Background/aims Menopause can cause drastic changes that trigger severe symptoms in women and, in turn, influence their quality of life. Many women no longer prefer hormone replacement therapy because of its potential adverse effects. Hence, it is crucial to establish alternate interventions to alleviate menopausal symptoms. The aim of this study was to estimate the relationship between quality of life and level of physical activity in menopausal women. Methods A total of 260 postmenopausal women were recruited in this cross-sectional study. The Menopause Rating Scale and International Physical Activity Questionnaire – Short Form were used to assess quality of life and physical activity respectively. Results Women with higher levels of physical activity had fewer total menopausal, somato-vegetative and psychological symptoms (P<0.001); no differences were found in vasomotor and urogenital symptoms. Conclusions Women with low physical activity levels presented with greater menopausal symptoms. Regular physical activity can be recommended to alleviate symptoms following menopause, thereby improving quality of life.
Background: Trunk stability is key in controlling body balance and movements. Trunk Stabilization Exercises (TSE) and Conventional Trunk Exercises (CTE) are performed to improve dynamic balance. The authors have previously reported that dynamic balance was improved by a 12-week and 6-week TSE program. However, there is a dearth of research on its immediate effect on dynamic balance in trained soccer players. Objective: To compare the immediate effeect of TSE with that of CTE on dynamic balance in trained soccer players. Methods: Forty-eight male soccer players (24.60 ffi 1.38 years) participated in this crossover study, wherein each participant took part in three exercise sessions: TSE, CTE, and No Exercise control (NE), each consisting of three steps: pre-test, intervention and post-test, with an interval of one week between each exercise condition. To assess dynamic balance, the Y Balance Test-Lower Quarter (YBT-LQ) score in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions was measured before and 5 minutes after each intervention. Results: The YBT-LQ composite score was significantly improved after TSE (0.51) as compared to CTE (0.22) and NE (0.04) (p < 0.05). Furthermore, in TSE and CTE conditions, YBT-LQ scores of the posterolateral and posteromedial directions significantly improved at the post-test (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Both TSE and CTE are effective in immediately improving dynamic balance; however, TSE showed greater improvement as compared to the latter. Immediate improvements in the posteromedial and posterolateral directions of the YBT-LQ were demonstrated after performing the TSE and CTE.
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