Purpose The study was designed to investigate the effects of 12 weeks of circuit training and L-tryptophan supplementation on physical fitness and metabolic syndrome. Methods Forty-one menopausal women were randomly assigned to one of three groups. i.e., combined circuit training and L-tryptophan supplementation group (CT+T: n=14), L-tryptophan supplementation group (T: n=14), and control group (CON: n=13). The subjects in CT+T exercised three sessions per week and took 3g of L-tryptophan per day for 12 weeks. The subjects in T took 3g of L-tryptophan per day for 12 weeks. The subjects in CON were asked to maintain their life pattern for the same period of intervention. Physical fitness and metabolic syndrome-related variables were measured at pre- and post-test. The data were compared by utilizing a repeated two-way ANOVA. Results Main results of the study were as follows: 1) Standing long jump, one leg standing with eyes closed, sit-and-reach, sit-up, and maximal oxygen uptake increased significantly in CT+T. 2) Body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio, fat mass, and percent body fat decreased significantly in CT+T. 3) Total cholesterol decreased significantly in CT+T. 4) Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting plasma insulin, and HOMA-IR decreased significantly in CT+T. FPG and HOMA-IR decreased significantly in T. 5) Systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and rate pressure product decreased significantly in CT+T. DBP and MAP decreased significantly in T. 6) Number of metabolic syndrome risk factors decreased significantly in CT+T and T. Conclusion It was concluded that the circuit training and L-tryptophan supplementation would have positive effects on physical fitness and metabolic syndrome, and that L-Tryptophan supplementation would have positive effects on metabolic syndrome by improving insulin resistance and hypertension in menopausal women.
Purpose This study was designed to examine the effects of a single corrective exercise (CEX) and corrective kinesio taping (CKT) on gait patterns, plantar pressure, balance, and pain in 20~30s female patients with moderate hallux valgus. Methods Twenty-one participants (age: 30.1±5.1 yrs; height: 164.1±4.8 cm; body weight: 56.7±6.8 kg; body mass index: 21.2±5.7 kg·m-2; hallux valgus angle: 27.2±6.1°) with hallux valgus was recruited and participated in three trials, i.e., CEX trial, CKT trial, and combined CEX and CKT (CEX+CKT) trial, repeatedly in a counter-balanced order. One week of wash-out period was placed between the trials to minimize the effect of the previous treatment on the next treatment. Variables related to gait pattern, plantar pressure, balance, and pain were measured during each treatment. We carried out repeated two way ANOVA on measured variables. Results 1) Regarding gait patterns, CEX treatment and CEX+CKT treatments showed significant increases in the length of patients strides, the single support line during the stance phase, and significant reduction of the cadence. 2) Regarding gait cycle, CEX treatment and CEX+CKT treatments showed significant reductions in the contact times of forefoot, midfoot, and heel. There was a significant reduction of double stance phase in CEX treatment. 3) Regarding foot pressure on gait, CEX+CKT treatments significantly increased the maximum pressure of midfoot and heel. CEX treatments significantly increased the maximum pressure of forefoot. 4) Regarding balance, CEX treatment and CKT treatments significantly increased one leg standing with eyes closed. 5) Pain was significantly reduced in CKT treatment and CEX+CKT treatments. Conclusions According to the aforementioned results, it was concluded that a single CKT treatment was effective in reducing pain when walking and that plantar pressure, gait pattern, gait cycle, and balance were improved through a single bout of CEX treatments. Therefore, treatments by stage, starting with CKT treatments to reduce the pain, and then treating CEX to improve the gait pattern, gait cycle, foot pressure when walking, and balance ability, would be effective. Future research is warranted to identify the effects of long-term treatments.
