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The objective of this study was to evaluate, in a group of Galician inmates, if there were variations in the levels of physical and mental health and anxiety-depressive symptomatology, depending on the sports' practice performed. The relationship between these constructs was also investigated. The sample was composed of 509 people deprived of liberty in prisons in the Autonomous Community of Galicia, Spain. A quantitative methodology was used, with the questionnaire as an information collection instrument, Student's t -tests, Pearson's correlation analysis and a stepwise regression analysis were carried out. The results indicated that those who performed physical activity during their stay in prison had higher levels of physical and mental health, as well as lower indicators of anxiety-depressive symptoms. People who did not practice sports showed a decrease in their perceived health levels when compared to those perceived in their pre-prison stage. A negative association was shown between perceived health levels and anxiety-depressive symptomatology. Perceived physical health, alone, explained 35% of the variance in perceived mental health. These results add to knowledge about the relationships between perceived health, anxiety-depressive symptoms and sports practice in the group of people deprived of liberty, highlighting the importance of promoting physical activity in penitentiary institutions.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological, chronic, inflammatory, and progressive disease with musculoskeletal problems and neurodegenerative disorders that causes worsening of the health status of patients. The aim of this study was to determine the level of depression in MS patients compared to a population of healthy subjects. The established sample size was 116 subjects matched with the same age, sex, and body mass index. The subjects were recruited from different multiple sclerosis associations and neurology clinics in different public health areas (case group n = 58) and healthy subjects from the same locality (control group n = 58). The scores and categories of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) in its Spanish version were collected. There was a clear statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in the BDI scores between both groups. As a result, we found that the subjects with MS presented worse results with BDI = 9.52 ± 7.70 points compared to the healthy subjects with a BDI score = 5.03 ± 5.14. Within the BDI categories, there were statistically significant differences (p < 0.001), which were greater for the MS group. Depression is a dangerous factor for MS patients, being a trigger for a poorer quality of life.

The objective of this investigation was to describe the work engagement perceived by UK workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. The sample included 1085 participants, aged 18 years and older, living in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic, who were active workers. Data were collected using an online questionnaire and the UWES-9. They were analysed using descriptive statistics, a t -test for equality of means or ANOVA, and the Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection method. The mean value in the UWES-9 was 3.46 (SD = 1.11). Participants with lower satisfaction (21.8%) gave significantly low or very low UWES-9 scores in 58.5% of the cases. Greater work engagement was obtained with more resources and less conflict, risk, and stress. In cases where there had been contact with COVID-19, this was associated with slightly lower levels of work engagement. These results could motivate and guide companies to adopt risk prevention measures and protocols to return to normal working conditions after the initial crisis phase of the pandemic.

Background: Harderness insoles decrease plantar pressure and reduce the foot injury incidence in sport. The purpose of our study was to analyze the plantar pressure variation in moto riders after riding in a real speed circuit with a custom foot 52 0 Shore EVA insole., Methods: A crossover randomized trial study was performed (consent no. #050520165316). Riders were assessed by an expert motorsport senior podiatry. The participants' mean age was 35 ± 3.29. Participants completed a 20 min training riding with their own motorcycle in a real speed circuit. Plantar pressures were registered with a baropodometric platform evaluating an Ethyl Vinyl Acetate custom foot insole (CFI) manufactured with 3 mm thickness and 52° Shore A hardness. The Plantar pressures were registered before riding, after riding without EVA insole, and after riding with EVA insole., Results: Total Plantar pressures in right and left foot, and total surface area decrease after riding with EVA insoles., Conclusion: The use of an EVA insole with 52 0 shore A hardness riding on a motorcycle in speed circuit decreased the total plantar pressures and surface areas values.

Objective: The primary aim of the present study was to compare the echo intensity (EI) and echovariation (EV) of the intrinsic foot muscles (IFMs) between individuals with and without plantar fasciitis (PF), using ultrasound imaging. The secondary objective was to study the intra-rater reliability of the echotexture variables. Methods: A case−control study was conducted with 64 participants, who were divided into the following two groups: A, the PF group (n = 32); B, the healthy group (n = 32). Results: The comparison between the two groups did not identify significant differences (p > 0.05) between the flexor hallucis brevis (FHB), flexor digitorum brevis (FDB), quadratus plantae (QP) and abductor hallucis brevis (AHB) variables for the EI and EV. Moreover, excellent intra-rater reliability was reported for the following ultrasound imaging EI variables: ABH (ICC = 0.951), FHB (ICC = 0.949), FDB (ICC = 0.981) and QP (ICC = 0.984). Conclusions: The muscle quality assessment using the EI and EV variables did not identify differences in the FHB, FDB, AHB and QP muscles between individuals with and without PF through USI evaluation. The reliability of all the IFM measurements was reported to be excellent.

Background: The effect of Leg-Length Discrepancy (LLD) on dynamic gait parameters has been extensively discussed. Podobarography is the study of foot-to-ground pressure distribution. It has been used to test plantar footprint deviations that could reveal pathology., Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the effects of simulated LLD on dynamic gait parameters measured with a pressure platform in healthy subjects., Methods: Thirty-seven healthy subjects participated in observational cross-sectional research. A procedure was performed to capture the dynamic parameters of each participant under five different simulated LLD conditions. Support time, mean pressure, and peak pressure measures were registered on three trials for each foot and LLD level per session. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) test for repeated measures was performed to check for differences between the different simulated LLD levels., Results: The stance time of the short leg had no significant changes. The stance time of the long leg increased by 3.51% ( p < 0.001), mean pressure of the short leg increased by 1.23% ( p = 0.005), and decreased by 5.89% in the long leg ( p < 0.001). Peak pressure of the short leg decreased by 2.58% ( p = 0.031) and the long leg decreased by 12.11% ( p < 0.001)., Conclusions: This study demonstrates that increasing LLD causes an asymmetrical foot-loading pattern, with decreased mean and peak pressure on the longer limb, and consequently an overload on the short side. Furthermore, an increasing LLD causes increased stance time on the long leg.

Objective: M-mode ultrasound imaging (US) reflects the motion of connective tissue within muscles. The objectives of this study were to evaluate inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of soleus muscle measurements between examiners with different levels of US experience in asymptomatic subjects and to investigate the level of soleus muscle isometric activity in two positions (knee extended and knee flexed at 30°)., Methods: Thirty volunteers without a history of ankle pain were evaluated with US examinations of the soleus muscle. Each muscle was scanned independently by two evaluators. Muscle at rest thickness, maximal isometric contraction thickness, time and velocity measures were detailed and blinded to the other examiner., Results: Intra- and inter-rater reliability at rest, in maximal isometric contraction thickness, contraction time and contraction velocity measures for both positions (extended and flexed knee) were reported from good to excellent for all outcome measurements. The position with the knee extended reported a statistically significant increase in thickness after motion showing 1.33 ± 0.27 mm for measurements at rest thickness with knee extended versus 1.50 ± 0.29 mm for measurements at end thickness with the knee in flexed position ( p = 0.001), as well as 1.31 ± 0.23 mm for rest thickness with the knee in flexed position measurements with respect to 1.34 ± 0.24 mm for maximal isometric contraction thickness with extended knee measurements ( p = 0.058)., Conclusions: This study found that intra- and inter-examiner reliability of M-mode ultrasound imaging of the soleus muscle was excellent in asymptomatic subjects and the soleus muscle activity was different between the position with the knee extended and the position with the knee flexed.