Physiologia

Background/Objectives: Hamstring injuries are highly prevalent in sports and often occur, particularly among recreational and professional athletes. Assessing eccentric hamstring strength is critical for injury prevention and rehabilitation, with isokinetic dynamometry being considered the gold standard. However, its accessibility is limited by cost and logistics. This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the My Jump Lab (version 4.0) mobile application in estimating eccentric peak torque in the break-point angle, compared with isokinetic dynamometry. Methods: Twenty-seven recreational athletes (twenty-six male, one female) were assessed bilaterally using the mobile application and isokinetic dynamometer, which is considered the gold standard for this type of strength assessment. Statistical analysis included Pearson’s correlation, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), coefficient of variation (CV), and Bland–Altman plots. Results: Results showed excellent inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.999; CV = 0.66%) for both smartphone application evaluators and good comparative validity and reliability (ICC ≈ 0.76 with confidence interval: 0.5367–0.876; p < 0.001 and r ≈ 0.705;) when comparing with isokinetic dynamometry. Conclusions: My Jump Lab is a mobile application which can provide a practical and accessible mean for monitoring eccentric hamstring strength in field settings. The app may serve as a feasible field-based alternative to laboratory dynamometry for eccentric strength monitoring.

Background/Objectives: Hypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, particularly in older adults, pharmacological therapy is effective, but side effects and limited adherence highlight the need for non-pharmacological alternatives. This study investigated the effects of a structured Bodypump (BoP) programme, a choreographed group-based resistance training intervention, on blood pressure (BP) and functional fitness in sedentary older adults with hypertension. Methods: Thirty-two participants (65.4 ± 7.7 years) diagnosed with hypertension were randomly allocated to a BoP group (n = 16) or a control group (CG) (n = 16). The intervention lasted 8-week and consisted of 3 supervised sessions per week. Resting systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) were measured using a validated automated device (Omron M3 Intellisense, HEM-7051-E), functional capacity was assessed with the Senior Fitness Test (SFT) battery. Results: After the intervention, BoP exhibited significant reductions in SBP (−24.4 ± 4.7 mmHg; p < 0.001) and DBP (−6.4 ± 2.7 mmHg; p = 0.025) compared to CG. BoP improved functional fitness, lower- and upper-body strength, aerobic endurance and agility (p < 0.05), with no changes in the CG. Conclusions: 8-week of BoP programme reduced BP and enhanced physical function in sedentary hypertensive older adults. Given its accessible, motivating and socially engaging format, BoP represents a promising non-pharmacological strategy for hypertension management and functional fitness of healthy ageing.

Background/Objectives: Osteoporosis is a global health issue characterized by decreased bone mineral density (BMD), which increases the risk of fractures in adulthood. Adolescence, particularly the pubertal stage, is a critical period for maximizing BMD, and physical activity is a key modifiable factor in this process. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of physical exercise interventions aimed at improving BMD in adolescents. Methods: The PRISMA methodology was applied, with searches conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus. Included studies involved participants aged 11 to 18 years, structured physical activity interventions, and valid methods for assessing bone quality. Studies that included supplementation, lacked sufficient intervention details, or had no comparison group were excluded. Results: A total of 1464 articles were identified, of which 17 met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The results suggest that strength training programs and impact activities (such as football, volleyball, plyometric exercises, or running) appear to show benefits for bone development compared to control groups or non-osteogenic activities. The combination of strength and impact may reduce the time required to achieve measurable improvements. Non-osteogenic activities such as swimming and cycling showed no benefits on their own but may be beneficial when combined with resistance or impact training. The qualitative analysis indicates a certain risk of bias across the studies included. Conclusions: Although available evidence indicates that exercise programs involving strength or impact activities of around 8 months in duration and with a frequency of three sessions per week can be beneficial, these recommendations should be interpreted with caution due to the heterogeneity and limited number of studies, as well as the low certainty of the evidence. The combination of strength and impact exercises seems to shorten the intervention time required to achieve measurable improvements to approximately 6 months. These interventions appear to be most effective during early and middle adolescence, but current data do not consistently support sex-related differences.