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"Exercise - physiology"
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Effects of neuromuscular versus stretching training performed during the warm-up on measures of physical fitness and mental well-being in highly-trained pubertal male soccer players
While there is ample evidence on the effects of neuromuscular training (NMT) and stretching training on selected measures of physical fitness in young athletes, less is known on the mental well-being effects. Here, we aimed to examine the effects of NMT versus stretching training (ST) performed during the warm-up and active control (CG) on selected physical fitness measures and mental well-being in highly-trained male pubertal soccer players. A secondary aim was to investigate associations between training-induced changes in physical fitness and mental well-being. Forty-six pubertal participants aged 12.2 ± 0.6 years were randomly allocated to NMT, ST, or CG. The eight-weeks NMT included balance, strength, plyometric, and change-of-direction (CoD) exercises. ST comprised four weeks of lower limbs static stretching followed by four weeks of dynamic stretching. The CG performed a soccer-specific warm-up. Training volumes were similar between groups. Pre-, and post-training, tests were scheduled to assess dynamic balance (Y-balance test), 15-m CoD speed, power (five-jump-test [FJT]), cognitive (CA), somatic anxiety (SA), and self-confidence (SC). Findings showed significant group-by-time interactions for all physical fitness measures (d = 1.00-3.23; p < 0.05) and mental well-being (d = 0.97-1.08; p < 0.05) tests. There were significant pre-post changes for all tested variables (d = 0.69-4.23; p < 0.05) in favor of NMT but not ST and CG. Pooled data indicated significant moderate correlations between training-induced performance changes in FJT and SA (r = −0.378, p < 0.05), FJT and SC (r = 0.360, p < 0.05) and 15-m CoD and SA (r = 0.393, p < 0.01). NMT but not ST or CG resulted in improved measures of physical fitness and mental well-being in highly-trained pubertal male soccer players. NMT performed during the warm-up is a safe and effective training method as it exerts positive effects on physical fitness and self-confidence as well as the coping of anxiety in highly-trained male pubertal soccer players.
Journal Article
White matter plasticity in healthy older adults: The effects of aerobic exercise
White matter deterioration is associated with cognitive impairment in healthy aging and Alzheimer's disease. It is critical to identify interventions that can slow down white matter deterioration. So far, clinical trials have failed to demonstrate the benefits of aerobic exercise on the adult white matter using diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Here, we report the effects of a 6-month aerobic walking and dance interventions (clinical trial NCT01472744) on white matter integrity in healthy older adults (n = 180, 60–79 years) measured by changes in the ratio of calibrated T1- to T2-weighted images (T1w/T2w). Specifically, the aerobic walking and social dance interventions resulted in positive changes in the T1w/T2w signal in late-myelinating regions, as compared to widespread decreases in the T1w/T2w signal in the active control. Notably, in the aerobic walking group, positive change in the T1w/T2w signal correlated with improved episodic memory performance. Lastly, intervention-induced increases in cardiorespiratory fitness did not correlate with change in the T1w/T2w signal. Together, our findings suggest that white matter regions that are vulnerable to aging retain some degree of plasticity that can be induced by aerobic exercise training. In addition, we provided evidence that the T1w/T2w signal may be a useful and broadly accessible measure for studying short-term within-person plasticity and deterioration in the adult human white matter.
Journal Article
Elite Female Basketball Players' Body-Weight Neuromuscular Training and Performance on the Y-Balance Test
Neuromuscular training enhances unconscious motor responses by stimulating both the afferent signals and central mechanisms responsible for dynamic joint control. Dynamic joint-control training is a vital component of injury-prevention programs.
To investigate the effects of body-weight neuromuscular training on Y-Balance Test (YBT) performance and postural control in female basketball players.
Randomized controlled clinical trial.
Basketball practice sessions.
A total of 28 healthy elite female basketball players were randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 14) or a control group (n = 14).
Before their regular practice sessions, the experimental group warmed up with body-weight neuromuscular exercises and the control group with standard tactical-technical exercises twice weekly for 8 weeks.
Anterior-, posteromedial-, and posterolateral-reach and composite YBT scores were measured before and after 8 weeks of training.
Improvement over baseline scores was noted in the posteromedial (right = 86.5 ± 4.5 cm versus 89.6 ± 2.2 cm, +3.5%, P = .049; left = 85.5 ± 4.3 cm versus 90.2 ± 2.7 cm, +5.5%, P = .038)- and posterolateral (right = 90.7 ± 3.6 cm versus 94.0 ± 2.7 cm, +3.6%, P = .016; left = 90.9 ± 3.5 cm versus 94.2 ± 2.6 cm, +3.6%, P = .011)-reach directions and in the composite YBT scores (right = 88.6% ± 3.2% versus 94.0% ± 1.8%, +5.4%, P = .0004; left = 89.2% ± 3.2% versus 94.5% ± 3.0%, +5.8%, P = .001) of the experimental group. No differences in anterior reach were detected in either group. Differences were noted in postintervention scores for posteromedial reach (right = 89.6 ± 2.2 cm versus 84.3 ± 4.4 cm, +4.1%, P = .005; left = 94.2 ± 2.6 cm versus 84.8 ± 4.4 cm, +10%, P = .003) and composite scores (right = 94.0% ± 1.8% versus 87.3% ± 2.0%, +7.1%, P = .003; left = 94.8% ± 3.0% versus 87.9% ± 3.4%, +7.3%, P < .0001) between the experimental and control groups.
Body-weight neuromuscular training improved postural control and lower limb stability in female basketball players as assessed with the YBT. Incorporating neuromuscular training into the workout routines for basketball players may enhance joint awareness and reduce the risk of lower extremity injury.
Journal Article
Relationships of peripheral IGF-1, VEGF and BDNF levels to exercise-related changes in memory, hippocampal perfusion and volumes in older adults
Animal models point towards a key role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in mediating exercise-induced structural and functional changes in the hippocampus. Recently, also platelet derived growth factor-C (PDGF-C) has been shown to promote blood vessel growth and neuronal survival. Moreover, reductions of these neurotrophic and angiogenic factors in old age have been related to hippocampal atrophy, decreased vascularization and cognitive decline. In a 3-month aerobic exercise study, forty healthy older humans (60 to 77years) were pseudo-randomly assigned to either an aerobic exercise group (indoor treadmill, n=21) or to a control group (indoor progressive-muscle relaxation/stretching, n=19). As reported recently, we found evidence for fitness-related perfusion changes of the aged human hippocampus that were closely linked to changes in episodic memory function. Here, we test whether peripheral levels of BDNF, IGF-I, VEGF or PDGF-C are related to changes in hippocampal blood flow, volume and memory performance. Growth factor levels were not significantly affected by exercise, and their changes were not related to changes in fitness or perfusion. However, changes in IGF-I levels were positively correlated with hippocampal volume changes (derived by manual volumetry and voxel-based morphometry) and late verbal recall performance, a relationship that seemed to be independent of fitness, perfusion or their changes over time. These preliminary findings link IGF-I levels to hippocampal volume changes and putatively hippocampus-dependent memory changes that seem to occur over time independently of exercise. We discuss methodological shortcomings of our study and potential differences in the temporal dynamics of how IGF-1, VEGF and BDNF may be affected by exercise and to what extent these differences may have led to the negative findings reported here.
•Exercise-related changes in BDNF, IGF, VEGF and PDGF were measured in older adults•Changes in hippocampal perfusion, volume (via 7T MRI) and memory were assessed•Fitness-related vascular hippocampal plasticity was not linked to growth factors•Changes in IGF-I, hippocampal volume and memory were linked independent of exercise•Potential reasons for negative findings and methodological shortcomings are discussed
Journal Article
Foam Rolling for Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness and Recovery of Dynamic Performance Measures
After an intense bout of exercise, foam rolling is thought to alleviate muscle fatigue and soreness (ie, delayed-onset muscle soreness [DOMS]) and improve muscular performance. Potentially, foam rolling may be an effective therapeutic modality to reduce DOMS while enhancing the recovery of muscular performance.
To examine the effects of foam rolling as a recovery tool after an intense exercise protocol through assessment of pressure-pain threshold, sprint time, change-of-direction speed, power, and dynamic strength-endurance.
Controlled laboratory study.
University laboratory.
A total of 8 healthy, physically active males (age = 22.1 ± 2.5 years, height = 177.0 ± 7.5 cm, mass = 88.4 ± 11.4 kg) participated.
Participants performed 2 conditions, separated by 4 weeks, involving 10 sets of 10 repetitions of back squats at 60% of their 1-repetition maximum, followed by either no foam rolling or 20 minutes of foam rolling immediately, 24, and 48 hours postexercise.
Pressure-pain threshold, sprint speed (30-m sprint time), power (broad-jump distance), change-of-direction speed (T-test), and dynamic strength-endurance.
Foam rolling substantially improved quadriceps muscle tenderness by a moderate to large amount in the days after fatigue (Cohen d range, 0.59 to 0.84). Substantial effects ranged from small to large in sprint time (Cohen d range, 0.68 to 0.77), power (Cohen d range, 0.48 to 0.87), and dynamic strength-endurance (Cohen d = 0.54).
Foam rolling effectively reduced DOMS and associated decrements in most dynamic performance measures.
Journal Article