This study investigated whether participation in an aquatic walking class (once a week, for twelve weeks) had an effect on middle-aged and elderly women, compared to no participation. The duration of the class exercise was 50 minutes under the guidance of a skilled instructor and the temperature of the water was 29 degrees centigrade. The heart rate (HR) was measured as an index of exercise intensity during rest, previous exercise and aquatic walking. Averages of % heart rate reserve (HRR) during exercise were 24–34%, so that the intensity of exercise was low or middle level. Emotional changes were evaluated between pre- and post-aquatic walking by the Mood Check List-Short Form 1. The scores for pleasantness and relaxation significantly increased post-compared to pre-exercise every time (P<0.001). The tests to evaluate the participants’ physical fitness for good walking were performed twice (the first and the last class). The scores related to good walking (maximal one step distance, one leg squat, BOSU balance test, 10 m walk time) in the 12th week improved compared to those from first week. The scores of walking self-efficacy in strong wind and on an icy surface in the 12th week were increased compared to the scores from the first week. No changes were observed in the control women group.

View full abstract

This study investigated whether the level of good walking, walking self-efficacy (SE) on winter roads, mental health and quality of life (QOL) improved through participation in an aquatic exercise class (twice a week, for twelve weeks) in elderly women. The subjects were 15 women who took part in the aquatic exercise class and 16 women in the control group (over 60 yrs old), all of whom agreed to cooperate in this study. The duration of each class was 60 minutes and was conducted under the guidance of a skilled instructor with a water temperature of 34 degrees centigrade. The body mass index (BMI) and percentage of body fat measured in the final class was significantly lower than at the first class in the exercise group. The tests to evaluate the subjects’ physical fitness for good walking, SE of walking on winter roads and falling in general, mental health pattern (MHP) and QOL measures were performed twice (the first and the final class). The scores of physical fitness related to good walking (standing on one leg with eyes open, BOSU balance score) of the final class were improved compared to the first class (P<0.05). The scores of walking SE on winter roads did not change in either group, but the SE scores for general falling were significantly increased at the last class compared to the first class in the exercise group (P=0.032). The stress scores of MHP did not increase in the exercise group, which indicates that participating in the aquatic exercise class was not stressful. In QOL measures, the scores of physical symptoms (P<0.001) and the mean of QOL (P=0.028) was significantly improved at the last class compared to the first class in the exercise group. Participation in an aquatic exercise class is suggested to be effective for promoting good walking, QOL and an active lifestyle.

View full abstract

This study was designed to clarify the effects of administration of black rice bran extracts and running training on the bone mineral density (BMD) and body compositions in the rats. After a week of stabilization, twenty male 5 weeks old Wister-Kyoto (WKY) rats were randomly divided into four groups: control non-exercise group (CN group, n=5); control exercise group (CE group, n=5); non-exercise group fed to black rice bran extracts (BN group, n=5) and exercise group fed to black rice bran extracts (BE group, n=5). CN and CE groups were fed only a standard diet (CE-2, Oriental yeast, Japan), and black rice bran extracts were added at level of 10% to the foods of BN and BE groups. All rats were allowed free access to tap water and to have same-volume-feeding in all groups. Running exercise training was performed running training on the treadmill at 23 m/min, 60 min/day, 5 days/week for 8 weeks. End of the experimental period, rats were sacrificed, blood was drawn and low limb bones and several organs were removed. The body weight and fat mass around kidney of BN group were approximately 8% and 57%, respectively, higher than those of CN group (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively). Femoral and tibial bone length of BN group were approximately 1.9% and 2.1%, respectively, longer than those of CN group (p<0.01, respectively) though BMD of each group showed similar levels. Examination of the hepatic function, such as serum GOT, TP, Alb, and LDH showed similar levels among either groups except for decrease of GPT in BN group (p<0.05). On the other hand, running exercise in both feeding administration increased BMD, BMC and bone weight compared with those of both non-exercise group (p<0.05, p<0.01 and p<0.01, respectively) while body fat mass and body weight were decreased (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively). These results suggest that prolonged black-rice administration might improve the growth including body weight and bone length in the rats, and the cooperative treatment of running training has more beneficial effects on BMD and body composition.

View full abstract

Excess increase in core temperature during exercise induces central fatigue and then impairs exercise performance. Thus, heat loss responses (sweating and skin blood flow responses) during exercise are very important for controlling core temperature within a limited range. This review focused on the characteristics of heat loss responses during exercise from a viewpoint of investigating non-thermoregulatory factors that are related to exercise, and relationship between these factors and heat loss responses. It has been clear that non-thermoregulatory factors affected sweating response from a study that showed sweating rate increases at the onset of dynamic exercise without changes in core and skin temperatures when a subject has sweated. On the other hand, skin blood flow is temporally decreased at the onset of the exercise. Also, these factors have an exercise-dependent effect for heat loss responses. Based on the studies that investigated the relationship between core temperature and heat loss responses associated with exercise and exercise intensity, exercise induces to change in slope for sweating, but exercise increases a threshold for skin vasodilation and exercise intensity decreases the slope for skin blood flow. It is suggested that non-thermoregulatory factors include central command, peripheral mechanisms activating the mechanosensitive and metabosensitive receptors in exercising muscle, baroreflex, osmoreflex, mental stress, and so on. These non-thermoregulatory factors affect totally the heat loss responses during dynamic exercise and induce to facilitate the sweating response while the factors inhibit the heat loss by altering the skin blood flow. Facilitating the sweating response during exercise by non-thermoregulatory factors may compensate the inhibition of heat loss by altered skin blood flow associated with keeping the exercised muscle blood flow. Moreover, there is an interaction between core temperature and non-thermoregulatory factors for controlling heat loss responses. The effects of non-thermoregulatory factors on heat loss responses are greater until core temperature trigger the thermoregulatory system. Once core temperature increased more during exercise, this temperature should primarily control heat loss compared with non-thermoregulatory factors. During dynamic exercise integrated non-thermoregulatory factors affect heat loss responses. Thus, we should have future study to understand characteristics of the heat loss responses from this integrated concept.

View full abstract