درخت حوزه‌های تخصصی

Purpose: Sleep quality decreases with age, and as a result, sleep complaints are common in the elderly, especially for inactive people with Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between respiratory indices and sleep quality in active and inactive elderly women with Alzheimer's disease. Method: In this research, 24 elderly women with Alzheimer's disease (with an average age of 72.3±7.25 years, height 158.23±6.12 cm and weight 70.23±8.12 kg) voluntarily and after obtaining consent, they participated in two active (12 people) and inactive (12 people) groups. Respiratory indices were measured using a Micro Lab Spirometer. The Pittsburgh questionnaire was used to check sleep quality. Independent t-tests and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used to analyze the data. Results: The average score of sleep quality in the active group was significantly lower than the inactive group (p=0.013). Also, the parameters of expiratory volume with pressure in the first second (p=0.046), maximum voluntary ventilation (p=0.021), forced vital capacity (p=0.033), strong expiratory flow 25 to 75% in the active group was significantly higher than the inactive group. Conclusions: According to the results, it seems that sports activity can be an effective factor in improving the quality of sleep and the functioning of the respiratory system in patients with inactive Alzheimer's disease.

Purpose: Muscle flexibility is a component of physical fitness. Using traditional tools in muscle length evaluation tests creates challenges. Therefore, the use of smartphones and health-related software as an alternative method has become widespread. This study aimed to investigate smartphones' intra- and inter-rater reliability and validity for measuring hamstring muscle length. Method: In a blinded study design, two researchers measured hamstring flexibility through four types of tests on each of the 22 asymptomatic participants with a total of 44 lower limbs. The measurements were compared between the traditional goniometer method and the practical smartphone application method. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate the reliability of each smartphone measurement, and Bland-Altman analysis was used to check the measurement errors. The validity of the two methods was also investigated. Results: Intra- and inter-rater reliability (ICC≥0.8) were good to almost perfect. In intra-rater reliability, PSLR angle showed consistent imprecision; other tests were free of systematic error and measurement error. The inter-rater reliability revealed a constant error in the right leg's PKE angle. A good to excellent correlation (r = 0.817–0.699) was observed in all the measured values, indicating the two methods' validity. Conclusion: These findings support from intra- and inter-rater reliability and validity of both instruments when measuring hamstring muscle length.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the use of online sports programs became popular. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of eight weeks of online body balance program on anxiety, depression, and aggression of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Body balance is a sport based on yoga, tai chi, and Pilates. The present study was a semi-experimental and applied type of study. The participants of the present study were 30 volunteer children with ADHD who were divided into two experimental (15 people) and control (15 people) groups by random assignment method. Aggression, depression, and anxiety variables were evaluated by Bass and Perry questionnaire, Maria Kvas children's depression questionnaire, and Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale. The experimental group performed online body balance training for 8 weeks (3 sessions per week for 60 minutes) online, and the control group did their current activities. In order to investigate intra-group and inter-group differences, repeated measures ANOVA at the error level of 0.05 was used by SPSS software. The results showed there was significant difference in the average level of symptoms of depression, anxiety and aggression in the pre-test and post-test stages (P≤0.05), between the two control and experimental groups (P≤0.05) and the interaction effect of time and group (P≤0.05). The results of Tukey's test showed that there was a significant reduction of these symptoms between the two experimental and control groups in the variables of depression symptoms (-5.500), anxiety symptoms (-5.133) and aggression symptoms (-13.133). Based on the results of this research, eight weeks of body balance training reduced depression, aggression and anxiety symptoms in 7-9 year old children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Therefore, the improvement of mental disorders caused by this disease in children following the body balance exercise program emphasizes the importance of using this intervention method for children with ADHD.