The efficiency of medical exercise therapy and conventional physiotherapy is shown. Leaving patients with chronic low back pain untampered poses a risk of worsening the disability, resulting in longer periods of sick leave.

Maximal aerobic power of 37 athletes (14 females and ten male cross-country skiers, eight male rowers and five male cyclists) was determined during uphill running on the treadmill and during maximal performance of their specific sport activity. For the skiers a significantly (P less than 0.005) higher VO2max was found during uphill skiing than during running, the differences being 2.9 and 3.1% for the females and males, respectively. The rowers and cyclists obtained a difference of 4.2 and 5.6%, respectively (P less than 0.01). The largest individual differences between the two test procedures were 12.2, 5.4, 14.3, and 7.9% for female and male cross-country skiers, rowers, and cyclists, respectively. It is concluded that in evaluation of maximal aerobic power of atheletes, it becomes important to select a work situation which allows optimal use of the specifically trained muscle fibres. This means that the test preferably should be identical with the subjects' specific sport activity, under the assumption that a reasonably large muscle mass is engaged during the performance.

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BackgroundThe aim of the present study was to compare the effects of 10 weeks resistance training in combination with either a regular diet (Ex) or a low carbohydrate, ketogenic diet (Lc+Ex) in overweight women on body weight and body composition.Methods18 untrained women between 20 and 40 years with BMI ≥ 25 kg*m-2 were randomly assigned into the Ex or Lc+Ex group. Both groups performed 60-100 min of varied resistance exercise twice weekly. Dietary estimates were based on two 4-day weighed records. Body composition was estimated using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for total-, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerols, and glucose.Results16 subjects were included in the analyses. Percentage of energy (En%) from carbohydrates, fat and protein was 6, 66, and 22 respectively in the (Lc+Ex) group and 41, 34, 17 in the Ex group. Mean weight change (pre-post) was -5.6 ± 2.6 kg in Lc+Ex; (p < 0.001) and 0.8 ± 1.5 kg in Ex; (p = 0.175). The Lc+Ex group lost 5.6 ± 2.9 kg of fat mass (p = 0.001) with no significant change in lean body mass (LBM), while the Ex group gained 1.6 ± 1.8 kg of LBM (p = 0.045) with no significant change in fat mass (p = 0.059). Fasting blood lipids and blood glucose were not significantly affected by the interventions.ConclusionResistance exercise in combination with a ketogenic diet may reduce body fat without significantly changing LBM, while resistance exercise on a regular diet may increase LBM in without significantly affecting fat mass. Fasting blood lipids do not seem to be negatively influenced by the combination of resistance exercise and a low carbohydrate diet.

Aim of the present study was to evaluate 24 h electrocardiographic recording in 30 top athletes, 30 athletic students and 30 sedentary control subjects. Each group consisted of 15 males and 15 females and were matched for age (about 24 years). Training was not allowed during the recording. Top athletes had the lowest diurnal and nocturnal heart rate, but the difference between top athletes and athletic students was far less pronounced than between athletic students and controls. This may indicate that bradycardia reaches a lower limit with moderate degrees of training. Atrioventricular (AV) block II was found in 3 top athletes and 4 athletic students and in none of the subjects, the longest pause being 2.4 s in both athletic groups. Most episodes occurred during night and nearly all were Mobitz type I. In all cases of AV block II the QRS complexes were narrow and AV block III did not occur. SA block was found in 3 top athletes, 1 athletic student and 1 control subject, the longest pause being 3.1, 2.9 and 1.9 s, respectively. Ventricular premature beats were rare in all groups and complex ventricular arrhythmias were not found. Half of the subjects were in Lown class 0, the other half in Lown class 1. Supraventricular premature beats were also scarce and most frequent in top athletes, followed by athletic students and sedentary controls (2.0, 1.0, 0.7 beats/h, respectively).