Dagmar Pavlů

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the acute patellar tendon (PT) responses to different isometric resistance training regimens in healthy individuals, with a particular focus on low-intensity blood flow restriction training. Design: Randomized controlled experimental study. Methods: Sixty-six participants (22.3 ± 3 years) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: high-intensity isometric exercise (HI; 70% maximal voluntary isometric contraction [MVIC]), low-intensity isometric exercise with sham blood flow restriction (LI-Sham; 30% MVIC + 20 mmHg), or low-intensity isometric exercise with blood flow restriction (LI-BFR; 30% MVIC + 80% arterial occlusion pressure [AOP]). All participants performed five sets of 30-s isometric knee extensions. Patellar tendon thickness was assessed using ultrasonography at three sites (25%, 50%, and 75% of tendon length) before and immediately after exercise. Vastus medialis thickness and MVIC were also assessed. Results: Patellar tendon thickness decreased significantly over time, with a significant Group × Time interaction (F(2, 315) = 27.94, p < 0.001). When averaged across measurement sites, the estimated reductions were −0.586 mm in HI, −0.545 mm in LI-BFR, and −0.242 mm in LI-Sham. Reductions were greater in HI and LI-BFR than in LI-Sham (both Holm-adjusted p < 0.001), whereas no statistically significant difference was detected between HI and LI-BFR (Holm-adjusted p = 0.416). Vastus medialis thickness showed significant Time and Group × Time effects (both p < 0.001), with greater increases in HI and LI-BFR than in LI-Sham. No significant Time or Group × Time effects were observed for MVIC (p = 0.100 and p = 0.409, respectively). Conclusions: A single session of LI-BFR induced an acute reduction in ultrasound-measured PT thickness that was greater than that observed with LI-Sham. No statistically significant difference in tendon-thickness change was detected between LI-BFR and HI; however, this finding should not be interpreted as evidence of equivalence. These findings are limited to immediate responses in healthy young adults and should not be interpreted as evidence of long-term tendon adaptation or clinical benefit.

Chronic neck pain (CNP) is associated with pain-related neuromuscular adaptations; however, in contrast to other superficial neck muscles, the influences of pain on hyoid muscles remain to be investigated. This study investigated how hyoid and superficial neck muscle activity differ between individuals with and without CNP during dynamic neck flexion and extension. In this observational cross-sectional, case–control study, 20 individuals with CNP and 20 sex- and age-matched asymptomatic controls were recruited. All participants performed dynamic neck flexion and extension in a crook-lying position at a controlled tempo. Surface electromyography was used to examine bilateral sternocleidomastoid (SCM), anterior scalene, upper trapezius, suprahyoid, and infrahyoid muscle activity. Normalised EMG values and their absolute phase-to-phase changes were analysed using linear mixed-effects models. A significant group × muscle interaction was observed (F = 3.34, p < 0.001, η² = 0.04), with higher normalised EMG values in the bilateral anterior scalene (left: GMR = 1.42, p = 0.01; right: GMR = 1.37, p = 0.03) and suprahyoid muscles (left: GMR = 1.42, p = 0.01; right: GMR = 1.37, p = 0.03) in individuals with CNP. In contrast, the phase-to-phase changes did not differ between the groups. These findings suggest that individuals with CNP exhibit selective alterations in muscle activation patterns.

In some physical activities with simultaneous mental task, we can observe greater muscle fatigability in women than in men. These differences are evident in various muscle groups, especially during low-intensity isometric or intermittent isometric contractions with the simultaneous heavy mental task. The aim of this study was to monitor the effect of heavy mental task on sex differences in muscle fatigability during isometric contraction of moderate intensity in the biceps brachii muscle. Seventeen men (27.1 ± 2.5 years) and seventeen women (26.2 ± 3.5 years) attended two sessions (control and stressor) where they performed isometric contraction of the biceps brachii muscle to failure at an intensity of 40% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). In control session, the participants performed the isometric contraction to failure alone. In stressor session, a simultaneous heavy mental task was included (subtracting the number 13 from any four-digit number). The time to task failure (TTF) and percentage decrease in the median frequency (MDF) were monitored. We did not observe a sex: session interaction effect for the TTF nor the MDF percentage decrease and therefore we can assume that simultaneous heavy mental task did not affect women more than men. We also did not observe a session effect, so we also can state that the simultaneous heavy mental task did not affect the TTF or the MDF percentage decrease. A sex effect was not observed for the percentage decrease in MDF, but it was statistically significant for TTF, where women lasted 47.9% longer in the control session and 56.4% longer in the stressor session. The simultaneous heavy mental task during isometric contraction to failure of the biceps brachii muscle of moderate intensity does not have a greater effect on women than on men.

Background/Objectives: In the context of active ageing, functional assessment is key to preserving autonomy in older women. The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a practical tool for estimating general health, but its results can be influenced by various factors. This study analysed cardiorespiratory variations during the 6MWT in older women according to their physical activity level and age-related variables such as pain, sarcopenia, frailty, and motivation to exercise. Methods: A total of 163 older women with musculoskeletal pain, but without cardiac or respiratory conditions, were classified into groups with high (HPA), moderate (MPA), and low (LPA) physical activity. During the 6MWT, heart rate (HR), dyspnoea, and oxygen saturation (SpO₂) were recorded. Pain, sarcopenia, frailty, and motivation to exercise were also assessed. A repeated-measures multivariate analysis of (co)variance (RM-MANCOVA) was performed. Results: The results showed differences in HR depending on the level of physical activity, conditioned by sarcopenia (p < 0.05) and walked distance (p < 0.001), and in dyspnoea conditioned by pain perception (p < 0.01) and social (p < 0.001) and psychological (p < 0.05) motivation to exercise. There were also differences in SpO₂ depending on the level of physical activity (p < 0.0001). There were differences between the HPA group and both the MPA and LPA group, which had higher HR, higher dyspnoea, and lower SpO₂ when undergoing the 6MWT test. Conclusions: To accurately interpret 6MWT results in older adult women, it is essential to consider physical activity level, perceived pain, sarcopenia, and motivation to exercise, as these factors influence HR, dyspnoea, and SpO₂. These variables should guide physical activity recommendations for healthy ageing.

Background: Aging is associated with musculoskeletal pain and postural adaptations which may affect functionality. This study aims to analyse the effect of a combined protocol of self-assisted manual therapy and high-intensity walking on musculoskeletal back pain, functionality, and shoulder posture in older adults, and to establish the short- and medium-term effects of this program. Methods: A multicentre, double-blind, randomized trial was conducted on older adults. The sample was divided into two groups: the self-assisted manual therapy plus walking at high-intensity group (MTWG) and the Control Group (CG), with the latter undergoing supervised high-intensity walking only. Pain (Pressure Pain Threshold and Visual Analogue Scale), functional capacity (5-times sit-to-stand test), and change in thorax position (acromion position) were assessed at T0 (baseline), T1 (after 4-week intervention) and T2 (follow-up, 4 weeks after the end of the intervention). Results: A total of 95 older adults (41 in the MTWG and 54 in CG) completed the study and were analyzed. After isolating the effect of correlations among our primary outcomes, our analysis revealed statistically significant between-subject (p < 0.01), within-subject (p < 0.001) and between-within subject differences (p < 0.05) in Pressure Pain Threshold scores in favour of the MTWG. We also detected within-subjects (p < 0.001) and between-within subject differences (p < 0.05) in scores for the Visual Analogue Scale, in favour of the MTWG. These patterns of results remained stable at T2. The 5-times sit-to-stand test (p < 0.01) and the acromion position (p < 0.05) improved at T1 for the MTWG but not at T2. Conclusions: A combined protocol of self-assisted manual therapy and high-intensity walking, compared to high-intensity walking alone, improved musculoskeletal pain, functionality, and posture in older adults in the short term (over one month), with pain reduction maintained in the medium term (at the one-month follow-up).

Starting point: The global aging population is growing rapidly, and preventive exercise programs are essential for maintaining seniors' overall health. Walking-based programs, resistance exercises, and manual therapy each offer individual benefits, but there is limited research on the combined effects of these interventions. Investigating how these interventions work together could lead to more effective strategies for enhancing health outcomes in older adults. Group: This study involved 88 non-sedentary, non-smoking seniors with no specific comorbid conditions. Methods: All participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: walking group, walking + manual therapy group, walking + resistance exercise group or control group. There were two assessments performed, pre-intervention and post-intervention determining 6-minutes walking distance (6MWD). Results: The walking group showed a significant decrease in 6MWD, while the walking + manual therapy group exhibited a significant increase in 6MWD. Neither the walking + resistance exercise group nor the control group showed any change in 6MWD over time. Conclusions: Our results suggest that combining walking with manual therapy may be an effective way to enhance cardiopulmonary fitness in healthy elderly individuals. According to available literature, regular walking alone, or in combination with resistance exercise, can positively impact seniors' health when appropriately tailored to their fitness levels.

In this study, we investigated the effect of regular walking and its combination with manual techniques/resistance exercise. The position of the shoulder girdle was assessed using the acromion-wall distance (AD). The intervention took place twice a week for 4 weeks. A total of 88 seniors over the age of 60 successfully completed the study. The results showed a statistically significant improvement of AD in the left shoulder within the group that underwent walking combined with resistance exercise. The remaining groups did not show any statistically significant change in AD. Background: The world population is rapidly aging; therefore, it is necessary to respond to this challenge in time. One of the typical involutional signs of old age is a hunched posture combined with a forward position of the shoulder girdle. This posture negatively impacts various bodily functions, postural stability, and strain on the musculoskeletal system. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the effect of walking and walking combined with manual therapy/resistance exercise on scapular positioning in healthy elderly individuals. Methods: Participants of experimental groups underwent a 4-week training session that involved walking and manual techniques/resistance training applied 2x/week. Participants of the control group maintained their usual daily habits. Results: Our results showed statistically significant improvement in scapular positioning of the left shoulder in participants who underwent regular walking combined with resistance exercise training. Conclusions: These results suggest that regular walking combined with resistance training, when properly dosed, may beneficially influence scapular positioning in healthy elderly individuals.

Touch is one of the primary communication tools. Interestingly, the sensation of touch can also be experienced when observed in another person. Due to the system of mirror neurons, it is, in fact, being mapped on the somatosensory cortex of the observer. This phenomenon can be triggered not only by observing touch in another individual, but also by a mirror reflection of the contralateral limb. Our study aims to evaluate and localize changes in the intracerebral source activity via sLORETA imaging during the haptic stimulation of hands, while modifying this contact by a mirror illusion. A total of 10 healthy volunteers aged 23–42 years attended the experiment. The electrical brain activity was detected via scalp EEG. First, we registered the brain activity during resting state with open and with closed eyes, each for 5 min. Afterwards, the subjects were seated at a table with a mirror reflecting their left hand and occluding their right hand. The EEG was then recorded in 2 min sequencies during four modifications of the experiment (haptic contact on both hands, stimulation of the left hand only, right hand only and without any tactile stimuli). We randomized the order of the modifications for each participant. The obtained EEG data were converted into the sLORETA program and evaluated statistically at the significance level of p ≤ 0.05. The subjective experience of all the participants was registered using a survey. A statistically significant difference in source brain activity occurred during all four modifications of our experiment in the beta-2, beta-3 and delta frequency bands, resulting in the activation of 10 different Brodmann areas varying by modification. The results suggest that the summation of stimuli secured by interpersonal haptic contact modified by mirror illusion can activate the brain areas integrating motor, sensory and cognitive functions and further areas related to communication and understanding processes, including the mirror neuron system. We believe these findings may have potential for therapy.

The purpose of this study was to analyze short-term changes in dynamic and static balance after a manual therapy protocol in healthy participants and analyze any repercussions on mood and perception of change after applying articulatory techniques. A single-blind, randomized, multicenter clinical trial was conducted. Participants were allocated to either a manual therapy group (MTG) (n = 101) or a control group (CG) without intervention (n = 99), and measures were taken before treatment, after the intervention, and 1 week after treatment. Assessments included the Star Excursion Balance Test, Unipedal Stance Test (UPST), Profile of Mood States (POMS), and Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) scale. Two hundred healthy participants completed the study (mean age, 22 [SD = 2.67]). There was a statistically significant interaction between groups and time measurements in the right leg for anterior (P = .003), posteromedial (P < .001), and posterolateral (P = .001) directions in favor of the MTG, as well as in the left leg for anterior (P < .001), posteromedial (P < .001), and posterolateral (P = .012) directions. The analysis failed to show statistically significant interactions between any of the factors for the UPST and POMS (P > .05). The MTG showed a significant improvement compared to the CG after treatment (P = .003) and at 1-week follow-up (P < .001) on the PGIC scale. The results suggest the MT intervention was effective on dynamic balance in post-intervention in healthy participants, and some of the directions maintained the results at 1-week follow-up. Perception of change in post-treatment and 1-week follow-up also significantly improved. The protocol did not seem to produce changes in static balance and mood states. Positive changes after manual therapy were maintained in the short term.

Previous research demonstrated that there are observable sex differences in developing muscle fatigue when mental task during fatiguing activity is present; however, there is no available review on this matter. Therefore, this review aimed to summarize the findings of previous studies investigating the effect of mental task on muscle fatigue in men and women. To conduct the review, we utilized searches using the electronic databases Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCO Cinahl Ultimate. The studies included had no limited publication date and examined the effects of mental task on muscle fatigue in a healthy adult population of any age. The evaluation was performed using the following criteria: time to failure, or subjective scale in various modifications (visual analog scale—VAS, rate of perceived effort—RPE, rate of perceived fatigue—RPF, rate of perceived discomfort—RPD). A total of seven studies met the set criteria, which were subsequently analyzed. Heavy mental task (more demanding math tasks) can reduce the time to failure for both men and women, with the reduction being more pronounced for women than for men. For light mental task (simple math tasks), no reduction in time to failure was observed to a great extent. The mental task in any of the included studies did not affect the subjective perception of fatigue, effort, discomfort, or pain. Although the studies investigating the effect of mental task on sex differences in muscle fatigability are limited, based on our findings we can assume that in jobs requiring heavier mental task, women may be more prone to the faster development of muscle fatigue; thus, employers might consider paying attention to the possibility of adequate rest.