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Paraspinal and Gastrocnemii Response to Shod and Barefoot Running with Rearfoot and Forefoot Landing
Get PDFBarefoot (BF) and shod (S) running with conditions at heel landing (HS) and forefoot landing (FF) has impact on shock attenuation at the foot through the trunk. Muscle activation is crucial to understand the response of the system to vertical loading of the system during running. Purpose: This study investigated muscle activation in the gastrocnemii and lumbar paraspinal (LP) muscles during barefoot (BF) and shod (S) running with heel strike (HS) and forefoot strike (FF) landings to understand neuromuscular responses to vertical loading. Methods: Sixteen female collegiate runners (20.4 ± 3.2 yrs, 59.4 ± 7.7 kg, 1.63 ± 0.07 m) performed steady-state treadmill runs at their preferred speed (10.3 ± 1.5 km/h). Inertial measuring units (IMUs) with accelerometers and gyroscopes were placed on the foot/shoe and lumbar region, while surface EMG sensors recorded medial (MG) and lateral (LG) gastrocnemius and LP activity. EMG data were processed, normalized to peak values in S-HS trials, and analyzed across 10 gait cycles per condition using a 2 × 2 ANOVA (α = 0.05). Results: LP activation (NEMG) was significantly higher in BF vs. S (p \u3c 0.05) and lasted longer. Peak LP activation was greater in HS vs. FF under BF conditions (p \u3c 0.05), and BF-HS showed higher peak values than S-HS (p \u3c 0.05). MG activation was greater in FF vs. HS (p \u3c 0.05) and in S vs. BF (p \u3c 0.05). Peak MG activation showed significant interaction effects (p \u3c 0.05), with FF \u3e HS. LG activation also exhibited significant interactions between foot landing and shoe conditions (p \u3c 0.01), with FF showing greater activation than HS. NEMG duration was longer in BF vs. S (p \u3c 0.05) and in FF vs. HS (p \u3c 0.05). Conclusions: Footwear and foot-strike patterns influence muscle activation, affecting shock attenuation and neuromotor control. The LP muscle was particularly sensitive to these conditions, indicating potential implications for trunk stability and injury risk in different running styles
Mental Toughness as a Predictor of Employee Engagement in Healthcare Leadership: Preliminary Findings From a Multi-Session Intervention
Get PDFEngagement is a critical factor in both the performance and well-being of healthcare workforce, yet strategies to sustain it remain underdeveloped. Drawing from organizational psychology, a top-down approach can accelerate cultural and behavioral change across systems. Mental toughness (MT), a performance psychology construct associated with a mindset of purposefulness, efficiency, and flexibility, may serve as an actionable tool for leaders to enhance engagement within high-pressure environments, such as healthcare. PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between MT and engagement among senior hospital staff participating in a multi-session MT workshop – the focus is on whether MT predicts engagement and influences specific engagement subdomains over time. METHODS: A purposive sample of senior healthcare administrators (N = 14) participated in a four-session MT intervention over two months. So far, engagement (overall [OE] and subscales: Cognitive [CE], Emotional [EE], Behavioral [BE]) and MT were assessed at four time points using the Employee Engagement Scale and the Mental Toughness Index. Descriptive statistics, linear regression models, and change score analyses were used to examine the predictive relationships between MT and engagement via MATLAB. RESULTS: Regression analyses indicated MT significantly predicted OE at the second time point, R² = .95, p = .027. Associations at subsequent time points were weaker or nonsignificant, likely due to participant attrition. A change score analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between increases in MT and improvements in CE, r = .99, p = .006. No significant changes were found for EE or BE subdomains. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to examine the relationship between MT and employee engagement in a healthcare context. These preliminary findings suggest MT may serve as a leading indicator of engagement among healthcare professionals. The strongest impact was observed on CE, highlighting MT’s potential to enhance focus and attention at work. Future research with larger samples is warranted to confirm these results and support the development of targeted MT-based engagement interventions in healthcare settings
When the Game Takes a Toll: Acute Flank Pain and Hematuria in a High School Athlete
Get PDFGNYACSM Clinical Case Abstract
When the Game Takes a Toll: Acute Flank Pain and Hematuria in a High School Athlete
C. MILLER DO, A. CHAUDARY MD, K. LEONARD MD, & B. JONES M.ED., ATC
Saratoga Hospital Family Medicine Residency, Saratoga Springs New York
Category: Professional
Advisor / Mentor: Back, Ephraim [email protected]
ABSTRACT
CASE HISTORY: A 16 year old male presented to the ER with left sided flank pain and hematuria. Three days prior he was tackled during a football game and immediately had pain on his side. Heating, stretching and taking Tylenol did not improve symptoms. He did not practice over the weekend due to pain. He noticed blood in his urine on the day of presentation but denied any frank blood or dysuria. PHYSICAL EXAM: Abdomen: mild left upper and lower quadrant tenderness, left CVA tenderness DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSES: Renal Laceration, Muscle injury, Rhabdomyolysis, Splenic Injury TESTS & RESULTS: Urinalysis: Nitrite, Leukocyte, Ketones: negative, Blood: Large, WBC: 11-25/hpf, RBC: \u3e200/hpf; CBC: RBC 4.45, H/H 13.4/39.4 CK: 255 CT Abdomen Pelvis: Abnormal left kidney with parenchymal defect & perinephric edema consistent with intraparenchymal laceration 3cm high density focus adjacent to hilum, hematoma vs devascularized parenchyma. FINAL DIAGNOSIS: Grade III renal laceration DISCUSSION: Renal injuries represent the 3rd most common type of abdominal organ trauma. In athletic activities, these injuries typically result from blunt force trauma or excessive physical exertion. Blunt trauma may lead to renal contusions or lacerations, with pediatrics exhibiting greater susceptibility. When there are concerns of retroperitoneal injury this should be evaluated through CT scans, which can determine kidney trauma grading. Most renal lacerations are Grade I-III and are managed supportively. Grade V lacerations require renal exploration surgery. Patients who do not have indications for surgery can be managed with pain control, serial imaging and laboratory studies. The majority of nonoperative kidney lacerations heal in 6 weeks. OUTCOME OF THE CASE: His repeat hemoglobin and hematocrit were unchanged. Since he was hemodynamically stable with no evidence of acute bleeding, there was no indication for surgical intervention. He was discharged with close urology follow up outpatient. He was removed from all physical activity. RETURN TO ACTIVITY AND FURTHER FOLLOW-UP: He was removed from activity for 4 weeks. An ultrasound 4 weeks after showed a residual small left perinephric hematoma. He was transitioned to light activities for 3 months, then to full activities. A repeat ultrasound at 14 weeks showed no residual pathology
Idmatch Bike Fitting Enhances Power Output in Recreational Cyclists: A Pilot Study
No full textInternational Journal of Exercise Science 18(2): 864-880, 2025. Optimizing bike position is essential for enhancing cycling performance, improving comfort, and reducing injury risk. This study examined the acute effects of a bike fit using the idmatch® system on power output, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and discomfort in recreational cyclists. Twelve participants (10 males, 2 females; 37.0 ± 9.4 years) underwent an idmatch system bike fit, which employs three-dimensional motion capture to optimize rider position. Cyclists completed a six-second peak power test (PPT6) and a 20-minute functional threshold power (FTP) test before and after the fit. Performance metrics (power, cadence, and torque) and subjective measures (RPE, discomfort and region-specific pain) were recorded. Post-fit, peak power during the PPT6 test was 8.6% higher (pre: 952.1 ± 268.2 W; post: 1033.6 ± 263.6 W; p = 0.043). In the post-fit FTP test, average power output (pre: 190.0 ± 50.0 W; post: 198.7 ± 47.8 W; p = 0.047) and torque (pre: 15.6 ± 3.5 ft-lb.; post: 16.6 ± 2.2 ft-lb.; p = 0.035) were increased, while RPE (p = 0.029) and discomfort (p = 0.035) were decreased compared to pre-fit values. Performance improvements in both tests were positively correlated with the magnitude of saddle-to-handlebar distance adjustment (p \u3c 0.05). Self-reported hand, foot, and hamstring pain trended lower following the bike fit (all: p = 0.125). These findings suggest that optimizing bike configuration using the idmatch system acutely improves power production and reduce discomfort in recreational cyclists. Motion-capture-based fitting systems may offer a practical solution for enhancing cycling performance
The Effect of Meditation on Heart Rate Variability and BDNF following an Acute Stress Event
No full textQualifying the Effects of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors on Exercise Metabolism, Recovery, and Performance
No full textPAIN AND SLEEP DURATION IN PEOPLE WITH AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS: A PILOT STUDY
No full textThe bi-directional relationship between pain and sleep, and their time-of-day effects, have been well-established by prior literature focusing on the general population; however, these interactions have yet to be explored in individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). PURPOSE: This pilot study aimed to determine whether pain differed in people with ALS (pALS) across time of day, and whether sleep duration was predictive of pain. METHODS: Five pALS (62.2 ± 12.0 years, 33.2 ± 24.1 months since diagnosis, n=4 male) completed the study in their homes. Subjects completed a daily sleep diary and wore a wrist actigraph (ActiGraph GT9X Link) for 6 consecutive days. These outputs were combined to calculate daily sleep duration across a 24-h period, as published elsewhere (Bren et al., 2024). Pain was quantified via self-reported pain intensity and pain interference with activity on a 10 cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), completed four times per day (near 8:00, 12:00, 18:30, and 20:30). Descriptive statistics, repeated measures ANOVA, and linear regression analyses were conducted with SPSS v29. RESULTS: Overall, the mean (SD) pain intensity was 0.86 (0.26) and pain interference was 0.77 (0.20). In the analysis of time-of-day effects, subjective ratings did not change significantly for pain intensity (p=0.47), or pain interference (p=0.32). In a linear regression model, sleep duration predicted pain intensity (R2=0.20, B=-0.45, p=0.02) and pain interference (R2=0.24, B=-0.49, p\u3c0.01). CONCLUSION: Subjective reports of pain were low. Given that ALS is a motor neuron disease with pain occurring secondary to muscle wasting as the disease progresses, this is not a surprising finding and may reflect the relatively short time since diagnosis of pALS in our sample and/or the use of analgesic medications. Due to the low levels of pain reported by our sample, we did not identify time-of-day effects. Findings also suggest an inverse relationship between sleep duration and pain: as sleep duration increased, pain intensity and interference decreased, highlighting the importance of evaluating sleep duration to improve pain-associated outcomes for pALS. Our findings support the benefit of additional study in a larger sample of pALS with greater variability in clinical characteristics, including time since diagnosis