Effects of Physical Exercise on Gross Motor Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Research shows many positive effects from physical exercise. The present study examined the impact of a structured physical exercise program compared to treatment as usual on the gross motor skills of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants included 20 children, from 4 to 7 years old, who were assigned to two groups; an experimental group (n = 10) who received a structured physical exercise program for 60-min sessions, three times a week for eight weeks, and a control group (n = 10) who received conventional physiotherapy. Gross motor skills were assessed with the Abbreviated Development Scale -3 before and after the physical exercise program. The experimental group exhibited significant improvements in gross motor skills compared to the control group. This study suggests that structured physical exercise programs can improve gross motor skills in children with ASD.

Mechatronic Design of a Prototype Orthosis to Support Elbow Joint Rehabilitation

Injuries in the elbow area, such as lateral and medial epicondylitis, are the leading causes of consultation with health specialists. Therefore, this research proposes the mechatronic design of an orthosis with a graphic interface that supports professionals in the rehabilitation of the elbow joint through the execution of flexion–extension and pronation–supination movements. For the development of the rehabilitation prototype, mechatronic design, co-design, and IDEF0 methodologies are used, performing activities such as actuator characterization, simulations, and modeling, among others. Through the execution of a case study in a real environment, the device was validated, where the results suggest a functional and workable prototype that supports the treatment of pathologies in the elbow area through the execution of the mentioned movements, supposing that this is a low-cost alternative with elements to improve, such as the industrial design and new functionalities. The developed proposal shows potential as an economical product that health professionals can use. However, some limitations related to the design and functionalities in the application domain were identified.

Effects of Physical Exercise on the Body Composition and Conditional Physical Capacities of School Children During Confinement by COVID-19

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the countries announced the temporary closure of schools, opting to continue classes virtually, affecting children's lifestyles, primarily by reducing the practice of physical activity and sport, which becomes a risk factor for the development of obesity and overweight. The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of physical exercise on body composition in a sample of school-age children during confinement by COVID-19. A quantitative approach study and quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test. The sample consisted of 70 school-age children from 8 to 12 years old who were randomly assigned to 2 groups: the experimental group (GE: 35), who received an aerobic and anaerobic physical exercise program 3 times a day. With a duration of 60 minutes for 10 weeks in a virtual way and a control group (CG: 35) that received only the physical education class. Although the pre-test post measurements showed favorable changes in body composition, weight, and conditional capacities (speed and jumping), these were not statistically significant (P < .05). A structured physical exercise program through virtuality for schoolchildren can be a strategy to control overweight and obesity in children during confinement and improve their conditional physical capacities (speed, jumping).

Healthy Lifestyles Associated With Socioeconomic Determinants in the Older Adult Population

Introduction/Objective:

The evaluation of lifestyle in older adults and the study of socioeconomic determinants becomes an essential indicator of the health conditions of older adults. The purpose of this study was to establish the relationship between socioeconomic factors and healthy lifestyles in older adults.

Methods:

Study with a quantitative approach, descriptive type, non-experimental design, cross-sectional in a sample of 407 elderlies who have applied a self-designed instrument for socioeconomic characterization and the FANTASTIC test to assess lifestyle. For data analysis, a bivariate analysis was applied using chi2 and multivariate analysis using ordinal logistic regression.

Results:

53% of elderlies aged between 60 and 70 years reported their lifestyle as excellent and very good. Age, average household income, and perceived health status are associated with healthy lifestyles in older adults.

Conclusions:

This study found that in addition to socioeconomic determinants, self-perceived health is a factor that influences the lifestyles of this population.

Ultrasound Elastography in the Assessment of the Stiffness of Spastic Muscles: A Systematic Review

The incidence of muscle spasticity is high in patients with diseases of the central nervous system. This condition leads to significant limitations in movement and impaired functional capacities. Muscle spasticity manifests as changes in the mechanical properties of the muscles. This muscle disorder is generally assessed using qualitative methods, whose validity, reliability and sensitivity are questionable. In recent years, ultrasound elastography (USE) has been used as a non-invasive technique for characterizing the stress response and mechanical properties of individual muscles in the evaluation of spasticity. This article presents a systematic review of the USE techniques, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) declaration guidelines, used for the evaluation of muscle stiffness caused by spasticity. The articles selected in this study were evaluated using the Quality Appraisal of Diagnostic Reliability (QAREL) tool. Mainly, studies on the assessment of spasticity involving the evaluation of muscle stiffness with USE techniques (i.e., shear-wave elastography [SWE] or compression elastography [CE]) were selected. Then, common topics related to the assessment of spastic muscles and the statistical results of these studies were classified. Of 21 articles, nine used only CE, 10 used only SWE and two used both techniques. In the studies, statistically significant differences were observed in the measurements of muscle stiffness between the paretic and non-paretic sides as well as between patients and healthy patients. The clinical measurements obtained, devices used and assessment and probe positions for both techniques were discussed. The most frequently studied muscles were the biceps (n = 7) and gastrocnemius (n = 11). On applying the QAREL tool, we found that only two studies showed compliance at 80%-90%, seven studies at 50%-70% and the remaining 12 at 10%-40%. The results showed that USE techniques have limitations in spasticity assessment, such as subjectivity because of the lack of standardized protocols. A deficit of studies on intra-operator and inter-operator measurements indicates that this technique is not yet mature for spasticity diagnosis, although it is a promising diagnostic tool for designing treatment plans and monitoring the effectiveness of therapeutic modalities.