<p>The Swedish National Labour Market Administration wishes to acquire further knowledge about how the evaluation process of vocational rehabilitation at the employment service operates as a part of the quality assurance of this activity. The primary task for vocational rehabilitation at the employment service is to investigate the work capacity of unemployed people, to give them increased knowledge and better understanding of their own capacity concerning work or education. The aim of this study was to survey the evaluation process of vocational rehabilitation at the employment service in Sweden. Data were collected through telephone interviews with 15 occupational therapists employed at the employment service, who were working with vocational rehabilitation. The result shows that the investigation of work capacity can take place in different environments and that the space of time for an investigation can vary. During the evaluation process, different types of data collection methods are used. Nevertheless, the result shows that the evaluation process begins and ends in similar ways. Further studies to validate the result would be interesting. These could be done through quantitative studies, for example by sending questionnaires based on the result of this study.</p>

The Swedish National Labour Market Administration wishes to acquire further knowledge about how the evaluation process of vocational rehabilitation at the employment service operates as a part of the quality assurance of this activity. The primary task for vocational rehabilitation at the employment service is to investigate the work capacity of unemployed people, to give them increased knowledge and better understanding of their own capacity concerning work or education. The aim of this study was to survey the evaluation process of vocational rehabilitation at the employment service in Sweden. Data were collected through telephone interviews with 15 occupational therapists employed at the employment service, who were working with vocational rehabilitation. The result shows that the investigation of work capacity can take place in different environments and that the space of time for an investigation can vary. During the evaluation process, different types of data collection methods are used. Nevertheless, the result shows that the evaluation process begins and ends in similar ways. Further studies to validate the result would be interesting. These could be done through quantitative studies, for example by sending questionnaires based on the result of this study.

Curcumin, a polyphenol, has been suggested to improve metabolic byproduct clearance and increase nitric oxide production in working muscle. These purported effects may delay neuromuscular fatigue. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of curcumin in combination with fenugreek (CUR) or fenugreek soluble fiber alone (FEN) on the neuromuscular fatigue threshold (PWCFT), time to exhaustion (Tlim) on a graded exercise test (GXT), and O2peak in untrained subjects.Forty-seven,college-aged, aerobically untrained individuals were randomly assigned to one of three supplementation groups; placebo (PLA, n=15),curcumin + fenugreek, CurQfen® (CUR, n=18), or fenugreek soluble fiber (FEN, n=14). All subjects performed a maximal GXT on a cycle ergometer to determine the PWCFT, Tlim, and O2peak before (PRE-test) and after (POST-test) 28 days of daily supplementation. Statistical analyses included 3 separate, one-way ANCOVAs to determine if there were any differences among the groups (PLA, CUR, FEN) for adjusted post-test scores for the PWCFT, O2peak, and Tlim. The respective pre-test score was used as the covariate. In addition, reliability analyses (PRE- to POST-test) for the PLA group were used to calculate the minimal difference needed to be real (MD). The adjusted POST PWCFTvalues showed no statistical differences between groups (F= 3.141p= 0.053); however pairwise LSD comparisons indicated a significant difference between the CUR and PLA groups (p= 0.016), but not between the CUR and FEN groups. Therefore, separate one-way ANCOVAs were used to examine the adjusted PWCFTmeans for the PLA vs. CUR (F = 4.906, p =0.035) and the PLA vs. FEN (F = 2.969, p = 0.097). The one- way ANCOVA for O2peak (F= 0.612 p= 0.547) and Tlim(F = 0.688, p = 0.508) values showed no statistical difference among the groups. Individual responses in each group showed ~ 20% of subjects in the CUR group, ~ 7% in the FEN group, and ~6% in the PLA group had values greater than the MD for the PWCFT, but none of the subjects in the PLA, FEN, or CUR groups exceeded the MD for O2peak or Tlim. These findings indicatedCurQfen® supplementation increased the PWCFTcompared to a placebo, but not compared to fenugreek soluble fiber alone. However, there were no effects of CurQfen® on O2 peak or Tlim. The mechanisms responsible for delaying time to neuromuscular fatigue may include increased NO production and increased blood flow to remove metabolic byproducts; however, the cellular changes which could lead to increases in Tlim andO2peak may not have been sensitive to the GXT protocol or the given dosage of curcumin supplementation. Considering individual responses, CurQfen® supplementation resulted in a real change in the PWCFTfor a small portion of the subjects (~20%). These findings suggested that CurQfen® supplementation without exercise training may help to improve time to neuromuscular fatigue in certain individuals, but the group mean analyses were not necessarily reflective of the responses for a majority of the subjects.

Tyrimo pagrindimas ir hipotezė. Didinti jėgai treniruotėse naudojami skirtingi svoriai, pasipriešinimas, darbo apimtis, poilsio periodai, dažnis, ir atlikimo greitis. Tradicinę treniruočių priemonę su dideliu pasipriešinimu, galime pakeisti mažu pasipriešinimu kartu apribojant raumenų kraujotaką. Hipotezė: vienkartinė 15; 10; 5 ar 3 minučių trukmės 200 mm Hg slėgio okliuzija gali turėti įtakos fiziniam darbingumui ir kraujotakos intensyvumui. Tyrimo tikslas. Išanalizuoti blauzdos raumenų arterinės kraujotakos intensyvumo kaitą ir fizinį darbingumą be ir su skirtingos trukmės 200 mm Hg slėgio okliuzijomis. Uždaviniai. 1. Nustatyti blauzdos raumenų arterinės kraujotakos intensyvumą ramybėje be ir su 200 mm Hg okliuzija. 2. Nustatyti arterinio kraujo spaudimo (AKS) kaitą ramybėje be ir su 200 mm Hg okliuzija. 3. Nustatyti blauzdos raumenų darbingumo kaitą be ir su 15min, 10 min, 5 min ir 3 min trukmės, 200 mm Hg slėgio, okliuzijomis. 4. Nustatyti blauzdos raumenų arterinės kraujotakos intensyvumą ir AKS kaitą po fizinio krūvio, be ir su 15 min, 10 min, 5 min ir 3 min trukmės, 200 mm Hg slėgio, okliuzijomis Tyrimo metodai. Dinamometrija, ergometrija, veninė okliuzinė pletizmografija, Tyrimų organizavimas. Pirmoje tyrimų dalyje kontrolinėje grupėje dalyvavo 6, o eksperimentinėje grupėje 12 vyrų sportuojančių ištvermės sporto šakose. Grupėse 20 minučių registruojama arterinė kraujotaka ramybėje, o eksperimentinėje grupėje atlikta 15 minučių 200 mm Hg slėgio okliuzija. Antroje... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Research background and hypothesis. Different weights, resistance, scope of work, rest periods, frequency, and performance velocity are used to increase strength in training sessions. The traditional training facility with high resistance can be replaced by low resistance while limiting muscle blood flow. Hypothesis: a single 15, 10, 5 or 3 minute 200 mm Hg occlusion pressure can affect physical working capacity and blood flow intensity. Research aim. Analyse changes in the intensity of the calf muscle arterial blood flow and physical working capacity with and without 200 mm Hg pressure occlusion of different duration. Research tasks. 1. Establish arterial blood flow of the calf muscle at rest with and without 200 mm Hg occlusion. 2. Establish changes in arterial blood pressure at rest with and without 200 mm Hg occlusion. 3. Establish changes in the calf muscle work with and without 15 min, 10 min, 5 min and 3 min 200 mm Hg pressure occlusion. 4. Establish changes in the calf muscle blood flow and arterial blood pressure after exercise, with and without 15 min, 10 min, 5 min and 3 min 200 mm Hg pressure occlusion. Research methods. Dynamometry, ergometry, venous occlusive plethysmography. Research organization. In first part of the research, the control group included six and the experimental group - 12 male athletes in endurance sports. In both groups we recorded arterial blood flow at rest for 20 min; in the experimental group we applied 15 min 200 mm Hg occlusion. In the... [to full text]

The critical power (CP) concept has been used to determine the appropriate rest interval during intermittent exercise through the investigation of critical rest interval (CRI). Repeated sprint ability (RSA) testing has been developed to define the athlete’s ability to recover and maintain maximal effort during successive bouts. The CP model has been used to understand the physiological responses involved with intermittent exercise delineating between severe and heavy exercise intensity domains. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the CRI from the work-time relationship given by RSA testing using varying work to rest ratios. The secondary purpose was to determine the validity of CRI by evaluation of physiological responses above and below estimated rest interval values during intermittent cycling. Twelve recreationally trained males (mean ± SD; age 24.1 ± 3.6yr; height 175.8 ± 7.0cm; weight 77.6 ± 12.8kg; V̇ O2peak 43.3 ± 5.6ml/kg/min; Body Fat (%) 24.5 ± 4.4) were recruited for this study. Participants performed a graded exercise test to determine V̇ O2peak and peak heart rate. Eight participants completed the same three RSA protocols with 6s maximal sprints and varying rest intervals (12-24s) on a cycle ergometer. Intermittent critical power (ICP) was calculated through the linear total work (TW) and time-to-exhaustion (TTE) relationship, whereas CRI was estimated using the average work per sprint and ICP. Seven subjects completed trials above and below estimated CRI to evaluate the validity of this estimate through the examination of the physiological responses. Breath-by-breath oxygen consumption (V̇ O2) and heart rate (HR) values were recorded during the validation trials. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the variables from the RSA trials. Paired samples t-tests were performed to compare performance and physiological variables above or below CRI during the validation trials. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to examined the changes in oxygen consumption (V̇ O2), HR, mean power (MP), and TW throughout the validation trials. Significant differences (p < 0.1) were found for the number of intervals completed, TTE, average work per sprint, peak and mean V̇ O2 between RSA protocols. Linearity between TW and TTE was r2 = 0.952 ± 0.081. During the validation trials, TTE was significantly greater in the above versus the below CRI trial (2270.43 ± 941.15s vs. 1511.00 ± 811.0s). Furthermore, blood lactate concentration (8.94 ± 4.89mmol/L vs. 6.56 ± 3.45mmol/L), AveV̇ O2 (2.05 ± 0.36L/min vs. 1.78 ± 0.26L/min), V̇ O2peak (2.84 ± 0.48L/min vs. 2.61 ± 0.43L/min), and AveHR (151.14 ± 18.46bpm vs. 138.14 ± 17.51L/min) were significantly greater in the below CRI trial when compared to the above CRI trial. Significant interactions were found between above and below trials within minimal V̇ O2 response (F = 6.886, p = 0.024, η2 = 0.534) to the recovery intervals and maximal HR (F = 4.51, p = 0.016, η2 = 0.429) response to the work intervals. During the above CRI trial, minimal V̇ O2 response decreased over time (51-43%V̇ O2 peak) while maximal HR response achieved a steady state level (81-84%HRpeak). Conversely, minimal V̇ O2 response during the below CRI trial achieved a steady state level (54-58%V̇ O2 peak), whereas maximal HR response increased over time (84-90%HRpeak). The relationship between TW and TTE is appropriate for use with RSA testing with varying rest intervals. The differing physiological response during the validation trials may reflect changes in energy system contribution. In conclusion, CRI distinguished between physiological responses related to exercise intensity domains in a manner similar to CP estimates determined from other testing and exercise modalities.

Low back pain has become one of the most influential musculoskeletal diseases of modern society. It is one of most expensive diseases in terms of medical costs and increased worker absenteeism, which can lead to permanent disability and places strain on the economy as a whole. Pain has been recognised as a disease in itself, which has certain consequences when it becomes chronic. Many kinds of treatment options exist with varying degrees of success. The question is thus which treatment option is the most favourable and cost-effective. Conservative treatment is the most recommended form of treatment when no serious underlying diseases are present. Exercise has been shown to be very effective in the treatment of chronic low back pain but there are still questions regarding the use of exercise therapy. The predetermined goal of the study was to ascertain whether an aggressiveprogressive exercise programme, and specifically what kind of exercises, would be more effective in the treatment of chronic low back pain. This was achieved through a number of steps, which included an extensive literature review, the identification of an appropriate test battery with related minimum physical requirements and cut scores, subject recruitment and screening of subjects, the implementation of the intervention and the subsequent re-testing of the subjects. Once the data was completed, the next step was to make use of two case studies to assist in illustrating the effectiveness of individual patients compared to the sample as a whole. These case studies were of patients who completed the entire programme but one took longer to complete the programme. This assists in illustrating the value of maintaining exercise protocol. The results from the present study are extremely positive. The two case studies provided a glimpse of the potential value that could be added through the implementation of more aggressive-progressive exercise interventions in the treatment of chronic low back pain. The final product will greatly assist exercise therapists concerned with the treatment of chronic low back pain along with cognitive-behavioural techniques. Hopefully this study will provide insight into managing chronic low back pain in South Africa from an exercise standpoint. Secondly the study will provide practical techniques to implement in an era in which economic difficulties are rife.AFRIKAANS: Laerugpyn het een van die invloedrykste muskuloskeletale siektes van die moderne samelewing geword. Dit is een van die duurste siektes in terme van mediese koste en verhoogde siekverlof deur werkers, wat kan lei tot permanente ongeskiktheid en ’n verhoogde las plaas op die ekonomie as ’n geheel. Pyn word erken as ’n siekte op sy eie wat sekere gevolge het wanneer dit chronies begin raak. Verskeie soorte behandelingsopsies is beskikbaar met variërende grade van sukses. Die vraag is dus watter behandelingsopsie is die bruikbaarste en koste-doeltreffendste. Konserwatiewe behandeling is die mees aanbevole metode van behandeling wanneer daar geen ernstige onderliggende siektetoestande teenwoordig is nie. Dit is reeds bewys dat oefening baie doeltreffend is in die behandeling van chroniese laerugpyn. Daar bestaan egter steeds vrae rondom die gebruik van oefening as terapie.Die vooropgestelde doelwit van die studie was om te bepaal of ’n aggressiewe-progressiewe inoefeningsprogram doeltreffend sal wees in die behandeling van chroniese laerugpyn, en meer spesifiek watter tipe oefening die doeltreffendste sal wees. Die navorsing het bestaan uit ’n paar stappe wat ingesluit het ’n intensiewe literatuursoektog, die identifisering van ’n gepaste toetsbattery met verwante minimum fisieke vereistes en afsnytellings, die verkryging en evaluering van proefpersone, die implementering van die intervensieprogram en die daaropvolgende hertoetsing van die proefpersone.Nadat die invordering van die data en die gepaardgaande analise van die data voltooi is, was die volgende stap om gebruik te maak van twee gevallestudies ten einde die doeltreffendheid van die intervensieprogram vir individuele proefpersone te ilustreer deur dit te vergelyk met die groep as ’n geheel. Die twee gevallestudies was van proefpersone wat die intervensieprogram volledig voltooi het, alhoewel die een proefpersoon langer geneem het om die intervensieprogram te voltooi. Dit help om die navolgingswaarde van ’n inoefeningsprotokol te illustreer. Die resultate van die huidige studie is uiters positief. Die twee gevallestudies gee ’n mate van insig wat betref die potensiële waarde wat verkry kan word deur die implementering van ’n meer aggressiewe-progressiewe inoefeningsintervensie vir die behandeling van chroniese lae rugpyn. Die finale produk sal die nodige ondersteuning aan oefeningsterapeute bied wat onseker is oor die behandeling van chroniese laerugpyn deur middel van aggressiewe-progressiewe inoefeningsintervensies en kognitiewe gedragstegnieke. Hierdie studie sal dus die begrip en insig van die behandeling van chroniese laerugpyn in Suid-Afrika verhoog vanuit ’n oefeningsuitgangspunt. Tweedens sal die studie die gebruik van praktiese oefentegnieke aanmoedig in ’n era waarin ekonomiese tye moeilik is. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted

This study investigated the effects of high intensity interval training (HIIT) and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyric free acid (HMBFA) on the onset of neuromuscular fatigue in healthy young men and women. Thirty-seven subjects (22 men and 15 women; mean ± SD age = 22.8 ± 3.4yrs) completed an incremental cycle ergometer test (GXT) to exhaustion. During the GXT, electromyography (EMG) signals from the right vastus lateralis were recorded to determine the power output at the onset of neuromuscular fatigue (PWCFT), and peak wattage was used to assign individual training loads. After baseline testing (PRE), subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control (C, n = 9), training with placebo (P, n = 14), or training with supplementation (S, n = 14). Subjects assigned to P and S completed 12 HIIT sessions over 4 weeks while subjects assigned to C were asked to maintain their normal diet and activity patterns. After 4 weeks, subjects returned for post-testing (POST). The PWCFT values (W) were determined using a DMAX method. The EMG amplitude root mean square (µVrms) values were used to generate a third-order polynomial regression (3PR) representing the increase in µVrms versus time of the GXT. The onset of fatigue (TF) was defined as the x-value (time, s) of the point on the 3PR that measured the maximal perpendicular distance from the line between the first and last data points. TF was used to estimate PWCFT according to the equation: PWCFT = PO + a · (n/N), where PO is the power output of the stage in which TF occurred, a is the increment in power output between GXT stages (25W), n is the difference (s) between TF and the beginning of the stage during which TF occurred, and N is the duration of a stage (120s). A two-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to identify group × time interaction for PWCFT. If a significant interaction occurred, one-way factorial ANOVAs were used. Fisher's least significant difference post hoc comparisons were performed between groups. If a significant main effect occurred, dependent samples t-tests with Bonferroni corrections (p = [0.05/3] = 0.017) were performed across time for each group. The two-way ANOVA resulted in a significant interaction (F = 6.69, p = 0.004). Follow-up analysis with one-way ANOVA resulted in no difference among groups at PRE (F = 0.87, p = 0.43), however a significant difference was shown for POST values (F = 5.46, p = 0.009). Post-hoc analysis among POST values showed significant differences between S and both P (p = 0.034) and C (p = 0.003). No differences (p = 0.226) were noted between P and C. Paired samples t-tests detected significant changes following HIIT for S (p < 0.001) and P (p = 0.016), but no change in C (p = 0.473). Results of this study indicate that HIIT was effective in delaying the onset of fatigue, but supplementation with HMBFA in conjunction with HIIT was more effective than HIIT alone. An increase in PWCFT represents an increase in the maximal power output an individual can sustain without eliciting fatigue. Therefore, HIIT can be used to improve performance in both endurance activities as well as intermittent sports. In addition, HMBFA supplementation is a simple method that can be used to maximize the benefits of HIIT. Acknowledgments: Metabolic Technologies, Inc. provided the supplement and funding for this study.

Объектом исследования стали психологические особенности процессов профессионализации в возрасте средней и поздней взрослости. Предметом исследования является биографическая рефлексия и готовность к освоению возрастно-временных изменений во взаимосвязи с самооценкой уровня работоспособности. Магистерская диссертация состоит из введения, двух глав, заключения, списка литературы (138 источников) и приложения, включающего в себя бланки применявшихся методик, описательные статистики, таблицы сравнительного и корреляционного анализа. Объем магистерской диссертации 109 страниц, на которых размещены 5 рисунков и 15 таблиц. Во введении раскрывается актуальность проблемы исследования, теоретическая и практическая значимость работы. разработанность проблематики, ставятся цель и задачи исследования, определяются объект и предмет исследования, формулируются основные гипотезы, указываются методы и эмпирическая база, а также этапы проведения исследования. В первой главе были определены теоретические основания исследования биографической рефлексии, готовности к освоению возрастно-временных изменений, самооценки уровня работоспособности на поздних этапах профессионализации. Был проведён теоретический анализ литературы по проблеме профессионализации на стадии средней и поздней взрослости, рассмотрены различные подходы к классификации профессионального становления специалиста. Выводы по первой главе представляют собой итоги по изучению теоретического материала. Вторая глава посвящена эмпирической части исследования. В ней представлено описание организации и методов проведенного исследования и результатов, полученных по всем использованным методикам: Опросник «Готовность к освоению возрастно-временных изменений» Т.Б. Сергеевой, Н.С. Глуханюк, опросник «Дифференциальная диагностика состояний сниженной работоспособности» (ДОРС) А.Б. Леоновой, С.Б. Величковской, Методика М.В. Клементьевой «Оценка уровня развития биографической рефлексии». Также в главе представлен сравнительный и корреляционный анализ результатов исследования. Выводы по главе 2 включают в себя основные результаты эмпирического исследования. В заключении в обобщенном виде изложены результаты теоретической и эмпирической частей работы, а также выводы по выдвинутым гипотезам, обоснована практическая значимость исследования и описаны возможные перспективы дальнейшей разработки данной проблематики. / The object of the study was the psychological characteristics of developmental processes at the age of middle and late adulthood. The subject of the research is biographical reflection and readiness to master age-time changes in relation to self-assessment of the level of operability. The master's thesis consists of an introduction, two chapters, a conclusion, a list of references (138 sources) and an appendix, which includes the forms of the methods used, descriptive statistics, tables of comparative and correlation analysis. The volume of the master's thesis is 109 pages, which contain 5 figures and 15 tables. The introduction reveals the relevance of the research problem, the theoretical and practical significance of the work. the elaboration of the problematics, the goal and objectives of the research are set, the object and subject of the research are determined, the main hypotheses are formulated, the methods and empirical base, as well as the stages of the research, are indicated. In the first chapter, the theoretical foundations of the study of biographical reflection, readiness to master age-temporal changes, self-assessment of the level of operability at the later stages of professionalization were determined. A theoretical analysis of the literature on the problem of professionalization at the stage of middle and late adulthood was carried out, various approaches to the classification of the professional development of a specialist were considered. Conclusions on the first chapter are the results of the study of theoretical material. The second chapter is devoted to the empirical part of the study. It contains a description of the organization and methods of the study and the results obtained by all the methods used: Questionnaire "Readiness to master age-time changes" T.B. Sergeeva, N.S. Glukhanyuk, questionnaire "Differential diagnosis of states of reduced performance" (DORS) A.B. Leonova, S.B. Velichkovskaya, M.V. Klementyeva "Assessment of the level of development of biographical reflection". The chapter also provides a comparative and correlation analysis of the research results. The findings of Chapter 2 are the main results of the empirical study. In conclusion, brief results of the theoretical and empirical parts of the work are presented, as well as conclusions on the hypotheses. The practical significance of the study is substantiated and possible prospects for further development of the problematics are described.