To reduce transmission of the coronavirus, the Brazilian government adopted containment measures to control the virus’ spread, including limitations to the practice of physical activity. It was aimed to analyze the effects of COVID-19 quarantine on physical activity levels, energy expenditure, quality of life, and level of stress in a sample of the Brazilian population. The sample included 426 participants (7 to 80 years). The International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Short form survey-36 (SF-36), and Stress Perception Scale, were used to assess the level of physical activity, quality of life and stress, respectively. The anthropometric data was used to the assessment of body mass index and basal metabolic rate. Body weight increased significantly in all sample (p < 0.05). During the pandemic, 84% of the sample indicated a low level of physical activity. Furthermore, weekly energy expenditure decreased significantly in all age groups during the pandemic (children p < 0.0001; adolescents: p < 0.0001; adults p < 0.001, and elderly p < 0.0001). All aspects of quality of life, significantly reduced in both sexes in all age groups (p < 0.05). With the exception of children, stress levels increased significantly during the pandemic (adolescents: male: p = 0.003, female: p < 0.05; adults: male: p = 0.003, female: p = 0.01, and elderly: male: p = 0.02, female: p = 0.03). Findings from the present study suggests that COVID-19 social isolation has negatively affected Brazilian’ physical activity and quality of life.

Strength training post stroke is widely acknowledged as an important part of a rehabilitation program. Muscle strength has been shown to be a significant contributor to physical disability after stroke, which in turn has an immense impact on the reintegration of patients into society, affecting their quality of life. This was a randomized intervention trial to determine the effect of a resistance training program on the quality of life in patients with stroke. An experimental group (EG), consisting of 11 subjects aged 51.7 ± 8.0 years, and a control group (CG), consisting of 13 subjects aged 52.5 ± 7.7 years, were studied before and after 12 weeks. EG underwent 12 weeks of strength training three times a week. The CG did not undergo strength training during the 12-week study period. There was a significant increase in quality of life from pre-test to post-test (Δ% = 21.47%; p = 0.021) in EG. There were significant differences in all indicators of quality of life between groups at 12 weeks. There were greater gains in strength in EG than in CG (p ≤ 0.05). There was a negative correlation between the strength gains as determined with the 1RM test and the quality of life, especially in lower limb exercises. The results of this study indicate that there was an improvement in the measures of strength in EG, and that there was a correlation between improvements in strength and quality of life in these patients who had previously suffered a stroke at least one year prior to study.

Background: In Paralympic powerlifting (PP), athletes with and without spinal cord injury (SCI) compete in the same category. Athletes with SCI may be at a disadvantage in relation to the production of muscle strength and the execution of motor techniques. Objective: To analyze the indicators force, dynamic and static, at different intensities, on performance in athletes with and without SCI. Methods: The sample was composed of two groups of PP athletes: SCI (30.57 ± 4.20 years) and other deficiencies (OD; 25.67 ± 4.52 years). Athletes performed a test of maximum isometric force (MIF), time to MIF (Time), rate of force development (RFD), impulse, variability and fatigue index (FI), dynamic tests Mean Propulsive Velocity (MPV), Maximum Velocity (Vmax) and Power. Results: There were differences in the SCI in relation to OD, 50% 1RM (p < 0.05), in relation to MPV and Vmax. There were no differences in the static force indicators. Regarding EMG, there were differences between the SCI triceps in relation to the previous deltoid (p = 0.012). Conclusion: We concluded that the static and dynamic strength indicators are similar in Paralympic powerlifting athletes with spinal cord injury and other disabilities.

Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) reliability and intraobserver reproducibility for segmental body composition measuring