Physical exercise is considered an important intervention for promoting well-being and healthy aging. The objective was to determine the effects of moderate-to-high intensity resistance circuit training on different parameters of body composition, functional autonomy, muscular strength and quality of life in elderly. A randomized controlled trial was conducted. A total of 45 subjects (27 females, 18 males) aged between 65–75 years old from Murcia (Spain) were divided by sex, and randomly to experimental group (n = 33, mean age 69 ± 3.2 years old) receiving 12 weeks of moderate-to-high intensity resistance circuit training and control group (n = 33, mean age 70 ± 4.1 years old) receiving no exercise intervention. Intra-group comparison, the experimental group showed a significant increment of lean body mass in women and men, which also presented a decrease of fat mass. Both sex presented a significant improve in functional autonomy, and significately higher values of muscular strength. But no changes were observed regarding quality of life in these groups. The control group did not show any differences pre and post-intervention in women, but in men presented an increment of body mass index and total weight post-intervention. No changes were showed in the other variables. Similar results were founded at inter-group comparison. The moderate-to-high intensity resistance circuit training showed increase in total lean body mass, improvements in functional capacity and significantly increase in upper and lower muscular strength in women and men. Progressive resistance circuit training should be promoted for the elderly as it has the potential to improve physical performance, thereby prolonging healthy independent aging.

There is a growing interest in knowing the relationship between biological maturation and sport performance-related variables of young athletes. The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between biological maturation, physical fitness, and kinanthropometric variables of athletes during their growing period, according to their sex. The systematic review and meta-analysis followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement and the search protocol was registered in PROSPERO, code: CRD42020208397. A search through the PubMed, Web of Sciences, and EBSCO databases was performed. A total of 423 studies were screened and 13 were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis was completed by using the mean and standard deviation of each variable according to each maturation status (early, on time, or late). Differences depending on maturation were found on physical fitness, with better results in the advanced maturational groups in the male population (standard mean difference (SMD) = 0.17–2.31; p < 0.001–0.05). Differences depending on maturation were found for kinanthropometric variables in males (SMD = 0.37–2.31; p < 0.001–0.002) and height and body mass in females (SMD = 0.96–1.19; p < 0.001). In conclusion, the early maturation group showed higher values in kinanthropometric variables and better results in physical fitness, highlighting the importance of the maturational process in the talent selection programs. Despite that, more research is needed to clarify the relationship of maturation with the other variables on female populations and the changes in the muscle and bone variables during the maturation processes of both sexes.

Many authors are interested in the effects that a specific exercise program could have on sagittal spinal curvatures. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of different exercise programs on thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordotic angle. This meta-analysis adhered to the PRISMA guideline and it was registered at PROSPERO. Five electronic databases (Pub Med, Cochrane, WOS, PEDro and EBSCO) were searched up to 31 July 2018. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials that applied an exercise intervention and measured a kyphosis and/or lordotic angle. Study quality was performance by PEDro score. Risk of bias was assessed using the SIGN 50 checklist for randomized controlled trials. External validity was assessed using the EVAT. Ten randomized controlled trials were included for systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-analysis with a random effect model was performed to infer the pooled estimated standardized mean difference. All studies were RCTs and they involved a total of 284 cases and 255 controls. Seven studies measured kyphosis angle. A large significant effect of the exercise on kyphosis was identified (SMD = -1.400 (95% CI-2.150 a -0.660), p = 0.000). Four studies assessed lordotic angle and moderate but not significant improvement was shown (SMD = -0.530 (95% CI-1.760 a -0.700), p = 0.401). The results suggest that exercise programs may have a positive effect on thoracic kyphosis angle, but no clear effect on lordotic angle. This systematic review suggests that strengthening rather than stretching could be more relevant for kyphosis and both qualities are important for lordosis. It is necessary to conduct more randomized controlled trials to assess the effects of strengthening and/or stretching program on kyphosis and lordotic angle and to establish the type of the exercise that is better for maintaining the sagittal disposition within normal ranges.

The revised European consensus defined sarcopenia as a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder that is associated with an increased likelihood of adverse outcomes including falls, fractures, physical disability and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of sarcopenia and analyse the influence of diet, physical activity (PA) and obesity index as risk factors of each criteria of sarcopenia. A total of 629 European middle-aged and older adults were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometrics were assessed. Self-reported PA and adherence to the Mediterranean diet were evaluated with the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and Prevention with Mediterranean Diet questionnaire (PREDIMED), respectively. The functional assessment included handgrip strength, lower body muscle strength, gait speed and agility/dynamic balance. Of the participants, 4.84% to 7.33% showed probable sarcopenia. Sarcopenia was confirmed in 1.16% to 2.93% of participants. Severe sarcopenia was shown by 0.86% to 1.49% of participants. Male; age group ≤65 years; lower body mass index (BMI); high levels of vigorous PA; and the consumption of more than one portion per day of red meat, hamburgers, sausages or cold cuts and/or preferential consumption of rabbit, chicken or turkey instead of beef, pork, hamburgers or sausages (OR = 0.126–0.454; all p < 0.013) resulted as protective factors, and more time of sedentary time (OR = 1.608–2.368; p = 0.032–0.041) resulted as a risk factor for some criteria of sarcopenia. In conclusion, age, diet, PA, and obesity can affect the risk of having low muscle strength, low muscle mass or low functional performance, factors connected with sarcopenia.

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Introduction: Low levels of hamstring flexibility may trigger certain acute and chronic pathologies and injuries. Poor flexibility is observed among teenagers and several authors have recommended the use of specific programs in this population to improve flexibility levels. The Pilates Method (PM) may be an appropriate intervention to achieve this purpose and has rarely been used with this population. Objective: Study was to assess changes in the flexibility of hamstrings after running a didactic PM unit for high-school students. Methods. This research was developed through a quasi-experimental design. The sample consisted of 66 high-school students divided into experimental group (EG=39) and control group (CG=27). The intervention was carried out 2 times a week for six weeks. Each session lasted 55 minutes divided into three parts: warm-up, main part and cool down. Hamstring flexibility was assessed using the toe-touch test. Paired Student t-test and t-test for independent samples were applied. The size of the effect (d) was determined. Results: The EG showed significant provident in hamstring flexibility (+3.54±3.9cm). The effect size was low (d>d>0,2<0,53), which means that a small proportion of participants improved their results. The control group did not have significant changes after the intervention. In the experimental group, both boys (+3.38± 3.7cm) and girls (+3.85 ± 4.2cm) showed significant improvements. The effect size was low for boys (d>d>0.2<0.53), which means that a small proportion of participants improved their results, and high for girls (d>1.15) which means that a large proportion of participants improved their results. Conclusion: This study showed that six-weeks of Pilates training in Physical Education classes has significantly improved the hamstrings flexibility among adolescents.

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The percentage of spine misalignment increases during the childhood and adolescence stages. The Pilates method has been associated with an improvement in the sagittal spine disposition, but no studies have been conducted on adolescents. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a 9-month Pilates exercise program (PEP) on hamstring extensibility and sagittal spinal curvatures on adolescents. This randomised controlled trial included 236 adolescents. The experimental group (EG) received a PEP (9 months, 2 sessions/week, 15 minutes/session). The control group (CG) did not receive any intervention. Hamstring extensibility was measured with the passive and active straight leg raise and toe-touch tests. Sagittal spinal curvatures and pelvic tilt was assessed in relaxed standing, active alignment and toe-touch test positions. The EG had significant changes in hamstring extensibility, lumbar curvature and pelvic tilt in standing sagittal curvature. The CG became significantly worse in thoracic kyphosis in standing. This study provides evidence of nine-months of a PEP increased the hamstring extensibility; averted the increase of the thoracic curvature, and decreased the curvature of the lumbar lordosis and pelvic tilt in standing position; avoided a greater increase of thoracic curvature in active alignment in standing position; and avoided the increase of thoracic curvature in trunk flexion.