Cardiac power output (CPO) is an integrative measure of overall cardiac function as it accounts for both, flow- and pressure-generating capacities of the heart. The purpose of the present study was twofold: (i) to assess cardiac power output and its response to exercise in athletes and non-athletes and (ii) to determine the relationship between cardiac power output and reserve and selected measures of cardiac function and structure. Twenty male athletes and 32 age- and gender-matched healthy sedentary controls participated in this study. CPO was calculated as the product of cardiac output and mean arterial pressure, expressed in watts. Measures of hemodynamic status, cardiac structure and pumping capability were assessed by echocardiography. CPO was assessed at rest and after peak bicycle exercise. At rest, the two groups had similar values of cardiac power output (1·08 ± 0·2 W versus 1·1 ± 0·24 W, P>0·05), but the athletes demonstrated lower systolic blood pressure (109·5 ± 6·2 mmHg versus 117·2 ± 8·2 mmHg, P<0·05) and thicker posterior wall of the left ventricle (9·8 ± 1 mm versus 9 ± 1·1 mm, P<0·05). Peak CPO was higher in athletes (5·87 ± 0·75 W versus 5·4 ± 0·69 W, P<0·05) as was cardiac reserve (4·92 ± 0·66 W versus 4·26 ± 0·61 W, P<0·05), respectively. Peak exercise CPO and reserve were only moderately correlated with end-diastolic volume (r = 0·54; r = 0·46, P<0·05) and end-diastolic left ventricular internal diameter (r = 0·48; r = 0·42, P<0·05), respectively. Athletes demonstrated greater maximal cardiac pumping capability and reserve than non-athletes. The study provides new evidence that resting measures of cardiac structure and function need to be considered with caution in interpretation of maximal cardiac performance.

Context: As a result of the adaptation process, some functional properties show different functions over time during strength training. Muscle strength and fatigue may show different adaptation patterns in reaching the improvement plateau after several weeks of training.Objective: To follow muscle endurance and fatigue values during resistance training of the elbow extensors in young nonathletes.Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Setting: Controlled laboratory.Patients or Other Participants: Nineteen healthy young nonathletes (age ¼ 21.0 6 1.1 years; body mass index ¼ 25.2 6 2.9 kg/m 2 ). Intervention(s): Triceps brachii resistance training was performed on the isoacceleration dynamometer for 10 weeks (frequency ¼ 5 times a week, 5 sets of 10 maximal elbow extensions, 1-minute resting period between sets).Main Outcome Measure(s): Measurements of endurance strength and fatigability were conducted using the same equipment, and endurance strength (ES), fatigue rate (FR), and decrease in strength (DS) were defined.Results: All measured values for triceps brachii strength changed after training (ES increased by 57%, FR decreased by 68%, and DS improved by 59%; P , .001). No correlation was found between ES and the fatigability values-FR and DS (r 2 ¼ 0.37 for FR and r 2 ¼ 0.04 for DS; P . .05). The FR and DS trends showed specific functions, which reached a plateau after 4 weeks of training, and we found no further weekly changes in these values as the training continued. As an adaptation to exercise, ES showed a continuous, yet not linear, increase.Conclusions: Fatigability in the triceps brachii decreased in the first 4 weeks of training. After that period, muscle functional properties improved as a result of increased endurance.Key Words: conditioning, upper extremity, athletes Key PointsFatigue of the triceps brachii muscle decreased during the first 4 weeks of strength training. Decreased strength of the triceps brachii muscle during multiple contractions plateaued after 4 training weeks. Further improvement in muscle functional properties was a result of increased endurance.S trength training leads to functional and morphologic adaptations of skeletal muscles. 1-5 Different effects are expected from different intensities, frequencies, and durations of a training protocol. A greater increase in strength is accomplished with maximal loads, a smaller number of repetitions, and shorter rest periods between sessions. More repetitions in a series with smaller loads and longer interseries intervals increase endurance.6-8 Surely, the adaptation effects are also closely related to age, genetic predisposition, muscle or fiber types, previous training history, and hormonal or other influences. 8,9 In any case, the objective of a training program is to increase the function of skeletal muscles, which relates not only to maximal muscle strength and power but also to endurance and fatigue. Endurance is the ability of a muscle to maintain its function throughout time and multiple contractions. Muscle endurance can be expre...

Objectives The goal of the present study was to explore additional evidence of validity of the Serbian version of the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI), a patient‐reported outcome measure of symptoms that have been found to be associated with central sensitization (CS). The CSI has been found to be psychometrically sound, and has demonstrated evidence of convergent and discriminant validity in numerous published studies and in multiple languages. Methods CSI data were collected from 399 patients with chronic pain who had various diagnoses and from 146 pain‐free controls. In addition, the patient sample completed a battery of validated patient‐reported outcome measures of sleep problems, cognitive problems, pain catastrophizing, pain‐related fear‐avoidance, decreased quality of life, and decreased perception of social support. Six patient subgroups were formed, with presumably different levels of CS (including those with fibromyalgia, multiple pain sites, and localized pain sites). Results Significant differences were found in total CSI scores among the controls and patient subgroups. Those with fibromyalgia and multiple pathologies scored highest and the control subjects scored lowest. Other patient‐reported CS‐related symptom dimensions were significantly correlated with total CSI scores. When the patients were divided into CSI severity subgroups (from subclinical to extreme), the severity of these other symptom dimensions increased with the severity of CSI scores. Conclusions The current study successfully demonstrated additional evidence of the convergent and discriminant validity of the Serbian version of the CSI.

The 30-s all-out Wingate test has been used in athletes of all sport specialties to measure the capacity for short duration, high power output while cycling. The aim of this study was to establish differences in measuring anaerobic capacity between the classic Wingate test on a cycling ergometer and the modified Wingate test on a rowing ergometer in rowers. A group of20 rowers was tested by both the cycle and rowing ergometers during 30s of maximum power to test anaerobic capacity and to make correlation between these tests. The parameters measured were the peak power and mean power. The peak power on the cycling ergometer was 475 +/- 75.1W and 522.4 +/- 81W (p < 0.05) on the rowing ergometer. The mean power on the cycling ergometer and the rowing ergometer was 344.4 +/- 51.1W and 473.7W +/- 67.2, (p < 0.05) respectively. The maximum values were achieved at the same time on both ergometers, but remained on the higher level till the end of the test on the rowing ergometer. By correlating the anaerobic parameters of the classic Wingate test and a modified Wingate test on the rowing ergometer a significant positive correlation was detected in the peak power (r = 0.63, p < 0.05) as well as in the mean power (r = 0.65, p < 0.05). The results show that the rowers achieved better results of the anaerobic parameters on the rowing ergometer compared to the cycling ergometer due to a better mechanical efficiency. It is concluded that the modified Wingate test on the rowing ergometer can be used in rowers for testing their anaerobic capacity as a sport specific test ergometer since it provides more precise results.

Specific body composition and anthropometri- cal assessment as a part of morphological analysis should complement physiological profile of elite athletes. The analysis of the anaerobic performance shows that the handball players have greater alactic anaerobic and explosive power component, compared to the rowers in whom the anaerobic endurance and specific training have the greatest effect on the consumption of dominant metabolic substrate during the race.

Study results indicate a possible use of US in the diagnostics of fractures and monitoring of calcaneal healing.

A modified Wingate test of leg extension on a dynamometer in sedentary young men shows a correlation with the classic Wingate test only in parameters of peak power, and mean power and the second, the third and the last 5 s intervals. Because of that it should only be used for orientation, whereas for precise measurements of anaerobic capacity the classic Wingate test should be used.

Introduction. There is a great interest to identify factors that influence the value of maximum oxygen consumption. The goal of this research was to assess the body composition, pulmonary parameters, and maximum oxygen consumption in different types of sports and in non-athletes. Material and Methods. The research included 149 male participants: aerobic athletes (n = 55), anaerobic athletes (n = 53) and non-athletes (n = 41). The participants were tested at the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Novi Sad. Anthropometric parameters and body mass index were measured. Also, the body fat mass was determined by bioelectrical impedance. pulmonary parameters by spirometry and maximum oxygen consumption on a bicycle ergometer. Results. The body mass index values in non-athletes were the highest and significantly different compared to the aerobic athletes (p = 0.01). Also, nonathletes had significantly higher values of body fat mass compared to athletes (p < 0.001). The pulmonary parameters were not significantly different between the tested groups (p > 0.05). However. the values of maximum oxygen consumption were significantly different between all three tested groups (aerobic athletes 53.75 ± 7.82 ml/kg/min; anaerobic athletes 48.04 ± 6.79 ml/kg/min; non-athletes 41.95 ± 8.53 ml/kg/min) (p < 0.001). A low degree of correlation was found between maximum oxygen consumption and pulmonary parameters in the tested groups. Conclusion. Body composition has an impact on the pulmonary parameters. The values of maximum oxygen consumption depend on the type of sport and training. and the highest values are in aerobic sports. There is a low degree of correlation between maximum oxygen consumption and pulmonary parameters in the tested groups.