by N. Nomikos, C. Trompoukis, C. Lamprou and G. Nomikos
Review Article
The crucial role of exercise in mental and physical health is a research field with growing interest in recent years. Scientific disciplines such as medicine, psychology and coaching, search the benefits of participation in training programs. Hippocrates has a separate thesis among the pioneers who recorded the benefits of equilibrated diet and exercise. This research aims to specify and assay the role of exercise in Hippocratic Medicine. After a review of literature, the Hippocratic writings “Regimen in Health - Περί διαίτης”, were identified and analyzed as the texts which containing the thesis of exercise in Hippocratic Medicine.
American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. 2016, 4(4), 115-119. DOI: 10.12691/ajssm-4-4-6
Pub. Date: December 12, 2016
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by Takahashi Kenji and Shin-ichi Demura
Original Research
This study aimed to compare the grip strengths and laterality of dominant and non-dominant hands with respect to age among 468 male elite soft-tennis players who participated in a national athletic meet in Japan. The players ranged in age from 12 to 29 years and were classified into 12 groups according to age, with players older than 23 years old comprising a single group. Grip strength was measured twice in both hands, and the larger value for each hand was used as the representative value. We evaluated the difference in grip strength between the dominant and non-dominant hands as a variable. Statistical analysis identified significant differences between the 12-year-old group and all age groups over 14 years, and between the 13-year-old group and all age groups over 15 years. In addition, small differences were observed among age groups over 14 years. In conclusion, among male elite soft-tennis players who had participated in technical tennis training since childhood, grip strength laterality became remarkable at ages older than 14 years but generally remained constant at ages older than 17 years.
American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. 2016, 4(4), 109-114. DOI: 10.12691/ajssm-4-4-5
Pub. Date: December 08, 2016
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by Ahmed Gaballah, Hamdy Elnawasry, Jose A Santos and Eadric Bressel
Original Research
Sage herbal is an evergreen subshrub that is native to the Mediterranean region. Recent studies have demonstrated that Salvia consumption may improve symptoms associated with lung and sinus disorders. The effect of Sage consumption on respiratory parameters in healthy athletic populations is not clear. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of Pilates training conjugated with the drinking of Sage herbal on the respiratory function of young soccer players. Method: The analysis is based on baseline measurements of 40 healthy soccer players were (age 17.48 ± 0.82y, mass 64.19±6.44 Kg, BMI 22.8 ± 2.54, Kg/M2, height 174.4±3.91 cm and competitive experience 6.81±1.24 y). The experimental group was 21 players. In contrast, the control group was 19 players. The experimental group participants consumed 60-70 ML of cold Salvia after boiling twice a day with aerobic exercises for 6-weeks. Dependent measures were taken immediately before (pretest) and after (posttest) the 6-week period and included vital capacity (VC), inspiratory vital capacity (IVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume (FEV1). Results: There were differences between pre-test and post-test values for the experimental group in all measures (p < 0.05) except FEV1/FVC and FEV1/VC (p < 0.53). For example, VC post-test values were 15% greater than pre-test values (4.88±1.15 vs 5.62± 0.72) and IVC post-test values were 14% greater than pre-test values (4.45±1.18 vs 5.06± 0.64). A similar observation was made for FVC, PEF, and FEV1 values. In Addition to, there were differences between post-tests of the experimental group and control group (p < 0.53) in VC, IVC, FVC, FEV1 PEF and MEF50. Conclusion: There are limited studies over the effect of Sage on respiratory function in athletes. The results indicate that healthy athletic soccer players who consume herbal Sage for 6-weeks improve respiratory functions as evidenced by greater VC, IVC, and FVC values during posttest than pretest. Moreover, these results are encouraging and suggest drinking the salvia officinalis may help in long aerobic activities.
American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. 2016, 4(4), 103-108. DOI: 10.12691/ajssm-4-4-4
Pub. Date: December 08, 2016
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by Shinji TSUBOUCHI, Shinichi DEMURA, Yu UCHIDA, Yoshimasa MATSUURA and Hayato UCHIDA
Review Article
In competitive sports of an open-skill system, rapid information-processing ability and adequate movement ability corresponding to rapidly changing information and stimuli are demanded athletes. This study examined the agility characteristics of athletes by using a successive choice reaction test. The subjects included 80 male university athletes, with 10 athletes randomly selected per competitive event for a total of eight competitive events. A successive choice-reaction test comprising five step patterns was used. A cell placement similar to step sheet placement was presented to the subjects on a personal computer display. The cell (sheet) for the athletes to step into was continuously and randomly indicated. The athletes quickly stepped onto eight sheets that corresponded to each cell shown on the display in each pattern. The entire process for achieving each pattern required eight steps (between stimulation presentation and step landing). From among the five patterns, the patterns with the minimum and maximum times were excluded. A mean of the total time for three patterns was used as an evaluation variable. Results of the statistical analysis including a one-way ANOVA indicated that the reaction time was significantly shorter in open-skill sports athletes than in closed-skill sports athletes. In conclusion, athletes in open-skill sports have superior successive choice reaction ability when compared with the athletes in closed-skill sports.
American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. 2016, 4(4), 98-102. DOI: 10.12691/ajssm-4-4-3
Pub. Date: November 17, 2016
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by Shunsuke Yamaji, Shinichi Demura and Hiroki Aoki
Original Research
It is more difficult for the elderly to step while adjusting to a slow tempo than young people. However, the progression of this difficulty at different ages and how it affects the elderly over the 80 years has not yet been examined. This study aims to examine the performance differences among all age levels at different tempos of the step test with a stipulated tempo. The subjects were 158 healthy males aged between 10–80 years. Each subject performed the step test for 20 sec, stepping alternately to the beat of a metronome while adjusting to changes in metronome tempo (40, 60, and 120 bpm) twice. It was assumed that if the total number of time differences was small between the times of the metronome beats and stepping-foot contact with the ground, the person was able to step while easily adjusting to changing tempos. The results of a two-way ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between age, tempo, and performance. Results of multiple comparisons indicated that the total time difference was smaller for those aged under 60 years than for those aged 60 years and over for 40 bpm, and smaller for those aged under 20 years age than those aged 70 years and over for 60 bpm. The time difference at 40 bpm was higher than that at 120 bpm in the subjects aged under 60 years, and it was larger in the order of 40, 60, and 120 bpm for those aged between 60 and 80 years. It is difficult for the elderly to step while adjusting to a slow tempo, and differences in the tempos used largely affected performance. Even for those under 50 years of age, it was more difficult to step while adjusting to a slower than to a faster tempo.
American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. 2016, 4(4), 94-97. DOI: 10.12691/ajssm-4-4-2
Pub. Date: November 14, 2016
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by Christa L. Lilly, Luciana C. Braga, Emily Jones, Sean Bulger, Kibum Cho and Eloise Elliott
Original Research
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present a longitudinal planned missing design used to conduct a physical activity intervention in public middle schools (6th – 8th grades) in a rural Appalachian county. Method: Program outcome measures were collected at 13 points, with 33% participant random selection, and complete measures of demographic and anthropometric variables. Results: Of the 4,621 randomly selected participants over the three-year span, missing after random selection was highest for pedometers (74.68%), but also high for PACER (44.47%) and 3DPAR (41.9%). No differences were found on demographic or anthropometric variables, suggesting missing completely at random (MCAR) data on the planned missing data. Participants with missing data after random selection were more likely to be older, male, and in the 8th grade, suggesting missing at random (MAR) data. Conclusions: Results suggest the use of the planned missing design allowed for the feasible evaluation of the intervention using modern missing data analysis to account for MCAR and MAR data.
American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. 2016, 4(4), 83-93. DOI: 10.12691/ajssm-4-4-1
Pub. Date: September 22, 2016
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