Earticle

This study investigated the differences between weekly elbow joint use time, pain level, and isokinetic moment in young adults using multiple exposure classification strategies. A total of 67 participants were cate-gorized using three grouping approaches: median-based (<6 hr vs. ≥6 hr/wk), quartile-based (<6, 6–8, 8–10, and >10 hr/wk), and thresh-old-based (<10 hr vs. ≥10 hr/wk). Elbow joint pain was assessed using a visual analog scale and isokinetic moment was assessed using an isokinetic dynamometer at angular velocities of 60°/sec, 120°/sec, and 180°/sec for both flexion and extension. Across all classification ap-proaches, nondominant elbow pain was consistently lower in higher- use groups (P<0.05), whereas dominant-side pain did not differ signifi-cantly. Most isokinetic moments were also comparable between groups; however, dominant flexor peak torque at 120°/sec was slightly lower in the ≥10 hr/wk group (P=0.049). These findings suggest that weekly el-bow joint use time is more strongly associated with pain-related neuro-muscular adaptation than with measurable strength performance in young adults. Multithreshold classification approaches may provide a more comprehensive framework for evaluating exposure-related up-per-extremity functional characteristics.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different rest intervals fol-lowing postactivation performance enhancement (PAPE) on upper- and lower-body skill-related physical fitness in elite athletes. Seven male elite athletes participated in a crossover design and completed four ex-perimental conditions: the control (CON), the 3-min rest (R3), the 8-min rest (R8), and the 12-min rest (R12) groups following PAPE. In the PAPE conditions, participants performed additional warm-up sets at 50% and 70% of one-repetition maximum, followed by one set of five-repetition maximum bench press and squat, whereas the CON did not include PAPE. Results showed that upper-body agility significantly improved in the R3 and R12 groups compared to the CON group (P<0.05), whereas upper-body power and balance showed no significant changes. Low-er-body power and balance were significantly enhanced, with the most consistent improvements observed in the R3 group (P<0.05), while low-er-body agility did not significantly differ among conditions. In whole-body performance, coordination significantly improved in the R3 group compared to the CON group (P<0.05), whereas reaction time and sprint performance were not significantly affected. Overall, the effects of PAPE varied according to performance task and body region, with significant improvements mainly observed in upper-body agility, lower-body power and balance, and whole-body coordination, particularly following the R3 interval. Shorter recovery intervals may provide benefits for selected performance outcomes in elite athletes.

This study aimed to identify factors influencing hand hygiene compli-ance among long-term care workers in long-term care facilities based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB). A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 133 long-term care workers from four long-term care facilities in Daegu Metropolitan City and Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Ko-rea. Self-reported questionnaires assessed hand hygiene-related belief factors (behavioral, normative, and control beliefs), core TPB factors (attitude toward behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control), intention, and hand hygiene compliance. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation, and multiple regres-sion analysis were performed. The mean scores for hand hygiene atti-tude, subjective norms, and behavioral intention exceeded the scale midpoint, whereas the scores for control beliefs and perceived behav-ioral control were relatively lower. Hand hygiene compliance was sig-nificantly correlated with behavioral beliefs (r=0.23, P=0.008), control beliefs (r=0.26, P=0.002), attitude toward behavior (r=0.18, P=0.038), perceived behavioral control (r=0.41, P<0.001), and intention (r=0.31, P<0.001). Multiple regression analysis identified perceived behavioral control (β=0.33, P=0.002) and intention (β=0.23, P=0.006) as significant predictors of compliance, explaining 19.1% of the variance (Adjusted R2=0.191). Perceived behavioral control and intention were identified as significant predictors of hand hygiene compliance. Interventions should not only enhance knowledge but also address structural and or-ganizational factors to strengthen caregivers’ perceived control and translate intention into practice.

This study examined the effects of a neuromuscular exercise program on knee joint alignment, pain, and static and dynamic balance in pa-tients with genu varum. Forty female patients aged 40–60 years with ra-diographically confirmed genu varum and a Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) score ≥18.0 were randomly assigned to either an exercise group (EG, n=20) or a control group (CG, n=20). The EG participated in a supervised neuromuscular exercise program 3 times per week for 12 weeks (60 min/session), while the CG maintained usual daily activities. Radiographic assessments included knee-to-knee length (KTKL), hip inclination angle (HIA), and medial proximal tibial an-gle (MPTA). Pain was evaluated using the SF-MPQ. Static and dynamic plantar pressure were measured using a pressure analysis system. Data were analyzed using two-way mixed analysis of variance to ex-amine interactions, with Bonferroni correction applied for post hoc analyses (P<0.05). Significant interactions were observed for KTKL, bi-lateral HIA, bilateral MPTA, and pain scores (all P<0.001). The EG demonstrated reductions in KTKL (-1.09 cm) and pain (-8.15), as well as increases in HIA (right: +1.56°, left: +1.39°) and MPTA (right: +1.11°, left: +0.89°), whereas the CG showed minimal changes. For balance out-comes, significant interactions were identified in selected static and dynamic balance measures (P<0.05), with post hoc analyses indicating improvements primarily in the EG. A 12-week neuromuscular exercise program may be beneficial for improving alignment-related measures, reducing pain, and enhancing selected balance outcomes in individuals with genu varum.

Differences in physical function, encompassing activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), and depression were evaluated across degrees of sarcopenic severity in older adults. A total of 236 participants (78.72±6.92 years), comprising 101 men and 135 women, were classified into four groups: no sarcopenia (23.7%), possible sarcopenia (26.3%), sarcopenia (28.0%), and severe sarcope-nia (22.0%). Sarcopenic measures included calf girth, grip strength, 5-time chair stand test, and appendicular skeletal muscle mass. Func-tional status was assessed using Barthel Index for ADL and Lawton & Brody index for IADL, while depression was measured using the Geriat-ric Depression Scale-15. All sarcopenic indices differed significantly between groups, with large effect sizes (η2=0.340–0.532). ADL and IADL declined with increasing sarcopenic severity, and after age and sex ad-justments, physical function (all P<0.001) and depressive symptoms re-mained significantly different across groups. Analysis of covariance showed that age was independently associated with ADL, IADL, and depression. The association between sarcopenia severity and ADL dif-fered by sex (P=0.011), whereas the relationships of sarcopenia severi-ty with IADL and depression were not influenced by sex. These findings suggest that greater sarcopenia severity is associated with poorer physical function and a higher burden of depressive symptoms. Howev-er, while the relationship between sarcopenia severity and ADL ap-pears to be influenced by sex, the associations of IADL and depression with sarcopenia severity seem to be largely driven by age rather than sex.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the efficiency of the high-intensi-ty exercise performances of professional players during matches. Thirty professional players competed in a total of 38 matches throughout the season. 1,558 sprint efforts were recorded and subsequently analyzed. The sprint efficiency assessment tool ensured good interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.892; 95% confidence interval, 0.883–0.901) and the validity of the analysis was confirmed by four experts with more than 20 years of experience in football. The total distance and low-intensity running were higher during the first half than during the second half of the season (P<0.01). The positions covering the greatest distances were full back and midfielder. High-intensity running (P<0.05) and sprinting (P<0.01) were higher during home matches than during away matches. The sprint efficiency was higher during the sec-ond half than during the first half of the season (P<0.05), but the maxi-mum velocity was higher during the first half of the season (P<0.01). Sprint efficiency was higher for the attack than for the defense and de-fensive transition situations (P<0.05). Higher duration, distance, and maximum velocity were observed for the excellent efficiency group than for the appropriate group (P<0.05). In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that the development of effective training programs to enhance high-intensity exercise performance, such as sprinting, re-quires consideration that goes beyond simply physical speed enhance-ment to encompass situational judgment, timing, path selection, and speed regulation in an integrated way.