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Physical disability: the role of the physical scientist in the health service. A report of the Institute of Physical Sciences in Medicine.

The Report of the Royal College of Physicians on Physical Disability in 1986 and Beyond gives details of a Medical Disability Service to redress the present imbalance in the provisions for the physically disabled. An integral part of this service should be the provision of adequate scientific and technical resources, which could be established by making four or five new Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering appointments annually in each Region for the next ten years.

Biomedical Engineering↗

[Evaluation of tolerance of prolonged physical work as a function of the degree of endurance. I. Useflness of various tests determining physical endurance and the physiological cost of long-term physical exertion].

The physical capacity was determined in 23 men (aged from 19 to 27) using the following set of tests: Astrand and Ryhming's test, PWC170, PWC130, LPI, Crampton's test. The 70 min effort on the bicycle ergometer was considered as the model of prolonged work and the following parameters were accepted as standards of physiological cost of work; oxygen consumption, mechanical efficiency, heart rate during the work, stroke volume and cardiac output as well as the sum of systoles during recovery. The results of the correlation analysis point out that, at a given work intensity. the heart rate depends on results of PWC170 test and the systoles sum during recovery on the results of Crampton's tests. The capacity determined with used tests had no effect on the remaining indices of the cost of physical work.

Adult↗

Why physical medicine, physical disability and physical rehabilitation? We should abandon Cartesian dualism.

Adjectives are supposed to describe the associated noun more fully or definitively, and the adjective physical is sometimes added to words such as medicine, rehabilitation and disability. What increase in description does its use allow? The adjective was probably added when rehabilitation started to develop for several reasons: it contrasted the mode of treatment with pharmacology and surgery; it contrasted the nature of the supposed aetiology with emotionally generated disorders, especially shell-shock; and it justified the presence of rehabilitation within the profession of medicine. Its continued use, however, perpetuates a Cartesian, dualist philosophy. This editorial uses the World Health Organization International Classification of Functioning (WHO ICF) model of illness to analyse its continued use, and concludes that its continued use may disadvantage both patients and the practice of rehabilitation.

Persons with Disabilities↗

Adolescent motor skill and performance: is physical activity in adolescence related to adult physical fitness?

In the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study (AGAHLS), a cohort of about 400 boys and girls (mean age 13 years) were followed over a period of 20 years. Over that period repeated measurements were done of body dimensions (height, weight, skinfolds), physical fitness (eight motor performance field tests: plate tapping, bent arm hang, 10 x 5 m sprint, arm pull, sit and reach, standing high jump, 10 leg lifts, 12-min endurance run, and one laboratory test to measure maximal aerobic power), and physical activity (by a cross-check interview). Three research questions were studied: (1) Is there a positive relationship between adolescent fitness (age 13-17 years) and adult physical activity (age 33 years)? (2) Do physical fitness and physical activity track from adolescence into adulthood? (3) What is the longitudinal relationship between physical fitness and physical activity? Multiple linear regression analysis showed that of the 9 physical fitness tests, only the 12-min endurance run and the maximal aerobic power during adolescence are significant (P < 0.05) predictors of adult physical activity. The effects are not influenced by biological age but by sex: only in females are the predictions significant (P < 0.05) Tracking over the period of 20 years estimated from stability coefficients showed values for physical fitness varying between 0.83 (plate tapping) to 0.38 (standing high jump and maximal aerobic power). Physical activity shows lower stability coefficients (0.35-0.29). A longitudinal linear regression technique was used to analyse the relationship between physical activity and physical fitness over the 20-year period; in this analysis corrections were made for both time-dependent (time, biological age, and cardiovascular factors) and time-independent variables (sex). All physical fitness tests show positive and significant (P < 0.05) standardized regression coefficients with physical activity, but the explained variance is less than 1%. Only maximal aerobic power has a higher explained variance of 1.8%. It can be concluded that: (1) Physical fitness in adolescence is only weakly related to adult physical activity; (2) between age 13 and 33 years, physical activity has low stability and physical fitness was higher stability; and (3) the longitudinal relationships between physical fitness and physical activity are only meaningful with maximal aerobic power.

Adolescent↗

The importance of physical fitness versus physical activity for coronary artery disease risk factors: a cross-sectional analysis.

Numerous epidemiological investigations have shown that low physical fitness and low physical activity are related to the incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD). Most studies, however, have not examined both variables concurrently to determine which has the strongest association with CAD risk. The purpose of this investigation was to cross-sectionally examine the relationships among physical fitness, physical activity, and risk factors for CAD. Male law enforcement officers (N = 412) from the City of Austin, Texas, were subjects for this study. Physical fitness, physical activity, and risk factors for CAD were assessed through health screenings and from data collected as part of an annual physical fitness assessment. Multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that physical fitness, but not physical activity, was related to several single CAD risk factors. Percent body fat, smoking habits, and Type A behavior score were negatively related to physical fitness level, and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was positively related to physical fitness level. Univariate analysis of variance found both physical fitness and physical activity to be significantly related to a composite CAD risk score. Low physical fitness and low physical activity were associated with a high CAD risk score. These data suggest that physical activity must be sufficient to influence physical fitness before statistically significant risk-reducing benefits on single CAD risk factors are obtained, although minimal engagement in weekly vigorous activity provides a significant benefit for the composite CAD risk score. It is plausible, however, that physical fitness is a stronger measure than physical activity and optimally characterizes the relationship among physical activity and CAD risk factors.

Adult↗

Physical activity and physical self-concept: comparison between children with and without asthma.

AIM: This paper reports a study comparing levels of physical activity and physical self-concepts between children with and without asthma. BACKGROUND: Childhood asthma has become one of the world's most prevalent chronic illnesses. Its symptoms are thought to prevent children from participating in some forms of physical activity. However, asthma treatment guidelines are increasingly suggesting that children with asthma can participate in the same physical activities as healthy children for the same reasons-- to promote normal growth, physical development and psychological health. METHOD: Between October 2001 and May 2002, 120 children between the ages of 9 and 11 with mild and moderate asthma were recruited from three paediatric asthma clinics in Taiwan, and 309 non-asthmatic children in the same age group were selected from four elementary schools in Taiwan's three largest cities. Participants were asked to record physical activity levels for 3 days out of the past 7 days and to fill out a 29-item Physical Self-Concept Inventory. Physical activities were classified as moderate-to-vigorous physical activity or vigorous physical activity. Physical self-concept was measured in terms of perceived flexibility, endurance, appearance, agility, obesity and strength. RESULTS: Asthma was the primary factor determining vigorous physical activity levels, but gender was the primary factor determining physical self-concept, especially in terms of endurance, obesity and strength. No statistically significant relationships were noted between asthma and gender in terms of effects on physical activity and physical self-concept. CONCLUSIONS: Asthma interferes with children's ability to participate in vigorous physical activity but not in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Gender determines primary differences in physical self-concept. Appropriate exercise recommendations are necessary to encourage children with asthma to engage in vigorous physical activity for normal growth.

Asthma↗

Childhood physical abuse, early social support, and risk for maltreatment: current social support as a mediator of risk for child physical abuse.

OBJECTIVE: The study investigated whether perceptions of social support in adulthood partially mediated the associations between childhood experiences (i.e., receipt of physical abuse and levels of early social support) and adult risk for child physical abuse. METHOD: Participants included 598 general population adults who completed self-report measures designed to assess childhood physical abuse, perceptions of early and current social support, and risk factors for child physical abuse. Structural equation modeling was used to test and cross validate a model that included the direct effects of child physical abuse and early social support on child physical abuse risk, as well as mediated effects through an influence on adult perceptions of social support. RESULTS: Childhood physical abuse and early social support covaried, such that receipt of physical abuse was associated with lower levels of perceived early social support. Early support, but not child physical abuse, had an indirect effect (i.e., through current support) on child physical abuse risk. More specifically, levels of early support were directly related to adult perceptions of support, and adult perceptions of support were inversely associated with child physical abuse risk. Childhood physical abuse was directly related to child physical abuse risk. CONCLUSIONS: Low levels of early support may impact risk for child physical abuse by affecting perceptions of others as supportive in adulthood. The receipt of physical abuse in childhood, however, does not appear to impact perceptions of support in adulthood. Research is needed to identify additional factors that may explain the association between receipt of physical abuse in childhood and increased risk of child physical abuse in adulthood.

Adolescent↗

Relationship of physical symptoms and physical functioning to depression in patients with heart failure.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the relative contribution of physical symptoms and physical functioning to depression in adult patients with heart failure during hospitalization and the early postdischarge period. DESIGN: An exploratory, correlational longitudinal design was used. PATIENTS: The sample included 170 subjects with heart failure. RESULTS: Subjects' mean scores on the depression scale indicated that subjects were not depressed on average; however, 30% of the sample (n = 52) had scores indicative of clinical depression. Both physical symptoms (r = 0.48) and physical functioning (r = -0.32) were moderately correlated with depression. Physical symptoms contributed 13% uniquely to the variance in depression while physical functioning contributed only 2% uniquely to the variance in depression. Multiple regression analyses indicated that physical symptomatology is more closely related to depression than is physical functioning in adults with heart failure. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the patients with heart failure who had increased physical symptoms and poorer physical functioning reported increased symptoms of depression. Physical symptoms explained a greater portion of the variance in depression than did physical functioning. Thus, it appears that patients with heart failure are affected emotionally by both their physical symptoms and their limitations in their physical functioning, but depression is more strongly related to having more physical symptoms than having greater limitations in physical functioning.

Adult↗

Children's physical activity and physical self-perceptions.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between physical self-perceptions and physical activity in Canadian school children aged 10-14 years. The sample consisted of 220 boys and 246 girls in grades 5-8. Physical activity was assessed by 7-day recall using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children. Self-perceptions of physical conditioning, sports competence, strength, body appearance and general physical self-worth were measured by the Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP). We found that boys were more physically active than girls and had higher perceptions of sport competence and strength. All PSPP scales were significantly correlated with physical activity in both boys and girls. Structural equation modelling procedures found the hierarchical PSPP model provided a good fit to the observed data, with little evidence of differences between the sexes. Analysis of five alternative structural models of the relationship between the PSPP and physical activity found the most parsimonious model to have significant pathways from both physical conditioning and sport skills to physical activity. Models for the sample as a whole, for boys and for girls were similar, accounting for an R2 of 0.27-0.29 for physical activity. Our results demonstrate that physical self-perceptions, especially physical conditioning and sport skills, are significant correlates of activity in this population.

Child↗

Anthropometric indices and physical fitness in university undergraduates with different physical activity.

Physical activity and fitness have important health promoting effects with respect to arterosclerosis and coronary heart disease in particular. An intervention study of physical status and physical activity in university undergraduates (University of Tartu) has been carried out. The physically inactive (Group I) consisted of 310 undergraduates (235 females and 75 males) of the Faculty of Medicine. The physically active (Group II) was recruited from among undergraduates (22 females and 23 males) of the Faculty of Exercise and Sport Sciences, who participated in training sessions regularly, 3 to 5 times per week. Anthropometric body measurements, arm force, vital capacity and exercise test on the bicycle ergometer (PWC170) were performed. There were no statistically significant differences between the mean values of anthropometric indices in case of physically inactive and physically active female subjects. In the group of physically active male undergraduates, weight and shoulder width were larger than in students with physically sedentary life style (p < 0.05). Most of the female and male students had normal BMI. There were statistically significant differences in the mean values of vital capacity, arm force and aerobic working capacity between the study groups, while physically active students had higher physical capacity (p < 0.001). Mean anthropometric indices demonstrated a statistically significant increase in both female and male university undergraduates after the interval of 30 years. Normal BMI and anthropometric indices do not serve a as guarantee of physical fitness for university undergraduates who are involved in sedentary life style. Regular physical activity has a strong positive impact on physical fitness, particularly on aerobic capacity which is the most important health promoting component of physical fitness with respect to coronary heart disease.

Adult↗

[Effect of habitual physical activity on physical fitness and serum cholesterol in middle-aged male workers].

The effects of habitual physical activity on physical fitness parameters and serum cholesterol profile were studied in middle-aged male workers. The subjects were 3376 middle-aged men (age: 30-59 yrs) who worked at two enterprises in HIROSHIMA Prefecture. As for physical fitness parameters, grip strength, vertical jump, side step, and step test scores were measured. Atherogenic index was calculated as (total Chol-HDL Chol)/(HDL Chol). Because daily physical activity mainly consists of physical activities during leisure time and working time, by using a questionnaire, physical activity during leisure time was assessed and categorized by frequency into three categories: 'frequently', 'sometimes', and 'seldom': and physical activity during work was categorized as 'high' or 'low' according to the average walking time per day during work. The effect of these physical activities on physical fitness parameters and serum cholesterol profile was evaluated by analysis of covariance (PC-SAS: GLM procedure) adjusting for several confounding factors such as age, body mass index, type of job, smoking and drinking habits. The main results are summarized as follows: 1) Physical activity during leisure time was positively related to vertical jump, side step, and step test score, independent of physical activity during working time, and 2) physical activity during leisure time was negatively associated to LDL-C and AI in the group with 'low' physical activity during work. These results show that in middle-aged male workers, even moderate or light physical activity during leisure time has some beneficial health promoting effects through changes in physical fitness and serum cholesterol profile.

Adult↗

Psychosocial vulnerability, physical symptoms and physical impairment after lung and heart-lung transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Many lung and heart-lung transplant recipients experience distressing physical symptoms and elevated physical impairment levels. Although post-transplant complications and secondary illnesses may largely account for these health limitations, patients' psychosocial well-being may influence them as well. We examined the contribution of psychosocial variables to patients' experience of physical symptoms and physical impairment. METHODS: The study consisted of a cross-sectional sample of 50 patients (36 lung, 14 heart-lung) at between 2 and 17 months post-transplant. They were interviewed to assess physical symptoms, current physical impairment and psychosocial well-being in the areas of mental health, sense of mastery and coping. Medical record reviews established the presence of medical complications and secondary illnesses concurrent with the interviews. Descriptive analyses examined the range of symptoms and levels of physical impairment experienced. Bivariate analyses and multivariate linear regression examined relationships between key variables. RESULTS: Average number of physical symptoms and level of physical impairment met or exceeded levels reported in other transplant samples. Elevated depressive and anxiety symptoms, a low sense of mastery, and the presence of concurrent medical complications were each associated with increased number of physical symptoms and physical impairment level. When the impact of concurrent medical complications was controlled, recipients with elevated psychologic distress remained significantly more likely to report more physical symptoms and higher physical impairment levels. CONCLUSIONS: Patients' physical health status may be influenced by many factors. To the extent that psychologic distress increases the likelihood of perceived physical limitations, timely identification and treatment of distress may help to maximize quality of life after lung and heart-lung transplantation.

Adult↗

Relationship of perceived physical self-concept and physical activity level and sex among young children.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between level of physical activity and perceived physical self-concept of young children. The sample comprised 364 children from Slovenia, aged 6.4 yr. (SD = 0.3), of which 179 were boys and 185 girls. Parents and teachers reported children's physical activity using the Harro questionnaire. We divided children into Low and High Activity groups based on their mean scores. The children completed Stein's Children's Physical Self-concept Scale, which assesses Global Physical Self-concept and the subdomains of Physical Performance, Physical Appearance, and Weight Control behavior. Two-way analysis of variance with both sex and physical activity levels, and their interaction were used to examine differences in Physical Self-concept. There were significant differences between the Low and High Activity groups on scores for global Physical Self-concept Scale, Physical Performance, and Weight Control, on which children from the High Activity group scored higher; whereas on the subscale Physical Appearance, there were no significant differences. There were no significant sex differences on the Physical Self-concept Scale. The most important conclusion of this research indicates the theoretical assumptions that Physical Activity and perceived Physical Self-concept are related. Direction of the relationship remains unclarified.

Body Constitution↗

Perception of physical education classes among young adolescents: do physical education classes provide equal opportunities to all students?

From a public health perspective, physical activity in children and adolescents is seen as important for disease prevention and health promotion. Physical activity patterns are learned through socialization processes where one of the influential sources is the school through physical education classes. The purpose of the present study was (1) to examine young adolescents' general perception of physical education classes, and (2) to explore the relationship between these perceptions and students' social resources, gender and level of leisure time physical activity and self-evaluated competence in physical education. A total of 895 seventh graders (13 year olds) were surveyed in Norway concerning their perception of physical education classes. Indicators of social resources were chosen from the arenas of family, friends and school. The main finding was that a majority of students liked physical education classes. Physical education classes seemed, however, not to offer the less socially resourceful minority the same opportunities for positive experience with physical activity as the resourceful majority. Boys' general perception of physical education classes seemed to be more positive than girls' and physically active students perceived physical education classes more favorably than less physically active students.

Adolescent↗

The influence of intense exercise-based physical therapy program on back pain anticipated before and induced by physical activities.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Pain anticipated before and induced by physical activities has been shown to influence the physical performance of patients with chronic back pain. Limited data exist as to the influence of treatment on this component of pain. PURPOSE: This study attempted to determine if pain anticipated before and induced by physical activities was altered during an exercise-oriented physical therapy program for chronic back pain. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: Subjects were recruited from three physical therapy sites with similar spine rehabilitation programs that used intense exercise delivered in a group format. During the recruitment period, 70 subjects with chronic low back pain and disability agreed to participate and complied with recommended treatments. The primary outcome measures were anticipated and induced pain as assessed by visual analog scales (VAS) during six tests of back flexibility and strength. Additional outcome measures included the performance levels of these six tests (trunk flexion, extension, straight leg raising, back strength, lifting from floor to waist and waist to shoulder height), global back and leg VAS and Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire scores. METHODS: At evaluation for the spine rehabilitation programs, we recorded the anticipated and induced pain levels associated with the six tests of back function, the performance levels on each test and global pain and disability scores. Subjects then participated in the spine rehabilitation program that consisted of intense exercise delivered up to three times per week, for 2 hours over a period of 6 weeks. All outcome measures were reassessed at discharge. Pre- and posttreatment outcome scores were statistically compared using paired sample t tests and chi-squared test. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to compare anticipated and induced pain results with global back and leg pain VAS scores, Oswestry scores and physical performance levels for each physical test. RESULTS: Most measures of anticipated and induced pain improved between evaluation and discharge. Improvements were noted for global back pain (p<.001), leg pain (p=.001), disability (p<.001) and performance on each physical testing (p<.001) after treatment. Performances on all physical testing correlated with anticipated and induced pain for all tests at evaluation but only for measures of flexibility at discharge. Improvements in global pain and disability correlated with improvements in anticipated and induced pain with physical testing. CONCLUSION: Anticipated and induced pain with physical activities was lessened after physical therapy using exercise. Anticipated and induced pain with physical activities related to physical performance levels, global pain and disability ratings. These findings may help explain how exercise exerts a positive influence on chronic back pain and disability.

Adult↗