Training effects of a 12-week walking program on Parkinson disease patients and community-dwelling older adults

Sprint Interval Training on Stationary Air Bike Elicits Cardiorespiratory Adaptations While Being Time-Efficient

ABSTRACT

Moghaddam, M, Cervantes, M, Cheshier, B, and Jacobson, BH. Sprint interval training on stationary air bike elicits cardiorespiratory adaptations while being time-efficient. J Strength Cond Res 37(9): 1795-1801, 2023-Sprint interval training (SIT) refers to a set of brief intermittent exercises that are performed at maximal intensity. This study compared the effects of 2 SIT protocols (e.g., 10-5-SIT and 20-10-SIT) vs. moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on cardiovascular adaptations, using stationary air bikes. Thirty-two recreationally active individuals were randomly assigned to the 3 performance groups, such as 10-5-SIT (n = 11), 20-10-SIT (n = 10), and MICT (n = 11), to train 3 days per week for 4 weeks. Moderate-intensity continuous training included 30 minutes of cycling at 75% of maximal heart rate reserve, whereas the SIT protocols consisted of 3 sets of 8 intervals at all-out intensity. The 10-5-SIT and 20-10-SIT were performed with 10-second work:5-second rest and 20-second work:10-second rest, with 2.5- and 5-minute recovery periods between sets, respectively. A ramp protocol was used before and after the intervention via cycle ergometer to assess aerobic performance. Time to exhaustion (TTE), absolute V̇o2max (A-V̇o2max), relative V̇o2max (R-V̇o2max), and metabolic equivalents (METs) were measured and analyzed with 2-way mixed factorial analyses of variance (ANOVAs). In addition, total work (TW) during 12 sessions were recorded and analyzed with 1-way ANOVA. Significant (p < 0.05) differences were found for TW (10-5-SIT: 907.3 ± 332.0, 20-10-SIT: 1230.0 ± 188.1, and MICT: 2263.0 ± 896.9 calories) between groups. A significant main effect of time was observed for 10-5-SIT, 20-10-SIT, and MICT (p < 0.05) in TTE (increased by 7.3, 8.7, and 8.2%), A-V̇o2max (increased by 13.0, 11.8, and 13.6%), R-V̇o2max (increased by 12.6, 12.1, and 14.8%), and METs (increased by 12.7, 12.3, and 14.9%), respectively. Despite less volume and duration, both SIT protocols induced cardiorespiratory adaptations similar to MICT. These findings suggest that performing SIT on a stationary air bike is valuable because of time-efficiency and cardiorespiratory adaptations.

Exercise as a prescription for patients with various diseases

A growing understanding of the benefits of exercise over the past few decades has prompted researchers to take an interest in the possibilities of exercise therapy. Because each sport has its own set of characteristics and physiological complications that tend to occur during exercise training, the effects and underlying mechanisms of exercise remain unclear. Thus, the first step in probing the effects of exercise on different diseases is the selection of an optimal exercise protocol. This review summarizes the latest exercise prescription treatments for 26 different diseases: musculoskeletal system diseases (low back pain, tendon injury, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and hip fracture), metabolic system diseases (obesity, type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease), cardio-cerebral vascular system diseases (coronary artery disease, stroke, and chronic heart failure), nervous system diseases (Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, depression, and anxiety disorders), respiratory system diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial lung disease, and after lung transplantation), urinary system diseases (chronic kidney disease and after kidney transplantation), and cancers (breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and lung cancer). Each exercise prescription is displayed in a corresponding table. The recommended type, intensity, and frequency of exercise prescriptions are summarized, and the effects of exercise therapy on the prevention and rehabilitation of different diseases are discussed.

Auditing the Physical Activity and Parkinson Disease Literature Using the Behavioral Epidemiologic Framework

Motor and nonmotor symptoms associated with Parkinson disease place individuals at greater risk of sedentary behaviors and comorbidities. Physical activity is one modifiable means of improving health and reducing the risk of morbidity. We applied a behavioral framework to classify existing research on physical activity and Parkinson disease to describe the current evolution and inform knowledge gaps in this area. Research placed in phase 1 establishes links between physical activity and health-related outcomes; phase 2 develops approaches to quantify physical activity behavior; phase 3 identifies factors associated with implementation of physical activity behaviors; phase 4 assesses the effectiveness of interventions to promote activity; and phase 5 disseminates evidence-based recommendations. Peer-reviewed literature was identified by searching PubMed, Google Scholar, and EBSCO-host. We initially identified 287 potential articles. After further review, we excluded 109 articles, leaving 178 included articles. Of these, 75.84% were categorized into phase 1 (n = 135), 10.11% in phase 2 (n = 18), 9.55% into phase 3 (n = 17), 3.37% into phase 4 (n = 6), and 1.12% into phase 5 (n = 2). By applying the behavioral framework to the physical activity literature for people with Parkinson disease, we suggest this area of research is nascent with more than 75% of the literature in phase 1.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Health benefits of cycle ergometer training for older adults over 70: a review

As the number of older adults continues to increase worldwide, more attention is being paid to geriatric health care needs, and successful ageing is becoming an important topic in the medical literature. A preventive approach to the care of older adults is thus a priority in our aging societies. The purpose of this study was to update evidence for the health benefits of cycle ergometer training for older adults over 70. We searched online electronic databases up to September 2014 for original observational and intervention studies on the relationship between cycle ergometer training and health among older patients over 70. Twenty-five studies examined interventions aimed specifically at promoting cycling for older adults over 70. These studies reported a positive effect on the prevention of cardiovascular disease, and a significant improvement in metabolic responses. Improving functional status, muscle strength and cognitive performance are also well established. Overall, this review demonstrates a positive effect of cycle ergometer training with functional benefits and positive health outcomes for older adults over 70. Based on this evidence, clinicians can now encourage older adults to profit from the health benefits of cycle ergometer training to be able to pursue their daily activities independently.

Restoration of MPTP-induced deficits by exercise and Milmed(®) co-treatment

1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) induces permanent neurochemical and functional deficits. Following the administration of either two or four injections of the dopamine neurotoxin, MPTP, at a dose of 40 mg/kg, C57/BL6 mice were given access to running-wheels (30-min sessions, four times/week, Monday-Thursday) and treatment with the treated yeast, Milmed(®) (four times/week, Monday-Thursday), or simply running-wheel exercise by itself, over ten weeks. It was observed that the combination of physical exercise and Milmed(®) treatment, the MPTP + Exercise + Yeast (MC) group [MPTP + Exercise + Milmed(®) (MC)], restored spontaneous motor activity markedly by test day 10, restored completely subthreshold L-Dopa-induced activity, and dopamine concentration to 76% of control values, in the condition wherein two administrations of MPTP (2 × 40 mg/kg) were given prior to initiation of exercise and/or Milmed(®) treatment. Physical exercise by itself, MPTP + Exercise (MC) group, attenuated these deficits only partially. Administration of MPTP four times (i.e., 40 mg/kg, s.c., once weekly over four weeks for a total of 160 mg/kg, MPTP + Exercise + Yeast (MC) group [MPTP + Exercise + Milmed(®) (SC)] and MPTP + Exercise (SC), induced a lesioning effect that was far too severe for either exercise alone or the exercise + Milmed(®) combination to ameliorate. Nevertheless, these findings indicate a powerful effect of physical exercise reinforced by Milmed(®) treatment in restoring MPTP-induced deficits of motor function and dopamine neurochemistry in mice.