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Aim: This study aimed to investigate the neuromuscular adaptation following a 5-week high frequency and low amplitude whole body vibration (WBV) exercise training., Methods: The study is a prospective, double blind, randomized controlled intervention design with a total of 19 subjects volunteered to participate in the study. They were randomly assigned either to WBV exercise training or control group. Both groups participated in a 5-week training program. The intervention group received WBV in semi-squat position on a device with an amplitude of 0.76 mm, frequency of 40Hz, and peak acceleration of 23.9 m/s2. Each vibration training session consisted of 6 series of 60s on with 30s rest period in between. The control group underwent the same statically mini-squatting position without exposure to WBV. The effectiveness of the vibration program was evaluated by vertical jump test and the isokinetic knee extensor peak torque. The possible neural factors that contributed to the improved muscular performance were evaluated by the stretch induced knee jerk reflex., Results: WBV training significantly enhanced the isokinetic knee extensor peak torque performance. Two-way mixed repeated measures analysis of variance revealed significant time effect of the changes in the peak torque (P=0.043) and the effect was significantly different between the intervention and control group (P=0.042). WBV did not affect vertical jump height, reflex latency of VL, EMGVL, and knee jerk angle., Conclusion: The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that the improvement in the muscular performance when subjects exposed to WBV training is attributed by neuromuscular efficiency via modulation of the muscle spindle sensitivity.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine different variables leading to a successful completion of a 100-km ultradistance team event., Methods: Regular physical activity patterns, self-perceptions of fitness level and physical fitness profile were determined in subjects (n=253) registered for Trailwalker 2000. The battery of fitness tests included cardiopulmonary fitness, flexibility, muscular strength, muscular endurance and body fat composition., Results: The physical fitness data reveals that the subjects in this study have an above average fitness level compared with the norm. There was association of self-perceived fitness with physical fitness parameters (P=0) and significant correlation of the total fitness score with the completion time (P=0.02). More importantly, the team member with the lowest fitness total score was correlated with the finish time at the event (P=0). Logistic regression model identified that total fitness score and years of experience in Trailwalker were predictive of a successful completion in the event (r=0.37; P=0.007). However, the low variance suggested that the selected physical fitness tests have low prediction sensitivity to characterize the specific population in the study., Conclusions: There is a strong need to determine a combination of physical fitness tests that could accurately predict the performance of participants in the Trailwalker event.

Background: To investigate if the characteristics and training profiles of runners are significant indicators to predict a successful completion of a marathon., Experimental Design: comparative investigation between two groups of runners at a marathon race., Setting: participants of the study came from the 1998 Standard Chartered New Airport International Marathon in Hong Kong., Participants: 113 runners were investigated, of which 58 runners dropped out at the first 10 km of the race, while the other 55 were those that consulted for physiotherapy service after the marathon., Measures: using questionnaire, the characteristics and the training profiles of these runners were obtained. These included weekly training distance, longest and shortest training distance per session in one week; warm-up and stretching exercise with the training sessions, number of marathons previously finished and the runners' opinion of optimal training mileage to complete a marathon., Results: Independent t-tests with Bonferroni adjustment were used to investigate the difference between the two groups, the results showed significant difference in the weekly training distance (p=0.00), longest and shortest training distance per week (p=0.00), and personal opinion on optimal weekly training distance for a marathon (p=0.00). Logistic regression modeling was then employed to determine variables that best predict the likelihood of completing a marathon., Conclusions: The findings indicate that the non-finishers are poorly prepared and the results also identify that the longest mileage covered per training session is the best predictor for a successful completion of a marathon with an odds of 1.21.