury of forearm muscles on maximal isometric strength ratios between the flexors and extensors of the fingers in sport climbers. Methods: People were in two groups, twelve people in each of them. In the first group were the climbers after the strain injuries of forearm muscles (earlier than in last 3 months). In the second group were the climbers without these injuries. The dynamometer MIE Medical in Laboratory of sport motoric FTVS UK was used for the method. The maximal value of isometric strength of flexors and extensors of the fingers was measured. For the analysis of the results was used the unpaired t-test for unequal sample sizes with equal variances. Results: The climbers with experienced forearm muscle injury had statistically not significant higher maximal isometric strength ratios between flexors and extensors of the fingers. Higher values of maximal isometric strength of finger flexor muscles were measured in climbers with injuries in anamnesis and the lower values of maximal isometric strength of finger extensor muscles. These two differences were not statistically significant too. Keywords: muscle asymmetry - isometric strength...

Title: Efficacy of post - isometric relaxation technique on muscle tissue and its viscoelastic properties after physical activity. Objective: This study is a pilot analytical and comparative study. The first aim of this thesis was evaluation of the effect of post-isometric relaxation technique on properties of muscle tissue after physical activity. The second aim of this thesis is to present a literature review regarding this topic using literature available. Methods: This study took place in the laboratory of kinesiology at UK FTVS. Six participants were measured prior to Wingate test, after Wingate test and after post- isometric relaxation or rest. Experimental lower extremity was applied post-isometric relaxation technique and the control lower extremity was not. Muscle tonus of the soleus muscle was measured with myotonometric device developed by Šifta. The final data were processed in the special software in Matlab and the obtained hysteresis curves were used for results analysis. Results: This study had three hypotheses and none of them was confirmed during the measuremets. The first hypothesis pressumed that muscle tonus will increase after the Wingate test, but it was not confirmed and thus further measurements were strongly influenced in the sense that post-isometric relaxation was not...

M.Phil. / Numerous studies have demonstrated the favourable effects of aerobic training on blood lipid profiles. However, few studies have generated conclusive data on the effects of dynamic resistance training (DRT) on blood lipid profiles. In order to evaluate the effect of DRT on lipoprotein-lipid profiles, a group of 28 sedentary but healthy males (mean age 28 years and 7 months) were matched and randomly assigned into a control/non-exercising (n = 15) or an experimental (n = 13) group. To control for variations in lipoprotein-lipid profiles, the present investigation recorded dietary intake and smoking behaviour in an attempt to account for any changes in lipoprotein-lipid profiles over the eight-week period. The experimental group (EG) exercised using DRT for a period of eight weeks and was monitored for changes in lipoprotein-lipid profiles. The control group (CG) took part in no structured exercise throughout the eight-week period. The experimental training programme consisted of nine exercises (dumbbell (D/B) shoulder shrugs, D/B lateral shoulder raises, seated chest press, latissimus dorsi pulldowns, seated pulley rows, biceps curls, triceps extensions, crunchies and unilateral leg press). These exercises were performed at 60% of one repetition maximum (1-RM) and were performed three times per week on non-consecutive days. Serum was analyzed for total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). In addition to this, the TC: HDL-C and LDL-C: HDL-C ratios were calculated. The Independent t-Test and the Paired t-Test were utilized to determine the significance (at a 95% confidence level (p ¡Ü 0.05)) of the lipoprotein-lipid profile changes from pre- to post-test. These student t-Tests demonstrated no statistically significant changes in TC, TG, LDL-C, HDL-C, TC: HDL-C ratios and LDL-C: HDL-C ratios in the EG. However, the present investigation did demonstrate the following changes: a 0.50% decrease in TC, a 1.74% increase in TG, a 2.95% decrease in LDL-C, a 4.61% increase in HDL-C, a 4.12% decrease in the TC: HDL-C ratio and a 5.96% decrease in the LDL-C: HDL-C ratio. The lack of statistically significant changes in the individual lipoprotein-lipid parameters could not have been affected by diet, cigarettes smoked daily, aerobic fitness and/or body mass, since these parameters did not change significantly from pre- to post-test. Specifically, both the EG and CG demonstrated no statistically significant changes in intake in total calories consumed, carbohydrates, proteins, fats (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids), cholesterol and fibre. Although the present investigation findings suggest that this study¡¯s eight-week combination of dose, workload, number of repetitions and order and number of exercises may not have been sufficient to elicit significant improvements in lipoprotein-lipid parameters in this population of sedentary but healthy males, it is the opinion of the author that DRT should be included with aerobic modes of exercise. DRT should be used in conjunction with aerobic modes of exercise for its additional benefits. Such additional benefits include inter alia: increased strength, increased lean tissue mass, increased maintenance of metabolically active tissue in the elderly and increased muscle control. / Prof. J.M. Loots Mr. L. Lategan

Neste trabalho, estudamos a existência de deslocamentos isométricos no produto de espaços de Banach, munido tanto com a norma infinito como com a norma 1. Em alguns casos, assumimos que pelo menos um dos espaços envolvidos no produto é estritamente convexo e isso deu origem a resultados interessantes. Ainda, exploramos os deslocamentos isométricos em C(X), mostrando como classificá-los de acordo com dois tipos. / In this work, we study the existence of isometric shifts on the product of Banach spaces, equipped with the norms infinity or 1. In some cases, we assume that at least one of these spaces on the product is strictly convex and obtain interesting results. Besides, we explore isometric shifts on C(X), showing how to sort them on two groups.

A Síndrome Dolorosa Femoropatelar (SDFP), possui etiologia multifatorial e acomete cerca de 7 a 15% da população, em sua maioria mulheres, jovens, adultas e ativas. Ela causa dor anterior ou retropatelar e é exacerbada durante gestos motores funcionais, tais como subir e descer escadas ou permanecer longos períodos de tempo sentado, agachado ou ajoelhado. Como a avaliação diagnóstica desta síndrome ainda é indireta, diversos mecanismos e metodologias buscam realizar uma classificação que diferencie os portadores de SDFP com relação aos assintomáticos. Deste modo, o objetivo desse trabalho é estudar as relações entre os sinais eletromiográficos (EMG) do músculo quadríceps em indivíduos com SDFP durante exercícios isométricos distintos (dissipativo e conservativo) em diferentes ângulos da articulação tíbiofemoral, e compará-los com os indivíduos sem SDFP. Foram analisadas a intensidade do sinal EMG (RMS), a frequência mediana (Fmed) e a frequência em 95% (F95) do espectro de potência dos músculos vasto medial oblíquo (VMO), vasto lateral (VL) e reto femoral (RF) para as contrações isométricas dissipativa e conservativa. Participaram deste estudo 24 voluntários do sexo feminino (17 assintomáticos e 7 com SDFP) que realizaram 18 contrações nos ângulos de 90º, 60º e 20º de extensão de joelho, utilizando 30% da carga voluntária máxima. Eletrodos EMG foram posicionados nos referidos músculos para a coleta dos dados, os quais foram posteriormente tratados e processados, possibilitando a análises do sinal EMG nos domínio do tempo e da frequência. Os resultados indicam que o RMS do sinal EMG apresenta-se distinto entre as contrações isométricas para o grupo sintomático e evidenciam que não existe uma relação de intensidade de contração EMG de um músculo comparativamente ao outro quando se altera o gesto motor. A Fmed de VMO e VL podem ser utilizadas como ferramenta na detecção de SDFP, visto que atuam de maneira distinta entre os grupos. A F95 do músculo VMO comporta-se de um modo diferente entre os grupos, sendo que durante a contração isométrica dissipativa em 20º e 60º, seus valores em SDFP foram maiores do que no grupo Controle. Desta maneira, foi possível relatar que é possível diferenciar a SDFP, ou até mesmo detectá-la, utilizando parâmetros EMG de padrões diferentes de contrações isométricas. / The Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) has a multifactorial etiology and affects approximately 7-15% of the population, mostly active young women. PFPS causes retropatellar pain, that is exacerbated during motor functional gestures, such as climbing stairs, sitting, squatting or kneeling for long periods of time. Since the diagnostic evaluation of this syndrome is still indirect, different mechanisms and methodologies seek to achieve a classification able to distinguish patients with PFPS from asymptomatic ones. Thus, the purpose of this study is to find the relationship between the electromyographic (EMG) signals of quadriceps in individuals with and without PFPS during isometric exercises (dissipative and conservative) at different angles of the tibiofemoral joint, to analyze the signal pattern of the control subjects and to compare with the SDFP group. We compared the root means square (RMS) of the EMG signal, median frequency (Fmed) and frequency in 95% of the power spectrum (F95) on the vastus medialis oblique (VMO), vastus lateralis (VL) and rectus femoris (RF) for dissipative and conservative contractions. 24 female volunteers participated in this study (17 asymptomatic patients and 7 with PFPS), who performed 18 contractions at angles of 90º, 60º and 20º of knee extension, using 30% of the maximal voluntary contraction. EMG electrodes were placed on those muscles for data collection, which were further processed using AqDAnalysis software for selection of traits, and MatLab® for processing and analysis of the signal in time and frequency domain. The results indicate that the RMS of EMG signal presents differences among the isometric contractions for the symptomatic group and show that there is a relationship of contraction of a muscle compared to the other when it changes the motor gesture. The Fmed of VMO and VL can be used as a tool in the detection of PFPS, because it acts differently in each group. The F95 of the VMO muscle behaves differently between groups, and during the dissipative isometric contraction at 20º and 60º, their values were higher in PFPS than in the control group. Thus, it was possible to report that it is possible to differentiate the PFPS, or even detect it using EMG parameters of different patterns of isometric contractions

Força máxima (TF) e potência (TP) são métodos de treinamento considerados distintos, na prática profissional e em diversos designs experimentais. O presente estudo testou a capacidade destes métodos promoverem o aumento do desempenho, assim como a similaridade das adaptações entre os métodos. Trinta e sete sujeitos foram divididos nos grupos: força (TF), potência (TP) e controle (C), sendo submetidos a oito semanas de treinamento nas seguintes zonas: TF (4-10 RM) e TP (30-60% 1RM). Os resultados significantes foram: força dinâmica máxima TF de 145,3 (±17,1) para 178,5 (±18,8) kg, TP de 147,2 (±16,8) para 171,6 (±19,9) kg; pico de força na contração voluntária isométrica máxima (CVIM) TF de 2240,52 (±448,76) para 2651,82 (±700,22) N, TP de 2249,86 (±427,95) para 2674,80 (±507,68) N; salto vertical a partir da posição de semi-agachamento (SJ) TF de 31,35 (±4,63) para 37,18 (±4,74) cm, TP de 34,44 (±3,90) para 39,61 (±4,70) cm. Apenas o TP gerou aumento no salto com contra-movimento (CMJ) de 35,52 (±4,43) para 38,50 (±4,34) cm. Nenhum dos protocolos promoveu o aumento do sinal eletromiográfico, seja na CVIM ou nos saltos. Verificou-se efeito principal para deslocamento do centro de gravidade, torque de joelho e quadril no SJ, assim como para o deslocamento excêntrico no CMJ. Observou-se similaridade entre os grupos em diversas variáveis analisadas, assim como a possível transferência coordenativa do TP para o CMJ. Assim, força máxima e potência parecem constituir estímulos de treinamento equivalentes em muitos aspectos e por isso, os padrões de especificidade atribuídos a ambos devem ser reconsiderados / Strength and power are considered different training methods in promoting neuromuscular adaptations in practice and in several research designs as well. In the present research, the efficacy of these methods in improving performance and resultant neural adaptations in some motor tasks was investigated. Thirty sevens subjects were divided in groups: strength (TF), power (TP) and control (C) and submited to eight weeks of training in different zones: TF (4-10 RM) and TP (30%-60% 1RM). Results that reached significance were the following, pre and pos-test, respectively: Maximum dynamic strength TF:145,3 (±17,1) and 178,5(±18,8), TP:147,2 (±16,8) and 171,6 (±19,9). Peak force in maximum isometric voluntary contraction (MIVC) TF: 2240,52 (±448,76) and 2651,82 (±700,22), TP: 2249,86 (±427,95) and 2674,80 (±507,68). Squat jump (SJ) TF: 31,35 (±4,63) and 37,18 (±4,74), TP: 34,44 (±3,90) and 39,61 (±4,70). In countermovement jump (CMJ) only TP improved: 35,52 (±4,43) and 38,50 (±4,34). No method could improve electromiographical signal. A main effect was noticed for center of mass displacement, knee and hip moments in SJ and eccentric displacement in CMJ. Similar results for many parameters analysed could be observed. The results indicate a possible transference from TP to CMJ as well. This way, strength and power can be considered equivalent in promoting performance in many tasks. Therefore, specificity patterns between strength and power should be reconsidered

A fadiga relacionada ao câncer (FRC) é um sintoma frequente entre pacientes em tratamento oncológico e pode ocorrer em todas as fases do tratamento, afeta a qualidade de vida do paciente, por vezes o impossibilitando de realizar tarefas. Ainda não se sabe o que causa essa fadiga, se fatores psíquicos, emocionais, físicos ou a junção de tudo ou o próprio tratamento. Cerca de 70% dos pacientes com câncer irão passar por essa experiência em alguma fase do tratamento ou término dele. Objetivos: Analisar as características do desenvolvimento e manutenção da força muscular e dos níveis de neuroativação registrados durante os testes de esforço isométrico em indivíduos que tiveram câncer de mama em comparação com indivíduos saudáveis. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, com análise quantitativa no ano de 2018 em São Carlos-SP. Participaram da pesquisa 18 mulheres, sendo 9 do Grupo Controle (GC) e 9 consideradas Livres do Câncer de Mama (LCM). As voluntárias tinham idades entre 40 e 65 anos. Os critérios de inclusão foram: mulheres que tiveram câncer de mama como tumor primário, que haviam concluído a terapia até 6 meses antes da pesquisa, que não tivessem quaisquer tipos de lesões em membros superior e/ou inferior. A pesquisa foi realizada em uma única etapa, onde a média de tempo para cada voluntária era de 1 hora e 30 minutos. Análise de dados: dados coletados pelo software WINDAQ® e o MiotecSuite 1.0, com resultados analisados e tratados através de rotina Matlab e teste T student utilizando o programa R. Resultados: Para os testes de força, o teste isométrico das 3 tentativas para membros superiores e inferiores entre o GC e o LCM, não houve diferenças significativas. A 4ª tentativa para o Teste-t (p<0,05) apresentou uma média de p=0,03338, para as sobreviventes do câncer de mama. Não foi encontrada nenhum resultado significativo para o desvio padrão normalizado com o resultado de p=0,07278. Conclusão: Para membro inferior os testes com tensiômetro baseado em célula de carga houve diferença significativa entre os grupos. No caso das mulheres LCM a força de membro inferior foi menor quando comparadas ao GC. / Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a common symptom among cancer patients and can occur at all stages of treatment. It affects the quality of life of the patient, often making it impossible to perform previously executed tasks without difficulties. It is not yet known what causes this fatigue, whether psychic, emotional, physical factors or the junction of all or the treatment itself. About 70% of cancer patients will undergo this experience at some stage of treatment or at the end of it. Objectives: To analyze the characteristics of the development and maintenance of muscle strength and levels of neuroactivation recorded during the isometric exercise tests in individuals who had breast cancer compared to healthy individuals. Methods: The present research is a study of an transversal model, of the transversal type, with quantitative analysis. A total of 18 women participated in the study, of which 9 were from the Control Group (CG) and 9 were considered Free from Breast Cancer (FBC). The volunteers were between 40 and 65 years old. Inclusion criteria were: women who had breast cancer as the primary tumor, who had completed therapy up to 6 months prior to the survey, who did not have any lesions on upper and/or lower limbs. The research was performed in a single step for data collection, where the average time for each volunteer was 1 hour and 30 minutes. Data analysis: data collected by WINDAQ software and MiotecSuite 1.0, with results analyzed and treated through Matlab routine and T student test using program R. Results: For the strength tests, the isometric test of the 3 attempts for upper and lower limbs, there were no significant differences between CG and FBC. In the strength test, the average of the 4th attempt for the t-Test (p<0.05) presented a significant result for lower musculature p = 0.03338. For normalized standard deviation, the result, p = 0.07278, may indicate that this value was not significant for some limiting factors of the research, such as a small number of volunteers. Conclusion: It was verified that in the measurement of the data for lower limb the tests with tensiometer based on load cell there was significant difference between the groups. In the case of FBC women, lower limb strength was lower when compared to CG.