International Journal of Physical Education, Fitness and Sports

The effect of osteopathic manipulative treatment on heart rate variability: A case study in a female World Championship medaling open-water swimmer

2022-10-02T12:35:56+00:00

To examine the effect of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) on heart rate variability (HRV) indices in an elite open-water swimmer. A female open-water swimmer (age =28 years, height = 172 cm, body mass = 60 kg) participated in this study. The swimmer performed a daily supine HRV test routine 12 days before the 2019 open-water World Championships. OMT was administered when parasympathetic activity (based on HRV indices) was considered below normal values. The swimmer won a bronze medal in the 25 km event and placed fourth in the 10 km event, which qualified her for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Parasympathetic falls occurred three times during the taper period. After OMT, we observed a rebound of parasympathetic activity with a moderate to strong increase for High Frequency (HF) values compared with the average baseline from 10 to 150% increase of Ln HF values. OMT appeared to allow a parasympathetic rebound and increase the quality of recovery in an elite open-water swimmer who performed well during the World Championships. This case report illustrates the potential effects of OMT on autonomous nervous system activity, highlighting the possibilities to improve the quality of recovery in world-class athletes. It also shows the necessity to implement individualized training in the context of elite sports.

Impact of Physical Education Curriculum on Academic Achievement of Higher Secondary School Students in India

2022-11-12T18:56:58+00:00

In the present study, the researchers were mainly interested in investigating the impact of PE curriculum on the academic achievements of the Higher Secondary (HS) level (10+2) students belonging to two different educational boards in India i.e., West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education (WBCHSE) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). On the basis of simple randomization, one hundred eighty (N=180) HS level boys were selected from four schools (two schools from each board) as participants for the present study. Among 180 students, 120 students [60 from each educational board, WBCHSE acted as experimental Group-I (EG_WB–I); CBSE acted as experimental Group-II (EG_CB–II)] were so selected that they had PE as a compulsory subject and rest, 60 students [30 from each educational board, simultaneously acted as Control Group (CG_WB+CB)] had either computer science or painting as a compulsory subject in place of PE. The students of EG_WB–I & EG_CB–II underwent two different PE curriculums as training interventions over an academic year (11 months). But the CG_WB+CBdid not receive any PE curriculum as a training intervention. The student’s academic achievement was measured by obtained marks in two common subjects (Bengali and English) for both boards. It was standardized through T-score and finally, composite T-score were calculated for all the subjects to draw statistical inference on academic achievement. Statistical inference on academic achievement among the groups in baseline and post-test were drawn through ANCOVA followed by Tukey's LSD post-hoc test. Significance was tested at p<.05 level. Both EG_WB–I & EG_CB–II showed a significant difference compared to the CG_WB+CBin academic achievement. But no significant difference was observed between EG_WB–I & EG_CB–II. The academic achievement of the students having PE as a subject improved significantly compared to the students having no PE as a compulsory subject in both boards. But the PE curriculum in both boards was found to be equally effective for developing students' academic achievement.

Effects of Three Training Methods on the Physical Fitness in Adult Cameroonian Boxers

2022-10-02T09:11:00+00:00

This study aimed to evaluate three training methods on the physical capacity of Cameroonians boxers in other to propose the best method for their preparation. Thus, thirty-six boxers aged twenty-three to twenty-six were recruited and divided into three groups of twelve boxers each. They were submitted to training session for eight weeks using the continuous method, the intermittent method and the mixed method for group one, two and three respectively. Anthropometric (weight, height and Body Mass Index (BMI)) and physiological (Maximal Oxygen Consumption (VO₂max), Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP), Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP), Blood Glucose Levels (BGL) and Blood Lactic Acid concentrations (BLA)) parameters were measured before and after the training session program. Results at the end of the program showed no significant variation of Blood Glucose Level of boxers between the three groups as well as inside the same group (p>0.05). On the other hand, significant differences (p<0.05-p<0.001) in weight, BMI, SBP, DBP, VO₂max and Blood Lactic Acid concentrations were observed. Indeed, weight, BMI, SBP and DBP decreased significantly (p<0.05-p<0.001), while VO₂max increased significantly in the three experimental groups (p<0.05-p<0.001). The analysis of these results reveals that the group having practiced the mixed training method showed the strongest rates of increase in VO₂max (67.8±5.00 ml/min/kg). In addition, their VO₂max at the end of the experimentation is largely above the average value defined by literature (64.8 ml/min/kg). This can justify the choice of the mixed training method for the physical preparation of Cameroonian boxers.

Effects of A 3-Week Modified Complex Training on Athletic Performance of Women's National Basketball Players

2023-03-20T05:25:56+00:00

Basketball is one of the popular sports in the world, and physical performance is becoming increasingly important in basketball as the game evolves. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of a 3-week modified complex training on athletic performance of women's national basketball players. An experimental study involved the participation of 12 highly trained female basketball players (national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina). Observed variables before and after 3-weeks of modified complex training were 300 yards test, 20-yards test, lane agility and beep test. Means and standard deviations for each of the variables were calculated, and differences pre-to-post performance changes were examined using a paired sample t-test. Three weeks of specific complex training sessions show a statistically significant increase in all tested variables, 300 yards (p≤.001); 20 yards (p≤.001); Lane agility (p≤.001) and beep test (p=.028). It can be concluded that applied complex training program has significantly improved studied parameters of condition preparation of elite female basketball players.

Acute insulin response following exercise and its association to lipid changes in sedentary African-American women

2023-02-18T23:01:39+00:00

Sedentary African-American (AA) women are at increased risk of hypertension, dyslipidemias, metabolic syndrome, and impaired insulin response to exercise. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of a single bout of aerobic exercise on fasting serum insulin and glucose concentrations following 1464 kJ (350 kcal) of exercise and to determine if this response was associated with serum lipid concentrations in overweight AA women. Premenopausal AA women (n = 11, mean ± SD, age = 32.5 ± 4.8 yr., BMI = 29.8 ± 4.8 kg·m^-2, % fat = 35.6 ± 6.3, VO₂peak = 21.5 ± 3.6 ml·kg^-1·min^-1, total cholesterol = 4.8 ± 0.6 mmol·L^-1, triglycerides = 0.60 ± 0.2 mmol·L^-1, HDLC = 3.3 ± 0.5 mg·dL^-1) performed 1464 kJ (350 kcal) of treadmill exercise at 60%-70%VO₂peak. Fasting plasma insulin and glucose concentrations were collected 24-h prior to, and immediately, 24-h, and 48 h following exercise. Fasting insulin concentration increased immediately following exercise (Baseline=77.1 ± 10.42 vs. Immediately=117.4 ± 15.28 μU·mL^-1, 95%CI= 32.71, 47.89; P<0.05). The change in insulin concentration from 24-h pre- to 24-h post-exercise was correlated with BMI (r= 0.51), VO₂peak (r= -0.47), and the change in lipoprotein lipase activity (r=0.37) (P<0.05 for all). In conclusion, in sedentary AA women, the insulin response immediately following exercise may be elevated, and is not suppressed below pre-exercise concentrations during the 48-h following exercise. The insulin response 24-h following exercise is modestly associated with markers of lipoprotein metabolism.