Browsing by Author "Tavares, Nuno"
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- Acute effects of dynamic stretching on knee joint position sense and dynamic balance in recreational runners: A randomized controlled trialPublication . Simões, Edgar; Tavares, Nuno; Saraiva, MarinaObjectives: Proprioception and dynamic balance are crucial elements of neuromuscular control during running, supporting movement precision and postural adjustments. Dynamic stretching is commonly used in warm-ups to enhance muscle activation and sensorimotor readiness, but its acute effects on proprioception and balance remain unclear. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Participants: Sixty-two healthy recreational runners (25–45 years; ≥20 km/week), randomly assigned to a Dynamic Stretching group (n = 31) or a control group performing light walking (n = 31). Main outcome measures: Joint position sense was assessed through active joint repositioning using 2D video analysis, with Absolute Angular Error, Relative Angular Error, and Variable Angular Error as outcomes. Balance was evaluated using the Y-Balance Test, including anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral reach directions, as well as a composite score. Results: The Dynamic Stretching group showed significant reductions in Absolute Angular Error (p < 0.05) and Variable Angular Error (p < 0.001), with a between-group difference in Relative Angular Error (p = 0.043). Both groups improved Y-Balance Test scores, but the Dynamic stretching group achieved significantly greater gains in posteromedial reach and Composite Score (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Dynamic stretching acutely improves proprioceptive accuracy and dynamic balance in recreational runners, supporting its inclusion in warm-up routines.
- Effect of Preventive Exercise Programs for Swimmer’s Shoulder Injury on Rotator Cuff Torque and Balance in Competitive Swimmers: A Randomized Controlled TrialPublication . Tavares, Nuno; Vilas-Boas, João Paulo; Castro, Maria AntónioBackground: Over the season, competitive swimmers experience a progressive imbalance in rotator cuff strength, predisposing them to a significant risk factor for a swimmer’s shoulder injury. Objectives: Verify the effectiveness of two 12-week preventive programs on the shoulder rotators’ peak torque and conventional/functional ratios. Design: A care provider- and participant-blinded, parallel, randomized controlled trial with three groups. Participants: Competitive swimmers aged 16 to 35 years with no prior clinical issues related to their shoulders. Interventions: Twice a week, over 12 weeks, the two experimental groups performed five exercises where the only difference was executing the program with weights or elastic bands, and the control group performed a sham intervention. Main outcome measures: The concentric and eccentric peak torque of the internal and external rotators of the dominant shoulder were assessed before and after the intervention using an isokinetic dynamometer Biodex System 3, at 60°/s, 120°/s, and 180°/s. Results: Among the experimental groups, only one test indicated a reduction (p ≤ 0.05) in rotator peak torque, while the control group showed a decrease (p ≤ 0.05) in five tests. Swimmers who completed the prevention programs demonstrated less imbalance in conventional/functional ratios than controls. Conclusions: Implementing a 12-week preventive program minimizes the progressive shoulder rotational imbalance over the season in competitive swimmers. Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT06552585.
- Electromyographic activity of shoulder muscles on two preventive exercise programmes for swimmer’s shoulder: elastic band versus weightPublication . Tavares, Nuno; Castro, Maria António; Vilas-Boas, João Paulo; Fong, DanielStrength programmes have shown good results in preventing swimmer’s shoulder. However, there aren’t studies based on electromyographic (EMG) analysis in these programmes. This study aims to compare an EMG activity of the middle trapezius (MT), lower trapezius (LT), infraspinatus (IS), serratus anterior (SA), and pectoralis major (PM) in two swimmer’s shoulder preventive programmes – one performed with elastic band and the other with weights. Twenty competitive swimmers performed two strength programmes consisting of five exercises each, while the analysis of EMG activity in MT, LT, IS, SA, and PM for each exercise was recorded. The superficial EMG was used to collect data at a sampling frequency of 1000 hz. The Paired Sample T-test or the Wilcoxon test was applied to compare EMG activity between programmes. The internal rotation at 90º (p < 0.001) and external rotation at 90º (p ≤ 0.01) exercises produced high myoelectric shoulder muscle activity with an elastic band. Conversely, scapular punches (p < 0.001) exercise has high shoulder EMG activity when performed with weights. Performing the same preventive exercise programme with two different instruments produces great variability in the myoelectric activity of the shoulder muscles.