Pensar en Movimiento: Revista de Ciencias del Ejercicio y la Salud

Analysis of Technical and Physical Variables According to the Outcome of the 2018 Russia FIFA World Cup Game

2024-06-05T15:37:28-06:00

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, with a growing number of professional players every year. In addition, it is complex and unpredictable with multiple physical, technical, tactical and psychological problems that are critical for performance. In the 90’s, tool-based performance analysis included global positioning systems and optical tracking systems for each player. For this reason, the aim of this study was to analyze physical and technical variables related to the outcome of the game, and the fact that a team qualifies for the different phases of FIFA’s 2018 Russia World Cup. The analysis encompassed all the games played during the 2018 Russia FIFA World Cup—up to 64 games of the 32 participating national teams. A goal score could be insufficient for defining a team’s success, since this variable depends on different and multiple factors. The teams that qualified for the knockout stage showed significantly better performance in some technical variables. On the other hand, regarding physical variables, the most successful teams covered shorter distances with and without the ball, presenting more significant distances in intensity zones 1 and 5 and ball possession. These different aspects are worth analyzing in order to determine their relationship to success in a game.

[English translation] Maximum heart rate prediction equations fail key external validation test

2025-04-09T10:30:23-06:00

Maximum heart rate equations (HRmax) have been used due to their easy availability and practicality, as compared to stress tests. However, the best-known equation, “220 – age”, shows low reliability and deviations of up to 12 beats/min. New formulae have been proposed, but they have not been correctly validated. The purpose of this study was to validate 7 prediction equations by using an independent data set. A data base of 634 subjects (474 men and 160 women) 18–85 years of age, obtained within a health service developed at the University of Michigan from 1990–1992, has been used. The subjects performed a VO2max test on a treadmill, following a free protocol. A linear regression technique was used in which the appropriate equations were those that met the two hypotheses: slope = 1 and constant = 0. According to the results, none of the equations analyzed for the full sample accepted both hypotheses. When doing the analysis by sex, six of the equations met the two hypotheses for the women, but none of them for the men; and when the analysis was done by age group, 4 of the equations met the hypotheses for the group 40 years old or younger, but not for those above 40. The HRmax seems to be difficult to predict through a single equation. Therefore, it is recommended that, when a valid measure for this variable is needed, a stress test be used.

Health- and skill-related physical fitness in Costa Rican special operations police units

2025-01-18T14:15:22-06:00

The aims of this study were: a) to provide a detailed health- and skill-related physical fitness profile of a cohort of Costa Rican Special Operations Police (SOP) units and b) to compare selected physical measures by age groups: body weight, body mass index (BMI), fat mass, body fat percentage, lean mass, resting heart rate, blood pressure, grip strength, flexibility, vertical jump height, muscular resistance, agility, anaerobic resistance and cardiorespiratory capacity were measured in SOP active members. Seventy-nine officers (age = 37.68 ± 7.86 years, height = 172.58 ± 5.35 cm, body weight = 80.49 ± 10.69 kg, BMI = 27.05 ± 3.34 kg∙m-2) participated in the study. Health- and skill-related physical fitness results of the participants were sub-optimal. Statistically significant differences were observed between age subgroups in lean mass in kg (F = 6.581, p = 0.002), A/G ratio (F = 10.078, p = 0.000), right- and left-hand grip (F = 5.680, p = 0.005; F = 8.386, p = 0.001), vertical jump (SQJ , F = 8.047, p = 0.001; CMJ , F = 8.167, p = 0.001), muscular resistance (F = 4.063, p = 0.021), agility (F = 9.055, p = 0.000), anaerobic resistance (F = 7.572, p = 0.001), and cardiorespiratory capacity (F = 5.034, p = 0.009). Police officers should review their strength and conditioning programs because their fitness profile is currently below general fitness standards. Age was shown to be an important factor in SOP units’ strength and conditioning performance.

Physical activity and sedentary time in puertorricans with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome

2024-09-11T10:04:47-06:00

This study describes physical activity (AF) and sedentary time (TS) in adults with sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) in Puerto Rico. Associations between AF, TS, anthropometric characteristics and lung function are also evaluated. Fifteen adults (10 M and 5 F, average age = 44.3 9.4 years) in treatment for SAHS completed measurements of height, weight, spirometry and used an accelerometer for 7 days to evaluate AF and TS. To identify gender differences, the Wilcoxon test was used and Spearman correlation tests were performed to evaluate the association between AF, TS and anthropometric and pulmonary function characteristics. Results shows that the average moderate to vigorous AF (AFMV) was 276.8 ± 196.3 min/week, the TS was 8.8 1.3 hours/day, the BMI was 34.7 ± 5.9 kg/m2, the waist circumference (CC) was 109.5 ± 15.8 cm and the percentage of forced exhalation volume forecast in a second relative to forced vital capacity (%FEV1/FVC) is 107.4 ± 7.8%. No gender differences were observed, nor significant correlations between AFMV and IMC (ρ= -0.39, P= 0.15), AFM V and CC (ρ = -0.12, P= 0.07), TS and e IMC (ρ = 0.05, P = 0.86) and TS and CC (ρ= -0.03, P=0.92). AFMV correlated with %FEV1/FVC (ρ=0.60, P=0.02). In conclusion, although AFMV was within the recommended minimum, obesity and TS were concerns among participants. In addition, the results suggest that those with higher AFMV have better lung function.

Age, sex and adiposity correlates of physical fitness in Costa Rican police academy cadets

2024-10-18T11:26:46-06:00

This study had the following objectives: (i) to characterize pre-academy physical fitness, (ii) to analyze differences by age and sex, and (iii) to examine the associations between body fat percentage (BF%) and physical fitness in Costa Rican police cadets. A total of 393 cadets participated (age = 24.98 ± 4.65 years, weight = 72.78 ± 12.39 kg, height = 1.70 ± 0.09 m). Data were stratified into groups of 20-29 and 30-39 years of age and analyzed by sex and BF%. The tests were performed between 1 and 3 weeks during the basic training, evaluating body composition, grip strength, flexibility (S&R), vertical jump (VJ), agility (Illinois test), speed (30 m), as well as anaerobic (300 m) and aerobic (2.4 km) capacity. Physical fitness varied by sex (p < 0.05), except for BMI and S&R. In men, each 1% increase in body fat (%) was associated with a loss of +0.034 s in agility (p = 0.004), +0.025 s in 30 m-sprint (p = 0.000), -0.20 kg, and -0.19 kg in grip strength (p = 0.010; p = 0.021), -0.64 cm in VJ (CMJ, p = 0.000), and -0.36 ml∙kg-1∙min-1 in VO2 max (p = 0.000). In women, it was associated with a loss of agility (+0.089 seconds, p = 0.000), VJ (CMJ = -0.39 cm, p = 0.000), 30 m sprint (+0.046 seconds, p = 0.000), 300 m sprint (+1.02 seconds; p = 0.000) and VO2 max (-0.33 ml∙kg-1∙min-1, p = 0.000). The police cadets showed a suboptimal initial physical condition. Age, sex, and body fat (%) are key factors that affect their performance.

Prevalence of symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders and teleworking conditions in employees of a public company in Costa Rica

2024-10-16T11:50:39-06:00

The COVID-19 pandemic forced organizations to take extreme measures in order to contain the disease. As a result, teleworking emerged as one of the major actions taken to mitigate transmission. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders and the main teleworking conditions associated with them. By using a self-fill data gathering tool, based on the standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Disorders Questionnaire, which was distributed through the institutional mail, a general prevalence was found of at least one symptom in 70.4% (71.9% of the women and 68.6% of the men). The upper limb zone was the one with the highest prevalence, namely 50%. People who exercise the most are the ones that showed the best self-reported physical health χ2 (3, n = 108) = 10.8, p = .01. The study found a relationship between the presence of symptoms in the neck and people who indicated left-hand dominance χ2 (1, n = 108) = 4.10, p = .04, as well as in women χ2 (1, n = 108) = 9, p = .003. The relationship in lower limbs was found in people who reported a high level of stress χ2 (4, n = 108) = 10.7, p = .03, and also in those that reported a less than good self-perception of physical health χ2 (1, n = 108) = 12.1, p < .001.

Data base of Effect of physical and physical-recreational activity programs on the quality of life of adults and seniors

2025-02-12T09:41:38-06:00

The aim of this study was to identify the effect size (ES) of the physical-recreational activity programs on the perceived quality of life of adults and senior adults, and to analyze possible moderating variables through the meta-analysis technique. Thirty-two studies met the previously established eligibility criteria. The quality of the studies included in the meta-analysis was assessed by using the PEDro scale. Under the random effects model, the ES of the difference of standardized mean was calculated, to find out the impact generated by physical-recreational activities on the quality of life perception of the participants. Data heterogeneity (Cochran’s Q) and inconsistency (I2) of the data were examined. It was found that participating in physical-recreational activities improves quality of life perception (ES = 0.382, p < .001., n = 224), whereas the control group did not improve its quality of life perception (ES = 0.031, p = .285, n = 116). Age, sex, health conditions, level of physical activity and the amount of sessions in the programs have no influence on quality of life perception, whereas the duration of sessions does influence quality of life perception.

Data base of Health- and skill-related physical fitness in Costa Rican special operations police units

2025-02-12T12:22:15-06:00

Data base of Age, sex and adiposity correlates of physical fitness in Costa Rican police academy cadets

2025-02-06T09:51:13-06:00

Aquatic therapy in population groups of economically vulnerable adults as a strategy for health prevention

2025-01-24T14:06:43-06:00

The present opinion article intends to disseminate the work being carried out by the project ED 3532 Aquatic therapy in economically vulnerable adults for health prevention, which promotes health and the treatment of osteo-muscular injuries in vulnerable populations, via Aquatic Therapy interventions at the Hydrotherapy Laboratory of the School of Health Technologies of Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR). Health promotion is one of the contributions UCR makes to Costa Rican society, and this project has offered this contribution for the last three years through the aforementioned interventions. This strategy of non-pharmacological treatment involves several benefits for this kind of population, and that is why spaces such as this are relevant and should be more widely promoted in the different bodies dealing with public health.

Anthropometric and cardiometabolic characteristics of an obese adolescent in a weight control program

2024-10-14T17:44:18-06:00

Pediatric obesity is a global epidemic associated with the early development of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this case study is to present and compare initial and final results of assessments carried out at an exercise physiology unit on a 15-year-old adolescent girl with obesity that had spent one year participating in a multidisciplinary program for clinical management of pediatric obesity. This multidisciplinary program includes initial, follow-up and final visits in physiology of exercise, nutrition, psychology, cardiology, gastroenterology and endocrinology. Anthropometric measurements included weight, height, body mass index, percentage of fat mass and lean mass. Muscular strength was measured with a hand dynamometer, and the cardiorespiratory fitness test was conducted with a metabolic system, using a ramp protocol on a cycle ergometer up to the voluntary maximum. The results showed that no changes had occurred in weight and body mass index. However, there was an increase in lean mass, a reduction in the percentage of fat, an increase in hand grip strength, cardiorespiratory power and fitness, all of which suggests a positive impact on health. In conclusion, pediatric obesity control programs that include physical activity and exercise should stress not just body weight but the benefits derived from the reduction of body mass, the increase in lean mass and improvements in cardiorespiratory and neuromuscular health.

Effect of physical and physical-recreational activity programs on the quality of life of adults and seniors

2024-11-14T08:32:00-06:00