سال:1395 | دوره: | شماره: |تعداد مقالات:7

Purpose: Due to unhealthy lifestyles, there has been an increase in the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and a reduction in its age of onset. Given the high cost of diagnosis and treatment of CAD, there is an urgent need to teach people strategies helpful in changing their lifestyles as this can help reduce the risk factors of the disease. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to examine the relationship between physical activity and risk factors of CAD in patients suspected with thid disese in Tehran City.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 92 patients with suspicion of CAD were examined. Interviews, patient medical history, and angiography reports were used to collect data.In addition, the International Physical Activity Questionnaires (IPAQ) was used to determine the level of physical activity of the patients.Results: The study results indicated 6% increase in the chance of having CAD for each oneyear increase in age. Patients who smoked cigarettes were about four times more likely to have coronary atherosclerosis than non-smokers. Among all participants, 34.7% had low physical activity, 43.47% had moderate physical activity, and 21.73% had high physical activity. A reverse and significant relationship was seen between the level of physical activity and number of narrowed coronary arteries. There were direct and significant relationships between blood glucose, cholestrol, and LDL with the number of involved coronary arteries.Conclusion: Among the effective factors for heart diseases, older age and smoking had the highest correlations with the chance of catching CAD. Based on the study results, changing lifestyle, including diet and more physical activity is related to the number of involved coronary arteries.

Purpose: Increased life expectancy leads to an increase in the elderly population. However, with an increase in the age, the number of chronic diseases and cognitive disorders also increases. Since the social, cultural, environmental, lifestyle and health-related behavior is specific to each nation, the present study aimed at investigating the relationship between socio-economic status, health, physical fitness, and cognitive function in older adults with functional performance in Iran.Methods: It is a cross-sectional study involving 42 older adults (20 women, 22 men) through a survey questionnaire and accessible sampling method. The age range of the study participants was 60 to 91 years. The questionnaire was used by the examiner to collect information on the age, height and weight, history of diseases, health status, physical fitness, and socio-economic status, for assessing the functional performance of older adults. The three performed tests included Sit-to-Stand test to examine the strength and lower extremity function, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test to measure the speed and balance while walking and the Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT) for measuring the hand function. A step-wise regression model analysis was applied by using SPSS (version 19).Results: In sit-to-stand test, the test of significance of regression coefficients was profound in case of dependent variables (marital status (P=0.003) and overweight (P=0.014)). In TUG test, the dependent variables, age (P=0.002), marital status (P=0.081), and cognitive function (P=0.048) were influential on the TUG performance. In PPT, the independent variables, age (P=0.041), gender (P=0.012), marital status (P=0.058), and cognitive function (P=0.001), had a significant effect on the hand function.Conclusion: Age-related changes, cognitive functions, and socioeconomic status were the most important factors affecting the functional performance of the elderly. Weight and gender also affected some aspects of functional performance. The author further recommends controlling and preventing loss of cognitive function and improving the social status and age-related changes in the older Iranian adults.

Purpose: Given that physical activity is the most important environmental moderating factor, it has been known as an effective, available, low-cost and non-pharmacological approach to increase or maintain bone density at different ages. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 12 weeks of training in water, on land and combined environment on bone mineral density in premenopausal women.Methods: In this quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and a control group, 40 premenopausal women aged between 40 and 45 years were divided into four groups (with 10 patients each) based on the exercise environment: water, land, combined, and controlled.Each group exercised three days a week for 12 weeks, with each session lasting 70 minutes.The lumbar vertebrae bone mineral density of the participants was measured by DEXA before and after 12 weeks and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Analysis of covariance and LSD, with the significance level of. For statistical calculations, SPSS software version 21 was used.Results: In the combined environment group, the lumbar vertebrae bone mineral density showed a significant increase (P>0.05), while in the control group first vertebra bone density loss was observed for the second and fourth lumbar vertebrae (P<0.05). In comparison with the control group, there was a significant difference among the first and fourth lumbar vertebrae bone mineral density in the water exercise group; first, third and fourth lumbar vertebrae density in the land exercise group; and all lumbar vertebrae density in the combined environment group.Conclusion: Given that there was no difference observed between water and land exercise groups, exercise in any environment is recommended for premenopausal women because the least effect that exercise can have is prevention of bone loss in these ages.

Purpose: Less attention has been paid to the electromyographic activity of the lower extremity muscles, which is considered as an essential part of the kinetic studies on the gait of mentally retarded individuals. Hence, the study aims at determining the surface electromyography characteristics of the lower extremity muscles of mentally retarded adolescents during walking.Methods: It is a causal-comparative study. Fifteen mentally retarded and 15 normal adolescents with an age range of 10 to 14 years participated in this study. To record the activities of vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, semi-tendinosus, tibialis anterior, long peroneal, medial gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles, sEMG was employed during the stance phase of gait. For the data analysis, an independent sample t-test was conducted using SPSS version 18.Results: The results revealed that the mentally retarded adolescents had higher level of biceps femoris muscle activity in the heel contact sub-phase (P=0.016) compared to the normal group.Also, the vastus medialis (P=0.015) and the long peroneal (P=0.026) muscles showed higher EMG activity. Furthermore, their vastus lateralis (P=0.039) and Soleus (P=0.002), and vastus medialis (P=0.045) muscles demonstrated higher and lower activities, respectively. The cocontraction rate of medial gastrocnemius and anterior tibialis muscles during the heel contact was higher (P=0.040) in individuals with mental retardation compared to the healthy group.Conclusion: It can be concluded that the mentally retarded individuals use different muscle activation patterns in comparison to healthy people. As a result, special attention should be given to the functioning of their lower extremity muscles during the corrective power exercises.

Purpose: Postural control preserves organs and body parts in a proper biomechanical stance which exists in two forms: static and dynamic. Fatigue is one of the factors that affects postural control. This study aimed to compare the electromyography (EMG) activity of the lower extremity muscles before and after fatigue.Methods: This study was descriptive correlational and based on the research type a field study.Study sample comprised 20 male students majored in physical education; they were purposefully selected by non-accidental all-accounted method. Surface EMG activities of lower extremity muscles before and after fatigue were evaluated by electromyogram. To create fatigue in lower extremity muscles, we used fatigue protocol by the Biodex system. Data analysis was carried out by using SPSS 21. The paired t test was used for statistical analysis with a significance level of P<0.05.Results: The paired t test results indicated that the activity level of the rectus femoris, hamstrings, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius muscles significantly changed before and after fatigue. The study results also supported that lower extremity muscle fatigue had a negative effect on the activity of the muscles around the knee joint. Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between the postural control and the activity level of rectus femoris and tibialis anterior muscles on pretest. However, there were no significant relationships between postural control and activity level of lateral hamstrings and gastrocnemius muscles on pretest and posttest, nor the activity level of rectus femoris and tibialis anterior posttest.Conclusion: Muscle fatigue increases joints vulnerability. These results can be used in designing athlete’s rehabilitation programs and trainings to prevent injuries or changes in biomechanical parameters of walking.

Purpose: Hamstring muscle is a two-jointed muscle, which is attached to the pelvis at one end and to tibia at the other. Contractures of the hamstring muscles affect the position of proximal and distal joints. The present study aims to compare the value of quadriceps angle (Q angle)and tibial torsion among Premier League Futsal players with and without hamstring tightness.Methods: In this expost facto study, 30 male players, aged 18 to 25 years old, were nonrandomly and purposefully selected as subjects. They were assigned to two 15-member groups, one containing players with hamstring tightness and the other without hamstring tightness. The goniometer was used to check the hamstring muscle tightness and measure the Q angle and tibial torsion. Independent t-test was used to analyze the data at a significance level of 0.05. SPSS version 21.0 was used for statistical analysis.Results: According to the findings of the present study, there was a significant difference in the value of Q angle and tibial torsion between the healthy athletes and group with hamstring tightness (P £0.05).Conclusion: To prevent injuries in Futsal players with hamstring muscles tightness, special attention should be paid to the Q angle and tibial torsion.

Purpose: Globalization of computer use in the past two decades has increased the prevalence of musculoskeletal problems and different damages to computer users. Therefore, the present study aims to determine the prevalence rate of musculoskeletal damages and postural anomalies and disorders among computer users.Methods: This is a descriptive research study carried out as a field project on 160 university students with 3 years of experience working with computers. The data were collected using a questionnaire developed by the researcher, which was of high reliability and validity. Moreover, for evaluation of the changes in postural alignment, the New York posture rating chart was used. Data analyses were performed by using descriptive statistics, which was done using Excel software and SPSS version 21.0.Results: The findings of this study revealed that the participants suffered from pain in the head (81.25%), eyes (87.50%), neck (100%), shoulders (100%), waist (81.25%), wrist (100%), fingers (100%), pelvis (93.75%), and knees (100%). Risk factors such as not using suitable chairs, incorrect way of sitting, and lack of movement (i.e. inactivity during work) were of great significance. Moreover, the findings of this research indicated the following as the prevalent postural anomalies among university students: 85% forward head posture, 90% drooping shoulders, 70% pectoral kyphosis, 65% posterior pelvic tilt, 40% bowed knees or X-shaped legs, and 30% ankle rotation.Conclusion: Sore neck and shoulders, sore eyes, painful wrist, and fingers are very common among computer users. Forward head posture, drooping shoulder (that of the user’s dominant hand), and bowed knees or X-shaped legs were found to be the basic and prevalent postural problems among university students. Inactivity caused by over-work and not attending to ergonomic principles while working was among the key risk factors observed in this study.