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Background: Heart rate variability (HRV) is becoming one of the most valuable tools for assessing a healthy heart's complex and constantly changing oscillations. This study was a pioneering attempt to establish normative data on HRV during treadmill exercise for monitoring the cardiovascular health of the central Indian population. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study in the Sports Physiology Laboratory of the Department of Physiology in a Rural Medical College in central India. One hundred and twenty healthy subjects in the age range 17-40 years were recruited. Short-term HRV (5 min) was extracted from ECG recordings obtained usingthe Power lab system, AD Instruments, Australia. Results: Time domain indices for males were - Standard deviation of N-N interval (SDNN): 162.61±162.11; Square root of mean squared difference of N-N intervals (RMSSD): 355.79±798.27; the percentage of adjacent NN intervals that differ from each other by more than 50 ms (pNN50): 23.10±27.87. Frequency domain indices in males were-LF power (%)-535.74±3625.96; HF power(%) - 33.15±24.31, LF nu: 33.12± 16.06; HF nu: 57.22±14.89; LF/HF:0.77±0.74. Time-domain indices for females were SDNN as 168.49±130.09; RMSSD: 182.41±154.85; pNN50:32.33±26.59. Frequency domain indicesin females were LF power (%)-19.85±6.13; HF power (%) 43.03±16.39, LF nu-30.53±9.88; HF nu - 60.95±8.70; LF/HF:0.54±0.27. Conclusion: Baseline normative values for HRV spectral and time-domain analysis have been established for their clinical use in comparing the HRV of a healthy individual to that of a deceased individual or an athlete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to report on the severity and incidence of children injured by treadmills and to promote the implementation of safety standards. Method: This retrospective review of children with treadmill friction injuries was conducted in a single tertiary-level burns centre in Australia between January 1997 and June 2007. Results: The study revealed 37 children who sustained paediatric treadmill friction injuries. This was a presentation of 1% of all burns. Thirty-three (90%) of the injuries occurred in the last 3.5 years (January 2004 to June 2007). The modal age was 3.2 years. Thirty-three (90%) injuries were either full thickness or deep partial friction burns. Eleven (30%) required split thickness skin grafts. Of those who became entrapped, 100% required skin grafting. Conclusion: This study found that paediatric treadmill friction injuries are severe and increasing in incidence. Australian standards should be developed, implemented and mandated to reduce this preventable and severe injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]