The influence of traditional Thai massage on recovery from gastrocnemius muscle fatigue: A single-blind randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effects of traditional Thai massage (TTM) on improving fatigue recovery and fatigue-related parameters of the gastrocnemius muscle after a heel-raise exercise.

DESIGN

A single-blind randomised controlled trial.

SETTING

Mae Fah Luang University Hospital, Thailand.

PARTICIPANTS

Fifty-four healthy participants were randomly assigned to two groups: TTM (n = 27; 51.85 % women; mean age 23.15 ± 4.90 years; number of exercises/week: 4.78 ± 1.58) and control (n = 27; 59.26 % women; mean age 22.63 ± 4.88 years; number of exercises/week: 4.48 ± 1.25).

INTERVENTIONS

After the participants performed a heel-raise exercise to induce fatigue of the gastrocnemius muscle, they received either 30 min of TTM to the gastrocnemius muscle or 30 min of control (29 min of rest and 1 min total gastrocnemius stretching).

OUTCOME MEASURES

The outcome measures were the median frequency (MDF) of the electromyography signal, muscle power (MP) and feelings of muscle fatigue (FMF). All the outcome measures were evaluated before (T1) and after (T2) the fatigue-inducement protocol as well as immediately (T3), 1 h (T4) and 2 h (T5) after the interventions.

RESULTS

The results show that MDF and MP were significantly increased and FMF significantly decreased in both groups immediately after the interventions and at 1 h and 2 h after the interventions (repeated measures ANOVA: p < .05). In the between-group comparisons, participants in the TTM group showed significantly greater improvement than those in the control group on all outcomes at all post-intervention assessment time points (T3, T4, T5), reflecting faster recovery from muscle fatigue (ANCOVA: p < .05).

CONCLUSION

TTM proved an effective intervention for maximising recovery from fatigue of the gastrocnemius muscle.

Climate temperature and seasonal influences on the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders in South Korea

This study aimed to explore seasonal variations in temporomandibular disorder (TMD) prevalence in South Korea, utilizing nationwide population-based big data. Data corresponding to the Korean Standard Classification of Diseases code of K07.6, which identifies TMD, were extracted from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service online platform for the period from 2010 to 2022. Additionally, we integrated these data with climate temperature records from the Korean Meteorological Administration. We subsequently conducted a statistical analysis of TMD patient data on a monthly and seasonal basis over the past 13 years to assess prevalence. Over the past 13 years, the number of TMD patients in Korea has steadily increased. The prevalence of TMD rose from 0.48% (224,708 out of a total population of 50,515,666) in 2010 to 0.94% (482,241 out of a total population of 51,439,038) in 2022, marking a 1.96-fold increase. Among children under 10 years of age, no significant differences were observed in TMD prevalence between boys and girls. However, a distinct female predominance emerged after the age of 10, with an average female-to-male ratio of 1.51:1. The peak prevalence of TMD occurred in individuals in their 20 s, followed by adolescents in their late 10 s. The majority of TMD patients were concentrated in Seoul and Gyeonggi province, with metropolitan areas accounting for 50% of the total patient count. Seasonally, TMD patient numbers showed no significant increase in winter compared with spring or summer. The temperature difference, defined as the absolute difference between the highest and lowest temperatures for each month, showed a positive correlation with TMD patient counts. A greater temperature difference was associated with higher patient counts. The strongest correlation between temperature differences and TMD patient numbers was observed in winter (r = 0.480, p < 0.01), followed by summer (r = 0.443, p < 0.01), and spring (r = 0.366, p < 0.05). Temperature differences demonstrated a significantly stronger correlation with the increase in the number of TMD patients than absolute climate temperatures. This aspect should be a key consideration when examining seasonal trends in TMD prevalence in South Korea.

An Intervention to Improve Mental and Physical Health of Undergraduate Nursing Students

BACKGROUND

Nursing students experience poorer mental and physical health relative to students in other health-related disciplines and young adults of similar age outside post-secondary school. Compromised mental and physical health has numerous negative impacts on nursing students and can result in burnout and development of chronic diseases.

PURPOSE

To determine whether an asynchronous online yoga intervention would improve mental and physical health of students.

METHODS

An asynchronous online 6-week yoga intervention was carried out between January and December 2021, using a pre/post design. Participants' symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and self-compassion were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale and Self-Compassion Scale and core endurance was assessed using the Mackenzie Core Endurance Test prior to commencement and at the conclusion of the program.

RESULTS

Of 114 participants, 68 completed the online program and pre and post measures showed that the mean depression, anxiety, stress, self-compassion and core endurance scores improved significantly (p<0.001) between baseline and study completion.

CONCLUSION

A six-week virtual yoga program significantly improved mental and physical health of undergraduate nursing students. Targeted modifications to the yoga program might enhance participant retention.

Comparative effects of three different physical education teaching modes on college students' physical fitness during the COVID-19 pandemic: A longitudinal study

Background

An appropriate teaching mode in physical education is crucial for ensuring effective education outcomes. Given the dynamic nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching modes are often adjusted. However, there is a lack of in-depth research on the impact of different teaching modes on the outcomes of physical education. Our study aims to address this gap by conducting a comparative analysis of the teaching effectiveness of three different physical education modes among Chinese college students, with a focus on evaluating their impact on physical fitness.

Method

This study adopted a longitudinal retrospective observational design. We systematically examined the three stages of the COVID-19 pandemic (stage 1: September 2020 to January 2021; stage 2: September 2021 to January 2022 and stage 3: February 2022 to July 2022), along with the three corresponding physical education teaching modes (classroom teaching, online teaching and blended teaching) and administered three physical fitness tests (T1, T2 and T3). The physical fitness test included 7 indicators: body mass index, vital capacity, 50-m run, standing long jump, sit-and-reach, pull-ups (male), 1000-m run (male), sit-ups (female) and 800-m run (female). A mixed ANOVA model was used to analyse the physical fitness test indicators across the three different teaching modes.

Results

A total of 3363 college students (1616 males and 1747 females) enrolled in 2020 completed the three physical fitness tests. Most students were aged between 17 and 20 years old, and the BMI criteria indicated a normal distribution. The results indicated that there were significant differences in the overall training effectiveness for all students across vital capacity (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.077), sit-and-reach (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.027), and middle and long-distance running (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.031). Post-hoc multiple comparison analyses further revealed that the blended teaching was the most effective in improving these fitness indicators, whereas the online teaching performed poorly on the training effects of middle and long-distance running. Significant training effects were also shown for sit-ups (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.192) for females and pull-ups (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.020) for males in gender-specific physical fitness indicators. Similarly, blended teaching showed superior results to other teaching modes.

Conclusion

These findings emphasize the importance of conducting online physical education during unforeseen public health events and highlight the comprehensive effects of blended physical education in the post-pandemic era. Future initiatives should prioritize targeted interventions to address the observed variations in various physical fitness indicators under different physical education teaching models.

Research on dynamic comfort maintenance by measuring lower limb edema and seat pressure during simulated seated sleep in flight

Objectives. Seated sleep during flight can bring significant discomfort to passengers. The objective of this research was to study passengers' dynamic comfort maintenance strategies in lower limb postural shifting during seated sleep in flight. Methods. Studies on seated sleep postures and sitting comfort were conducted. First, 40 participants were recruited to the observational research for collecting typical leg postures during seated sleep. Then, an experiment was conducted with the participants simulating seated sleep in the aircraft seat. The changes in lower limb edema and seat pressure in different postures were measured with a bioelectrical impedance device, near-infrared spectroscopy device and pressure mapping device. Results. Six postures were selected through the observational research. The experiment showed that tissues of the thighs and buttocks suffer alternate higher compression by shifting between the six postures. Lower limb edema is higher when the shanks are forward, while the tissue under the ischial tuberosity suffers higher compression when the shanks are neutral. Conclusion. Six motivations for passengers to shift each sitting posture to achieve dynamic comfort were summarized, which helps obtain alternating rest in different body parts. The suggestion of a leg position adjustment system was also proposed.

An analysis of the role of college students' core self-evaluation in the relationship between extracurricular physical exercise and academic stress

Objective

To explore the role of college students' core self-evaluation in the association between extracurricular physical exercise and academic stress, and to provide a reference and basis for effectively alleviating current college students' academic stress.

Methods

A stratified cluster random sampling method was used to conduct an online survey using the China College Student Mental Health Screening Scale, the Core Self-Esteem Scale, and a self-developed questionnaire for 1,249 college students from 8 junior colleges in Jiangsu Province, China, in January 2023, and analyses were conducted using bivariate correlation and mediation effect tests.

Results

More than half of the students were worried about lagging behind other students in their studies and worrying about exams, as well as more than half of the students had <2 h of extracurricular physical exercise per week in terms of academic stress. Significant correlations were found between extracurricular physical exercise time and core self-evaluation (r = 0.225, p < 0.01), academic stress (r = -0.317, p < 0.01), and between core self-evaluation and academic stress (r =-0.371, p < 0.01). Extracurricular physical exercise had a negative predictive effect on academic stress (effect = -0.306, 95%CI: -0.361~-0.251) and partially through the mediating path of core self-evaluation, (effect = -0.067, 95%CI: -0.091~-0.046), with a mediating effect of 21.9%. Among them, the mediating effect of core self-evaluation was highest in "worrying about lagging behind other students in their studies" and "worrying about exams", which accounted for 24.4% and 24.3% respectively.

Conclusion

Currently, college students have different degrees of academic stress; extracurricular physical exercise can reduce academic stress through direct effects, and also through the indirect effect of improving the level of core self-evaluation, and active extracurricular physical exercise has become an important way to promote students' physical and mental health.

The relationship between general practitioner movement behaviours with burnout and fatigue

BACKGROUND

Physical inactivity is associated with feelings of burnout and fatigue, which in turn are associated with reduced performance among healthcare practitioners. This study explored movement behaviours of general practitioners (GPs) and the association between these behaviours with burnout and fatigue.

METHODS

GPs in Northern Ireland were asked to wear a thigh-worn accelerometer for seven days and complete validated questionnaires to assess the association between daily number of steps, time spent sitting and standing with feelings of burnout and fatigue.

RESULTS

Valid accelerometer data were obtained from 47 (77.0%) participants. Average workday sitting time, standing time and number of steps were 10.6 h (SD 1.5), 3.8 h (SD 1.3), and 7796 steps (SD 3116) respectively. Participants were less sedentary (8.0 h (SD 1.6)) and more active (4.7 h (SD 1.4) standing time and 12,408 steps (SD 4496)) on non-workdays. Fourteen (30.4%) participants reported burnout and sixteen (34.8%) reported severe fatigue. There were no significant associations between sitting, standing and step counts with burnout or fatigue (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

GPs were less active on workdays compared to non-workdays and exhibited high levels of sitting. Feelings of burnout and fatigue were highly prevalent, however movement behaviours were not found to be associated with burnout and fatigue. Given the increased sedentariness among GPs on workdays compared to non-workdays, GPs should consider how they can improve their movement behaviours on workdays to help optimise their wellbeing.

Sex differences among children, adolescents and young adults for mental health service use within inpatient and outpatient settings, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based study in Ontario, Canada

OBJECTIVES

The pandemic and public health response to contain the virus had impacts on many aspects of young people's lives including disruptions to daily routines, opportunities for social, academic, recreational engagement and early employment. Consequently, children, adolescents and young adults may have experienced mental health challenges that required use of mental health services. This study compared rates of use for inpatient and outpatient mental health services during the pandemic to pre-pandemic rates.

DESIGN

Population-based repeated cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Publicly delivered mental healthcare in primary and secondary settings within the province of Ontario, Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

All children 6-12 years of age (n=2 043 977), adolescents 13-17 years (n=1 708 754) and young adults 18-24 years (n=2 286 544), living in Ontario and eligible for provincial health insurance between March 2016 and November 2021.

PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Outpatient mental health visits to family physicians and psychiatrists for: mood and anxiety disorders, alcohol and substance abuse disorders, other non-psychotic mental health disorders and social problems. Inpatient mental health visits to emergency departments and hospitalisations for: substance-related and addictive disorders, anxiety disorders, assault-related injuries, deliberate self-harm and eating disorders. All outcomes were analysed by cohort and sex.

RESULTS

During the pandemic, observed outpatient visit rates were higher among young adults by 19.01% (95% CI: 15.56% to 22.37%; 209 vs 175 per 1000) and adolescent women 24.17% (95% CI: 18.93% to 29.15%; 131 vs 105 per 1000) for mood and anxiety disorders and remained higher than expected. Female adolescents had higher than expected usage of inpatient care for deliberate self-harm, eating disorders and assault-related injuries.

CONCLUSIONS

Study results raise concerns over prolonged high rates of mental health use during the pandemic, particularly in female adolescents and young women, and highlights the need to better monitor and identify mental health outcomes associated with COVID-19 containment measures and to develop policies to address these concerns.

Computer Vision Syndrome Among the General Population in the Eastern Region of Libya: Prevalence and Risk Factors

Aim To assess the prevalence and determine the risk factors of computer vision syndrome among the general population in the Eastern region of Libya. Methods This study used a descriptive cross-sectional design and comprised a random sample of 407 Libyan adults from Eastern Libya. Data were collected using an online-based questionnaire. Statistical analysis of all the datasets was performed using SPSS software, version 21.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results The mean age of the participants was 32.1 years (SD=12.8), and most participants 281 (69%) were female. As for employment status, 261 (64.1%) were students, 70 (17.2%) were non-healthcare workers, and 46 (11.3%) were healthcare workers. The majority of participants, 353 (86.7%), used a computer seven days a week, with 187 (45.9%) of those participants using a computer for over six hours daily. Over one-third of participants, 157 (38.6%), had computer vision syndrome. Being over 45 years of age, being a student, and using a computer for over six hours a day were the main factors associated with computer vision syndrome. Neck pain was the most commonly reported complaint in 235 (57.5%). Conclusion Increased use of electronic devices is leading to a higher prevalence of computer vision syndrome. Our study emphasizes the need to raise awareness regarding computer vision syndrome among the general public and medical professionals.

Spanish version of the pain beliefs questionnaire: Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, validation, and psychometric properties in a working population

BACKGROUND

Chronic musculoskeletal pain is a major health problem and a common cause of disability in the workplace. Beliefs related to musculoskeletal pain may influence its onset and perpetuation. Consequently, tools designed to identify potentially harmful beliefs are needed. However, the Pain Beliefs Questionnaire (PBQ) is not available for individuals speaking European-Spanish.

OBJECTIVES

To translate and culturally adapt the original English version of the PBQ into European-Spanish and evaluate its psychometric properties among Spanish workers with and without chronic musculoskeletal pain.

DESIGN

Study on measurement properties.

METHODS

A translation and cultural adaptation process was based on a forward-backward translation process. One hundred fifty-one active workers were included. Participants completed the PBQ (composed of the organic and psychological subscales), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Finally, thirty participants completed the PBQ again two weeks later for test-retest reliability.

RESULTS

The PBQ showed adequate internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.72-0.73), good item response stability (weighted Kappa: 0.65-0.90), and reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient: 0.72-0.80). A positive correlation was found between the PCS and the organic subscale (r = 0.403). However, no significant correlations were found between the HADS and the PBQ subscales. Workers with chronic musculoskeletal pain showed greater scores in the organic subscale and lower scores in the psychological subscale than workers without pain.

CONCLUSION

The Spanish version of the PBQ was linguistically accurate and acceptable for use by workers with and without musculoskeletal pain.

IoT System for Real-Time Posture Asymmetry Detection

The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) has enabled the development of measurement systems dedicated to preventing health issues and monitoring conditions in smart homes and workplaces. IoT systems can support monitoring people doing computer-based work and avoid the insurgence of common musculoskeletal disorders related to the persistence of incorrect sitting postures during work hours. This work proposes a low-cost IoT measurement system for monitoring the sitting posture symmetry and generating a visual alert to warn the worker when an asymmetric position is detected. The system employs four force sensing resistors (FSR) embedded in a cushion and a microcontroller-based read-out circuit for monitoring the pressure exerted on the chair seat. Java-based software performs the real-time monitoring of the sensors' measurements and implements an uncertainty-driven asymmetry detection algorithm. The shifts from a symmetric to an asymmetric posture and vice versa generate and close a pop-up warning message, respectively. In this way, the user is promptly notified when an asymmetric posture is detected and invited to adjust the sitting position. Every position shift is recorded in a web database for further analysis of the sitting behavior.

Designing and Simulation Assessment of a Chair Attachment Air Blowing Methods to Enhance the Safety of Prolonged Sitting

Musculoskeletal disorders and the stagnation of sitting are among the side effects of excessive sitting in awkward sitting positions. In this study, a developed chair attachment cushion design with an optimal air blowing technique is proposed to eliminate the negative side effects of prolonged sitting. Instantaneously reducing the contact area between the chair and its occupant is the fundamental goal of the proposed design. The fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making approaches represented by FAHP and FTOPSIS were integrated to evaluate and select the optimal proposed design. An ergonomic and biomechanics assessment of the occupant's seating position while employing the novel safety cushion design was validated using simulation software (CATIA). Sensitivity analysis was also used to confirm the design's robustness. Results show that the manual blowing system using an accordion blower was the optimal design concept based on the selected evaluation criteria. In fact, the proposed design provides an acceptable RULA index value for the examined sitting postures and performed very safely in the biomechanics single action analysis.

Preserving the Bedside Nurse: Grip Strength and Orthopedic Problems Among Nurses and Nursing Students

Background:

Bedside nurses and nursing students are at increased risk of musculoskeletal injury due to the physicality and complexity of their work. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between grip strength and orthopedic injuries or pain among nurses and nursing students.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study of nursing staff and nursing students at a health sciences university was conducted. The survey consisted of work-related demographics, exercise habits, and validated scales. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to collect information on musculoskeletal problems. Anthropomorphic measures included height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and grip strength. Logistic regression was performed.

Findings:

Participants with grip strength at or above the national average had significantly lower odds of self-reported orthopedic problems, B = 0.86, OR = 2.35, p =.01, indicating participants with grip strength at or above national average were 135% less likely to report orthopedic problems compared to participants with grip strength below the national average.

Conclusion/Application to Practice:

Healthcare workers in direct patient care who have lower grip strength may be at increased risk for injuries. Nursing staff and students with below average grip strength were more likely to experience orthopedic problems. Increased muscle mass and grip strength are known to effectively reduce the risk of upper extremity injuries. Nurse leaders may benefit from promoting grip strengthening activities among employees to prevent workplace injuries. Further research is needed to understand the biophysiological mechanisms, confirm the findings of this study and evaluate effective interventions.

A GBD 2019 study of health and Sustainable Development Goal gains and forecasts to 2030 in Spain

This study aimed to report mortality, risk factors, and burden of diseases in Spain. The Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors 2019 estimates the burden due to 369 diseases, injuries, and impairments and 87 risk factors and risk factor combinations. Here, we detail the updated Spain 1990-2019 burden of disease estimates and project certain metrics up to 2030. In 2019, leading causes of death were ischaemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Alzheimer's disease, and lung cancer. Main causes of disability adjusted life years (DALYs) were ischaemic heart disease, diabetes, lung cancer, low back pain, and stroke. Leading DALYs risk factors included smoking, high body mass index, and high fasting plasma glucose. Spain scored 74/100 among all health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators, ranking 20 of 195 countries and territories. We forecasted that by 2030, Spain would outpace Japan, the United States, and the European Union. Behavioural risk factors, such as smoking and poor diet, and environmental factors added a significant burden to the Spanish population's health in 2019. Monitoring these trends, particularly in light of COVID-19, is essential to prioritise interventions that will reduce the future burden of disease to meet population health and SDG commitments.

Nuances between sedentary behavior and physical inactivity: cardiometabolic effects and cardiovascular risk

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to highlight the differences between the cardiometabolic effects and the cardiovascular risk of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior.

METHODS

A narrative bibliographic review was conducted. In the research, national and international articles were selected from the PubMed, SciELO, and LILACS databases using the descriptors "sedentary lifestyle, cardiovascular risk, physical inactivity, sedentary behavior, and cardiovascular risks."

DISCUSSION

Both physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are related to metabolic and organic changes, promoting a chronic proinflammatory state, cardiac remodeling, increased body adiposity, and skeletal muscle dysfunction. It is possibly stated that both of them result in a higher risk of developing chronic diseases, resulting in higher global and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, with nuances in their intrinsic effects.

CONCLUSIONS

It is inferred that both physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are cardiovascular risk factors that can be modified with the correct clinical approach. It is necessary to differentiate physically inactive individuals from those with a high number of sedentary behaviors. These concepts need better clinical applicability to improve the prevention of primary and secondary cardiovascular risks.

Sitting Time, Type, and Context Among Long-Term Weight-Loss Maintainers

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate sitting time, the home sedentary environment, and physical activity among weight-loss maintainers in WW (formerly Weight Watchers).

METHODS

Participants were 4,305 weight-loss maintainers who had maintained ≥9.1 kg of weight loss (24.7 kg on average) for 3.3 years and had an average current BMI of 27.6 kg/m² . A control group of weight-stable individuals with obesity (n = 619) had an average BMI of 38.9 kg/m² . The Multicontext Sitting Time Questionnaire and Paffenbarger physical activity questionnaire were administered.

RESULTS

Weight-loss maintainers versus controls spent 3 hours less per day sitting during the week (10.9 vs. 13.9; η p 2 = 0.039; P = 0.0001) and weekends (9.7 vs. 12.6; η p 2 = 0.038). Weight-loss maintainers versus controls spent 1 hour less per day in non-work-related sitting using a computer or video games during the week (1.4 vs. 2.3; η p 2 = 0.03; P = 0.0001) and weekends (1.5 vs. 2.5; η p 2 = 0.03; P = 0.0001). Weight-loss maintainers versus controls had similar numbers of sedentary-promoting devices (15.8 vs. 14.8) and expended significantly more calories per week in physical activity (1,835 vs. 785; η p 2 = 0.036; P = 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Weight-loss maintainers reported less time sitting than weight-stable individuals with obesity. Future research should test the efficacy of targeting sitting time to help promote long-term weight-loss maintenance.