Lithuanian Sports University e-Journals
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Comparison Between a Resistance Training and a Combined Functional and Dynamic Balance Training on Functional Fitness Performance in Older Adults
Get PDFPurpose: The biological ageing process is linked to the decline in both structure and function across various physiological systems. These age-related changes can adversely affect daily activities and increase the fall risk in older adults. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of two different training protocols on functional fitness in adults over 65.
Methods: Sixty older adults (76.6% women), participating in the “Promotion of Physical Activity and Prevention of Household Accidents (PAP & DAP)” project, were randomly recruited and assigned to Resistance Group (RG; n = 29; 70.8 ± 6.54 years; 66.5 ± 10.96 kg weight; 159.7 ± 7.12 cm height; 25 ± 5.78 kg/m2 body mass index) and combined Functional and Balance Group (FBG; n = 31; 72.2 ± 5.19 years; 68.5 ± 11.58 kg weight; 159.8 ± 7.51 cm height; 26.8 ± 3.89 kg/m2 body mass index). RG and FBG respectively performed resistance training with elastic bands and combined functional and dynamic balance training twice a week (4 hours) for six weeks. Functional fitness was evaluated with the Senior Fitness Test (SFT) battery, which assesses leg strength and endurance (Chair Stand Test), arm strength (Arm Curl Test), back muscle flexibility (Sit and Reach Test), dynamic balance and walking ability (Timed Up and Go Test), and aerobic endurance (Two-Minute Step Test). Data normality was assessed with the Shapiro–Wilk test. According to data distribution, intra-group differences were analysed with the Student’s paired samples t-test or the Wilcoxon test, while differences between groups with the independent samples t-test or the Mann–Whitney U test. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results: Significantly higher levels of performance were observed in both groups for all tests of the SFT after the training protocols. RG showed an increase in leg strength and endurance compared with FBG (p = 0.008), who instead had more improvement in aerobic endurance compared with RG (p = 0.003).
Conclusion: Both training protocols are effective to improve functional fitness in older adults. The different effects observed between the protocols might be related with exercise mode, intensity, and volume
Connecting Policy With Practice: How the Dutch Ministry of Sport Builds Inclusive and Sustainable Communities
Get PDFTo address the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in accessing sports and recreation, the Dutch Knowledge Centre for Sport & Physical Activity (KCSA) has developed a sustainable, two-way system that bridges the gap between national policy and local practice. This initiative stimulates regional communities to create an inclusive sports infrastructure.
The Netherlands has a multi-level governance system, with national policies set by the government, provinces overseeing regional implementation, and municipalities responsible for local execution. Within this structure, KCSA has trained ‘knowledge holders’ in every province, who are tasked with supporting stakeholders (e.g. coaches and healthcare professionals) when they face local challenges. By doing so, they create regional networks, while simultaneously collecting insights from the field. This enables a feedback loop to the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, ensuring policies are grounded by practical realities.
This infrastructure also supports the implementation of national policies, such as the development of a model policy for adaptive sports equipment under the Social Support Act. Given that municipalities are not mandated to adopt such policies, knowledge holders play a key role that goes beyond informing municipalities. They actively engage them by highlighting the importance of inclusive sports policies, advocating for structural improvements.
Aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 10, ‘Reduce inequality within and among countries’, this initiative builds inclusive networks that promote equal opportunities in sports and recreation for persons with disabilities. By empowering knowledge holders, the initiative creates a healthy and sustainable sports structure that serves persons with disabilities
Co-Production of a Sarcopenia and Frailty Screening and Intervention Programme for Older People From a Culturally Diverse Population
Get PDFPurpose: Physical activity has been shown to enhance health, particularly for older people who typically have lower levels of physical activity. Many factors influence physical activity level, including culture and socioeconomic status, which in turn increases the risk of developing age-related conditions such as frailty and sarcopenia. The Bedford, Luton, and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Service (BLMK ICS) has developed a screening and intervention programme called the Healthy Ageing Programme (HAP) which identifies people at risk of frailty and sarcopenia. The programme has been developed as a pilot in Luton, which is a town in the BLMK area that has a culturally diverse population.
Project Description: The project is co-produced with a diverse group of stakeholders, including older community members from many different cultures, leaders within these communities, members of local authorities, as well as professionals in health and social care. People at risk of developing frailty and sarcopenia are identified through both electronic health record screening, for people who routinely access primary care, while community-based screening is used to ensure people that do not routinely access health and social care services are included. The interventions were also co-developed, with activities chosen based on the preferences of participants and scientific literature. The range of activities cover a wide spectrum, including walking sports such as football and cricket, golf, chair-based activities, as well as fitness classes and gym membership.
A mixed methods evaluation includes pre- and post- assessment of physical function and quality of life, while pre- and post-intervention interview enable attitudes and experiences to be explored. The project will be scaled up to other areas within the BLMK Region, contingent upon results of this pilot study. Final result of the study will be disseminated via academic publications, while discussions have started with neighbouring areas of the United Kingdom looking to adopt a similar approach.
Conclusion: Co-producing a screening programme to identify the increase of people at risk of frailty and sarcopenia, followed by co-developing bespoke interventions, has the potential to increase physical activity levels in older people. 
Device-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Among Finnish Adult Population in 2017 and 2023
Get PDFPurpose: To examine changes in device-based physical activity and sedentary behaviour among Finnish adult population from 2017 to 2023, and whether they differ based on socio-economic status and residential location (rural/urban).
Methods: We used data from two population-based health surveys (n = 1,537, 43% men, aged 20–74 years): FinHealth 2017 (n = 753) and Healthy Finland 2023 (n = 750). Physical activity and sedentary behaviour were recorded continuously (24 h/day) for 3–7 days using a wrist-worn accelerometer (ActiGraph GT9X Link). MVPA (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity), SB (sedentary behaviour), and sedentary bout duration were derived from ENMO values based 60-second epochs. Results were analysed by gender, age, education, and urban-rural classification.
Results: The preliminary results indicate that sedentary behaviour increased from 704 min per day in 2017 to 722 min per day in 2023. Men spent more time being sedentary than women in 2017 (p = 0.006), but no significant differences were found in 2023. There was also a notable change in the mean duration of a sedentary bout: it increased from 30 min in 2017 to 35 min in 2023 for both men and women combined. Women had shorter mean bout duration than men at both time points. Time spent in MVPA was 74 min in 2017 and 70 min in 2023. In 2023 women spent more time in MVPA than men (p = 0.025), but no differences were observed in 2017. At both time points, individuals with lower education level had over 25 min more sedentary time per day compared to higher educated (p < 0.001) and engaged in 25 min less MVPA (p < 0.001). Urban residents had more sedentary time than rural (2017: p = 0.001; 2023: p = 0.043) but showed no differences in MVPA.
Conclusion: With the narrowing of gender disparities, the increase in sedentary behaviour and the concomitant decline in MVPA are notably more pronounced among women. Monitoring and addressing the trends in sedentary behaviour and physical activity is crucial for reducing future health disparities and ensuring equitable preventive health strategies.
Support/Funding Source: Juho Vainio Foundation
Exploring Perceptions, Barriers, and Facilitators of Outdoor Physical Activity Among Muslim Women Living in Germany
Get PDFPurpose: Outdoor physical activity (PA) provides numerous health and social benefits. Despite these benefits, Muslim women often have low participation rates in outdoor PA. While previous studies have explored factors influencing Muslim women’s PA, comprehensive research specifically focused on outdoor PA within this group remains limited. This study aims to explore the perceptions, barriers, and facilitators of outdoor PA among Muslim women living in Germany.
Methods: A qualitative study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with 12 Muslim women aged 23–48 years living in Germany. The interviews explored participants’ understanding of outdoor PA, attitudes, childhood experiences, perceived barriers and facilitators, and recommendations for programme development. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Results: Participants generally viewed outdoor PA positively, defining it as exercise in urban green spaces or nature-based settings, often integrated with social activities. Key barriers identified were primarily individual and sociocultural, including fear, lack of skills, absence of companions, and safety concerns. Facilitators included skill development, women-only groups, social support, access to equipment, and culturally appropriate clothing. Main recommendations for programme development emphasised participatory approaches and skill-building.
Conclusion: Early life experiences, particularly those related to access to nature and social contexts, significantly shaped women’s current perceptions, barriers, and facilitators of outdoor PAs. In contrast, religious factors did not appear to significantly influence participation. Interventions to promote outdoor PA among Muslim women should focus on skill-building, providing gradual exposure to activities, offering equipment access, and incorporating social elements. Programme developers should adopt participatory approaches to ensure cultural sensitivity and relevance.
Support/Funding Source: No external funds
Extracurricular Street Dancing for Adolescents’ Physical and Psycho-Social Health
Get PDFPurpose: Street dance is an engaging activity for young people, encouraging physical activity as part of their daily routine. Social skills such as communication, collaboration, and empathy are essential for both personal and professional life. These skills help individuals understand and regulate emotions, manage relationships, and resolve conflicts (Portela-Pino et al., 2021). A lack of mindfulness is becoming an increasingly relevant issue among youth, while adolescence is often marked by emotional challenges such as stress and anxiety. Research suggests that practicing mindfulness helps young people better cope with stress, enhances self-regulation skills (Makmee, 2022), and fosters empathy in relationships (Siffredi et al., 2021). This pilot, cross-sectional investigation explored: (1) the volume and intensity of physical activity, (2) key social-communication skills, and (3) mindfulness in youths who attend extracurricular street dance classes and examined how these variables interrelate.
Methods: Sixty-three pupils aged 11–16 years were recruited to measure their socio-emotional skills (using Essential Social Skills Questionnaire, scale 1–5) and evaluate mindfulness (using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, MAAS-A, scale 1–4). In a sub-sample of 20 dancers, accelerometry (ActiGraph) captured activity during a standard 60-minute session.
Results: Objective monitoring showed that, on average, participants spent 42.2 ± 11.0 minutes of each class in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) level. Girls displayed slightly higher overall social-skill scores (3.4 ± 0.3) than boys (3.1 ± 0.6) (p < 0.05). No sex-related differences emerged for either the total MAAS score (49.3 ± 10.6) or its item mean (3.5 ± 0.8). A modest negative correlation appeared between time spent in MVPA and the ‘emotional expression’ social-skill subscale (r = –0.45, p < 0.05), but this association disappeared after controlling for dance experience, sex, and age.
Conclusion: Street dance classes provide adolescents with sustained bouts of health-enhancing physical activity and appear to nurture social interaction and mindful awareness. These findings lend support to the inclusion of street dance within after-school and youth-sport programmes aimed at fostering healthier, more self-aware young people
Impact of Head-and-Neck Heating on Fatigue and Stress Responses in Healthy Men and Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis
Get PDFPurpose: Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) often experience heat sensitivity, with elevated temperatures increasing the risk of injury, healthcare costs, and decreased productivity. While the effects of whole-body or ambient heat exposure have been widely studied, the impact of localised thermal stress – particularly on central and peripheral neuromuscular function – remains unclear. This study aimed to determine whether applying localised heat to the head and neck during prolonged submaximal exercise in a thermoneutral environment would affect neuromuscular fatigue in healthy men and individuals with MS.
Methods: We examined the effects of head-and-neck heating (44 ± 0.5°C at the skin surface) in men with relapsing-remitting MS (n = 16; age: 31.8 ± 7.6 years) and healthy controls (n = 18; age: 27.6 ± 4.3 years). Each participant completed two trials – one with local heating and one control trial – separated by one week. The protocol involved 100 intermittent isometric knee extensions (5 seconds contraction, 20 seconds rest). Measurements included electrically induced torque, maximal voluntary contraction, central activation ratio, muscle temperature (Tmu), perceived effort, and blood stress markers. Data were collected at baseline, after 50 and 100 contractions, and following a 1-hour recovery period.
Results: Local heating during submaximal exercise significantly reduced central activation and attenuated peripheral fatigue in men with MS compared to the control condition (p < 0.05). Head-and-neck heating also increased Tmu and perceived effort in both groups (p < 0.05). Notably, the effects of local heating on central and peripheral fatigability were more pronounced in the MS group than in healthy controls (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Head-and-neck heating during exercise resulted in greater suppression of central muscle activation and a more substantial reduction in peripheral fatigue in men with MS compared to non-heated conditions. These effects were significantly more pronounced in individuals with MS than in healthy controls, suggesting a heightened neuromuscular sensitivity to localised thermal stress in this population
Not All Screens Are Equal: Exploring How Type of Screen Media Use Correlates With Physical Activity in School-Aged Children
Get PDFPurpose: Screen use has been shown to affect children and adolescent’s health behaviours, including physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour. Whilst there is a growing level of evidence to show harmful effects of screen use, most studies have been conducted in adolescents (12 years and older) and focus primarily on screen time. The aim of this study was to investigate how total screen time and types of screen media activities are associated with physical activity in preadolescent school children (aged 8–13).
Methods: The DAGIS Salo study, conducted in 2023–2024, invited all primary school children in grades 3–6 and their caregivers in Salo municipality in Southwest Finland to participate. Frequency of self-reported PA was assessed using the Prochaska moderate-to-vigorous physical activity screening measure. Total screen time and type of screen-based media use was assessed using the SCREENS-Q instrument. Caregivers reported background characteristics. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine associations.
Results: Cross-sectional data were collected from 540 schoolchildren (27% of eligible participants) across 22 schools. The average age in the cohort was 11 (±1.15) years and 54% of participants were girls. Total screen time was associated with a decreased likelihood of meeting PA guidelines (p = 0.003). When further examining the association for specific types of screen media, both playing digital games and watching TV programmes, videos, or movies were associated with a decreased likelihood of meeting PA recommendations (p = 0.001 and p = 0.008, respectively). The association between social media use and the likelihood of meeting PA recommendations was not statistically significant.
Conclusion: Specific types of screen media may play a more significant role in displacing PA compared to other types of screen media. Public health policy and guidelines should prioritise reducing time spent on passive screen activities like gaming and video viewing to help promote physical activity in children.
Support/Funding Source: The DAGIS Salo study was financially supported by Folkhälsan Research Center, University of Helsinki, University of Eastern Finland, Research Council of Finland, Juho Vainio Foundation, Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation, and Yrjö Jahnssonin säätiö
The Effects of 30 Km/Hour Speed Limits on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour in Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Get PDFPurpose: Rising physical inactivity highlights the need for public policies that foster active lifestyles. Implementing 30 km/h speed limits may discourage care use and encourage walking and cycling by creating safer environments. However, evidence on these effects is limited. This natural experiment examines the impact of 30 km/h speed limits on physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Methods: We employed a repeated cross-sectional design in 2023 (n = 316) and post-intervention in 2024 (n = 362). Seven centrally located streets reduced their speed limits from 50 km/h to 30 km/h and introduced physical traffic-calming measures, including narrowed roads and speed bumps. Using propensity score matching based on neighbourhood socio-economic status and address density, intervention streets were matched with control streets located >250 meters away to avoid spill-over effects. We applied linear difference-in-differences regression to evaluate the intervention’s impact on PA and sedentary behaviour, using the validated International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and accelerometers (in a subsample). IPAQ outcomes included weekly minutes of transport by motor vehicle, bike, and foot, leisure walking, leisure moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and sitting. This abstract presents preliminary IPAQ findings, with accelerometer results (i.e. minutes of MVPA) to be shared at the conference.
Results: Participants had a mean age of 47.1 ± 17.2 (standard deviation), 53% were female, and 78% highly educated. Cycling for transport and leisure MVPA decreased by 100.36 minutes (95% confidence interval (CI) = –226.40, 25.69) and 33.86 minutes (95% CI = –132.07, 64.35), respectively. However, these changes were not statistically significant. In contrast, we observed no meaningful change in walking for transport (2.98; 95% CI = –104.30, 110.26), walking for leisure (10.77; 95% CI = –78.91, 100.45), time spent using motor vehicles for transport (–18.27; 95% CI = –126.71, 90.16), and time spent sitting (–3.54; 95% CI = –385.22, 378.14).
Conclusion: We found no clear patterns in the impact of 30 km/h speed limits on PA outcomes using a validated questionnaire, possibly due to the small-scale intervention, relatively short follow-up, and highly educated sample. Adding accelerometer data could provide more objective and nuanced insights. While 30 km/h speed limits alone may not drive PA changes, they might support broader intervention strategies, highlighting the importance of multi-component policy approaches and robust evaluations.
Support/Funding Source: Vital Cities and Citizens, Erasmus Trust Fund, Smarter Choices for Better Health
The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Wellbeing Among Adolescent Girls During Menstruation
Get PDFPurpose: Menstruation can significantly impact adolescent girls’ physical and psychological wellbeing, yet the influence of physical activity on their experiences during this period remains insufficiently understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between physical activity and wellbeing among adolescent girls during menstruation.
Methods: A cross-sectional design was used, involving 431 female students in grades 9 through 12, aged 15 to 19 years (standard deviation = 1.08). Data were collected via an online survey. The questionnaire was based on the “Surveillance of water, sanitation and hygiene in schools: A practical tool” (World Health Organization, 2019).
Results: The main reason for school absenteeism during menstruation was painful menstruation (92.4%). During menstruation, 55.1% of girls reported feeling bad or very bad, whereas only 8.6% indicated feeling good or very good. Regarding participation in physical education classes during menstruation, 24.6% of girls reported active participation, while almost half (47.2%) stated that their teachers permitted them to observe rather than participate.
In terms of extracurricular physical activity, 39.4% of girls engaged in leisure-time physical activity, and 37% attended after-school sports activities for periods ranging from one year to five years or more. Girls with longer durations of after-school sports activities were significantly less likely to miss sports activity during menstruation, χ² (10, n = 460) = 18.711, p = 0.044. However, there was no significant association between years of training and wellbeing during menstruation (p = 0.759).
Furthermore, more than half of the participants reported feeling bad or very bad during menstruation, regardless of their engagement in after-school sports activities (p = 0.905).
Conclusion: Menstrual pain is the primary factor contributing to school absenteeism among adolescent girls during menstruation. Only a minority participate in physical education classes during this period, with most either observing or abstaining from attendance. Girls with extended training experience are less likely to miss sports activity during menstruation, even when experiencing discomfort. Nevertheless, there is no significant relationship between physical activity levels and self-reported wellbeing during menstruation