Gaming for better health? Comparison of cardiorespiratory and hemodynamic responses of exergaming with moderate endurance exercise

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Introduction

Exergames are interactive video games that require the player to move their body to progress through the game. Even though numerous studies have determined a higher exercise intensity in exergames compared to sedentary videogames, the literature remains equivocal as to whether exergames elicit intensity levels that result in relevant physiological responses. The aim of the present study was to assess whether an exergaming session (ES) in an innovative exergame represents a physiological relevant exercise stimulus capable of producing favorable hemodynamic responses similar to moderate endurance exercise (MEE). Therefore, cardiovascular responses during and after an ES and an ET were assessed and compared.

Methods

Twenty-seven healthy young adults aged 25±4 years (48% female; BMI 23.0±2.1 kg/m2) participated in the study. The Maximum heart rate (HRmax) and the maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) were determined during a cardiopulmonary exercise test on a treadmill. Furthermore, participants completed both a typical MEE (35 minutes, 65% of HRmax) on a treadmill and an ES (28 minutes). Heart rate (HR) and oxygen consumption were recorded during both training sessions. Both before and during the 45 minutes after the training sessions, the peripheral and central blood pressure (BP) were assessed.

Results

HR and oxygen consumption were significantly higher during ES than during MEE (p<0.001). Throughout the ES, the participants achieved a mean HR of 86±4 % of HRmax. Mean oxygen consumption reached 66±5 % of VO2max. 45 Minutes after the ES, there was a significant decrease in peripheral systolic (-6.2±2.9 mmHg; p<0.001) and diastolic (-4.8±5.7 mmHg; p<0.001), as well as in central systolic (-4.9±5.4 mmHg; p<0.001) and diastolic (-4.8±5.2 mmHg; p<0.001) BP compared to baseline. After MEE, only the peripheral diastolic (-2.3±3.4 mmHg; p=0.003), and central diastolic (-2.2±3.8 mmHg; p=0.006) pressure were significantly lower than the resting values before the exercise. The interaction effects showed significant differences in peripheral and central systolic BP as well as in peripheral diastolic BP (p=0.05).

Conclusion

The ES represents a vigorous exercise stimulus that triggers relevant peripheral and central BP reactions that are more pronounced than after an MEE. Exergaming may therefore be a promising tool for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Manipulating rest interval length in sprint interval training alters post-exercise hypotension and within-session oxygen consumption

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Introduction

It is well documented that sprint interval training (SIT) elicits similar or even superior health and performance benefits compared to continuous aerobic training, albeit a significantly reduced time commitment. A distinctive feature of intermittent exercise training is the possibility to modulate the different training variables resulting in numerous different protocols. This makes this training approach infinitely variable and individually adjustable. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of manipulating the rest interval length during SIT on post-exercise hypotension and within-session oxygen consumption.

Methods

Thirty healthy adults (aged 30.9 ± 8.7 years; BMI 22.1 ± 2.3 kg/m2; 14 males, 16 females) participated in this study. All participants completed two SIT protocols consisting of 4x 30-seconds all-out cycling sprints interspersed by either 1 (R1) or 3 (R3) minutes of active recovery. Both before and throughout the 45 minutes after the training, peripheral systolic (pSBP) and diastolic (pDBP) blood pressure, central systolic (cSBP) and diastolic (cDBP) blood pressure, pulse wave velocity (PWV), and heart rate (HR) were assessed. Throughout the SIT protocols, oxygen consumption (VO2) was continuously monitored.

Results

Only after R3 a significant reduction in pSBP, pDBP, cSBP, cDBP, and PWV could be detected. Significant interaction effects could be detected in pSBD, pDBP, cSBP, cDBP, and PWV. HR significantly increased after both conditions (Table 1.). No significant (p>0.05) differences in time spent at 75%, 85%, 95%, and 100% of maximal VO2 between R1 and R3 could be detected.

Conclusion

Rest interval manipulation seems to affect hemodynamic responses to SIT with longer resting intervals resulting in more substantial post-exercise hypotension effects. Time spent at a high percentage of maximal VO2 was not attenuated by rest interval manipulation. These results add crucial information for the prescription of SIT.

[Individualization of exercise load control for inpatient cardiac rehabilitation. Development and evaluation of a HRV-based intervention program for patients with ischemic heart failure]

BACKGROUND

The effective use of rehabilitation programs is of primary importance in order to improve the physical performance of cardiac disease patients. A modular program has been developed which is intended to structure and individualize conventional, exercise-based rehabilitation programs according to the individual needs and physical condition of each patient. The individualization of the program is based on detailed diagnostics before patients enter the program and daily measurements of heart rate variability (HRV) during cardiac rehabilitation.

METHODS

A total of 30 patients with ischemic heart disease were randomly assigned either to the intervention group (IG), completing the modular individualized rehabilitation program [n=15, mean age 54.4±4.2 years and mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 28.53±6.25%) or to the control group (CG) taking part in the conventional rehabilitation program (n=15, mean age 56.4±4.4 years and mean LVEF 27.63±5.62). Before and after the intervention, cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by measurement of maximal oxygen consumption (relative VO2max) during bicycle ergometry and the 6-minute walk test (6-MWT). Pre-post comparisons of cardiorespiratory fitness indicators were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the rehabilitation program. In addition to the results of the basic clinical investigations and the cardiorespiratory testing, results of standardized HRV measurements of 10 min at morning rest served as criteria for program individualization.

RESULTS

The relative VO2max increased significantly (p<0.05) in the IG whereas no change was found in the CG. Similar results were found for maximum power output during bicycle ergometry (p<0.01) and for 6-MWT distance (p<0.001). Although patients in the IG completed less aerobic exercise sessions than those in the CG (p<0.001) the physical performance of the IG improved significantly.

DISCUSSION

The results prove the effectiveness and efficacy of the modular individualized rehabilitation program. They further suggest the need for an individual program matrix instead of a maximum performance matrix in cardiac rehabilitation. Individualization should be based on clinical and performance diagnostics before and accompanying assessments of training condition, e.g. by HRV measurements, during rehabilitation programs. Each patient should only perform those intervention programs which match the results of the basic clinical investigation and additional analyses during rehabilitation.

[Specific riding styles are associated with specific effects on bodily posture control]

BACKGROUND

The assessment of body posture control can be time consuming and cumbersome due to the complexity and the multimodal influence of a multiply influenced system. Various types of equine paces, such as stepping, trotting or galloping, result in acceleration and deceleration forces of different magnitude. These forces induce, in the horseman, reflexes that mediate motor activity to sustain posture balance and counterbalance the gravitational pull. However, there is a paucity of real life data regarding the extent of the various postural subsystems that are recruited to control postural balance in specific equine disciplines, such as classical dressage, show jumping, or vaulting. This study was conducted to bridge that gap.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of this explorative study was to identify the types of the postural subsystems involved in balance control and assess the magnitude of their activities during classical dressage, show jumping, vaulting, and versatility riding.

METHODS

144 horseback riders (8.1 % males) aged 17.3 +/- 2.9 years and 38 age matched controls (non riders) were investigated. The riders studied were competing in dressage, show jumping, vaulting, and versatility. In each individual, postural control was investigated by means of the "interactive balance system (IBS)" that enabled us to determine the spectral power in the following four standard frequency bands: F 1 (0.03 - 0.1 Hz), F 2 - 4 (0.1 - 0.5 Hz), F 5 - 6 (0.5 - 1.0 Hz), and F 7 - 8 (1.0 - 3.0 Hz). In addition, three motorical output indices were calculated: heel-to-toe-ratio (HTR), synchronization of feet (SYNC), and the global stability index of postural balance (STAB). Furthermore, each individual was interviewed regarding riding time, frequency and discipline and also about other sports activities and disorders of health.

RESULTS

The mean training period of the horseback riders was 122 +/- 45.8 months, and mean weekly frequency of training was 5.5 +/- 1.8 days per week. Balance control was most effective in dressage and vaulting riders and least effective in show jumping competitors: HTR was 51 +/- 8 % (dressage), 48 +/- 8 % (show jumping), 47 +/- 8 % (versatility), 51 +/- 7 % (vaulting); SYNC was 523 +/- 124a. i. (dressage), 497 +/- 156a. i. (show jumping), 468 +/- 155a. i. (versatility), 589 +/- 126a. i. (vaulting). Spectral analysis revealed significantly higher power in F 1, F 2 - 4, and F 7 - 8 in dressage competition than in the other equestrian disciplines but not compared with the controls. Significantly differences between riders versus non riders were only found in HTR (p = 0.045) und SYNC (p = 0.009).

CONCLUSIONS

Balance control was most effective in dressage and vaulting riders and least effective in the show jumping competitors. Thus, except for dressage and vaulting, our results do not suggest a positive effect of traditional riding styles on postural stability and control.

[Aspergillus infections of the lung]

In this article the three different manifestations of pulmonary aspergillosis are compared with each other: bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, aspergilloma and invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, and their different clinical and radiological manifestations. In particular, invasive pulmonary aspergillosis--being a severe complication in immunosuppressed patients whose defenses are weak--often presents diagnostic problems due to its initially mostly unspecific clinical and radiological signs. The late signs of a pulmonary aspergillus infection, such as formation of a cavern or the manifestation of the "air crescent" sign, however, are seen only when the patient is just beginning to convalesce.