Background:Nutritional intake is an important issue in adolescent athletes. Proper athletes’ performance is a multifactorial outcome of good training, body composition, and nutritional status. The aim of the present study was to assess nutritional status, body composition, and cardiometabolic factors in adolescent elite athlete's province of Isfahan, Iran.Materials and Methods:In this cross-sectional study, 100 adolescent elite athletes from volleyball, basketball, and soccer teams were selected for the study. Demographic, anthropometric, and cardiometabolic parameters were assessed. Nutritional intakes of participants were recorded using three 24-h recall questioners.Results:Thirty-four female athletes and 66 male athletes participated in this study. Body mass index had not significantly different between the sexes. Energy, protein, carbohydrate, iron, and fat intakes were significantly higher in male athletes (P = 0.02), but calcium and folic acid intakes were not significantly different between the sexes, and Vitamin D intake was significantly higher in females (P = 0.01). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was significantly higher in males (P = 0.04) and heart rate had not significantly different between the sexes (P = 0.09). Heart murmurs and heart sounds in the majority of participants were normal.Conclusion:All the evaluated anthropometric and cardiometabolic parameters were in normal range in the majority of participants. The results showed that dietary intake in these athletes is approximately normal but micronutrients intake status in these athletes needs to be investigated further and longer.

Background:Increasing of age cheating in sports makes problems to athletes comparable to taking illegal substances. Current method used by AFC and FIFA is applying MRI of growth plate of distal of radius to determine the bone age. This study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography in bone age determination by measuring the width of growth plate in distal of radius, and comparing it with identity documents.Materials and Methods:The study was conducted from September to December 2009 in the Department of Radiology at Al-Zahra University Hospital, Isfahan, Iran. Ultrasonography was done for 82 (15-20 years old) young professional football players and results were compared with identity documents (such as National ID card). Young football players were divided into three age categories: < 16 and > 16 years old, < 17 and > 17 years old, and < 18 and > 18 years old. Receiver Operator Characteristics (ROC) curves for discriminant values and sensitivity and specificity were analyzed.Results:Cut-off point was set for each group, based on the width of the growth plate, and negative test was defined as subjects < cut-off point, showing subjects over the defined age in each group. ROC curve analysis demonstrates consistently acceptable diagnostic sensitivity and specificity values in age determination of each group.Conclusions:The overall predictive accuracy of ultrasonography, as described by the area under the ROC curve, was high for determination of bone age. It has an acceptable sensitivity and specificity to use for determination of age in sport competitions, and has the capability to become the screening test for age determination, especially because it is inexpensive and without any risk of radiation. It seems to be comparable with MRI in age determination.

Introduction: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive disorder that mainly affects the central nervous system and, consequently, the patient's functional status. This study aimed to compare the effect of 8-week rebound therapy-based exercise program and weight-supported exercises on the range of motion, proprioception, and the quality of life in patients with PD. Methods: Twenty patients were randomly divided into two equal groups of weight-bearing exercises and rebound exercise with no significant differences in age, weight, and height. The variables of the range of motion, proprioception, and the quality of life were assessed in pre- and posttest. Data were analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA and t-test at a significant level of P < 0.05. Results: All of the variables in the two groups were significantly improved after 8 weeks of exercise, whereas the improvement rate in the rebound therapy group was more than the weight-bearing exercises group in range of motion (134.60 ± 13.22 vs. 118.38 ± 12.48), proprioception (7.60 ± 3.22 vs. 10.38 ± 2.48), and the quality of life (147.60 ± 13.22 vs. 118.38 ± 12.48) of the patients ( P < 0.001 for all variables). Conclusions: Given that both rebound and weight-supported exercises are effective on improving the range of motion, proprioception, and the quality of life of people with PD, it is recommended that the benefits of these exercises to be used in physical rehabilitation programs. However, rebound therapy exercises have had a greater effect on people with PD, and it seems better to use these exercises more than others.