In martial arts, heart rate variability (HRV) measurements can potentially be used to assess injury risk and susceptibility to fatigue. Muay Thai uses the Frequency Speed of Kick Test (FSKT) to measure kick speed, but it is unknown whether better fitness results in improved autonomic function and body composition, which may affect athletic performance and recovery. We aimed to evaluate the correlations between FSKT, HRV, and body composition measures in amateur Muay Thai fighters. This is a cross-sectional study with 37 Muay Thai fighters. They underwent FSKT-10s and multiple FSKT to measure the kick fatigue index (KFI). In addition, body composition was assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis and HRV using a heart rate monitor. When comparing the values before and during the FSKT-10s, there was a decrease in the percentage of interval differences of consecutive successive NN intervals greater than 50 ms (pNN50), approximate entropy, and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) index, with an increase in the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) index. The number of kicks assessed by FSKT-10s positively correlated with fat-free mass (FFM) and low frequency (LF) of the HRV assessment. The KFI correlated negatively with the FFM and PNS index, and positively with the LF and SNS index. When amateur Muay Thai fighters perform the FSKT-10s, there is an acute effect on autonomic modulation with increased sympathetic activation and vagal withdrawal. FFM and sympathetic activation are related to performance and susceptibility to fatigue. These results indicate the importance of assessing HRV in Muay Thai fighters to improve performance.

To analyze the influence of body components on bone mineral density (BMD) in women from perimenopause to old age. A total of 117 women were allocated into three groups according to the reproductive stage (STRAW): perimenopausal (PEM, N = 28, mean age 44.8 ± 3.6), early postmenopausal (EPM, N = 36, mean age 51.4 ± 2.8) and late postmenopausal (LPM, N = 53; mean age 64.0 ± 1.7). Total body mass, body mass index (BMI), lean mass (LM), fat mass (FM), fat percentage (FP) and BMD at the lumbar spine (lBMD) and femoral neck (fBMD) were assessed. BMI, FM, LM and BMD values decreased from PEM to LPM. The total effect of FM on fBMD and lBMD was of 42% and 8% for PEM, 28% and 33% for EMP and 9% and 1% for LPM respectively. Additionally, the total effect of LM on fBMD and lBMD was 48% and 3% for PEM, 54% and 53% for EMP and 9% and 11% for LPM women respectively. BMI, LM, and FM decreased with aging. All these components had great influence on both fBMD and lBMD in EMP women. Conversely, in PEM these parameters only had influence on femoral BMD, but not on lumbar spine. These data suggests that LM is the most important component in BMD for women older than 50 years old, particularly in the hip.

Background: Considering that the nervous system regulates cardiac autonomic modulation (CAM) and that low CAM is associated with poorer performance, it is essential to evaluate the effects of training to increase parasympathetic modulation in Muay Thai (MT) fighters. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an 8-week intervention based on strength training and nutritional counseling on performance, CAM, and nutritional status in amateur MT fighters. Methods: This is a longitudinal and interventional study in which 22 MT fighters underwent a strength training program and nutritional protocol. Before and after the intervention, they underwent the ten-second frequency speed of kick test (FSKT-10s), multiple frequency speed of kick test (FSKT-mult), bioimpedance analysis (BIA), and assessment of heart rate variability. Results: After the intervention, there was an increase in the number of kicks in both FSKT-10s and FSKT-mult (p = 0.0008 and p = 0.032, respectively). In BIA, there was a significant increase in both fat-free mass and basal metabolic rate (p = 0.031 and p = 0.020, respectively). After the intervention, significant increases were observed during the physical test in the following variables that denote improvement in parasympathetic modulation: square root of the mean squared differences of successive RR intervals (p = 0.005); percentage of adjacent RR intervals with a difference in duration greater than 50 ms (p = 0.002); high frequency range (p < 0.0001); and standard deviation measuring the dispersion of points in the plot perpendicular to the line of identity (p = 0.004). Conclusions: In amateur MT fighters, an intervention with strength training and nutritional guidance is able to improve CAM through greater parasympathetic activation. Furthermore, there is an improvement in performance and body composition after the intervention.

Introduction Obesity is one of the main public health problem worldwide and it has a negative short- and long-term relationship with women's health. Assessment of this disorder is essential, as is a body composition assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) with the new region of interest as the neck. Objective To verify the association between abdominal and neck fat with sleep quality in obese women. Methods The sample, obtained from a Biomedical Engineering and Health Program database, was characterized by being obese female aged between 20 and 65 years. The tests performed were anthropometric assessment, sleep quality questionnaire, physical activity level, nutritional assessment, and body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). For statistical analysis, the Shapiro-Wilk test, t test for independent samples, Kendall's Tau, linear and multiple regression and ROC curve were used. Results The sample consisted of 15 individuals with a mean age of 45 ± 11.10 years, neck circumference of 41.50 ± 2.61 and abdominal circumference of 128.20 ± 11.62. We found no correlation between the regions of interest and the sleep quality questionnaire. Regression analysis shows non-significant statistical values for abdominal fat. The statistical test proved that the new region of interest in abdominal fat is closer to better sensitivity and has a greater relationship with sleep quality. Conclusion there was no statistically significant correlation between the regions of interest and the sleep quality questionnaire. However, the abdominal fat region of interest was the point that presented the best association with sleep quality assessed by the Pittsburgh questionnaire.

Introdução: A corrida tem sua participação histórica desde suas origens relacionadas a necessidades humanas básicas até eventos contemporâneos como a Corrida de São Silvestre no Brasil. A Teoria da Autodeterminação (TAD) é apresentada como um alicerce conceitual, destacando autonomia, competência e relacionamento como necessidades psicológicas básicas. Estratégias de motivação são apresentadas para promover a autodeterminação em atletas, destacando feedback positivo, metas orientadas ao processo e relações sociais. O estudo destaca a motivação como fator impulsionador para comprometimento, adesão, dedicação, autoeficácia e satisfação pessoal na prática consistente da corrida de rua. A justificativa para a pesquisa reside na falta de estudos detalhados sobre fatores psicológicos que influenciam a prática da corrida de rua entre atletas amadores, buscando preencher essa lacuna.Objetivo: O objetivo principal desta pesquisa foi de analisar os fatores psicológicos envolvidos na motivação para prática de corrida de rua entre atletas amadores.Método: Foi analisado fatores psicológicos em corredores amadores da cidade de Curitiba/PR utilizando os questionários online que foram aplicados, como o Inventário de Beck para avaliar sinais e sintomas de ansiedade, para a motivação foi utilizada a versão Portuguesa do Behavioral Regulation in Sport Questionnaire (BRSQ), para avaliação das Necessidades Psicológicas Básicas, foi utilizada a versão portuguesa da Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration, e para a avaliação da satisfação com a vida, foi aplicada a Escala de Satisfação com a Vida.Conclusão: Conclui-se ressaltando a importância de considerar fatores psicológicos na compreensão da motivação para a corrida de rua, especialmente ansiedade e gênero.

Background: Considering that the autonomic nervous system plays an important role in cardiac autonomic modulation (CAM) and that low CAM is associated with cardiovascular mortality, it is essential to evaluate the effects of training to increase parasympathetic modulation in Muay Thai (MT) athletes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an 8-week intervention based on strength training and nutritional counseling on performance, CAM, and nutritional status in amateur MT fighters. Methods: This is a longitudinal and interventional study in which 22 MT fighters underwent a strength training program and nutritional protocol. Before and after the intervention, they underwent the ten-second frequency speed of kick test (FSKT-10s), multiple frequency speed of kick test (FSKT-mult), bioimpedance analysis (BIA), and assessment of heart rate variability. Results: After the intervention, there was an increase in the number of kicks in both FSKT-10s and FSKT-mult (p = 0.0008 and p = 0.032, respectively). In BIA, there was a significant decrease in fat-free mass and a significant increase in basal metabolic rate (p = 0.031 and p = 0.020, respectively). After the intervention, significant increases were observed during the fight in the following variables that denote improvement in parasympathetic modulation: square root of the mean squared differences of successive RR intervals (p = 0.005); percentage of adjacent RR intervals with a difference in duration greater than 50 ms (p = 0.002); high frequency range (p < 0.0001); and standard deviation measuring the dispersion of points in the plot perpendicular to the line of identity (p = 0.004). Conclusions: In amateur MT athletes, an intervention with strength training and nutritional guidance is able to improve CAM through greater parasympathetic activation. Furthermore, there is an improvement in performance and body composition after the intervention.