OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether supplementation of carbohydrate together with peptide glutamine would increase exercise tolerance in soccer players. METHODS: Nine male soccer players (mean age: 18.4 ± 1.1 years; body mass: 69.2 ± 4.6 kg; height: 175.5 ± 7.3 cm; and maximum oxygen consumption of 57.7 ± 4.8 ml.kg-1.min-1) were evaluated. All of them underwent a cardiopulmonary exercise test and followed a protocol that simulated the movements of a soccer game in order to evaluate their tolerance to intermittent exercise. By means of a draw, either carbohydrate with peptide glutamine (CARBOGLUT: 50g of maltodextrin + 3.5g of peptide glutamine in 250 ml of water) or carbohydrate alone (CARBO: 50g of maltodextrin in 250 ml of water) was administered in order to investigate the enhancement of the soccer players' performances. The solution was given thirty minutes before beginning the test, which was performed twice with a one-week interval between tests. RESULTS: A great improvement in the time and distance covered was observed when the athletes consumed the CARBOGLUT mixture. Total distance covered was 12750 ± 4037m when using CARBO, and 15571 ± 4184m when using CARBOGLUT (p<0.01); total duration of tolerance was 73 ± 23 min when using CARBO and 88 ± 24 min when using CARBOGLUT (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The CARBOGLUT mixture was more efficient in increasing the distance covered and the length of time for which intermittent exercise was tolerated. CARBOGLUT also reduced feelings of fatigue in the players compared with the use of the CARBO mixture alone.

O equilíbrio é o processo de manutenção do centro de pressão (CP), projeção do centro de gravidade no solo, dentro da área da base de suporte do corpo. Este estudo avalia o controle postural em pacientes portadores de lesão unilateral do ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho e de indivíduos saudáveis, através de parâmetros do centro de pressão. Dezenove indivíduos saudáveis entre 18 e 30 anos e dezenove pacientes portadores de lesão unilateral do ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho entre 15 e 33 anos foram avaliados empregando sensores FSCAN MAT® (Tekscan®, Boston, MA, USA). Todos os indivíduos realizaram quatro testes estáticos diferentes com apoio unilateral, variando os lados e a abertura e o fechamento dos olhos. Os parâmetros comprimento total da trajetória, amplitude antero-posterior, amplitude médio-lateral e velocidade máxima do centro de pressão foram calculados. Os resultados mostraram que a dominância dos membros inferiores não exerce influência significativa no equilíbrio dos indivíduos saudáveis, que a visão é um fator importante na estabilização do controle postural e que a lesão unilateral do ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho compromete o equilíbrio em apoio unilateral e em ambos os lados, porém, de modo mais evidente, no lado lesado.

Standing balance is the process which keeps the pressure center, vertical projection of the centre of gravity on ground inside the body weight-bearing. This study evaluates posture control in patients with unilateral lesion of anterior cruciate ligament of knee and in healthy individuals (control group), through parameters of pressure center. Nineteen healthy individuals (11 men, 8 women, age ranged from 18 to 30 years) and nineteen patients with unilateral lesion of anterior cruciate ligament of knee (18 men, 1 woman, age ranged from 15 to 33 years) were evaluated by FSCAN MAT® version 3848 (Tekscan® , Boston, MA, USA) sensors. Four different static tests with unilateral bearing were made, alternating the sides (dominant and non dominant) and keeping open or closed eyes. The parameters were calculated: total length path, antero-posterior amplitude, medio-lateral amplitude and maximum speed of pressure center. The results have pointed out that: the dominance of inferior limbs does not affect in a special way the balance of healthy individuals, the vision is an important factor in posture control and the unilateral lesion of anterior cruciate ligament of knee affects the balance in unilateral weight bearing, on both sides, however more evident on the side with the lesion.