Foam rolling is more effective than static and dynamic stretching in acutely increasing flexibility of the quadriceps and hamstrings without hampering muscle strength, and may be recommended as part of a warm-up in healthy young adults.

Warm-up is an essential component for optimizing performance before an exercise session. This study investigated that the immediate effects of vibration rolling (VR), nonvibration rolling (NVR), and static stretching as a part of a warm-up regimen on the flexibility, knee joint proprioception, muscle strength, and dynamic balance of the lower extremity in young adults. Compared with the preintervention, VR induced the range of motion of knee flexion and extension significantly increased by 2.5% and 6%, respectively, and isokinetic peak torque and dynamic balance for muscle strength and dynamic balance increased by 33%-35% and 1.5%, respectively. In the three conditions, most outcomes between VR and NVR were comparable; however, the participants had a significantly higher knee joint reposition error after NVR than after VR, indicating that NVR would have a hampering knee joint proprioception effect. In particular, compared with static stretching, VR significantly increased the quadriceps muscle strength by 2-fold and dynamic balance by 1.8-fold. These findings suggest that athletic professionals may take VR into account for designing more efficient and effective preperformance routine to improve exercise performances. VR has high potential to translate into an on-field practical application.

Pneumonia leads to changes in body composition and weakness due to the malnourished condition. In addition, patient family caregivers always have a lack of nutritional information, and they do not know how to manage patients’ nutritional intake during hospitalization and after discharge. Most intervention studies aim to provide nutritional support for older patients. However, whether long-term nutritional intervention by dietitians and caregivers from patients’ families exert clinical effects—particularly in malnourished pneumonia—on nutritional status and readmission rate at each interventional phase, from hospitalization to postdischarge, remains unclear. To investigate the effects of an individualized nutritional intervention program (iNIP) on nutritional status and readmission rate in older adults with pneumonia during hospitalization and three and six months after discharge. Eighty-two malnourished older adults with a primary diagnosis of pneumonia participated. Patients were randomly allocated to either a nutrition intervention (NI) group or a standard care (SC) group. Participants in the NI group received an iNIP according to energy and protein intake requirements in addition to dietary advice based on face-to-face interviews with their family caregivers during hospitalization. After discharge, phone calls were adopted for prescribing iNIPs. Anthropometry (i.e., body mass index, limb circumference, and subcutaneous fat thickness), blood parameters (i.e., albumin and total lymphocyte count), hospital stay, Mini-Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) score, target daily calorie intake, total calorie intake adherence rate, and three-major-nutrient intakes were assessed during hospitalization and three and six months after discharge. Both groups received regular follow-up through phone calls. Furthermore, the rate of readmission resulting from pneumonia was recorded after discharge. During hospital stay, the NI group showed significant increases in daily calorie intake, total calorie intake adherence rate, and protein intake compared with the SC group (p < 0.05); however, no significant difference was found in anthropometry, blood biochemical values, MNA-SF scores, and hospital stay. At three and six months after discharge, the NI group showed significantly higher daily calorie intake and MNA-SF scores (8.2 vs. 6.5 scores at three months; 9.3 vs. 7.6 scores at six months) than did the SC group (p < 0.05). After adjusting for sex, the readmission rate for pneumonia significantly decreased by 77% in the NI group compared with that in the SC group (p = 0.03, OR: 0.228, 95% CI: 0.06–0.87). A six-month iNIP under dietitian and patient family nutritional support for malnourished older adults with pneumonia can significantly improve their nutritional status and reduce the readmission rate.

Lower abdominal, perineal, and groin (LAPG) reconstruction may be performed in a single stage. Anterolateral thigh (ALT) flaps are preferred here and taken as fasciocutaneous (ALT-FC), myocutaneous (ALT-MC), or vastus lateralis myocutaneous (VL-MC) flaps. We aim to present the results of reconstruction from a series of patients and guide flap selection with an algorithmic approach to LAPG reconstruction that optimizes outcomes and minimizes morbidity. Lower abdomen, groin, perineum, vulva, vagina, scrotum, and bladder wounds reconstructed in 22 patients using ALT flaps between 2000 and 2013 were retrospectively studied. Five ALT-FC, eight ALT-MC, and nine VL-MC flaps were performed. All flaps survived. Venous congestion occurred in three VL-MC flaps from mechanical cause. Wound infection occurred in six cases. Urinary leak occurred in three cases of bladder reconstruction. One patient died from congestive heart failure. The ALT flap is time tested and dependably addresses most LAPG defects; flap variations are suited for niche defects. We propose a novel algorithm to guide reconstructive decision-making.