Studies show that the autonomic nervous system (ANS) has an important impact on health in general. In response to environmental demands, homeostatic processes are often compromised, therefore determining an increase in the sympathetic nervous system (SNS)’s functions and a decrease in the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS)’s functions. In modern societies, chronic stress associated with an unhealthy lifestyle contributes to ANS dysfunction. In this review, we provide a brief introduction to the ANS network, its connections to the HPA axis and its stress responses and give an overview of the critical implications of ANS in health and disease—focused specifically on the immune system, cardiovascular, oxidative stress and metabolic dysregulation. The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA), the SNS and more recently the PNS have been identified as regulating the immune system. The HPA axis and PNS have anti-inflammatory effects and the SNS has been shown to have both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects. The positive impact of physical exercise (PE) is well known and has been studied by many researchers, but its negative impact has been less studied. Depending on the type, duration and individual characteristics of the person doing the exercise (age, gender, disease status, etc.), PE can be considered a physiological stressor. The negative impact of PE seems to be connected with the oxidative stress induced by effort.
The context of the COVID-19 pandemic required the implementation of special measures to ensure the continuity and quality of teaching in higher education. The study presented here aims to identify the differences of opinion between the age categories of students in the first year of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports in Galati, Romania, regarding teaching, learning and assessment activities on online platforms. A total of 147 students divided into three age groups (under 20 years, 20–30 years and over 30 years) filled out a questionnaire composed of items with closed and free answers, structured on four factors (attractiveness, accessibility, motivation and efficiency), after participating in the online teaching and evaluation act during the first semester of the academic year 2020–2021. Multivariate and univariate tests were applied, identifying the influence of the independent age variable on the dependent variables (aspects measured by the items of the questionnaire). Values were obtained at significant thresholds of F for some of the investigated aspects: boredom induced by online activities, stress value, participation, involvement, motivation and adaptation to the online program, usefulness and quality of teaching process, value of professional training and involvement in disruptive activities. The analysis of the differences between the average scores of the items for the pairs formed by age categories highlighted insignificant values between those under 20 and those aged 20–30, but multiple significant differences between the group of those over 30 and the other two groups. The centralization of free answers by environment (rural and urban) identified the advantages perceived by the students about the online activities (increasing the amount of free time, low financial costs, high accessibility, personal learning pace), the reported disadvantages (technical problems, low concentration, poor socialization) and contradictory proposals to improve activities (continuing online, returning to classical teaching, simplifying the subject, using video materials, involving all students in activities). The paper aims to evaluate the performance of teaching activities performed in the first year of study for the students of physical education and sports, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, involving questionnaires validated by the specialty center at the university. The analysis of the results highlighted a series of extremely important aspects that have a role in the future design of activities and courses.
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is involved in various processes, including brain plasticity, learning and memory, neuronal development, nociception, inflammation, appetite regulation, digestion, metabolism, energy balance, motility, and regulation of stress and emotions. Physical exercise (PE) is considered a valuable non-pharmacological therapy that is an immediately available and cost-effective method with a lot of health benefits, one of them being the activation of the endogenous cannabinoids. Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are generated as a response to high-intensity activities and can act as short-term circuit breakers, generating antinociceptive responses for a short and variable period of time. A runner’s high is an ephemeral feeling some sport practitioners experience during endurance activities, such as running. The release of eCBs during sustained physical exercise appears to be involved in triggering this phenomenon. The last decades have been characterized by an increased interest in this emotional state induced by exercise, as it is believed to alleviate pain, induce mild sedation, increase euphoric levels, and have anxiolytic effects. This review provides information about the current state of knowledge about endocannabinoids and physical effort and also an overview of the studies published in the specialized literature about this subject.
Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the most common public health problems which cannot be cured and ultimately leads to disability. Current management is largely limited to the treatment of the symptoms. To avoid the late stages of KOA that lead to knee replacement, the key point is to control and reduce destructive processes using efficient pharmacological products combined with physiotherapy (PT). Herein, we perform a monocentric observational study to compare the effect of combining a multi-modal physiotherapy regime and intra-articular (IA) injection with hyaluronic acid (HA) on the non-surgical treatment of KOA. Patients with mild KOA were randomly assigned to two groups to receive an HA injection with PT or an HA injection only. The assessment tools for pain, clinical disease severity, and disability were the total score on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) (scores range from 0 to 96, with higher scores indicating worse pain, function, and stiffness), knee range of motion (ROM), pain on the visual analog scale (VAS), and muscle strength testing (MST). All tests were evaluated every 3 months up to 1 year from the baseline. The study enrolled 52 patients with ages between 47 and 61 years who were divided into two groups. Thirty-seven (n = 37) patients were randomized in the pilot group (PG) and received IA injections with the viscoelastic hyaluronic acid product (HA) combined with a multi-modal PT regime. The PT program included 10 sessions of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, low-level laser therapy, ultrasound, physical exercise, and cryotherapy. Fifteen patients (n = 15) from the control group (CG) received the IA HA injections only. All patients were confirmed with mild KOA of Kellgren–Lawrence grade 2 on radiographs at the beginning of the treatment. The baseline characteristics, including the severity of pain and level of disability, were similar in the two groups. At baseline, the mean (±SD) WOMAC scores reported were 64.6 ± 4.08 in the CG and 64.5 ± 2.99 in the PG. Notably, at only 3 months into the study, the mean scores were significantly improved to 56.7 ± 5 in the CG and 48.27 ± 2.13 in the PG (mean between-group difference = 16.19 points; 95% confidence interval), finding favor for the combination of HA injections and physiotherapy. At the study’s endpoint (12 months), the scores were improved in both groups, with the mean between-group difference remaining significant (7.08 points, 95% confidence interval). A decrease in pain, as evaluated by the VAS scale, was reported for both groups, with the PG reporting a better VAS score that decreased from 5.7 to 2 when compared to the CG, which decreased from 5.7 to 3. The physical assessment parameters (ROM and MST) followed the same trend, with a rapid improvement in the ROM in the PG, changing from 98° to 115° in the first 3 months, and a slower and more steady evolution in the CG group, changing from 100° to 112° in 9 months. Herein, we report on the combination therapy of an intra-articularly administered HA viscoelastic product and a multi-modal physiotherapy regime, which can play a key role in the non-surgical treatment of KOA, effectively controlling pain, stiffness, and the ROM value and improving patients’ quality of life.
We have lived in an era in sports history in which due to the intensity of the confrontations between athletes, disorders manifested by headaches, shoulder, pelvis and knee aches etc. appear more often. The performers during puberty require special attention on their morpho – functional development from the kynesiotherapist who is part of the multidisciplinary team, due to many transformations of the human body specific at this age category. 13 juniors female athletes have participated to the study, being assessed anthropometric, plantar pressures and posture with softwear FreeStep by Sensor Medica, biomechanical analysis and from technical & tactical point of view by 5 tests with DartFish 360S. Within the statistical – mathematical analysis, we have used Pearson correlation coefficient which favoured the identification of the strongest correlations resulted from the technical – tactical - anthropometric – plantar pressures and postural unbalances (r > 1.00 at test 1 and r > 0.84 at test 2). Assumption: It is assumed that by using established methods and means to assess postural deficiencies and to assess the level of consolidation of the topspin attack, we can identify the correlations between them which would facilitate the creation in the future of an efficient postural improvement program. The goal is to improve the quality of life and sports performance in junior female table tennis players. The conclusions of this study demonstrate the fact that the mobility of the spine in frontal plan, high thoracic elasticity and an increased lateral mobility on the opposite side of the active arm represent advantages intended to optimize the attack by topspin, while the supraponderability, the pain in lumber area and the shoulder’s asymmetry constitute disruptive factors of attack’s performance. Keywords: plantar pressures, postural unbalances, baropodometric platforms, topsin attack efficiency, dartfish 360s,
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