Background The effect of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and peripheral vascular disease (PVD), which occurs with similar degenerative conditions, when seen together, has not been studied. The aim of this study is to examine and compare the relationship between pain, balance, disability, fear of falling, and kinesiophobia in LSS patients with intermittent vascular claudication (IVC). Methods Seventy-two patients diagnosed with LSS using magnetic resonance imaging participated in this study. Thirty-five patients with IVC symptoms and showing vascular lesions by lower extremity venous and arterial Doppler ultrasonography imaging were included in the IVC-LSS group. The pain, static balance, dynamic balance, disability, fear of falling, and kinesiophobia were evaluated using the numeric rating scale, single leg stance test, Time Up and Go (TUG), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Fall Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I), and Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK), respectively. Results Age and female sex were found to be higher in the IVC-LSS group ( P = 0.024; P = 0.012). The IVC-LSS group had a shorter single leg stance time and TUG test duration, pain intensity, ODI, FES-I, and TSK scores were higher than patients with LSS ( P = 0.001). Pain, fear of falling, and kinesiophobia were moderately correlated with disability in the IVC-LSS group. No relationship was found between pain and dynamic balance. Also, the pain was not related to kinesiophobia. Conclusions The findings indicated that IVC causes loss of balance and an increase in pain, disability, fear of falling, and kinesophobia in patients with LSS.

Objective Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes permanent problems, even mild severity. The long-term consequences of COVID-19 are still unknown. This study aimed to investigate physical activity levels, respiratory and peripheral muscle strength, and pulmonary function in the long term in young adult COVID-19 patients who recovered from mild disease. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out at least 6 months after the COVID-19 diagnosis, 54 patients with COVID-19 (median age: 20 years) and 46 controls (median age: 21 years) were compared. Functional status (post-COVID-19 functional status scale), respiratory (maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP, MEP)) and peripheral muscle strength (dynamometer), pulmonary function (Spirometry), dyspnea and fatigue (modified Borg scale), and physical activity levels (International Physical Activity Questionnaire) were evaluated. ClinicalTrial number: NCT05381714. Results Patients with COVID-19 measured and percent predicted MIP and MEP were statistically decreased compared with the controls ( p < 0.05). Shoulder abductors muscle strength ( p < 0.001) and the number of individuals with low physical activity levels were significantly higher in patients compared with controls ( p = 0.048). Pulmonary function, quadriceps muscle strength, exertional dyspnea, and fatigue scores were similar in groups ( p > 0.05). Conclusion Respiratory and peripheral muscle strength and physical activity levels are adversely affected in patients with COVID-19, even though the patients were mildly affected in the long term. Also, symptoms such as dyspnea and fatigue may persist. Therefore, these parameters should be evaluated in the long term, even in young adults who are mildly affected by COVID-19.

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This study aims to compare caffeine intake and physical activity levels in university students with severe and ineffective fatigue and examine the relationship between them. A total of 647 (F:527; M:120) university students were included in this cross-sectional study. Individuals' socio-demographic information, severity of fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS)), amount of caffeine intake and physical activity level (International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF)) were evaluated. It was determined that 56.5% of the university students (age: 21.21 ± 2.57) participating in the study had severe fatigue. Caffeine intake and physical activity level of students with severe fatigue were statistically significantly lower than those with ineffective fatigue ( p < 0.05). In addition, there was a weak negative correlation between fatigue and caffeine intake (r = −0.157; p < 0.001) and physical activity level (r = −0.096; p < 0.017). There was a significant positive correlation between caffeine intake and physical activity (r = 0.143; p < 0.001). This study showed that a significant portion of university students have severe fatigue. In addition, individuals with severe fatigue have decreased caffeine intake and lower physical activity levels. To reduce fatigue, caffeine intake in safe doses should be encouraged in accordance with the individual’s metabolic and physiological parameters. In addition, physical activity counseling should be given to encourage physical activity.

Bu çalışmanın amacı sporcularda D vitamininin fiziksel performans üzerindeki önemine dair yapılmış çalışmaların değerlendirilmesidir. Bu amaçla PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect veritabanlarında 'Vitamin D and athlete', 'Vitamin D and athlete health', 'Vitamin D and athlete performance' ve 'D vitamini ve sporcu' anahtar kelimeleri ile tarama yapılarak yayınlanan araştırmalar çalışmanın amacına uygun şekilde incelenmiştir. D vitamini yağda eriyen vitaminler grubunda olup aynı zamanda endojen olarak sentezlenebildiği için hormon ve hormon benzeri işlevlere sahip sterol türevidir. D vitamininin birincil kaynağı, ultraviyole B ışınını içeren güneş ışığıdır. Besinlerle alınan D vitamini yetersiz gelmektedir ve D vitamini eksikliği dünya çapında yaygın bir halk sağlığı sorunudur. D vitamini eksikliği kas-iskelet sistemi hastalıkları başta olmak üzere birçok sağlık problemi ile ilişkilendirilmektedir. Sporcularda yapılan araştırmalarda, D vitamininin fiziksel performans üzerindeki potansiyel ergojenik etkilerine odaklanılmıştır. Bu noktada kas dokusunda D vitamini reseptörünün bulunması önem taşımaktadır. Yapılan çalışmalarda D vitamini eksikliğinin, kuvvet kaybına yol açabileceği ve fiziksel performans ile olumsuz ilişkili olduğu tespit edilen tip II kas liflerinde dejenerasyona yol açabileceği bildirilmiştir. D vitamini takviyesinin D vitamini durumunu iyileştirdiği, kas kuvvetini artırdığı ve fiziksel aktivite seviyesinde artış sağladığı gösterilmiştir. Ancak yapılan çalışmaların büyük kısmı genel popülasyonda yürütülmüştür. Sporcularda D vitamini durumu ve fiziksel performans arasındaki ilişki az sayıda çalışma ile incelenmiştir. Sonuç olarak insan iskelet kası dokusunda kalsitriol etkisinin altında yatan mekanizmaları tam olarak karakterize etmek ve bu eylemlerin sporculardaki fiziksel performansı nasıl etkilediğini anlamak için daha fazla çalışma gereklidir.