No abstract

Participation in sports for individuals with disabilities continues to gain popularity. In order to provide fair and equitable competition among persons with different disabilities and functional capacity, a separate functional classification system has been devised for each sport. The aims of the present study were to evaluate aerobic and anaerobic performance of wheelchair basketball athletes and verify a correlation with the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation functional classification system. For this, 17 highly trained male Brazilian basketball wheelchair athletes (25.4+/-4.4 years) from the national team who had taken part in the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games were assessed. These athletes were submitted to cardiopulmonary exercise testing and Wingate-like 30-s sprint test using upper limbs. The present study demonstrated that the functional classification score correlated with relative (r=0.90; P<0.0001) and absolute peak power (r=0.50; P=0.0353) and absolute mean power (r=0.93; P<0.0001) obtained from the Wingate-like 30-s sprint test and also correlated with absolute O(2) peak (r=0.68; P=0.0026) and O(2) at ventilatory threshold (r=0.71; P=0.0014), measured on cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Therefore, our findings support the functional classification created to classify athletes' functional capability on the court, which also correlated with aerobic and anaerobic performance parameters of the elite wheelchair basketball players.

Most resistance training programs use constant rest period lengths between sets and exercises, but some programs use decreasing rest period lengths as training progresses. The aim of this study was to compare the effect on strength and hypertrophy of 8 weeks of resistance training using constant rest intervals (CIs) and decreasing rest intervals (DIs) between sets and exercises. Twenty young men recreationally trained in strength training were randomly assigned to either a CI or DI training group. During the first 2 weeks of training, 3 sets of 10-12 repetition maximum (RM) with 2-minute rest intervals between sets and exercises were performed by both groups. During the next 6 weeks of training, the CI group trained using 2 minutes between sets and exercises (4 sets of 8-10RM), and the DI group trained with DIs (2 minutes decreasing to 30 seconds) as the 6 weeks of training progressed (4 sets of 8-10RM). Total training volume of the bench press and squat were significantly lower for the DI compared to the CI group (bench press 9.4%, squat 13.9%) and weekly training volume of these same exercises was lower in the DI group from weeks 6 to 8 of training. Strength (1RM) in the bench press and squat, knee extensor and flexor isokinetic measures of peak torque, and muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) using magnetic resonance imaging were assessed pretraining and posttraining. No significant differences (p < or = 0.05) were shown between the CI and DI training protocols for CSA (arm 13.8 vs. 14.5%, thigh 16.6 vs. 16.3%), 1RM (bench press 28 vs. 37%, squat 34 vs. 34%), and isokinetic peak torque. In conclusion, the results indicate that a training protocol with DI is just as effective as a CI protocol over short training periods (6 weeks) for increasing maximal strength and muscle CSA; thus, either type of program can be used over a short training period to cause strength and hypertrophy.

We have previously shown that post-exercise inspiratory resistive loading (IRL) reduces blood lactate ([Lac(b)(-)]). In this study, we tested the hypothesis that IRL during recovery could improve subsequent exercise performance. Eight healthy men underwent, on different days, two sequential 30-s, cycle ergometer Wingate tests. During the 10-min recovery period from test 1, subjects breathed freely or through an inspiratory resistance (15 cm H(2)O) with passive leg recovery. Arterialized [Lac(b)(-)] values, perceptual scores (Borg), cardiac output by impedance cardiography (QT), and changes in the deoxygenation status of the M. vastus lateralis by near-infrared spectroscopy (DeltaHHb), were recorded. [Lac(b)(-)] was significantly reduced after 4 min of recovery with IRL (peak [Lac(b)(-)] 12.5 +/- 2.3 mmol l(-1) with free-breathing vs. 9.8 +/- 1.5 mmol l(-1) with IRL). Effort perception was reduced during late recovery with IRL compared with free-breathing. Cardiac work was increased with IRL, since heart rate and QT were elevated during late recovery. Peripheral muscle reoxygenation, however, was significantly impaired with IRL, suggesting that post-exercise convective O(2) delivery to the lower limbs was reduced. Importantly, IRL had a dual effect on subsequent performance, i.e., improvement in peak and mean power, but increased fatigue index (P < 0.05). Our data demonstrate that IRL after a Wingate test reduces post-exercise effort perception and improves peak power on subsequent all-out maximal-intensity exercise.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) and verify the domains of greater impact in patients with focal and generalized epilepsies. Methods: The sample, composed by 57 subjects from Hospital São Paulo da Universidade Federal de São Paulo, was divided into 3 groups, temporal lobe epilepsies (TLE), extra-temporal epilepsies (Extra-TLE) and idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE). They answered a preliminary self-reported questionnaire to identify the perception of the most impaired aspects in their lives. The QOL was evaluated through the validated Brazilian version of the Quality of Life Epilepsy Inventory 31 (QOLIE-31). The correlation of the QOLIE-31 domains with epilepsy duration and seizure frequency was defined by dispersion graphics and also Pearson's and Spearman's correlation. Results: The most frequently identified impact of epilepsy was related to interpersonal, familial and social relationships mentioned by 13 (22.81%) patients. The seizure frequency per patient in Extra-TLE group was significantly greater (p = 0.007) than in the other groups. The Cognition Functioning scores were lower for the Extra-TLE group (38.4) when compared with TLE (52.6) and IGE (62.6) (p = 0.01). The correlation between epilepsy duration and QOLIE-31 domains did not demonstrate statistical significance; however, seizure frequency was correlated with Seizures Worry (p = 0.0463, α = 0.05) and Medication Effects (p = 0.0476, α = 0.05) domains. Conclusions: 1) Interpersonal, familial, and social relationships were the dimension which most impacted daily life; 2) Cognition domain in Extra-TLE group showed the worst scores; 3) QOL scores were similar in the three groups for the majority of the QOLIE-31 domains; 4) The seizure frequency in the Extra-TLE group was significantly greater; 5) Seizure frequency was associated with worse QOLIE-31 scores in the domains Seizure Worry and Medication Effects.Key words: quality of life (QOL), QOLIE-31, temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), extra-temporal lobe epilepsy (extra-TLE), idiophatic generalized epilepsy (IGE), self-perception of epilepsy impact. RESUMO Qualidade de vida e percepção sobre impacto em três diferentes tipos de epilepsiasObjetivo: Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade de vida (QV) em três diferentes grupos de epilepsia e verificar a esfera percebida como de maior impacto na vida diária. Metodologia: A amostra foi

Objective: To verify the alterations promoted by creatine supplementation in the anthropometric variables and the resultant of dynamic maximum strength (RDMS) in college students submitted to 8 wk of strength training. Methodology: The sample consisted of 18 male college students, aged between 19 to 25 years. Height (cm), body mass (kg) and tests of maximum voluntary muscular action (1MVMA) weight in the squat were determined prior to the training. The subjects were divided in two groups: A (creatine) or B (placebo). The double-blind protocol was adopted. After 8 weeks of strength training, the tests battery from the pre-training was repeated. Results: After 8 wk of training, it was verified that both groups had statistically significant (SS) alterations in the RDMS in all the exercises (p = 0.007 / 0.008). The analysis of the percentile improvement (PI) and the RDMS delta in the squat exercises, military press and close-grip-extensions, showed that group A had positive SS alterations higher than group B (p = 0.008 / 0.038). Lean body mass only SS increased in group A (p = 0.038). However, the percentage of body fat did not show alterations in none of the groups. The relationship between the PI of the arm and forearm circumferences (C) and the PI in the RDMS of the development exercise was SS (r = 0.481 and 0.546, respectively), as well as between the PI in the thigh C and the PI of the RDMS of the squat exercise (r = 0.619). Conclusion: Regardless the substance ingested, strength training was able to increase in RDMS; however, creatine supplementation was shown to be more efficient that the placebo, showing higher percentual and delta improvement in strength.

A creatina (Cr) é objeto de estudo de grande interesse na comunidade científica do esporte e do exercício. Seus efeitos ergogênicos têm despertado curiosidade entre os pesquisadores pelo fato de um grande numero de estudos apontarem efeitos positivos para aquisição de força e massa muscular Apesar do seu uso ser explorado amplamente pelos atletas e praticantes de atividade física, resultados promissores vem clareando sua utilização na área clínica como uma potente substancia terapêutica em distúrbios neuromusculares, neurológicos, cardiovasculares e ainda como anticarcinogênico. Estudos realizados em nosso laboratório sinalizaram a possibilidade da creatina monohidratada (CrH2O) estar atuando como um antioxidante, após a realização de um treinamento de força (hipertrofia), durante 8 semanas.

ResumoO presente estudo teve por objetivo analisar os interesses dos futuros profissionais de Educação Física nas diferentes subáreas que o curso pode oferecer, o conhecimento sobre o campo de atuação possível para cada uma dessas subáreas e os motivos que influenciaram nessa escolha. Participaram do estudo 840 alunos, os quais responderam a um questionário fechado sobre os assuntos mencionados acima. Após realizar os agrupamentos pertinentes aplicou-se à prova estatística de qui-quadrado, para verificar a associação entre respostas e agrupamentos. Apesar das associações estatisticamente significativas entre as opções para campo de atuação e os fatores graduação e gênero, em ambos os casos o interesse voltou-se para a atuação em clubes. Observou-se ainda incoerência entre o curso escolhido e a área de atuação para todos os agrupamentos. Palavras-Chave: Educação Física; Área de atuação; Área acadêmica; Licenciatura; Bacharelado; Motivos para escolha. Introdução Os primeiros cursos de preparação de profissionais de Educação Física noBrasil surgem no início da década de 30. Nessa época a implantação desses cursos estava relacionada principalmente com a área escolar, sendo denominada Licenciatura (TOJAL, 2004