Latest News and Research Highlights from ACSM
Newswise — If you're looking for new health and fitness story ideas, here are some highlights from ACSM programs and recently released research in ACSM’s flagship journal, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®. The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world.
Journalists are invited to the ACSM Annual Meeting and Research Conference
On May 29-June 2 in Minneapolis, more than 6000 sports medicine and exercise science professionals will attend the premier research event of the year: The American College of Sports Medicine’s 65th Annual Meeting, 9th World Congress on Exercise is Medicine and World Congress on the Basic Science of Muscle Hypertrophy and Atrophy.
If you’re looking for great stories, the latest research and trends, compelling speakers, subject matter experts and excellent networking opportunities, you won’t want to miss this event.
Registration is free for members of the media, and you’ll have access to hundreds of experts presenting at the meeting. To reserve your credentials and/or sign up for ACSM media alerts, please email [email protected]. We hope you will consider joining us in Minneapolis— follow #ACSM18 for the latest annual meeting news!
Even Moderate-Intensity Exercise May Help Burn Extra Calories for an Entire Day!
Previous research has shown that high- but not moderate-intensity exercise increases resting energy expenditure, but little is known about what exactly contributes to this process. In this study, 33 young women were evaluated by before and after 16 weeks of aerobic cycling exercise training. Their energy expenditure during and for twenty-three hours after exercise testing was accurately measured by keeping them in a carefully controlled whole-room calorimeter. The investigators found that energy expenditure is increased for at least twenty-two hours after completion of acute bouts of moderate (50 percent of peak) and high-intensity interval exercise (84 percent of peak); the average increases were +64 kilocalories per day and +103 kilocalories per day, respectively, for the two intensities! Contrary to other studies, caloric intake was adjusted to achieve energy balance. This design difference isolated the exercise effects on energy expenditure and may explain why other studies have not reported increased energy expenditure following moderate-intensity exercise. The researchers also found that increased stimulation of the fight or flight system and repair of muscle damage following exercise were the most likely factors leading to these increases in energy expenditure. Although the increase in energy expenditure the day following high-intensity exercise may be larger, it is important that even moderate-intensity exercise can promote this effect for up to a day after the exercise.
For more information, view the abstract or contact the investigator.
Maintaining Muscle Strength May Help Delay Sarcopenia and Increase Longevity
Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass and muscle strength – these losses may occur at different rates. It remained controversial whether muscle mass and strength were equally important as health indicators among older people. The investigators analyzed data from 4,449 older adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) – the did a study tracking the health and nutritional status of a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. Compared to those with normal muscle strength, older people with low muscle strength had more than twice the risk of death! This was the case, even when the study results were adjusted to control for other influential factors of age, sex, race, body mass index, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, education, leisure-time physical activity, sedentary time, and co-occurring diseases. Thus, low muscle strength may be a more reliable predictor of mortality than loss of muscle mass. These findings also may inform future health-enhancing programs to promote or maintain muscle strength to delay sarcopenia and increase longevity among older adults.
For more information, view the abstract or contact the investigator.
Can Tackle Technique Reduce Concussion Risk in Rugby Union?
Concussion is a growing problem in rugby union. Protective equipment and neck strength do not appear to reduce concussion risk. This indicates the importance of head impact prevention strategies. In this study, the investigators sought to identify tackle techniques that help prevent head impacts. Detailed analyses of videos were completed from professional rugby union games. A total of 74 cases were examined in which front-on and side-on tackles resulted in head impact and the player being removed from the game, without returning. Those tackles were compared against 233 cases in which there was no head impact and the player remained in the game. Many easily coachable tackle techniques were identified. These findings will help coaches develop head impact prevention strategies for players. The approach could also be used in football to find similar patterns.
For more information, view the abstract or contact the investigator.
Exercise Preserves Physical Function in Prostate Cancer Patients with Bone Metastases
Most patients with advanced prostate cancer will develop bone metastases (spreading of the cancer to bone) that results in significant morbidity, limited physical function and decreased quality of life. Many studies have investigated whether exercise in patients with prostate cancer may be helpful - excluding those with bone metastases – those with bone metastases have been regarded as potentially being at increased risk of skeletal fractures or exacerbation of bone pain, were they to follow an exercise regimen. Thus, international exercise oncology guidelines suggest that cancer patients, including those with bone metastases, should avoid inactivity. In this clinical trial, 57 prostate cancer patients with specific anatomic areas of bone metastases participated for three months in either a multifaceted supervised exercise program (28) or usual care (29). The exercise program included resistance, aerobic and flexibility training. The investigators found that the exercise intervention led to self-reported improvements in physical function and objectively-measured lower body muscle strength - no skeletal complications or increased bone pain were found. This was the largest study to evaluate the effects of exercise in prostate cancer patients with bone metastases or in any other cancer group with bone metastatic disease and as a result a paradigm shift in relation to exercise prescription for patients with advanced prostate cancer.
For more information, view the abstract or contact the investigator.
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