Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation最新文献

Grounding, the practice of direct contact with the Earth's surface, has been explored for its potential to alleviate inflammation and neurotoxicity. Trimethyltin (TMT) is a potent neurotoxic compound known for inducing severe central nervous system damage, particularly neuronal death and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus, which is frequently used as an animal model to study neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer disease, due to its ability to induce oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and neurodegeneration. This study investigated the effect of a grounding mat on cognitive function, neuroinflammation, and neuroprotection in a TMT-induced neurotoxicity rats. Rats were divided into five groups: no grounding mat with saline (Nor), no grounding mat with TMT (Con), electric mat for 21 days with TMT (EM), grounding mat for 7 days with TMT (A-7D), and grounding mat for 21 days with TMT (A-21D). Cognitive function was assessed via the Y-maze test, while blood levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), and hippocampal acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The Con group showed impaired memory and elevated IL-1β and PGE₂ levels, alongside reduced IL-4, compared to the Nor group. The A-7D group improved memory performance, and the A-21D group showed reductions in IL-1β and P PGE₂, with increased IL-4 levels. Both A-7D and A-21D groups had elevated AChE levels compared to the Con group. These findings suggest that grounding may enhance cognitive function by reducing inflammation and promoting neuroprotection in a neurotoxicity model.

Exercise and rehabilitation interventions are essential for health restoration, yet reviews on related clinical trials remain limited despite increasing research interest. This study analyzed the characteristics, designs, sample sizes, and outcome variables of clinical trials registered with the Clinical Research Information Service in South Korea, focusing on exercise and rehabilitation interventions. A systematic search using "exercise" and "rehabilitation" identified 1,089 trials registered up to June 9, 2024, with 470 meeting the inclusion criteria. Most studies (79.79%) were retrospectively registered, and 45.11% were open-label trials. Behavioral interventions (26.60%) and medical devices (22.34%) were most common, targeting circulatory (27.45%) and musculoskeletal (19.79%) conditions. Frequently assessed outcomes included 'balance,' 'pain,' and 'walking.' A notable increase in trials was observed since 2017. However, the high proportion of retrospective registrations and open-label designs highlights the need for more prospective and blinded trials to enhance research quality.

Nonspecific neck pain occurs without a clear cause and has a variety of causes. We investigated the characteristics and subjective feelings according to the intensity and duration of pain in patients with nonspecific neck pain. A survey was conducted on 43 patients complaining of neck pain according to pain duration and pain intensity. As a result, there was a significant difference between pain intensity and sleep (P<0.05). There was a significant difference between pain duration and sleep, pain duration and emotion (P<0.05). In addition, common feelings such as stiff, heavy, tight, and throbbing were observed according to pain intensity and duration. Therefore, consideration of sleep and emotion is necessary when composing an intervention to improve pain in patients with nonspecific neck pain.

This study explores the effect of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) exercises combined with a virtual reality (VR) motion capture system and concurrent feedback (CF) on early shoulder muscle activation in healthy individuals. Thirty healthy participants sequentially performed three PNF diagonal 2 shoulder exercises: PNF alone, PNF with VR (PNF+VR), and PNF with VR and CF (PNF+VR+CF), with the latter two exercises presented in randomized order. Using wireless surface electromyography and 3-dimensonal (3D) inertial measurement units, the activation of the upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius (LT), infraspinatus (INF), and serratus anterior (SA) muscles, as well as shoulder flexion, abduction, and external rotation range of motion, were recorded during three exercises. INF and LT muscles were activated earlier in abduction and flexion during PNF+VR and PNF+VR+CF exercises than in PNF alone (P<0.05). These muscles were also activated during the early external rotation phase during PNF alone (P<0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed in UT and SA muscle activation among PNF alone, PNF+VR, and PNF+VR+CF exercises (P>0.05). Integrating VR gaming elements and CF into PNF shoulder exercises may promote early muscle activation, offering a promising approach for advanced rehabilitation strategies that can potentially improve patient outcomes. VR motion capture systems have the potential to transform traditional therapeutic approaches by increasing enjoyment and engagement, which can, in turn, enhance patient motivation and adherence.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of music tempo on heart rate (HR), HR variability (HRV), lactate levels, and aerobic capacity during walking exercise in male college students. Ten male college students randomly participated in three experiments using various music tempos on a treadmill device to prevent data contamination between measurements by allowing a 2-week interval. Walking exercise was performed at a moderate intensity of 60%-70% maximum HR for 30 min, with participants divided into three groups based on music tempo: exercise group with fast tempo music (ExF, 120-160 bpm), exercise group with slow tempo music (ExS, 60-70 bpm), and exercise group without music (Ex). The study was designed using a randomized crossover method. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) assessed group-by-time interactions, and one-way ANOVA was used to compare differences between groups. Post hoc analysis was performed using Tukey honestly significant difference. As a result, the ExF group had higher HR, ventilation, metabolic equivalent, and oxygen up-take during treadmill exercise than the ExS or Ex group. But there was no significant interaction of HR and HRV during recovery according to music tempo. HRV was significantly higher in the ExF group during exercise when compared to other groups. Blood lactate concentration was significantly decreased in the ExS group. These findings provide new information that music tempo type applied during treadmill exercise might have a positive effect on the maximum oxygen intake and lactate accumulation in the recovery phase.

Aging is associated with declines in memory function and significant change in gut microbiota. In this study, we investigated how exercise affects age-related memory decline and inflammation, and gut microbiota diversity. Bl6 mice were divided into control, control and exercise, old, and old and exercise groups. Treadmill exercise was performed once a day, 5 days a week for 8 consecutive weeks. Short-term memory was assessed using step-through test and spatial learning memory was assessed using Morris water maze task. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed for the proinflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6, in the hippocampus. Western blot analysis was conducted for the neurotrophic factors, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tyrosine kinase B (TrkB), in the hippocampus. In addition, fecal samples were collected for sequencing and metagenomic analysis. Old rats showed decline in short-term memory and spatial learning memory. Increment of TNF-α and IL-6 concentration with decrement of BDNF and TrkB expression were observed in the old rats. Decreased diversity of gut microbiota composition and decreased beneficial gut microbiota were found in the old rats. However, treadmill exercise improved short-term memory, decreased TNF-α and IL-6 concentration, and increased BDNF and TrkB expression in the old rats. Treadmill exercise also increased the diversity of gut microbiota composition and affected the increase of beneficial gut microbiota in the old rats. In conclusion, treadmill exercise reduced age-related inflammatory markers and effectively improved memory decline while enhancing the diversity and abundance of beneficial gut microbiota.

To examine the changes in obesity-related hormones and metabolic syndrome markers in male high school students with obesity following a weekend-focused moderate- or high-intensity exercise program at the recommended weekly physical activity level, or a program of regular exercise 3 times a week at moderate intensity, over a 10-week period. Forty-eight male high school students who were obese with a body fat percentage of ≥25% were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a regular moderate-intensity exercise group (n=17) that freely selected and performed moderate-intensity aerobic and resistance training exercises, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, for a total of 150-300 min/wk; a weekend-focused moderate-intensity exercise group (n=15) that freely selected and performed aerobic and resistance training exercises every Saturday for 150-300 min; and a week-end-focused high-intensity exercise group (n=16) that freely selected and performed aerobic and resistance training exercises every Sunday for 75-150 min. Insulin and leptin levels significantly decreased in all the groups, with the greatest reduction in the regular exercise group. Abdominal circumference and triglyceride levels significantly decreased in all the groups. Fasting glucose decreased only in the regular exercise group. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly increased in both the regular and weekend-focused moderate-intensity exercise groups. No significant differences in adiponectin levels, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were observed between the groups. A weekend-focused exercise program has health effects similar to those of regular exercise, highlighting the importance of meeting the recommended weekly physical activity levels.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a foam roller-based combined exercise program on functional fitness, balance ability, and gait in women aged 65 years and older. Using a 2×2 mixed design, the study compared variables measured before and after a 6-week foam roller-based combined exercise program. A total of 32 old women were randomly assigned to either the foam roller-based exercise group or the control group. The intervention was conducted 3 times a week for 6 weeks, with each session lasting 60 min. The senior fitness test, gait test, Fullerton advanced balance test, and Y-balance test were performed at baseline and postintervention. Participants in the combined exercise group demonstrated significant improvements in upper and lower-body strength, lower extremity flexibility, agility, walking speed, stability, and balance ability. These findings confirm that a foam roller-based combined exercise program incorporating stretching, strength training, and aerobic components is effective in enhancing functional fitness, balance, and gait in older women. The inclusion of props such as foam rollers may help facilitate proper exercise form and activate diverse muscle groups, thereby augmenting the overall efficacy of exercise interventions.

Although educational attainment and physical activity tend to determine cognitive function among older adults, studies have shown inconsistent results. This study aimed to examine how physical activity and educational attainment relate to the cognitive function of older adults. Educational attainment was determined based on the total number of years of education received from formal educational institutions. All participants were classified as active or sedentary according to the Stanford Brief Activity Survey. Thereon, the participants were divided into four groups based on educational attainment and physical activity levels: the low education-sedentary (LESG; n=29, 74.06±5.39 years), low education-active (LEAG; n=34, 73.97±4.74 years), high education-sedentary (HESG; n=26, 74.34±5.17 years), and high education-active groups (HEAG; n=26, 74.11±4.53 years). Four domains of cognitive function were assessed using the Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery: attention, visuospatial function, memory, and frontal/executive function. Linear regression analyses were performed to investigate differences in cognitive function between the four groups, setting the low education-sedentary group as the reference. Among the domain of cognitive function, attention differed significantly in the LESG from that in the HESG and HEAG. Educational attainment and physical activity levels influence cognitive function. A greater number of early-life educational experiences and regular physical activity in old age enhanced the cognitive function of older adults.