Browsing by Author "Filgueiras, Ernesto"
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- Effects of sleeping position on back pain in physically active seniors: A controlled pilot studyPublication . Desouzart, Gustavo; Matos, Rui; Melo, Filipe; Filgueiras, ErnestoBACKGROUND: The increase in life expectancy of elderly population has aroused the interest of different knowledge areas in understanding the variables that are involved in the aging process, linking them to other concepts such as active aging, healthy aging and the bio-psycho-social changes. OBJECTIVE: This paper presents the results of the first controlled, experimental pilot study that aimed to analyze the relationship between the perception of back pain and the sleeping position adopted by physically active female seniors. METHODS: Twenty female seniors (mean age 62.70 ± 3.827) participated in this study. The individuals were separated in 2 groups (Experimental and Control Group). For the carrying out of this study, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to measure the intensity of back pain in the spine before and after four consecutive weeks an Intervention program. Individuals in the Experimental Group were instructed regarding the recommended way to sleep position (Intervention program) according to the pathological problems or the amount of pain reported. RESULTS: The Experimental Group (N= 10) presented significantly (p = 0.009) fewer complaints of back pain after an Intervention program in comparison to individuals who did not receive this type of information (Control Group).
- Influence of Postural Intervention During the Sleep Period on Back Pain, Quality of Life and Sleep Quality in Young AdultsPublication . Desouzart, Gustavo; Filgueiras, Ernesto; Matos, RuiHuman health may have several problems that occur when sleep disturbances are verified, causing a loss in the quality of life, autonomic dysfunction and decreased professional or academic performance. Objective: The aim is check if the ergonomic intervention can mean positive changes in the indices of back pain (BP) complains, quality of life (QOL) and sleep quality (SQ) in young adults. Methods: A sample of 21,560 observations (595 sleep hours) of 24 young adults (12 male military and 12 female undergraduate) were separated in three groups (Experimental [EG], Placebo [PG] and Control [CG]). The sleep behavior was classified into two Interaction Categories according to the iSEE methodology observation. For the carrying out, the Visual Analogue Scale, the abbreviated questionnaire of World Health Organization on quality of life and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used before and after an ergonomic intervention program by physiotherapy. Results: EG improved self-perception of SQ (p = 0.008), QOL (p = 0.000), reduce the level of BP (p = 0.001) and change for an ideal posture while sleeping. Conclusion: The findings of this study allow us to suggest to health care professionals, in particular the rehabilitation professionals, new strategies for ergonomic postural behavior.
- Postural Education: Correlation Between Postural Habits and Musculoskeletal Pain in School Age ChildrenPublication . Desouzart, Gustavo; Filgueiras, Ernesto; Matos, Rui; Dagge, RicardoThe best way to avoid poor postural habits, is to teach children good postural behaviors for performing their everyday life activities (Verderi in Programa de educação postural, 2011 [1]). Despite the existence of specific programs, intended for children’s self-body consciousness improvement, Physical Education curricula lack this type of exercises (Braccialli and Vilarta in Revista paulista de Educação Física 14: 159–171, 2000 [2]; Costa and Freire in Estudo dos exercícios físicos voltados para correções das alterações posturais, 2004 [3]; Ramos and Rodrigues in EFDeportes.com, 2013 [4]). Attended by 220 students, with ages between 10 and 15 years old, this study applied a technique (Corlett and Bishop in Ergonomics 19:175–182, 1976 [5]) for assessing postural discomfort, and an informal questionnaire (Carmo et al. in Metodologia da Investigação – Guia da Auto-aprendizagem, 1998 [6]; Rebolho in da educação postural nas mudanças de hábitos em escolares da 1ª a 4ª séries do ensino fundamental, 2005 [7]), to fully understand pain and postural discomfort felt by Portuguese school age children. Results showed: a significant direct correlation between the time, and the perceived intensity of pain felt, for chronicle and acute pain; regarding postural habits, 88.5 % of subjects presented some kind of inadequate postures, perceiving significantly higher pain. Major findings, allow us to raise the awareness for postural education programs introduction in Physical Education curricula, since they could influence children’s physical health.
- Understanding the Interaction of Design Students with Portable Computers in the ClassroomPublication . Lavin, Luís; Filgueiras, Ernesto; Figueiredo, Carlos; Desouzart, GustavoLaptop computers are an indispensable tool for the learning of Product Design. However the universities classrooms are not adapted to the new technological evolutions and working processes. The main objectives of this study were to analyze the human-computer interaction in Product Design classrooms, by observing the users, the work activity and the environment, to understand the current demands for the use of laptop computers, and to observe current patterns of student interaction, and their needs. Data were gathered and analyzed from a set of classrooms in a Portuguese university using the following methodologies: free observation; systematic indirect observation through video recording and analysis; and student survey. The results show that 56.5% of the study participants use information systems in the classroom, of these, 90% use laptop computers, and use this devices individually. In general, about 52% of the records indicate that in the classroom the information systems were used by less than 50% of the class students. This study results can promote: (a) the development of a set of data and information that can assist designers and other professionals in the product creation process; (b) the awareness of the universities to the need to modernize the spaces, furniture, and equipment, and to adapt them to the new processes of work and to the new student-computer interactional behaviors.