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This study aimed to investigate the effects of mental fatigue on physical and cognitive performance (lower-limb power, isometric and handgrip strength, and psychomotor vigilance). Twenty-two physically active young adults (12 males, 10 females; Mage = 20.82 ± 1.47) were randomly assigned to either a Mental Fatigue (MF) or Control group (CON). The MF group showed a statistically significant (p = 0.019) reduction in non-dominant handgrip strength, declining by approximately 2.3 kg (about 5%), while no such change was observed in the CON group or in dominant handgrip strength across groups. Reaction time (RT) was significantly impaired following the mental fatigue protocol: RT increased by 117.82 ms, representing an approximate 46% longer response time in the MF group (p < 0.001), whereas the CON group showed a smaller, non-significant increase of 32.82 ms (~12% longer). No significant differences were found in squat jump performance, indicating that lower-limb explosive power may be less affected by acute mental fatigue. These findings demonstrate that mental fatigue selectively impairs fine motor strength and cognitive processing speed, particularly reaction time, while gross motor power remains resilient. Understanding these effects is critical for optimizing performance in contexts requiring fine motor control and sustained attention under cognitive load.

Okada, T, Huxel, KC, and Nesser, TW. Relationship between core stability, functional movement, and performance. J Strength Cond Res 25(1)252-261, 2011-The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between core stability, functional movement, and performance. Twenty-eight healthy individuals (age = 24.4 ± 3.9 yr, height = 168.8 ± 12.5 cm, mass = 70.2 ± 14.9 kg) performed several tests in 3 categoriescore stability (flexion [FLEX], extension [EXT], right and left lateral [LATr/LATl]), functional movement screen (FMS) (deep squat [DS], trunk-stability push-up [PU], right and left hurdle step [HSr/HSl], in-line lunge [ILLr/ILLl], shoulder mobility [SMr/SMl], active straight leg raise [ASLRr/ASLRl], and rotary stability [RSr/RSl]), and performance tests (backward medicine ball throw [BOMB], T-run [TR], and single leg squat [SLS]). Statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. There were significant correlations between SLS and FLEX (r = 0.500), LATr (r = 0.495), and LATl (r = 0.498). The TR correlated significantly with both LATr (r = 0.383) and LATl (r = 0.448). Of the FMS, BOMB was significantly correlated with HSr (r = 0.415), SMr (r = 0.388), PU (r = 0.407), and RSr (r = 0.391). The TR was significantly related with HSr (r = 0.518), ILLl (r = 0.462) and SMr (r = 0.392). The SLS only correlated significantly with SMr (r = 0.446). There were no significant correlations between core stability and FMS. Moderate to weak correlations identified suggest core stability and FMS are not strong predictors of performance. In addition, existent assessments do not satisfactorily confirm the importance of core stability on functional movement. Despite the emphasis fitness professionals have placed on functional movement and core training for increased performance, our results suggest otherwise. Although training for core and functional movement are important to include in a fitness program, especially for injury prevention, they should not be the primary emphasis of any training program.

Castro-Piñero, J, Ortega, FB, Artero, EG, Girela-Rejón, MJ, Mora, J, Sjöström, M, and Ruiz, JR. Assessing muscular strength in youthusefulness of standing long jump as a general index of muscular fitness. J Strength Cond Res 24(7)1810-1817, 2010-The purpose of the present study was to examine the association among different measures of lower body muscular strength in children, and the association between measures of lower- and upper-body muscular strength. The study population comprises 94 (45 girls) healthy Caucasian children aged 6-17 years. Children performed several lower body explosive muscular strength tests (i.e., standing long jump [SLJ], vertical jump, squat jump, and countermovement jump) and upper body muscular strength tests (i.e., throw basketball, push-ups, and isometric strength exercises). The association among the study tests was analyzed by multiple regression. The SLJ was strongly associated with other lower body muscular strength tests (R = 0.829-0.864), and with upper body muscular strength tests (R = 0.694-0.851). The SLJ test might be therefore considered a general index of muscular fitness in youth. The SLJ test is practical, time efficient, and low in cost and equipment requirements.

Whereas motor skills of the untrained upper limb (UL) can improve following practice with the other UL, it has yet to be determined if an UL motor skill can improve following practice of that skill with the lower limb (LL). Forty-five healthy subjects randomly participated in a 10-minute single-session intervention of (1) practicing 50 reaching movement (RM) sequences with the non-dominant left LL toward light switches (LL group); or (2) observing the identical 50 light switches sequences (Switches Observation (SO) group); or (3) observing nature films (Nature Observation (NO) group). RM sequence performance with the left UL toward the light switches was tested before and immediately after the intervention and retested after 24 h. Reaching response time improved in the LL group more than in the SO and NO groups in the posttest (pBonferroni = 0.038 and pBonferroni < 0.001, respectively), and improved in the LL group more than in the NO group in the retest (pBonferroni = 0.004). Percentage of fails did not differ between groups across the timepoints. It appears that the actual practice of the RM sequence skill with the UL together with the cognitive element embedded in the observation of the RM sequences contributes to ipsilateral transfer from LL to UL.

Comprehensive injury-prevention training (plyometric, agility, balance, and core-stability exercises) has been shown to decrease sport-related injury. The relationship between trunk control and sport-related injury has been emphasized; however, the isolated effects of core-muscle training are unclear. To investigate the effect of a simple 8-week core-muscle-training program on the neuromuscular control of the lower limb and trunk during jump landing and single-legged squatting. Controlled laboratory study. Laboratory. Seventeen female collegiate basketball players were randomly divided into training (n = 9; age = 19.7 ± 0.9 years) and control (n = 8; age = 20.3 ± 2.5 years) groups. The training group completed the core-muscle-training program in addition to daily practice, and the control group performed only daily practice. Kinematic and kinetic data during a drop-jump test and single-legged squat were acquired using a 3-dimensional motion-analysis system. Three-dimensional hip, knee, and trunk kinematics; knee kinetics; and isokinetic muscle strength were measured at the pretraining and posttraining phases. For the drop-jump test, the maximal trunk-flexion angle increased ( = .008), and peak knee-valgus moment ( = .008) decreased in the training group. For the single-legged squat, the peak trunk-flexion angle increased ( = .04), and the total amount of trunk lateral-inclination angle ( = .02) and peak knee-valgus moment ( = .008) decreased in the training group. We observed no changes in the control group. A consecutive 8-week core-muscle-training program improved lower limb and trunk biomechanics. These altered biomechanical patterns could be favorable to preventing sport-related injuries.

Background and Purpose. Knowledge concerning the applicability and the effect of high-intensity exercise programs is very limited for older people with severe cognitive and physical impairments. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of a high-intensity functional weight-bearing exercise program among older people who are dependent in activities of daily living and living in residential care facilities. A second aim was to analyze whether cognitive function was associated with the applicability of the program. Subjects. The subjects were 91 older people (mean age=85.3 years, SD=6.1, range=68–100) who were dependent in personal activities of daily living and randomly assigned to participate in an exercise intervention. Their mean score for the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was 17.5 (SD=5.0, range=10–29). Methods. A high-intensity functional weight-bearing exercise program was performed in groups of 3 to 7 participants who were supervised by physical therapists. There were 29 exercise sessions over 13 weeks. Attendance, intensity of lower-limb strength and balance exercises, and occurrence and seriousness of adverse events were the outcome variables in evaluating the applicability of the program. Results. The median attendance rate was 76%. Lower-limb strength exercises with high intensity were performed in a median of 53% of the attended exercise sessions, and balance exercises with high intensity were performed in a median of 73% of the attended exercise sessions. The median rate of sessions with adverse events was 5%. All except 2 adverse events were assessed as minor and temporary, and none led to manifest injury or disease. No significant differences were observed in applicability when comparing participants with dementia and participants without dementia. In addition, there was no significant correlation between applicability and the MMSE score. Discussion and Conclusion. The results suggest that a high-intensity functional weight-bearing exercise program is applicable for use, regardless of cognitive function, among older people who are dependent in activities of daily living, living in residential care facilities, and have an MMSE score of 10 or higher. [Littbrand H, Rosendahl E, Lindelöf N, et al. A high-intensity functional weight-bearing exercise program for older people dependent in activities of daily living and living in residential care facilities: evaluation of the applicability with focus on cognitive function. Phys Ther. 2006;86:489–498.]

Visual impairment poses considerable challenges to mobility and everyday tasks, frequently leading to a more sedentary lifestyle and reduced physical fitness levels. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of a tailored aquatic exercise protocol on muscle activation and strength in visually impaired individuals. Thirty women who were blind (mean age = 29.03 ± 2.20 years) were randomly assigned to an experimental (EX) group and a control (CO) group. The EX group participated in three weekly 60-minute aquatic sessions, while the CO group maintained regular activities. Electromyography (EMG) activation and onset time were measured in the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius medialis, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris. Muscle strength was also assessed in the ankle dorsiflexors and plantarflexors, as well as the knee flexors and extensors. The EX group showed increased EMG activation for the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius medialis, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris in both anterior-posterior (2.23 MVIC%, 95% CI: 1.13 to 3.34, p < 0.001) and posterior-anterior directions (2.35 MVIC%, 95% CI: 1.80 to 2.91, p < 0.001) compared to CO group. Onset time decreased significantly in the EX group relative to CO group (anterior-posterior: -108.07 ms, 95% CI: -117.23 to -98.89, p < 0.001; posterior-anterior: -98.72 ms, 95% CI: -106.54 to -90.90, p < 0.001). Muscle strength significantly increased in the EX group compared to the CO group, with greater strength in ankle dorsiflexors (4.42 N/kg, 95% CI: 3.42 to 5.42, p < 0.001) and knee extensors (2.72 N/kg, 95% CI: 1.04 to 4.40, p < 0.001). The aquatic exercise program improved neuromuscular function and strength in women with visual impairments, supporting its use in rehabilitation. IRCT2017022132705N1.

The concurrent development of strength and power is considered effective for improving jump performance in athletes.Although previous studies have examined the effects of unilateral and bilateral training, there is a lack of systematic research comparing the impact of these two training modes within the framework of Complex-Contrast Training (CCT) on female volleyball players. This study aimed to compare the effects of Unilateral Complex-Contrast Training (UCCT) and Bilateral Complex-Contrast Training (BCCT) on lower limb strength and jump performance in collegiate female volleyball athletes. A total of 16 female volleyball players were randomly assigned to either the UCCT group (n = 8) or the BCCT group (n = 8) using a random number-based randomization method. The training intervention consisted of 2 sessions per week for 8 weeks.Before and after the intervention, participants underwent a series of standardized tests, including Countermovement Jump (CMJ), Squat Jump (SJ), Drop Jump (DJ), Eccentric Utilization Rate (EUR), Standing Long Jump (SLJ), and one-repetition maximum (1-RM) squat. Statistical analysis was conducted using JASP version 0.18.3.0 with a 2 (group) × 2 (time) two-way repeated measures ANOVA. The results showed significant main effects of time (p < 0.001) for CMJ, DJ, SLJ, and 1-RM squat, while SJ and EUR did not exhibit significant improvements. A significant time × group interaction was found for CMJ (p = 0.009), and simple effects analysis indicated that the UCCT group showed a more pronounced improvement. No significant main effects of group or time × group interaction effects were observed for the other variables. Overall, UCCT demonstrated similar effects to BCCT in improving horizontal jump performance and maximal lower limb strength, but showed a greater advantage in enhancing vertical jump performance.

Purpose Single passive limb movement (sPLM) of the lower extremity is a simple and clinically relevant measure of the microvascular vasodilatory response to movement. A promising stimulus to improve microvascular health is ischemic conditioning (IC). We examined whether a single session of IC could improve microvascular reactivity to sPLM in young adults. Methods This was a blinded, crossover, randomized clinical trial. Participants were seated in an isokinetic dynamometer that passively moved the knee 90° at a frequency of 1 Hz while superficial femoral artery leg blood flow (LBF) was measured. The absolute and the relative peak changes in LBF were calculated as the difference from baseline. The time to peak was calculated from the start of sPLM to peak LBF. The total area under the curve (AUC) was the sum of LBF above baseline during the hyperemic response. For IC, the cuff was placed around the dominant thigh and repetitively inflated (225 mmHg) for 5 min, then deflated for 5 min (total 45 min). For sham IC, the cuff was inflated to 25 mmHg. The sPLM response was re-assessed ten minutes after IC. Results Twelve individuals completed the study (age 27 ± 3 years, 50% female). When controlling for resting LBF, heart rate, and sex, there was an interaction effect for absolute and relative peak change in LBF ( p  ≤ 0.048) but not time to peak or total AUC ( p  ≥ 0.17). Conclusion We show an acute bout of IC may improve the peak vasodilatory response to sPLM, potentially due to “preconditioning” the microvasculature.

Blood flow restriction training (BFRT) has attracted attention due to its advantages in muscle strength enhancement. This paper investigates the effects of different training programs on teenage female wrestlers’ lower limb strength. Twenty-four teenage female wrestlers were recruited and randomly divided into three groups, namely the blood flow restriction training group (BFRT group), the regular group (HST group), and the combined group (BFRT-HST group). The BFRT group performed low-intensity blood flow restriction half-squat training (LI-BFR-HST), the HST group performed high-intensity half-squat training (HI-HST), while the BFRT-HST group performed LI-BFR-HST twice per week and HI-HST once per week (LI-BFR-HST & HI-HST). The intervention training was implemented three times a week for six weeks. The changes of knee joint peak torque, vertical jump height, and peak rate of force development (PRFD) were compared. The results showed significant improvements ( p  < 0.05) within each group: (1) BFRT-HST group: The peak torque (ω = 180°/s) of right knee extension and left knee flexion significantly increased; both squat jump (SJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ) heights, and PRFD during SJ and CMJ significantly increased.(2) BFRT group: The SJ height and PRFD during SJ significantly increased.(3) HST group: The CMJ height and PRFD during CMJ significantly increased.The results suggest that the LI-BFR-HST & HI-HST combined training strategy effectively improves the rate of force development in teenage female wrestlers’ lower limbs.