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Abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the physiological parameters indicative of cardiorespiratory fitness obtained during the 30-15 intermittent fitness (30-15IFT) test and the multistage laboratory treadmill endurance (TR) test differ. Nineteen elite handball players were recruited for the current study and assigned in a cross-over manner to one of two tests to be performed 48 h apart at each visit to the testing facility. The results showed that VO2max (percentage difference [PC] = 6.1%; p = 0.004) and maximal running velocity (V) (PC = 19.4%; p < 0.001) were significantly higher for the 30-15IFT test than that obtained during the TR test. Furthermore, the onset of blood lactate accumulation was shown to be significantly higher for all measures considered to predict it during 30-15IFT compared to TR as follows: VO2max (PC = 12.6%; p = 0.001), running speed (PC = 33.9%; p < 0.001), and maximal heart rate (PC = 7.5%; p < 0.001). The current study highlights the importance of sport-specific testing, particularly for measuring individual cardiorespiratory fitness in elite handball players, as TR may underestimate crucial variables used for both diagnostics and training prescription.
Keywords: maximal running speed, aerobic endurance, aerobic incremental field test, laboratory treadmill test
Published in DiRROS: 17.03.2022; Views: 550; Downloads: 401
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Abstract: Electroencephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive technique used to record cortical neurons' electrical activity using electrodes placed on the scalp. It has become a promising avenue for research beyond state-of-the-art EEG research that is conducted under static conditions. EEG signals are always contaminated by artifacts and other physiological signals. Artifact contamination increases with the intensity of movement. In the last decade (since 2010), researchers have started to implement EEG measurements in dynamic setups to increase the overall ecological validity of the studies. Many different methods are used to remove non-brain activity from the EEG signal, and there are no clear guidelines on which method should be used in dynamic setups and for specific movement intensities. Currently, the most common methods for removing artifacts in movement studies are methods based on independent component analysis (ICA). However, the choice of method for artifact removal depends on the type and intensity of movement, which affects the characteristics of the artifacts and the EEG parameters of interest. When dealing with EEG under non-static conditions, special care must be taken already in the designing period of an experiment. Software and hardware solutions must be combined to achieve sufficient removal of unwanted signals from EEG measurements. We have provided recommendations for the use of each method depending on the intensity of the movement and highlighted the advantages and disadvantages of the methods. However, due to the current gap in the literature, further development and evaluation of methods for artifact removal in EEG data during locomotion is needed.
Published in DiRROS: 01.03.2022; Views: 552; Downloads: 554
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Abstract: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic situation with the lockdown of public life caused serious changes in people’s everyday practices. The study evaluates the diferences between Slovenia and Italy in health-related everyday practices induced by the restrictive measures during frst wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The cross-sectional cohort study examined changes through an online survey conducted in nine European countries from April 15–28, 2020. The survey included questions from a simple activity inventory questionnaire (SIMPAQ), the European Health Interview Survey, and some other questions. To compare diference in changes between European countries we examined Italy with severe and its neighbour country Slovenia with low incidence and victims of COVID-19 epidemic. 956 valid responses from Italy (N=511; 50% males) and Slovenia (N=445; 26% males) were investigated. Results: During the survey, there was a 4.7-fold higher incidence and 12.1-fold more deaths (per 100,000) in Italy than in Slovenia. Barring periods and measures were similar, the latter more stringent in Italy. We found more changes in Italy than in Slovenia: physical inactivity increased (Italy:+65% vs. Slovenia:+21%; p<0.001), walking time decreased (Italy: -68% vs. Slovenia: -4.4%; p<0.001); physical work increased by 38% in Slovenia (p<0.001), and recreation time decreased by 37% in Italy (p<0.001). Italians reported a decrease in quality of general health, ftness level, psychological well-being, quality of life and care for own health (p<0.001); Slovenians showed a decline in psychological well-being and quality of life (p<0.001) but generally had a higher concern for their own health (p=0.005). In pooled participants, changes in eating habits (meal size and consumption of unhealthy food), age and physical inactivity were positively correlated with increases in body mass, while changes in general well-being and concern for health were negatively correlated. Conclusion: The study shows that the negative impact of COVID -19 measures is greater in Italy where the pandemic COVID -19 was more prevalent than in Slovenia with low prevalence. Additional consideration should be given to the negative impact of COVID-19 measures on some health-related lifestyle variables when implementing further measures to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords: coronavirus pandemic, pandemic measures, home confinement, public health, physical activity, physical inactivity, dietary habits, eating habits, well-being
Published in DiRROS: 18.02.2022; Views: 745; Downloads: 535
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Abstract: The present study examined the effects of the lockdown period on basic anthropometric measures, countermovement jumping performance, skeletal muscle contractile properties derived from tensiomyography (TMG), injury incidence, and self-assessed general well-being in elite soccer players. A total of 266 players were assessed before (PRE) and 32 players were reassessed 11 days after (POST) the COVID-19 period. Significant changes in the TMG parameters were observed POST compared to PRE: contraction time (Tc) increased from 6% to 50% in vastus lateralis [VL] (p = 0.009) and biceps femoris [BF] (p < 0.001), respectively; whereas radial displacement (Dm) increased for 19% in BF (p = 0.036) and 17% in VL (p < 0.001), respectively. Jumping performance remained unchanged from PRE to POST In addition, athletes rated the lockdown period as a positive event and felt psychologically better during the lockdown, primarily because they spent more time with family members and friends. Although there were no differences in any of the variables describing lower limb muscle power following the two-month lockdown, the altered contractile properties of the assessed muscles suggest suboptimal conditioning of the football players.
Keywords: football, male football, power, explosive power, tensiomyography, coronavirus, covid-19, pandemics, lockdown
Published in DiRROS: 06.01.2022; Views: 824; Downloads: 506
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Abstract: Motor imagery (MI) for health and performance strategies has gained interest in recent decades. Nevertheless, there are still no studies that have comprehensively investigated the physiological responses during MI, and no one questions the influence of low-level contraction on these responses. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the neuromuscular, autonomic nervous system (ANS), and cardiometabolic changes associated with an acute bout of MI practice in sitting and standing condition. Twelve young healthy males (26.3 % 4.4 years) participated in two experimental sessions (control vs. MI) consisting of two postural conditions (sitting vs. standing). ANS, hemodynamic and respiratory parameters, body sway parameters, and electromyography activity were continuously recorded, while neuromuscular parameters were recorded on the right triceps surae muscles before and after performing the postural conditions. While MI showed no effect on ANS, the standing posture increased the indices of sympathetic system activity and decreased those of the parasympathetic system (p < 0.05). Moreover, MI during standing induced greater spinal excitability compared to sitting posture (p < 0.05), which was accompanied with greater oxygen consumption, energy expenditure, ventilation, and lower cardiac output (p < 0.05). Asking individuals to perform MI of an isometric contraction while standing allows them to mentally focus on the motor command, not challenge balance, and produce specific cardiometabolic responses. Therefore, these results provide further evidence of posture and MI-related modulation of spinal excitability with additional autonomic and cardiometabolic responses in healthy young men.
Keywords: heart rate, oxygen uptake, VO2, H-reflex, elektromyography
Published in DiRROS: 29.11.2021; Views: 802; Downloads: 789
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