Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports
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Scand J Med Sci Sports · Jul 2021
Randomized Controlled TrialEffects of physical and cognitive training on gait speed and cognition in older adults: A randomized controlled trial.
Gait speed is a measure of health and functioning. Physical and cognitive determinants of gait are amenable to interventions, but best practices remain unclear. We investigated the effects of a 12-month physical and cognitive training (PTCT) on gait speed, dual-task cost in gait speed, and executive functions (EFs) compared with physical training (PT) (ISRCTN52388040). ⋯ Stroop improvement was greater after PTCT than PT (-6.9; -13.0, -0.8). Complementing physical training with EFs training is not essential for promotion of gait speed. For EF's, complementing physical training with targeted cognitive training provides additional benefit.
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Scand J Med Sci Sports · Aug 2019
Randomized Controlled TrialHigh volume injection with and without corticosteroid in chronic midportion achilles tendinopathy.
High volume injection (HVI) shows promising results in the treatment of chronic midportion Achilles tendinopathy (AT). HVI consists of a large volume of saline with a small amount of corticosteroid and local anesthetic. ⋯ High volume injection with or without corticosteroid in combination with eccentric training seems effective in AT. HVI with corticosteroid showed a better short-term improvement than HVI without corticosteroid indicating a short-term effect of corticosteroid in HVI treatment of AT.
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Scand J Med Sci Sports · Feb 2018
Randomized Controlled TrialThe power of competence support: The impact of coaches and athlete leaders on intrinsic motivation and performance.
Grounded in the Cognitive Evaluation Theory, a mini-theory of Self-Determination Theory, this experimental field study sought to examine the impact of competence support of both coaches and athlete leaders on athletes' competence satisfaction, intrinsic motivation, and subjective as well as objective performance. Male basketball players (N = 120) were allocated to groups of 5 players. These groups were then randomly assigned to a control group or to 1 of 3 experimental conditions. ⋯ Furthermore, structural equation modeling revealed that players' competence satisfaction mediated the relationship between the provided competence support and players' intrinsic motivation, while a direct effect was observed on objective performance. In conclusion, the study findings indicate that also athlete leaders can adopt a motivating role, and that by doing so, their impact is as strong as the impact of the coach. Both coaches and athlete leaders can thus boost athletes' objective performance and foster competence satisfaction, with the latter resulting in increased intrinsic motivation.
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Scand J Med Sci Sports · Jul 2016
Randomized Controlled TrialRecovery of calf muscle endurance 3 months after an Achilles tendon rupture.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate calf muscle endurance in a seated position 3 months after an Achilles tendon rupture and to evaluate how the ability to perform standardized seated heel-rises correlated to the single-leg standing heel-rise test and to patient-reported symptoms evaluated with the Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS) 3 and 6 months after the injury. Ninety-three patients were included from a cohort of 101 patients participating in a prospective, randomized controlled trial comparing surgical and nonsurgical treatment after Achilles tendon rupture. Forty-seven patients were treated surgically and 46 nonsurgically. ⋯ There were also significant correlations (r = 0.29-0.37, P = < 0.05) between the standardized seated heel-rises and ATRS 3 and 6 months after injury in the group who could not perform single-leg standing heel-rises. There were no significant differences between the surgical and nonsurgical treatment groups. The evaluation of standardized seated heel-rises appears to be a useful tool to quantify progress and predict future functional performance and patient-reported symptoms.
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Scand J Med Sci Sports · Jun 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyHigh-load strength training improves outcome in patients with plantar fasciitis: A randomized controlled trial with 12-month follow-up.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of shoe inserts and plantar fascia-specific stretching vs shoe inserts and high-load strength training in patients with plantar fasciitis. Forty-eight patients with ultrasonography-verified plantar fasciitis were randomized to shoe inserts and daily plantar-specific stretching (the stretch group) or shoe inserts and high-load progressive strength training (the strength group) performed every second day. High-load strength training consisted of unilateral heel raises with a towel inserted under the toes. ⋯ There were no differences in any of the secondary outcomes. A simple progressive exercise protocol, performed every second day, resulted in superior self-reported outcome after 3 months compared with plantar-specific stretching. High-load strength training may aid in a quicker reduction in pain and improvements in function.