Biomedical subjects

A Gioftsidou

Publications and source records attributed to A Gioftsidou.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

The effects of soccer training and timing of balance training on balance ability.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of a soccer training session on the balance ability of the players and assess whether the effectiveness of a balance program is affected by its performance before or after the regular soccer training. Thirty-nine soccer players were randomly divided into three subject groups (n=13 each), one control group (C group), one training group that followed a balance program (12 weeks, 3 times per week, 20 min per session) before the regular soccer training (TxB group), and one training group that performed the same balance program after the soccer training (TxA group). Standard testing balance boards and the Biodex Stability System were used to assess balance ability in the C, TxB, and TxA groups at baseline (T0) and after completing the balance program (T12). The same tests and additional isokinetic knee joint moment measurements were carried out in the TxB and TxA groups pre- and post-soccer training. Two main results were obtained: (1) No differences (p>0.05) were found in balance ability and knee joint moment production between pre- and post-soccer training. (2) The balance program increased (p<0.01) the balance ability in the TxB and TxA groups, and the improvement in the TxA group was greater (p<0.05) than that in the TxB group post-soccer training. Result (1) is in contrast to the notion of a link between fatigue induced by a soccer training session or game and injury caused by impaired balance, and result (2) has implications for athletic training and rehabilitation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Measurements and evaluations in low back pain patients.

With the present review of literature, the authors intended to compare the definition terms, selection criteria, and measurement tools or methods used in different studies related to chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients. The relevance of including all the above information is that any health-care professional can use them to evaluate their treatment methods with CLBP patients or use them in study designs according to their objectives. These measurements concern pain measurements, measures that were used to describe the CLBP pain, questionnaires used to measure the CLBP patients' responses to pain, the pain effects on their living activities, and also measurements of the physical abilities and functional performance. A computerized literature search in English MEDLINE was conducted using "low back pain," and "flexibility, "strength,""evaluation,""functional level," and "measurements" as search words. Identified abstracts were scanned, and useful articles were acquired for further review. Interms of CLBP definitions, the authors concluded that is best defined as a lumbar, sacral, or lumbosacral spinal pain that is continuous or essentially continuous but low level punctuated by exacerbations of pain, each of which is characterized as "acute." In order to establish the criteria for selecting participants in a study design related to CLBP, pain characteristics and clinical diagnoses have to be taken into consideration for obtaining homogeneity of groups. Finally, the selection of measurement tools and evaluation methods is related to the study's goals, the specialization of the researchers, and their validity.

Chronic Disease↗

PubMed2006

Soccer players' muscular imbalances: restoration with an isokinetic strength training program.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of a muscular training program on soccer players' performance which initially appeared imbalanced or bilaterally asymmetrical. During the preparation period, 35 soccer players performed an isokinetic measurement of knee flexors and extensors (60 degrees(-1) and 180 degrees sec.(-1)). 15 of these had muscular imbalances or deficits and followed a specific isokinetic training program for 2 mo., 3 times per week. After the completion of the isokinetic training program, the 35 players underwent the same isokinetic test. Significant differences were noted between the pre- and posttraining measures at both angular velocities in peak torque values, in differences from one limb to the other, and in peak torque ratios for flexors and extensors. Consequently, the application of this specific isokinetic training program can restore imbalances in knee muscle strength efficiently.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Resistance training effects on muscular strength of elderly are related to intensity and gender.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a high intensity (HI) versus a moderate (MI) or low-intensity (LI) training program would be more effective in improving the isokinetic knee extension muscular performance in healthy inactive men and women. Sixty-four participants, men and women, were randomly assigned to one of four groups: control group (C), LI (50% of 1RM), the MI group (70% of 1RM) and the HI (90% of 1RM). Participants exercised on three resistance exercise machines: leg extension, leg curls and leg press. The isokinetic testing method (concentric mode) applied prior to and at the end of the training period (16 weeks, three 3 times per week) to assess the knee muscular performance. MANOVA repeated measures revealed that the HI group demonstrated the most strength gains following a speed specificity pattern (most considerable improvement occurred at or near slow speeds from 7.3% to 11.2% for male and from 2.3% to 15.2% for female). In addition, males demonstrated a greater improvement of knee extension power output than females. In conclusion, HI strength training is proposed for elderly men and women as the most effective protocol. Furthermore only at low-velocity testing, women of the HI showed a greater change than men (p < 0.05). Regarding strength increase in relation to various testing velocities, a greater increase was found in HI at low velocities, with the other training groups exhibiting almost similar strength increase at all tested speeds.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Effective ways of restoring muscular imbalances of the rotator cuff muscle group: a comparative study of various training methods.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have compared different training methods for improving muscular performance, but more investigations need to be directed to the restoration of muscular imbalances. OBJECTIVE: To determine the most effective training for altering strength ratios in the shoulder rotator cuff. METHODS: Forty eight physical education students were randomly assigned to four groups (12 per group): (a) experimental group who carried out multijoint dynamic resistance training for shoulder internal and external rotation movement (pull ups or lat pull downs, overhead press, reverse pull ups, push ups) (MJDR group); (b) experimental group who exercised the same muscle group using dumbbells weighing 2 kg (isolated group); (c) experimental group who followed an isokinetic strengthening programme for the rotator cuff muscle group (isokinetic group); (d) control group who had no strength training. Testing was performed in the supine position with the glenohumeral joint in 90 degrees of abduction in the coronal plane, with a range of motion of 0-90 degrees of external rotation and 0-65 degrees of internal rotation at angular velocities of 60, 120, and 180 degrees /s. The test procedure was performed before and after the exercise period of six weeks. RESULTS: One way analysis of variance found no differences between the groups for the initial tests. Analysis of variance with repeated measures showed that the strength ratios in all the experimental groups had altered after the exercise period, with the isokinetic group showing the most significant improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Isokinetic strengthening is the most effective method of altering strength ratios of the rotator cuff muscle.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Proprioceptive training for learning downhill skiing.

The aim was to assess whether balance training would improve downhill skiing for 30 physical education students who had no previous skiing experience and were randomly assigned to two groups. The control group attended only ski lessons for two weeks, 2 to 4 hours daily. The experimental group attended downhill ski lessons and indoor balance training on a balance board, wearing ski boots, for 20 min. every second day in the afternoon. All participants before training completed a balance assessment (stability indices). After the completion of the ski classes, all repeated the balance assessment and two downhill ski tests of agility, slalom and snow-ploughing techniques. Analysis of variance with repeated measures showed both groups improved balance similarly, but the experimental group performed significantly better on the downhill-slalom agility test, so the specific indoor balance training was helpful.

Adult↗