Among female breast cancer survivors, there is a high prevalence of lymphedema subsequent to axillary lymph node dissection and axillary radiation therapy. There are many methodologies available for the screening, diagnosis and follow-up of breast cancer survivors with or without lymphedema, the most common of which is the measurement of patients’ arm circumference. The purpose of this study was to determine the intra-rater minimal detectable change (MDC) in the volume of the upper limb, both segmentally and globally, using circumference measurements for the evaluation of upper limb volume. In this study, 25 women who had received a unilateral mastectomy for breast cancer stage II or III participated. On two occasions separated by 15 min, the same researcher determined 11 perimeters for each arm at 4 cm intervals from the distal crease of the wrist in the direction of the armpit. The MDC at the segmental level ranged from 3.37% to 7.57% (2.7 to 14.6 mL, respectively) and was 2.39% (42.9 mL) at the global level of the arm; thus, minor changes in this value result in a high level of uncertainty in the interpretation of the results associated with the diagnosis of lymphedema and follow-up for presenting patients.

Background and Objectives: Multiple sclerosis (MS) tends to affect muscle performance, mainly in the lower extremities. The degree of disability is associated with the loss of strength and muscle mass, to varying extents. Muscle quality (MQ) expresses the amount of force produced relative to the activated muscle mass. The purpose of this study was to compare the MQ of the knee extensors in the main manifestations of strength (isometric, dynamic strength, and power) among patients with differing degrees of neurological disability and evolutionary forms of the disease. We also establish reference values for MQ in MS patients (pwMS). Materials and Methods: In total, 250 pwMS were evaluated according to the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). The maximum dynamic and isometric forces and muscle power manifested a load of 60% of the maximum dynamics of the knee extensors. The lean mass of the thigh and hip was determined by densitometry, and the MQ was calculated for the three types of force evaluated. Results: The pwMS with relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) presented isometric MQ values that were 15.8% better than those of pwMS with primary progressive MS (PPMS) and 13.8% better than those of pwMS with secondary progressive MS (SPMS). For pwMS with SPMS, the dynamic MQ was 16.7% worse than that of patients with RRMS, while the power MQ was 29.5% worse. By degree of disability (<4 >7.5 EDSS score), patients with better MQ had mild EDSS scores, and patients with severe EDSS scores had 24.8%, 25.9%, and 40.3% worse isometric, dynamic, and power MQ scores, respectively, than those with RRMS. Based on these results, reference values for MQ in pwMS were established. Conclusions: The pwMS with different types of MS do not show differences in lean mass or strength but do show differences in MQ. In pwMS with different EDSS grades, there are no differences in lean mass, but there are differences in strength based on MQ, especially power MQ.

The prescription of maximal dynamic strength training in both adults and children is based on the evaluation of maximum strength, usually by one-repetition maximum tests (1RM). This study examined the test-retest reliability and the minimal detectable change (MDC) of the maximal force test and muscle power test. Forty-eight children (9–14 years old) completed two test–retest sessions that involved a one-repetition maximum (1RM) test and a muscle power test for leg extension (LE) and seated bench press (SBP). The MDC values of the 1RM test in the LE and SBP tests ranged from 7.35 to 11.34 kg and 6.84 to 7.92 kg, respectively. The MDC values of the muscle power test in the LE and SBP ranged from 30.32 to 63.20 Watt and 22.65 to 29.53 Watt, respectively. In children 9 to 14 years old, the increase of maximum strength along the growth curve was different in each muscle group studied. The repeatability of the 1RM test of the SBP was excellent (ICC 0.974) and was better than that of the LE (ICC, 0.954). The MDC of the 1RM test evaluation was 19.56% in the LE and 12.93% in the SBP.

The objective was to determine the effect of the weights-free physical conditioning class on the conditional physical capacities of the curricular sport students at the University of Sonora. To accomplish this, two groups were made: an experimental group who completed the class and the control group who did not take the course. Conditional physical abilities of speed, flexibility, arm, leg and abdominal strength and endurance were evaluated, before and after the intervention (12 weeks with or without curricular program) through a battery of tests. The control group was constituted of 22 students (18.1 years old) and the experimental group of 19 students (19.4 years old). The assessed curricular program did not reduce significantly the weight and BMI of the stu-dents. However, it was effective in maintaining or improving all physical conditional capacities, especially abdominal strength, flexibility and speed. Students who did not attend the curricular class lost flexibility and displacement speed, while the other abilities remained unchanged. Therefore, attending the physical conditioning weights-free class of the curricular sport course from University of Sonora improves the conditional physical capacities of students.

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