Background: The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of a low-volume static stretching protocol and low-volume full range-of-motion resistance training on flexibility in physically active young adults. Methods: A total of 48 participants (18-25 years) were included in the final analyses. Participants were randomly allocated to a static stretching group (SS, n = 16), a resistance training group (RT, n = 16), or a control group (CG, n = 16). The intervention lasted six weeks and consisted of one supervised session per week. The SS group performed two 60 s sets of high-intensity static stretching, whereas the RT group completed full range-of-motion exercise with a total duration equivalent to that of the SS group. Results: Significant improvements in flexibility (pre-to-post change) were observed in both intervention groups compared with the control group. The SS group demonstrated a statistically significant increase in range of motion compared with the control group (3.93 ± 3.45 cm, 95% CI: 2.09-5.77 vs. -0.25 ± 0.93 cm, 95% CI: -0.75-0.25, p < 0.001; Cohen's d = 1.65), while the RT group also improved significantly compared with the control group (1.81 ± 1.75 cm, 95% CI: 0.88-2.74 vs. -0.25 ± 0.93 cm, 95% CI: -0.75-0.25; p = 0.039; Cohen's d = 1.47). Conclusions: Both low-volume static stretching and full range-of-motion resistance training performed once weekly for six weeks effectively improved posterior chain flexibility in physically active young adults.

To assess whether a low-protein vegan diet is associated with differences in recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) in physically active individuals. Physically active vegans (n = 7) and omnivores (n = 7) underwent a lower-body muscle damage protocol consisting of five sets of repetitions to failure using the Smith machine squat and leg press at 85% of one-repetition maximum (1RM). Muscle damage and recovery were assessed at baseline, immediately post-exercise, and at 24, 48, and 72 h post-EIMD. Outcomes included serum concentrations of creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), countermovement jump (CMJ) performance, and range of motion (ROM). Habitual dietary intake was assessed using four 24-h dietary recalls analysed via the Multiple Source Method (MSM) software. Participants demonstrated similar training volume across exercises and comparable hydration status. Protein intake was significantly lower in vegans (0.98 g/kg) compared to omnivores (2.14 g/kg), along with reduced intake of essential amino acids and, specifically, branched-chain amino acids (p ≤ 0.05). CK levels increased immediately after EIMD and peaked at 24 h, remaining elevated relative to baseline in both groups (p ≤ 0.05). LDH levels rose immediately post-exercise in both groups and were still elevated at 24 h (p ≤ 0.05). DOMS was markedly greater in vegans (+2.7 at 24 h; +2.6 at 72 h on VAS) than in omnivores at 24 and 72 h post-exercise (p ≤ 0.05). While habitually active vegans and omnivores exhibited similar overall responses in muscle damage and recovery following intense resistance exercise, vegans experienced clinically meaningful increases in DOMS. These findings suggest that a low-protein vegan diet may be associated with increased perceived muscle damage, without impairing acute functional recovery. For individuals following a vegan diet, these results highlight the importance of ensuring adequate protein intake and protein quality, including sufficient essential amino acids and branched-chain amino acids, to potentially mitigate exercise-induced muscle soreness and optimise recovery comfort.

Functional MRI (fMRI) is widely used to assess brain function, but neural-derived fMRI signals are susceptible to contamination from in-scanner head motion. Preprocessing pipelines often regress out and censor head motion artifacts using six rigid-body motion parameters. However, recent research suggests these head-motion estimates are susceptible to contamination from other sources of noise, such as respiratory rate, body size, and estimated cardiorespiratory fitness (eCRF), that correspond to apparent head motion at higher frequencies (HF-motion; > 0.1 Hz). Thus, these health variables are thought to be linked to the artifactual inflation of head motion estimates, introducing additional challenges to appropriate modeling and preprocessing procedures that reduce noise. Whether this artifactual relationship extends to changes in body size, midline abdominal fat (i.e., body composition), CRF measured with gold-standard methods, and respiratory rate measured during scanning remains unclear. The Brain EXTEND Trial acquired multiple health variables before and after an exercise intervention that changed CRF, offering a means to test the relationship between these health variables and HF-motion in a longitudinal design. Subjects (55-80 years of age) completed a 6-month chronic exercise intervention at two intensities. We analyzed baseline and longitudinal (EXTEND, baseline n = 122; longitudinal n = 84) relationships between HF-motion and health variables that included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), CRF measured with a maximal exercise test (VO2max), and resting respiratory rate. HF-motion was examined in each head-motion parameter as the proportion of HF-motion above > 0.1 Hz-the typical upper bound of fMRI signals at rest. At baseline, HF-motion for all translational axes was positively associated with body size (BMI, WC) while CRF was negatively associated with only the roll y-rotation. Additionally, longitudinally, decreased BMI related to reduced HF-motion in the z-translation. Results indicate health changes related to body size associate with the presentation of high-frequency MRI head-motion artifacts. We caution researchers against ignoring the presence of HF-motion in their analyses as their use of contaminated motion traces will negatively affect their modeling of fMRI measures. Results have implications for a wide range of investigations in health neuroscience involving body size, respiratory function, and cardiorespiratory fitness.

Current literature has yet to fully examine the complex nature of centre of mass (COM) movement in relation to pole bend mechanics during the pole-support phase of pole vault. We describe these related variables as functional time series. Eleven developmental to world-class pole vaulters (7 female, 4 male; PB range: 3.60-5.41 m) completed 64 pole vault trials. Joint centre trajectories obtained from markerless motion capture were used to derive COM position and pole cord length from pole plant to top-hand release. Multilevel, multivariate, functional principal component analysis (MMFPCA) identified two between- and four within-participant modes of variation. Between-participant modes characterised variation in COM motion and pole bend timing throughout the pole-support phase of the vault and specifically after maximum pole bend. Within-participant modes showed similar patterns of variation to those found between-participants, with additional observation of variation in pole bend during the critical final portion of pole-support. These modes indicate that athletes use multiple movement strategies to regulate pole energy storage and release, demonstrating technical variability within constrained performance outcomes in pole vaulting. We show that MMFPCA can be utilised to comprehensively describe coordinated movement during a complex task while demonstrating potential for future analysis using similar statistical methodology.

This report presents an unusual case of persistent groin and lower abdominal pain following robotic-assisted inguinal hernia repair (R-IHR), along with a brief review of the literature. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of pubic symphysis stress reaction with adjacent pelvic girdle myositis following R-IHR, a musculoskeletal complication pairing not previously described in the hernia repair or robotic surgery literature. Imaging findings revealed edema and capsular hypertrophy at the pubic symphysis with diffuse pelvic girdle myositis on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), findings not captured on computed tomography (CT), suggesting a postoperative biomechanical mechanism. The specific robotic surgical technique (transabdominal preperitoneal vs. totally extraperitoneal) used in this case could not be confirmed, as the original operative report was not available to the authors at the time of this report; the general term R-IHR is used throughout to reflect this uncertainty. A 41-year-old physically active man presented more than one year after R-IHR, complaining of progressively worsening right groin and lower abdominal pain. The pain was moderate to severe, dull, and aching, with intermittent sharp, stabbing episodes. It was exacerbated by bending, coughing, bowel movements, prolonged sitting, recumbency, exercise, and sexual activity. He reported no weakness, bowel or bladder dysfunction, or systemic symptoms. Examination revealed focal tenderness in the right inguinal region and right lower abdominal quadrant without rebound tenderness, no signs of psoas involvement, and normal strength, range of motion, neurologic function, and gait. Pelvic CT was unremarkable, showing only bilateral hydroceles. Pelvic MRI demonstrated edema and capsular hypertrophy along both sides of the pubic symphysis, with multifocal intramuscular enhancement in the right gluteus medius, bilateral adductor muscles, and gluteus maximus, consistent with myositis. Inflammatory laboratory workup was negative. The Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire indicated nociceptive rather than neuropathic pain. These findings suggest that biomechanical stress and microtrauma to the pubic symphysis during surgery initiated a local inflammatory cascade. The patient had declined postoperative physical therapy, citing high baseline fitness; prolonged activity restriction over 12 months provided no relief. Persistent groin pain following R-IHR warrants consideration of pubic symphysis stress reaction and adjacent myositis, particularly when CT is nondiagnostic and neurologic examination is normal. MRI may be necessary to identify underlying musculoskeletal pathology and guide management. This case further highlights the clinical risk of physically fit patients declining structured rehabilitation; general conditioning does not substitute for targeted postoperative physical therapy.

This investigation examined the effects of passive blood flow restriction (pBFR) on indices of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) in recreationally active males. Fifteen males completed six consecutive visits (±2 hours). Participants completed 3 × 25 maximal, unilateral, isokinetic (60°·s[-1]), concentric-eccentric leg extensions on both legs. Each leg was randomly assigned to receive pBFR (80% arterial occlusion pressure) or sham (20 mmHg) at 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours post-EIMD. Perceived muscle soreness, range of motion (ROM), pain pressure threshold (PPT), concentric peak torque (CPT), and maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) torque were assessed and analyzed using separate linear mixed-effects models. Perceived muscle soreness increased at 24 hours (mean difference [meandiff] = 4.9 au; p < 0.001) and recovered by 96 hours (p = 0.482), with no differences between conditions (p = 0.450). ROM (meandiff = -3.1°; p = 0.040), PPT (meandiff = -1.63 kgf; p < 0.001), CPT (meandiff = -27.7 Nm; p < 0.001), and MVIC torque (meandiff = -30.8 Nm; p < 0.001) decreased at 24 hours, with recovery occurring between 48-96 hours. Condition-specific differences were observed for ROM (meandiff = 2.5°; p < 0.001), PPT (meandiff = 0.49 kgf; p = 0.005), CPT (meandiff = 6.2 Nm; p = 0.020), and MVIC torque (meandiff = 7.1 Nm; p = 0.044), which were greater in pBFR than sham. These findings suggested that pBFR may reduce impairments in ROM, PPT, CPT, and MVIC torque following EIMD, despite a similar recovery trajectory between conditions.

Background Although joint contracture prevention has mainly focused on exercise time, an effective method has not yet been established. A lack of joint movement is considered to be associated with the development of joint contracture; however, this relationship has not been quantitatively investigated. As repositioning is typically performed every two hours, intensive care unit patients and bedridden older adults may experience at least two consecutive hours of immobility. Objective This study investigated whether joint contractures develop after two hours of joint immobility per day, over two weeks, in a non-weight-bearing state, due to hindlimb suspension. Methods The experimental animals were six eight-week-old male Wistar rats weighing 349-380 g (average: 363.8 ± 13.5 g). In the immobilization group, the right hindlimbs of all six rats were immobilized in a maximum plantar flexion position, in which the toes were directed downward, whereas the left hindlimbs of the same six rats served as the control group, with joint movement not restricted. The measured items included the range of joint motion (ankle dorsiflexion angle), muscle fiber cross-sectional area, and soleus muscle relative weight ratio. Results The range of joint motion differed significantly between these groups after two weeks, and the immobilization group showed significant changes between the start of the experiment and after two weeks. The ankle dorsiflexion angle decreased by 1.7% in the control group and by 9.8% in the immobilization group over two weeks. Conclusions These findings suggest that two hours of daily joint immobility combined with hindlimb suspension was associated with a reduction in ankle dorsiflexion range of motion and may contribute to contracture development. This model provides a new perspective that differs from conventional experimental models using continuous joint immobilization during the experimental period.