Introduction:The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between resting blood pressure (BP), smoking, physical activity (PA) and body mass index (BMI) in Greek young adults.Materials and Methodology:A standardised questionnaire and the Greek version of IPAQ-short were given to 1500 randomly selected health science students, in order to record smoking behaviour, PA status, BMI and resting BP. All healthy young adults aged 19-30 years old were eligible. The final size of the study cohort was 1249 students (522 men).Results:Males’ BP was 129.2/77.0 mmHg, significantly higher than the females’ values of 119.9/73.4 mmHg. Approximately 17% of the total population were classified as overweight and 3% as obese. In the overall population, smoking prevalence was 35.2%, with 15.3% being heavy smokers (≥21 cigs/d). Smoking prevalence did not differ significantly between sexes. The prevalence of health-enhancing PA (high PAclass) was only 14.0%, while 42.8% of the study population were classified as insufficiently active (low PAclass). Of the three lifestyle risk factors examined, only BMI was significantly and directly associated with systolic and diastolic BP levels. The prevalence of hypertension (≥140/90 mmHg) was significantly higher in men compared to women, and in obese and overweight participants compared to normal-weight subjects. Smoking and categorical PA (PAclass) were not correlated with BP. Continuous vigorous PAscore was significantly and directly associated with systolic BP, but only in males.Conclusion:BMI was significantly and directly associated with resting BP in both sexes. Smoking prevalence and PA status were not associated with BP in this sample of Greek young adults.

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The Rolimeter device can provide measurements of anterior/posterior tibial displacement using maximal manual force. The Rolimeter reliability is still under research when used as an independent knee tester. The purpose of this study is to determine the inter-rater reliability of the Rolimeter measurements between anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injured and normal contra lateral knees. Twelve male patients with ACL deficiency participated in this study. Three physical therapists (PT) performed the Rolimeter measurements in supine position with an approximate 25 degrees flexion of the knees. Each therapist performed three trials on each knee and the difference in results in millimeters between injured knee and normal contra lateral knee was determined. Spearman's rho correlations showed weak relationships between the PT 1, 3 and 2, 3 (PT 1 vs. PT 3 r=0.55, PT 2 vs. PT 3 r=0.57) and the high relation between 1, 2 (PT 1 vs. PT 2 r=0.96) of Rolimeter measurements. Intraclass correlation coefficient showed no significant reliability coefficients among the three PT Rolimeter measurements between ACL injured and normal contra lateral knees (R=0.24, p=0.05). These results reflect the variations among the means of the three physical therapists' Rolimeter measurements between ACL injured and normal contra lateral knees.

BackgroundAnterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury or reconstruction can cause knee impairments and disability. Knee impairments are related to quadriceps performance – accelerated reaction time (ART) – and disability to performance of daily living activities which is assessed by questionnaires such as the Lysholm knee score. The purposes of this study were to investigate the effect of cross exercise, as supplementary rehabilitation to the early phase of ACL reconstruction: a) on quadriceps ART at the angles 45°, 60° and 90° of knee flexion and, b) on the subjective scores of disability in ACL reconstructed patients.Methods42 patients who underwent ACL reconstruction were randomly divided into 3 groups, two experimental and one control. All groups followed the same rehabilitation program. The experimental groups followed 8 weeks of cross eccentric exercise (CEE) on the uninjured knee; 3 d/w, and 5 d/w respectively.Quadriceps ART was measured at 45°, 60° and 90° of knee flexion pre and nine weeks post-operatively using an isokinetic dynamometer. Patients also completed pre and post operatively the Lysholm questionnaire whereby subjective scores were recorded.ResultsTwo factor ANOVA showed significant differences in ART at 90° among the groups (F = 4.29, p = 0.02, p < 0.05). Post hoc Tukey HSD analysis determined that the significant results arose from the first experimental group in comparison to the control (D = -0.83, p = 0.01). No significant differences were revealed at 45° and 60°.Significant differences were also found in the Lysholm score among the groups (F = 4.75, p = 0.01, p < 0.05). Post hoc analysis determined that the above significant results arose from the first experimental group in comparison with the control (D = 7.5, p < 0.01) and from the second experimental in comparison with the control (D = 3.78, p = 0.03).ConclusionCEE showed improvements on quadriceps ART at 90° at a sequence of 3 d/w and in the Lysholm score at a sequence of 3 d/w and 5 d/w respectively on ACL reconstructed patients.

This study was aimed to compare the effects of three soft tissue treatments in different parts of the myofascial lateral line (LL) on the hip adduction range of motion (ROM). [Participants and Methods] Thirty university students received Ergon ® instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) treatment, foam rolling, and static stretching on the upper or lower part of the LL on the side of their non-dominant lower limb, while the other body side served as control. The participants received one treatment per week for six weeks with a simultaneous pre-and post-therapy assessment of their hip adduction ROM. [Results] The hip adduction ROM was improved on the intervention side in all experimental groups. The gains were more significant in groups that received the Ergon treatment. All Ergon interventions, as well as foam rolling on the upper part of the LL, led to the greatest hip adduction ROM improvement compared to the control side. No differences were observed between the Ergon groups. [Conclusion] The findings suggest that the implementation of Ergon IASTM, foam rolling, and stretching can produce positive effects on the hip ROM. The Ergon Technique is more effective compared to foam rolling and stretching, irrespective of the application site.