Aims: This study aimed to assess the effects of Low-to-Moderate Intensity Continuous Training (LMICT), Moderate-Intensity Interval Training (MIIT), and Reduced-Exertion High-Intensity Training (REHIT) on blood glucose regulation, functional recovery, and lipid levels in individuals who have experienced a stroke and are diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).Methods: Forty-two T2DM stroke patients were randomly allocated to four groups: LMICT, MIIT, REHIT, and a control group (CON). Participants continuously monitored their blood glucose levels throughout the intervention using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices. The study comprised two exercise intervention cycles: the first lasting from Day 3 to Day 14 and the second from Day 15 to Day 28, with the initial two days serving as contrasting periods. Primary outcomes encompassed CGM-derived blood glucose measurements, the Barthel Index (BI), Fugl-Meyer Assessment lower-extremity subscale (FMA-LE), and alterations in triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c).Results: Compared with the CON, the MIIT group showed significant improvements in mean glucose (MG), glucose standard deviation (SD), time above range (TAR), and time in range (TIR). The REHIT group exhibited significantly reduced time below range (TBR), glucose SD, and coefficient of variation (CV). Regarding lipid levels, although the REHIT group achieved a significant reduction in TG levels compared with the CON, the overall effects of LMICT, MIIT, and REHIT on lipid profiles were relatively modest. Concerning functional recovery, the REHIT group significantly improved the BI and FMA-LE.Conclusion: Although the short-term quantitative impact of exercise on lipid levels may be limited, both REHIT and MIIT significantly improved glycemic management and reduced glucose variability in post-stroke patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Additionally, REHIT notably enhanced functional recovery.

Article: Metabolomic profiles investigation on athletes’ urine 35 minutes after an 800-meter race - The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2017 June;57(6):839-49 - Minerva Medica - Journals

Background: The stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) enhances performance in jumping, sprinting, and changes of direction. Drop heights and landing strategies affect its efficiency. This study investigates the effects of varying drop heights and landing strategies (hip- vs. knee-dominant) on lower-limb stretch-shortening cycle performance during drop jumps (DJs), which involve a drop followed by an immediate vertical jump. Methods: A three-dimensional (3D) motion capture system and force plate collected biomechanical data from 18 college athletes performing DJs with hip- and knee-dominant strategies at 30, 45, and 60 cm heights. A two-factor repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) compared peak impact force, reactive strength index (RSI), leg stiffness (K_leg), joint stiffness (K_joint), joint angular displacement, change in joint moment, and joint work (positive, negative, net) across heights and strategies. Results: Drop height significantly affected biomechanical variables (p < 0.05). Peak impact force and negative joint work increased from 30 cm to 60 cm, with the highest values at 60 cm. RSI, K_leg, K_joint, and net joint work peaked at 30 cm. Landing strategy significantly influenced outcomes (p < 0.05). The knee-dominant strategy had higher peak impact force, RSI, K_leg, knee angular displacement, change in knee moment, and ankle work, but lower net knee work, compared to the hip-dominant strategy, which showed higher hip angular displacement and hip work. A significant interaction was observed between drop height and landing strategy (p < 0.05). The knee-dominant strategy had greater RSI, K_leg, and positive ankle work at 30 cm, while the hip-dominant strategy had greater negative ankle work at 60 cm. Conclusion: In DJs, SSC performance was optimised at a 30 cm drop height, with peak efficiency observed in the knee-dominant strategy. At 45 and 60 cm, SSC efficiency declined and knee energy dissipation increased, while the hip-dominant strategy may provide greater joint protection by increasing energy dissipation at the ankle. These findings suggest the knee-dominant strategy is best suited to 30 cm, whereas the hip-dominant strategy may enhance safety at higher drop heights.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown in studies to enhance glucose management and cardiovascular well-being in patients with type 2 diabetes. In this study, we used power cycling to assess the physical activity levels of men with type 2 diabetes during a single low-volume HIIT session. First, fifty-six men with type 2 diabetes volunteered to take part in the study, and they were split into two groups based on the International Physical Activity Scale Short Form (IPA). To the first 1–4 labor bouts, both the sufficiently physically active and insufficiently physically active groups exhibited equal positive emotional reactions ( ). However, over time (about 5–10 times), both of them showed reduced emotional reactions, with a significant difference ( ). The insufficiently physically active group had lower mean emotional response, lowest effective response, and maximum effective response values than the sufficiently physically active group ( ), while the difference in RPE between the two groups was not statistically significant ( ). From the standpoint of emotional response, the proposed model shows that HIIT or reduced volume HIIT exercise prescriptions should be utilized with caution in physical activity programs for novices and less active and chronically sick persons. The frequency, intensity, and effects of low-volume HIIT on individuals’ emotional reactions and health conditions in the T2DM group are also investigated. Furthermore, this low-volume HIIT program can be successfully applied in the real-world setting of people who are not physically active enough or who are chronically unwell.