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The influence of tennis court surfaces on player perceptions and biomechanical reponse
Get PDFThis study aimed to examine player perceptions and biomechanical responses to tennis surfaces and to
evaluate the influence of prior clay court experience. Two groups with different clay experiences
(experience group, n = 5 and low-experience group, n = 5) performed a 180° turning movement.
Three-dimensional ankle and knee movements (50 Hz), plantar pressure of the turning step (100 Hz)
and perception data (visual analogue scale questionnaire) were collected for two tennis courts (acrylic
and clay). Greater initial knee flexion (acrylic 20. 8 ± 11.2° and clay 32.5 ± 9.4°) and a more upright
position were reported on the clay compared to the acrylic court (P < 0.05). This suggests adaptations
to increase player stability on clay. Greater hallux pressures and lower midfoot pressures were observed
on the clay court, allowing for sliding whilst providing grip at the forefoot. Players with prior clay court
experience exhibited later peak knee flexion compared to those with low experience. All participants
perceived the differences in surface properties between courts and thus responded appropriately to
these differences. The level of previous clay court experience did not influence players’ perceptions of
the surfaces; however, those with greater clay court experience may reduce injury risk as a result of
reduced loading through later peak knee flexion
Multiple repair sequences in everyday conversations involving people with Parkinson's disease
Get PDFBackground
Features of dysarthria associated with Parkinson's disease (PD), such as low volume, variable rate of speech and increased pauses, impact speaker intelligibility. Those affected report restricted interactional participation, although this area is under explored.
Aims
To examine naturally occurring instances of problems with intelligibility that resulted in multiple attempts at repair in order to consider repair initiation strategies that might restrict or enhance participation.
Methods & Procedures
Thirteen people with PD (PwPD) video-recorded over 10 h of informal conversation data in their home setting involving familiar conversation partners (CPs). Using a conversation analytic (CA) approach, and drawing on an existing typology of repair initiators (RIs) for everyday talk-in-interaction and their relative power to locate a turn's repairable element, the design and ordering of RIs used by CPs was addressed, alongside their local consequences.
Outcomes & Results
CPs tended to increase the specificity of their RIs in line with the existing typology, progressing from open class forms (e.g. ‘mm?’) to more specific forms (e.g. questions/partial repeats). Repeated open class repair initiators (OCRIs) were used where PD speakers’ self-repair attempts provided limited information. Sometimes, however, specificity was increased too soon, before enough syntactic knowledge was gleaned, which resulted in an extended repair sequence. Where one OCRI followed another, the second always took a different form: lexically or in terms of prosodic/non-verbal features. RI forms not described in the existing typology were also identified, such as ‘prompts to modify speech’ (e.g. ‘Speak louder’) and repeating/rephrasing the original first pair part (e.g. question), and their effectiveness examined.
Conclusions & Implications
First steps are presented towards the design of a communication intervention promoting the efficient resolution of repair to moderate social withdrawal and increase participation for this client group. Future research will need to explore the feasibility and acceptability of such a resource
Cognitive function and exercise training for chronic renal disease patients: A literature review
No full textObjective
Cognitive impairment is very often noted in patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). Even though, exercise is considered to be a quantifiable activity that improves cognition in animals and humans, it seems that few studies have examined the relationship between cognitive function and CKD from the perspective of physical activity and cognitive performance. Thus, this evidence based review summarizes the present level of knowledge regarding the effects of exercise training on cognitive function in CKD patients.
Data sources
A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus from May 2014 through June 2014, by using the Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines.
Review methods
Eligibility of the studies based on titles, abstracts and full-text articles was determined by two reviewers. Studies were selected using inclusion and exclusion criteria. We included only those studies that: assessed cognitive function in humans and animals using validated neuropsychological methods in chronic renal diseases patients; used exercise training protocols; addressed randomized control trials or controlled trials or clinical trials designed to evaluate cognitive impairment; and articles that were written in English. Studies were excluded when they concerned behavioral approaches and underpowered studies.
Results
According to the current review only a few studies have examined the issue of cognitive function in CKD patients. These studies indicate that these patients often exhibit cognitive impairment, which is highly associated with poor outcomes. It has been supported that exercise training can induce positive changes in brain metabolism favoring better scores in cognitive function in Chronic Kidney Disease patients although the physiological mechanisms, which explain the influence of physical activity on cognition, have focused on changes in neurotransmitters, neurotrophins and vasculature.
Conclusion
Systematic exercise training seems to improve cognitive function in Chronic Kidney Disease patients but further research is warranted to further clarify the mechanisms involved
Uremic myopathy: is oxidative stress implicated in muscle dysfunction in uremia?
Get PDFRenal failure is accompanied by progressive muscle weakness and premature fatigue, in part linked to hypokinesis and in part to uremic toxicity. These changes are associated with various detrimental biochemical and morphological alterations. All of these pathological parameters are collectively termed uremic myopathy. Various interventions while helpful can't fully remedy the pathological phenotype. Complex mechanisms that stimulate muscle dysfunction in uremia have been proposed, and oxidative stress could be implicated. Skeletal muscles continuously produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) at rest and more so during contraction. The aim of this mini review is to provide an update on recent advances in our understanding of how ROS and RNS generation might contribute to muscle dysfunction in uremia. Thus, a systematic review was conducted searching PubMed and Scopus by using the Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines. While few studies met our criteria their findings are discussed making reference to other available literature data. Oxidative stress can direct muscle cells into a catabolic state and chronic exposure to it leads to wasting. Moreover, redox disturbances can significantly affect force production per se. We conclude that oxidative stress can be in part responsible for some aspects of uremic myopathy. Further research is needed to discern clear mechanisms and to help efforts to counteract muscle weakness and exercise intolerance in uremic patients
Tensile force and elasticity of kinesiology tape: application considerations in the management of athletic injury
No full text
Epilogue: CRPE 2009-2015 – reflections on an experiment in journal publication
Get PDFThe journal Critical and Reflective Practice in Education, Volumes 1 to 4, is not only a journal but also a set of historical texts which in many ways mirror events in an institution which was in transition. Many of the themes which are examined in the journal are continuing educational situations and problems with roots in the past. The first part of these reflections focuses on the origins of what has been since 2013 the University of St Mark and St John, and looks at the biographies not only of James Kay-Shuttleworth and Derwent Coleridge, founders of the original Colleges (separately, of St Mark, and of St John), but also looks at George Birkbeck and the thinking behind the founding of the University of London. The narrative moves on to consider the history of Marjon in the last ten years and the particular circumstances in which the journal was initiated. The last sections consider the editorial factors behind the journal and provides an overall gloss by comparing and contrasting each of the four Volumes and their content. The two driving forces of this Janus-faced ‘in-house’ journal which attracted significant contributions from outside (indeed from other parts of the UK, including Northern Ireland and Scotland, as well as from South Africa, different parts of Europe and Australia) show first that research could arise from teaching, the obverse of the usual link, and second, that anyone teaching about current controversies should be able to contribute to them
Long-term engagement with a practice-based exercise referral scheme: Patients’ perceptions of effectiveness
No full textObjectives
Limited and contradictory evidence exists on the long-term effectiveness of exercise referral schemes (ERS) for physical activity promotion and its impact on perceived health status. The intention of this study was to investigate patients’ views of a physical activity intervention on their self-assessed health status.
Methods
A longitudinal qualitative study design was employed with 12 patients aged 55 – 74, attending a primary care physical activity intervention. Semi-structured interviews took place on three occasions over a 12 month period in a Primary Care Health Centre. Transcripts of recorded interviews were coded and thematically analysed using grounded theory techniques.
Results
The majority of patients believed that their engagement with the Scheme and resultant long-term increase in physical activity behaviour, helped to improve their health status. This was evident through improved perceptions of medical conditions, through stabilisation or reductions in medication and visits to medical services.
Conclusion
The findings show the value of a long-term physical activity intervention in a Primary Care setting, through increases in physical activity levels and patients self-assessed health status. These findings can serve as guide for future service commissioners of ERS