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Although various causes of dizziness have been identified, many pa-tients suffer from dizziness of unknown etiology and continue to visit hospitals to resolve their symptoms. Problems that occur in the liga-ments or muscles of the upper cervical spine can cause confusion in proprioception. These changes can convey misinformation to the ves-tibular nucleus, resulting in abnormal reactions that can lead to cervi-cogenic dizziness (CGD). Though CGD remains controversial, it should be considered while diagnosing patients with dizziness. Understanding CGD can help create treatment strategies for them. This article suggest-ed a relationship between the structure and function of the upper cervi-cal spine and dizziness, and presented evaluations and treatments for the same.

Maternal obesity is known to increase the likelihood of offspring be-coming obese, high blood pressure, and other metabolic disorders. Af-ter inducing obesity, the effect of treadmill exercise in maternal rats during pregnancy on short-term memory was investigated in relation to neurogenesis in rat pups. Short-term memory was declined in rat pups born to obese maternal rats, and treadmill running during pregnancy al-leviated short-term memory impairment in rat pups born to obese ma-ternal rats. The number of doublecortin (DCX)-positive and 5-bro-mo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-positive cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus was decreased in rat pups born to obese maternal rats. Treadmill running during pregnancy increased the number of DCX-positive and BrdU-positive cells in rat pups born to obese maternal rats. Expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) in the hippocampus was decreased in the rat pups born to obese maternal rats. Treadmill running during pregnancy increased the ex-pressions of BDNF and TrkB in rat pups born to obese maternal rats. Enhancing effect of short-term memory by treadmill exercise may be due to increased neurogenesis through activation of the BDNF-TrkB signaling pathway by treadmill exercise.

This study aimed to determine the effect of pool gait exercise using fibromyalgia- induced model mice. The sensory threshold, locomotive behavior, electrocardiogram, and onset time after the gait test in shallow water using male C57BL/6J mice (weight, 30–35 g; n= 21) were investigated. To induce fibromyalgia in model mice, reserpine was injected intraperitoneally into wild-type mice once a day for 3 days. Subsequently, the fibromyalgia-induced model mice were randomly classified into two groups as follows: the control group (n= 11) and the pool gait group (n= 10). The mice in the pool gait group walked in the same cage containing shallow warm water 5 times per week. Both groups underwent sensory thresholds and video recordings to determine locomotive behaviors weekly. Further, both heart rate and video recordings for observation of a recovery after the gait test in shallow water were undertaken (control group; n= 5, pool gait group; n= 5). The pool gait did not affect sensory thresholds and locomotive behavior; however, in the pool gait group, both the recovery after the test, such as onset time and gait distance, were considerably better than those of the control group. Furthermore, changes in heart rate and heart rate irregularity after the test were more apparent in the control group than in the pool gait group. The free gait in a shallow pool accelerated recovery after exercise, unlike the sensory threshold.

This study investigated the effects of participating in an educational ex-ercise program on physical fitness and gross motor function (GMF) in adults with varying degrees of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). The subjects consisted of 35 voluntary male participants between 20 and 29 years of age who were allocated to one of two groups: mild ASD (n=17) group and severe ASD (n=18) group. All selected tests for physical fit-ness, including body composition and GMF, have been used in previous studies. The results were as follows: first, with the exception of the bas-al metabolic rate, there were significant differences in the interaction of all other body composition variables. Second, there were significant differences in the interaction of almost all physical fitness variables, ex-cept for muscle strength. Finally, although there were significant differ-ences in the interaction of all variables, except the locomotion skill for hopping, there were significant differences in the interaction of all vari-ables of object control skill. Specifically, although the Δ% in the sum of locomotion skill in mild ASD group increased ~19.81%, that of severe ASD group decreased ~4.78%. The Δ% in the sum of object control skill in mild ASD group improved ~29.96%, while that of severe ASD group reduced ~15.2%. In conclusion, it is thought that these results are due to the better understanding of educational exercise and better perfor-mance of educational exercise in adults with mild ASD compared to adults with severe ASD.

Regular exercise is associated with the production of small amounts of oxidative stress which might promote individual antioxidant capacity contributing to favorable training effects potentially interrelated with skeletal muscle strength. Therefore, the present study was aimed at evaluating effects of an 8-week Qigong exercise training on muscle strengths associated with responses of oxidative stress and antioxidants in young sedentary females. A total of 41 sedentary women were allo-cated to the Qigong exercise group (QG, N=20) or to the control group (CG, N=21). After 8 weeks of Qigong training, back and leg strength was significantly improved compared to baseline and the CG (P<0.05). Plasma oxidative stress levels were reduced and total antioxidant ca-pacity was enhanced in the QG compared to the CG (P<0.05). Correla-tion analyses revealed that improvements in muscle strength (including both groups) were associated with changes in the levels of oxidative stress (reduction) and antioxidants (elevation). The presented findings indicate that strength training effects seem at least partly to be interre-lated with alterations of the oxidant-antioxidant balance generated by the 8-week Qigong training in young sedentary females.

The purpose of this study is to investigate relationship between move-ment dysfunctions and sports injuries according to gender of youth soccer player. Thirty-eight middle school soccer players participated in this study and they were divided into male (n=19) and female (n=19) groups. The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and the Quadriceps- angle (Q-angle) during single-leg squat were analyzed for identifying imbalance and asymmetry of the body, and sports injury questionnaire was examined for 6 months after FMS test. The number of sports inju-ries did not show significant difference between youth male and female soccer athletes. In FMS results, the scores of overhead squat, hurdle step, in-line lunge, shoulder mobility, active straight leg raise, and rotary stability and the total scores were no significant differences between gender, but the score for the trunk stability push-up was significantly higher in male group than female group. There was no significant differ-ence of Q-angle values between the left and right legs, but Q-angle val-ue between youth male and female groups significantly showed inter-action. Therefore, the present data suggested that FMS and Q-angle during single-leg squat might be indicators to predict and/or prevent sports injury in youth male and female soccer players.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in multiple athlet-ic performances, and to examine associations between athletic perfor-mance and Functional Movement Screen (FMS) in young soccer play-ers. Forty-one soccer players were tested on peak height velocity (PHV), 5-, 10-, and 30-m sprint times, 505 change of direction (505 COD), Y-reac-tive agility tests, countermovement jump (CMJ), and squat jump (SJ) height. Significant main effects (P<0.01) were recorded in all tests ex-cept FMS total score whereas the U16 group outperformed U12 and U14 in almost each test. However, when the results were adjusted to the PHV 7 of 11 tests were nonsignificant. Significant associations were recorded between trunk stability push-up (TSPU) and 5 m (P=0.04) and 505 COD (preferred) times (P=0.01), and SJ height (P=0.03) in the U12. In the U14, significant associations were recoded between TSPU and SJ (P<0.01) and CMJ height (P=0.03). In the U16, significant associa-tions were recorded between deep overhead squat and 5-m sprint time (P=0.02) and CMJ height (P=0.04). Results of this study indicate that athletic performance in young soccer players is multidimensional in na-ture, and it is a consequence of several factors including maturation, different training strategies, and movement proficiency.

There may be an optimal period of time to maximize the improvement of physical fitness during adolescence. The aim of this study was to exam-ine the magnitude of changes in physical fitness after 8 weeks of pre-season training according to chronological ages after the age at peak high velocity. Thirty male young football players from an elite football team (U-16, n=10; U-17, n=10; U-18, n=10) participated in the study. The players completed an 8-week general preseason football training and participated in the pre- and posttests to measure physical fitness. The 8-week preseason training improved the power of all young players (P<0.05). The 20-m sprint performance was improved by training in U-16 and U-18 (P<0.05), but no changes were found in the U-17 group (P>0.05). Significant differences were found in the arrowhead left in U-16 and U-18 (P<0.05) after training; however, no difference was ob-served in U-17 (P>0.05). Coordination was enhanced further in U-16 and U-17 (P<0.05) compared with that in U-18 (P>0.05). The performance of repeated sprints and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1) were similar between pre- and posttraining in all age groups (P>0.05). Collectively, the results emphasized the importance of systematic and scientific training methods to improve the fitness levels of young football players in the preseason training period. Moreover, training to improve coordination in young football players is effective at younger ages.

The aim of this study was to examine whether a high-volume compared to low-volume resistance exercise session acutely impairs lung func-tion. Fourteen males (age 23.8±6.5 years) with resistance training expe-rience participated in this study. Participants completed two resistance training protocols (high- and low-volume) and a control session (no ex-ercise) with the sequence randomised. High- and low-volume sessions involved 5 sets (5-SETS) and 2 sets (2-SETS), respectively of 10 repeti-tions at 65% one-repetition maximum for each exercise (bench press, squat, seated shoulder press, and deadlift) with 90-sec recovery be-tween sets. Lung function was evaulated pre- and postsession and re-spiratory gases were measured during the recovery between sets of exercises. An increase in the ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) to forced vital capacity was found following the 5-SETS com-pared to 2-SETS (P=0.033). There was a significant reduction in inspira-tory capacity following 5-SETS compared to control session (P=0.049). No other lung function parameter was affected postsession. During training sessions, the squat and deadlift required greater ventilatory de-mands compared to the bench press and shoulder press (P<0.001). Across most exercises during 5-SETS compared to 2-SETS, there was a lower end-tidal CO2 partial pressure. Across most exercises during 5-SETS compared to 2-SETS there was a lower end-tidal CO2 partial pressure (PETCO2) (P≤0.013), although there were no other differences in physiological responses between the sessions. The findings tend to suggest that the ventilatory and respiratory muscle demands of a stren-uous resistance exercise session are not great enough to acutely im-pair indices of lung function.

Muscle quality (the ratio of strength to lean muscle mass) might be a better indicator of muscle function than strength alone. Differences in muscle quality index (MQI) between octogenarians and young older adults remain unclear. The aims of the present cross-sectional study were to compare (1) MQI between octogenarians and young older adults, (2) lab versus field-based MQI tools, and (3) determine possible confounding factors affecting MQI in older adults. Compiled data from two cross-sectional studies included 175 younger and older adults (31 men and 144 women) with a mean age of 75.93±9.49 years. Participants with age ≥80 years old were defined as octogenarians (n=79) and <80 years was defined as young older adults (n=96). Laboratory MQI was derived from the ratio of grip strength to arm muscle mass (in kg) mea-sured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Field-based MQI was quan-tified from the ratio of grip strength to body mass index (BMI). Octoge-narians displayed lower field (P=0.003) and laboratory MQI (P<0.001) as compared with young older adults. There was a strong correlation effect between field MQI and laboratory MQI (P=0.001, R=0.85). BMI (P=0.001), and diabetes mellitus (P=0.001) negatively affected MQI. Women presented lower MQI (P=0.001) values than men. In light of this information, rehabilitation specialists should consider the use of field-based MQI as a tool for evaluation and follow-up of older population.

A randomized control trial was conducted to investigate the effects of combined concurrent training and Eri silkworm pupae ingestion on resting and exercise fat oxidation (FAO), as well as energy expenditure, and cardiometabolic risk markers in obese adults. Thirty-six sedentary, obese participants were divided into three groups: (1) placebo control group (CON, n=12), (2) Eri silkworm pupae ingestion group (ERI, n=12), and (3) combined concurrent training and Eri silkworm pupae ingestion group (CBT-ERI, n=12). Participants in the ERI and the CBT-ERI con-sumed 5-g Eri silkworm pupae/day (approximately 2.5-g linolenic acid). The concurrent training program comprised of supervised aerobic and resistance training: three 1-hr sessions/wk for 8 weeks. Body composi-tion, energy expenditure, and FAO at rest and during exercise, heart rate variability, and blood chemistry were measured before and after the 8-week interventions. Following the interventions, resting FAO, the natural logarithm of very low-frequency power (lnVLF), and high-sensi-tive C-reactive protein concentration significantly improved in both the ERI and the CBT-ERI. Only the CBT-ERI improved resting energy expen-diture, FAO during exercise, trunk and gynoid fat mass, total cholesterol concentration, the standard deviation of normal R-R intervals (SDNN), and the percentage difference between adjacent normal R-R intervals >50 ms. Furthermore, there were significant correlations between rest-ing energy expenditure and FAO, lnVLF and SDNN in the CBT-ERI. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that concurrent training together with dietary Eri silkworm pupae leads to increased energy expenditure through a significant increase in FAO at rest and during exercise, as well as reduced fat mass.