Papers by Luis-Millan Gonzalez
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has transformed many aspects of people’s daily life, including... more The spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has transformed many aspects of people’s daily life, including sports. Social networks have been flooded on these issues. The present study aims to analyze the tweets produced relating to sports and COVID-19. From the end of January to the beginning of May 2020, over 4,000,000 tweets on this subject were downloaded through the Twitter search API. Once the duplicates, replicas, and retweets were removed, 119,253 original tweets were analyzed. A quantitative–qualitative content analysis was used to study the selected tweets. Posts dynamics regarding sport and exercise evolved according to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown, shifting from considering sport as a healthy bastion to an activity exposed to disease like any other. Most media professional sporting events received great attention on Twitter, while grassroots and women’s sport were relegated to a residual role. The analysis of the 30 topics identified focused on the social, sportin...
Sensors, 2021
This study aimed to investigate the validity of using built-in smartphone accelerometers to estim... more This study aimed to investigate the validity of using built-in smartphone accelerometers to estimate the active energy expenditures of full-time manual wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI). Twenty participants with complete SCI completed 10 5-min daily activities that involved the upper limbs, during which their oxygen consumption and upper limb activity were registered using a portable gas analyzer and a smartphone (placed on the non-dominant arm), respectively. Time series of 1-min averaged oxygen consumption and 55 accelerometer variables (13 variables for each of the four axes and three additional variables for the correlations between axes) were used to estimate three multiple linear models, using a 10-fold cross-validation method. The results showed that models that included either all variables and models or that only included the linear variables showed comparable performance, with a correlation of 0.72. Slightly worse general performance was demonstrated by the mo...
BMC Public Health, 2019
Background: Screen time can play a significant role in the health and quality of life of people w... more Background: Screen time can play a significant role in the health and quality of life of people with disabilities. However, there is a lack of studies on this issue among people with disabilities, and even fewer in the university setting. Thus, the aim of our study was to explore the relationships between screen time, disability grade, body mass index (BMI), physical activity and sociodemographic variables (gender and socioeconomic status) in university students with different disabilities. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 1091 students with disabilities from 55 Spanish universities. Instruments used for data gathering were the Adolescent Sedentary Activity Questionnaire (ASAQ) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF). A Self-Organizing Maps (SOM) analysis was carried out to explore the relationships between the variables under study. Results: Participants reported high values in overall screen time (5.45 h per day/week), with computers being the media most used (2.45 h per day/week). The SOM analysis showed slightly higher screen time values in women than men. People with a high disability grade spent less screen time than those with lower disability grade. Contradictory results exist when a group of men with the highest BMI had the highest screen time and the lowest physical activity (PA) while women with low BMI show the highest screen time and PA. Conclusions: Gender and disability grade played a moderating role in screen time among people with disabilities while BMI and PA do not play such a role.
Sustainability, 2019
Mountain protected areas play a fundamental role in the conservation of natural environment and a... more Mountain protected areas play a fundamental role in the conservation of natural environment and at the same time provide the population with social benefits such as offering space for leisure and recreation. Understanding motivations and behavior of protected area visitors is crucial to effectively manage vulnerable areas. Our objective was to identify the profiles of visitors to a heavily used tourist destination—Kasprowy Wierch within the Tatra National Park (Poland), using the self-organizing maps (SOM) analytical method. In order to explore the socio-demographic and behavioral characteristics of the visitors a total sample of 2488 respondents were interviewed on site. Self-organizing map analysis is based on cerebral processes for managing and storing information in order to classify subjects and/or find relationships among variables. As a result, four heterogeneous tourist profiles were identified. Interestingly, two of these groups (Cluster 1 and Cluster 3), which were found t...
Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 2019
Our purpose is to adapt a statistical method for the analysis of discrete numerical series to the... more Our purpose is to adapt a statistical method for the analysis of discrete numerical series to the keywords appearing in scientific papers of a given area. As an example, we apply our methodological approach to the study of the keywords in the Library and Information Sciences (LIS) area. Our objective is to detect the new author keywords that appear in a fixed knowledge area in the period of one year in order to quantify the probabilities of survival for 10 years as a function of the impact of the journals where they appeared. Many of the new keywords appearing in the LIS field are ephemeral. Actually, more than half are never used again. In general, the terms most commonly used in the LIS area come from other areas. The average survival time of these keywords is approximately 3 years, being slightly higher in the case of words that were published in journals classified in the second quartile of the area. We believe that measuring the appearance and disappearance of terms will allow to understand some relevant aspects of the evolution of a discipline, providing in this way a new bibliometric approach.
Healthcare
Background: Although mHealth tools have great potential for health interventions, few experimenta... more Background: Although mHealth tools have great potential for health interventions, few experimental studies report on their use by people with spinal cord injuries in physical activity. Objective: The main objective of this study was to analyze the effect of the ParaSportAPP on different physical and psychological variables in people with paraplegia. Methods: Fourteen of these subjects made up the final sample. All the participants performed two pre-tests (control period) and a post-test with 8 months between the evaluations (COVID-19 broke out between pre-test 2 and the post-test). The ParaSportAPP was installed on their smartphones when they performed pre-test 2. The same tests were performed in the same order in all the evaluations: (i) the questionnaires PASIPD, HADS, RS-25; SCIM III and AQoL-8D, (ii) respiratory muscle strength, (iii) spirometry and (iv) cardiopulmonary exercise test. Results: The results showed no differences in any of the variables studied between the measurem...
Spinal Cord, 2016
Study design: Cross-sectional study. Objectives: The main goal of this study was to examine the i... more Study design: Cross-sectional study. Objectives: The main goal of this study was to examine the influence of regular physical activity (PA) on lung volumes and flows. Setting: The study was conducted in the Vall d'Hebrón Hospital, Barcelona (Spain), and La Fe Hospital, Valencia (Spain). Methods: Spirometric tests were performed to 67 paraplegics, and differences were established between the active group (AG) (n = 37) that performed 460 min per week of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and 30 non-AG (NAG). Further, we established the relationship between the spirometric and PA variables and between being active and reaching the lower limit of normal (LLN) of the spirometric variables. Results: AG had greater values than the NAG: FVC (Po0.01), FEV 1 (Po0.01) and PEF (Po0.01). Moderate correlations between the MVPA and FVC (r = 0.41, Po0.01) and the MVPA and FEV 1 (r = 0.39, Po0.01) were obtained. The relationship between being physically active and reaching the LLN was statistically significant for FEV 1 (χ 2 = 6.184, Po0.05) but not for FVC (P40.05). Conclusions: The performance of MVPA for a minimum of 60 min per week can have a beneficial effect, both on lung volumes and on expiratory flow, and led to an achievement of the LLN in FEV 1 .
Experimental Brain Research, 2016
The Work Endurance Recovery Method for Quantifying Training Loads in Judo
International journal of sports physiology and performance, Jan 18, 2016
We adapt the Work Endurance Recovery (WER) method based on Randori Maximal Time to Exhaustion (RM... more We adapt the Work Endurance Recovery (WER) method based on Randori Maximal Time to Exhaustion (RMTE) for combat situations in judo. Eleven international-standard judo athletes (7 males and 4 females) (mean age: 20.73 ± 2.49 years, mean height: 1.72 ± 0.11 m, mean body-mass: 67.36 ± 10.67 kg) were recruited to take part in the study. All of the participants performed a Maximal Incremental Test (MIT), a Wingate test (WIN), a Special Judo Fitness Test (SJFT) and two RMTE tests. The participants then took part in a session held at an international training camp in Barcelona in which four methods of load quantification were implemented: the WER method, the Stagno method, the Lucia method and Session Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPEsession). RMTE demonstrated a very high test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient=0.91), and correlations of the performance tests ranged between moderate and high: RMTE and MIT (r=0.66), RMTE and WIN variables (r=0.38-0.53), RMTE and SJFT va...
Perceptual and Motor Skills, 2015
This study explored differences in the center of pressure in healthy people in a sitting and stan... more This study explored differences in the center of pressure in healthy people in a sitting and standing position and with eyes open and closed. With this purpose, 32 healthy participants (16 men, 16 women; M age = 25.2 yr., SD = 10.0, range = 18–55) were measured with an extensiometric force plate. Using a two–way repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), the root mean square, velocity, range, and sway, in both visual conditions, had higher values in the standing task than in the sitting task. In the frequency domain, the low-frequency band had higher values during the standing task. For control mechanism variables, mean distance and time were greater when standing while mean peaks were greater when sitting. Thus, stability is worse in the standing position and more neuromuscular activity is required to maintain balance.
Applied Geography, 2014
Recreational trails encourage numerous outdoor leisure activities in a variety of urban, rural, a... more Recreational trails encourage numerous outdoor leisure activities in a variety of urban, rural, and natural environments. Understanding the way trails function is crucial for the designers and managers of recreational sites to balance the needs of visitors and site capacities. This paper presents a new approach to evaluate the structure and use of hiking trails by combining GPS tracking and analytical methods based on graph theory. The study is based upon empirical data (N ¼ 482 GPS tracks) collected in the Lobau, which is part of the Danube Floodplains National Park in Austria. The physical structure of trails (structural network; undirected graph) and their usage (functional network; directed graph) were analysed using a graph theory approach. The network coherence (connectivity indices: b, g, a), the movement direction at path segments and the relative importance of network nodes (node centrality measures: degree, closeness, betweenness) were calculated. The Lobau trail network is not evenly used by park visitors. Therefore, the calculated parameters differ between the structural and functional networks. From management perspective the results obtained for the functional network are particularly important. 61% of recreational use (hiking) concentrates on designated trails, 21% on non-marked paths and 18% is off-trail use. In most cases the location of signposts and information boards in the Lobau corresponds with the highest node centrality measures in the functional network (degree and betweenness). The proposed methodology can be easily adopted for the evaluation of any trail network in outdoor recreational sites.
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2009
This study investigated the kinetic and the kinematic differences in female athletes in single-le... more This study investigated the kinetic and the kinematic differences in female athletes in single-leg static jumps in an aquatic environment compared with those performed on dry land. Methods: Twelve healthy, junior national team handball players participated. Subjects completed a familiarization and a testing session. The subjects performed a series of single-leg jumps, dry land and aquatic with and without devices, which were randomized to avoid fatigue effects. Peak concentric force, rate of force development, impact force, and time of the jumps were determined using a force plate. Results: Peak concentric force and rate of force development were significantly (P G 0.05) higher in the aquatic jumps, whereas impact force was significantly (P G 0.05) lower. There was a shorter total jump time (P G 0.05) for the aquatic jump without devices, whereas the time required to reach peak force was not significantly different between the two environments, despite the greater resistance to movement in the aquatic medium. Discussion: Aquatic jump exercises result in greater force production and rate of force development in the same amount of time with less impact and can thus offer a viable alternative to traditional dry-land jump exercises, which may also be beneficial for rehabilitating or aging populations. The benefits of this type of exercise include an exercise mode that can be performed without compromising speed while reducing the potential for joint injury.
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2009
This study was designed to analyze the effects of a short-term periodized aquatic resistance prog... more This study was designed to analyze the effects of a short-term periodized aquatic resistance program (PARP) on upper-limb maximum strength, leg muscular power, and body composition (BC) in fit young men. Twenty subjects (21.2 6 1.17 years) were randomly assigned to an exercise or control group; 12 subjects completed the study. The aquatic exercise group (AEG; n = 7) participated in an 8-week supervised program of 3 dÁwk 21 , and the control group (CG; n = 5) maintained their regular activities. The PARP consisted of a total-body resistance exercise workout using aquatic devices that increased drag force, with a cadence of movement controlled and adjusted individually for each exercise and subject. The volume and intensity of the program were increased progressively. Submaximal tests were carried out to determine the change in upper-limb maximum strength, as well as a squat-jump test to determine the change in leg muscular power. Four skinfold sites, 6 circumference sites, body weight, and stature were used to determine changes in BC. A significant increase in upper-limb maximum strength and leg muscular power was observed for the AEG. A significant increase also was noted in the circumference and muscular area of the arm, and there were significant decreases in pectoral and abdominal skinfolds. Nevertheless, the circumference, muscular area, and local fat of the lower limbs did not change. There were no significant changes in any variables in the CG. These results indicate that the PARP produces significant improvements in muscular strength, power, and fat-free mass and, thus, seems to be a very effective form of resistance exercise.
Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2008
Thirty-six adult men were randomly assigned to a remote stimulation group (RS; n = 18) or control... more Thirty-six adult men were randomly assigned to a remote stimulation group (RS; n = 18) or control group (CTL; n = 18). The RS group unilaterally performed a 10-minute surface electrical stimulation program (frequency 100 Hz, impulse 300 ms, 10 seconds on/10 seconds off) on the rectus femoris of the nondominant leg. The subjects of the CTL group relaxed for 10 minutes without performing any training. Immediately before and after the surface electrical stimulation program, the isometric strength and the electromyographic (EMG) and mechanomyographic (MMG) response of the dominant leg was measured for all subjects. The dominant leg of the RS group showed a significant increase in the isometric force (5.11%; P , 0.001) and EMG activity of the agonist muscle (4.67%; P , 0.05), whereas a decrease in EMG activity of the antagonist muscles was observed (210.27%; P , 0.05). The MMG activity did not show any alteration. No significant changes were observed for the CTL group. These results indicate that one unilateral surface electrical stimulation session on the rectus femoris improves the efficiency of the inactive leg. At a practical level, the results open a new way to rehabilitate muscle-skeletal injuries, especially weak members that cannot do any physical work. In this case, the muscle strength (and physical efficiency) can be improved by passive electrostimulation training on the healthy member.
Journal of Biomechanics, 2008
Two-leg squat jumps in water: an effective alternative to dry land jumps
International journal of sports medicine, 2010
The current study was designed to quantify and compare the kinetic parameters of two-leg squat ju... more The current study was designed to quantify and compare the kinetic parameters of two-leg squat jumps carried out on dry land, in water and in water using area devices that increase drag force. Twelve junior female handball players who had been competing at national level for the previous two years volunteered to participate in the study. Intensity of the two-leg squat jump was examined using a force plate (9 253-B11, Kistler Instrument AG, Winterthur, Switzerland) in three different conditions: on dry land, in water and in water using devices. An ANOVA with repeated measurements (condition) was applied to establish differences between the three jumps. The results show that peak impact force and impact force rate for the water jumps was lower than for the dry land jumps (p<0.05), while peak concentric force was higher for the water jumps than the dry land jumps (p<0.05). In addition, no statistically significant differences were found between water jumps for these variables (p&...
Myoelectric activation and kinetics of different plyometric push-up exercises
Journal of strength and conditioning research / National Strength & Conditioning Association, 2011
The kinetic and myoelectric differences between 3 types of plyometric push-ups were investigated.... more The kinetic and myoelectric differences between 3 types of plyometric push-ups were investigated. Twenty-seven healthy, physically active men served as subjects and completed both familiarization and testing sessions. During these sessions, subjects performed 2 series of 3 plyometric push-up variations in a counterbalanced order according to the following techniques: Countermovement push-ups (CPUs) were push-ups performed with the maximum speed of movement; jump push-ups (JPUs) were similar to clapping push-ups; and fall push-ups (FPUs) required kneeling subjects to drop and then attempt to return to their initial position. Vertical ground reaction forces were determined by using a force plate. Myoelectric activity was recorded by means of electromyography. Impact force and impact rate of force development were significantly (p < 0.05) higher for FPUs than for JPUs. The maximum rate of force development was higher for CPUs (p…
Haemophilia, 2007
In the general population, the degenerative processes in joints are directly related to adult age... more In the general population, the degenerative processes in joints are directly related to adult age, and osteoarthrosis represents the most frequent musculoskeletal alteration. In the haemophilic patient, the degenerative processes in the joint begin at very early ages, and are directly related to musculoskeletal bleeding episodes, which are occasionally subclinical and constitute haemophilic arthropathy. In the haemophilic patient, arthropathy constitutes the most frequent, severe and disabling pathology, and its assessment includes muscular force-related parameters. We have studied the value of Maximum Isometric Voluntary Contraction in the quadriceps femoris of 46 subjects, 28 haemophiliacs (16 severe, eight moderate and four mild) and 18 healthy individuals with a view to establishing appropriate values of force and to restoring physical therapy recommendations. The maximum force values were significantly greater (P < 0.001) in the healthy individuals group. The mild haemophiliacs group also presented significant differences of force (P < 0.05) in relation to the severe and moderate haemophilic patient groups. The mild and severe haemophilia patients presented greater fluctuations of force (P < 0.001) than the control group, the haemophilia group have a minor skill to produce constant force. The seriousness of the arthropathy in the knee is directly related to diminished values of maximum force. Our work evidences that patients with severe haemophilia present a greater degree of arthropathy in relation to moderate and mild haemophilia patients. Haemophilic arthropathy is associated with muscular atrophy and strength deficit. In haemophilic patients, the deficit of maximum force and the presence of fluctuations may suggest an increased risk of bleeding during physical activities and the need to programme specific physical therapy guidelines which increase muscular power through resistance training.
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Papers by Luis-Millan Gonzalez