Objective: To analyze the variability and longitudinal stress-related changes in ulnar variance (UV) in a group of immature artistic gymnasts. The relationship between UV and a group of biological and training variables was also investigated. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Portuguese Federation of Gymnastics. Participants: Twenty-five Portuguese skeletally immature gymnasts competing nationally. Assessment of Risk Factors: Skeletal age (Tanner–Whitehouse 3 method), stature, body mass and body mass index (BMI) (Seca stadiometer), fat-free mass and percentage of body fat mass (Tanita BC 418), handgrip strength (Takei dynamometer), and training data (interview). Main Outcome Measures: To determine UV stress-related changes over time, left UV was obtained using Hafner procedure. Ulnar variance values and biological characteristics were tested twice (at baseline and after 18 months of training). Results: Analysis of covariance analysis presented a significant interaction between age and time effect in UV at baseline. Each category of UV reacted differently to the interaction between age and training time. Significant relationships between UV and biological and training variables (chronological and skeletal age, body mass, BMI, handgrip strength, hour per week, and years of training) were evident in at least one of the moments of data collection. Conclusions: The gymnasts showed significant longitudinal UV changes toward less negative UV over the training period. Nevertheless, we could not find a significant correlation between UV and the majority of the researched variables. Thus, although UV has been broadly studied, this phenomenon is complex because it depends on different intrinsic and extrinsic factors that are difficult to control, making necessary additional research on this topic. Clinical Relevance: The gymnast's wrist has been associated with a high incidence of painful symptomatology and injuries, leading to the formulation of several hypotheses related to the UV ethiology. Knowledge about the possible intrinsic or extrinsic factors related to UV changes and/or different UV categories (negative, neutral, and positive), as well as their consequent specific injuries in gymnasts' wrists may contribute to a primary prevention or reduction in the occurrence, recurrence and severity of pain, functional disability, or injuries in radius–ulnocarpal joint, thereby improving gymnasts' performance.

A history of bronchiolitis may lead to changes in health-related physical fitness in children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of history of bronchiolitis on health-related physical fitness components (muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness) in children and adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and 86 participants (aged 7–14 years; all males) were divided into two groups: a group with (n = 40) and without (n = 46) history of bronchiolitis. Muscle strength was assessed with handgrip and isometric quadriceps strength tests with handheld dynamometers and the five-times sit-to-stand test. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed with the six-minute walk test (6MWT). The Mann–Whitney test was used to compare the health-related physical fitness tests between groups and the binary logistic regression model was used to estimate the potential risk or protective factors in participants. No significant differences were observed between the groups in muscle strength tests. Participants without bronchiolitis walked a greater distance in the 6MWT than those with bronchiolitis (p = 0.002), and this appears to reproduce a protective factor in the group without bronchiolitis with an odds ratio of 0.99 [95% confidence interval: 0.98–0.99]. In this study, a history of bronchiolitis appears to influence cardiorespiratory fitness, but not muscle strength, in children and adolescents.

Este estudo pretendeu analisar a eficácia da realização de um programa de fisioterapia na aptidão física, medo de quedas e qualidade de vida (QV) de idosos que vivem na comunidade de Secretário, Rio de Janeiro. Trata-se de um estudo quasi-experimental com uma amostra de 23 idosos de ambos os sexos, com uma média de idades de 70,96 anos, registados no Programa de Saúde da Família do bairro de Secretário, Rio de Janeiro. As atividades foram realizadas duas vezes por semana com duração de 60 minutos, durante 6 meses. Foram aplicados questionários de anamnese, Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) e Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES). Para o equilíbrio utilizou-se a Escala de Equilíbrio BERG, Timed Up and Go (TUG), Five Step Test e, por último, Teste de Caminhada (TC) 10m. A intervenção consistiu numa fase de aquecimento, exercícios de mobilidade ativa dos membros superiores e inferiores, exercícios de equilíbrio e dupla tarefa. Em todas as variáveis estudadas houve melhorias significativas após a intervenção. Quanto aos testes físicos, o TC, TUG e Step Test tiveram uma correlação positiva entre si e negativa com a Berg. O TC, TUG, Step test, escala FES e Berg apresentaram uma correlação com alguns domínios da escala de QV, SF-36. Mesmo considerando as limitações do presente estudo, o programa de fisioterapia implementado parece proporcionar benefícios em todos os parâmetros analisados, ou seja, na aptidão física, medo de quedas e QV. Contudo, estes resultados deverão ser analisados com precaução pelo facto de não ter havido um grupo de controlo.

Chronic whiplash-associated disorders describe a cluster of symptoms that result from a sudden neck acceleration/deceleration movement, including pain, musculoskeletal and neurological signs, inducing functional disability. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of physiotherapy treatment based on neck-specific exercises, with or without a behavioral approach, in individuals with whiplash-associated disorders. Computerized research was performed in PubMed, PEDro, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and ScienceDirect to identify randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effectiveness of neck-specific exercises, with or without a behavioral approach, for chronic whiplash. For the meta-analysis, the outcomes of pain and disability were assessed. Thirteen studies were included in the systematic review, with a total of 2427 participants of both sexes, with ages between 18 and 63 years. Although interventions with a behavioral approach decreased pain and disability more significantly in 4 and 6 studies when compared to neck-specific exercises without such an approach, respectively, the meta-analysis revealed no differences between them. Although interventions for chronic whiplash-associated disorders based on neck-specific exercises with a behavioral approach seem to be more effective in reducing pain and disability, there is no quantitative difference favoring one over the other.

Background/Objectives: The Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic Shoulder & Elbow Score (KJOC) is used to identify dysfunctions and estimate injury risk in overhead sports athletes. Although it has been validated in several countries, a European Portuguese version is currently unavailable. This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt and assess psychometric properties (validity and reliability) of the European Portuguese KJOC (KJOC-PT). Methods: The KJOC-PT was translated and culturally adapted according to international guidelines. One hundred athletes were selected (median age 24 [IQR 17] years, 72% male) and divided into two groups: asymptomatic and symptomatic athletes. The convergent validity was assessed by correlating the KJOC-PT with the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) and DASH-Sports. 31 athletes from the initial sample were considered to assess between-day reliability and agreement (Bland-Altman analysis). Floor and ceiling effects were also calculated. Sampling adequacy was assessed using the Kaiser Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test. Results: Minor cultural and linguistic changes were made in the KJOC-PT. This version demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.91 to 0.97) and moderate negative correlations for validity (KJOC-PT with DASH, rho = −0.595; with DASH-Sports, rho = −0.533, both p < 0.001). Good reliability (ICC_2,1 = 0.77 to 0.89 [95%CI 0.36 to 0.96]), measurement error (SEM = 4.11 to 6.90; MDC = 11.39 to 19.13) and mean difference ranging from −0.08 ± 6.14 to 3 ± 9.17 were found. No floor effect (0%) and ceiling effects of 24.2% for the total sample (50% for asymptomatic and 5.1% for symptomatic athletes) were found. Conclusions: KJOC-PT is now available and is a valid and reliable instrument for use by athletes in overhead sports.