Background: Sitting for long periods of time and lack of physical activity in young adults can cause postural deterioration leading to rapid onset of fatigue and increase the risk of back pain. We were interested in whether there are gender differences in spinal curvature among university students with a predominantly sedentary lifestyle. Methods: 20 sedentary female (age 20 ± 0.73 years) and 39 sedentary male university students (age 20 ± 1.08 years) participated in this study. Their thoracic and lumbar curvatures were assessed while standing and sitting using a Spinal Mouse. Results: In standing, 80.0% of the females and 69.2% of the males had a neutral position of the thoracic spine (33.25° and 35.33°, respectively). However, more males, 30.8%, than females, 10.0%, had hyperkyphosis (54.27° and 47.0°, respectively). Hypokyphosis was found in 10.0% of the females (18.50°) and none in the males. Similarly, 90.0% of the females and 97.4% of the males had neutral position of the lumbar spine (-33.11° and -29.76°, respectively). Increased hyperlordosis was found in 10.0% of the females and 2.6% of the males (-41.0° and -50.0°, respectively). Hypolordosis was not detected in either females or males. In sitting, on the other hand, 70.0% of the females and only 33.3% of the males had a neutral position of the thoracic spine (30.20° and 30.62°, respectively). Increased hyperkyphosis was found in 46.2% of the males (59.76°) and none of the females. 30.0% of the females and 23.1% of the males had light hypokyphosis (47.50° and 46.67°, respectively). Similarly, 70.0% of the females and only 38.5% of the males had a neutral position of the lumbar spine (7.0° and 6.6°, respectively). 35.9% of the males and only 5.0% of the females had a light hypokyphosis (16.14° and 16.0°, respectively). Slightly increased hyperkyphosis was identified in 25.6% of the males and 25.0% of the females (23.9° and 22.5°, respectively). Conclusion: There are significant gender differences in spinal curvature. While in the thoracic spine it was to the detriment of the males when both standing and sitting, in the lumbar spine it is related to the females only when standing. It is therefore necessary to eliminate these spinal deviations in young adults induced by prolonged sitting during university courses by appropriate recovery modalities.

This study evaluates the effect of 8 weeks of the stable and unstable resistance training on muscle power. Thirty-three healthy men recreationally trained in resistance exercises, randomly assigned into two groups, performed resistance exercises either under stable or unstable conditions for 8 weeks (three sessions per week). Before and after 4 and 8 weeks of the training, they underwent squats and chest presses on either a stable surface or on a BOSU ball and a Swiss ball respectively with increasing weights up to at least 85% 1RM. Results showed significant improvements of mean power during chest presses on a Swiss ball at weights up to 60.7% 1RM after 4 and 8 weeks of the instability resistance training. Mean power increased significantly also during squats on a BOSU ball at weights up to 48.1% 1RM after 4 but not 8 weeks of instability resistance training. However, there were no significant changes in mean power during bench presses and squats on a stable support surface after the same training. These findings indicate that there is no cross effect of instability resistance training on power produced under stable conditions. This confirms and complies with the principle for specificity of training.

Background: seated behaviour and a lack of physical activity among university students may cause changes to posture leading to health problems. We were interested whether between-gender differences in spinal curvature exist among university students with a predominantly sedentary lifestyle. Methods: a group of 20 female (age 20 ± 0.73 years) and 39 male (age 20 ± 1.08 years) university students with a predominantly sedentary lifestyle participated in the study. The thoracic and lumbar curvature was evaluated while standing and sitting using the Spinal Mouse. Results: showed that 10% of the female students and 30.77% of the male students had thoracic hyperkyphosis, while 10% of the female students and 2.56% of the male students suffered from lumbar hyperlordosis in the standing posture. In the sitting posture, 0% of the females and up to 30.77% of the males had mild thoracic hyperkyphosis, and 25.00% of the females and 23.90% of the males had mild lumbar hyperkyphosis. Conclusions: these findings indicate that differences between the sexes as regards to curvature of the spine exist. Prolonged sitting during university courses could contribute to their poor posture. It is therefore necessary to focus purposefully on compensation exercises that eliminate postural deviations in female and male young adults.

The article dealt with the assessment of somatic changes of the students at the Slovak University of Technology (STU), Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (FME), specifically expressed by Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Hip Ratio (WHR) during the years 2007 and 2013. In total 2228 men were involved in the study and measured upon their entry at the university. It was found out that the values of BMI belonged to the category of average range measured for adults (from 22.96 kg.m-2 to 24.60 kg.m-2) and indicates standard values. Statistically significant differences (p<0.01) were discovered between the years 2011 (23.70 kg.m-2) and 2012 (24.60 kg.m-2), 2012 (24.60 kg.m-2) and 2013 (22.96 kg.m-2). In 2012 participants achieved in average the highest values (BMI = 24.60 kg.m-2), which borders with a moderate overweight. In the contrary, in 2013 the students achieved the lowest values of BMI (22.96 kg.m-2). A slight increase of average BMI values may be observed from the first test in 2007 until 2012. The predominance of standard weight was measured at 71% of the total number of monitored students and the predominance of overweight was measured at 22% of students from the total number of university students. The observation of WHR numbers makes us conclude that during our seven year study no significant differences were discovered in the first five years. The values were stable and from the mean point of view, they do not indicate the risk of development of diseases relating to overweight and obesity. In 2012 and 2013 a slight decrease of WHR values was detected < 0.85. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were discovered between the years 2010 (0.854) and 2011 (0.864), and also between 2011 (0.864) and 2012 (0.843). The lowest mean value of WHR was measured when performing the last test in the year 2013 (0.823). There was a statistically significant difference at p<0.05 within the years 2012 and 2013. The highest mean value was discovered in 2011 (0.864). However, the average values achieved in a group of students were lower than 1.0, which can be evaluated as a set with no risk of obesity and overweight disease development

The aim of the study was to determine the degree of the influence of aerobic program on mental state of the trainees after a single and short-term application. We tried to find out the positive effects of an aerobics on the selected parameters of mental state of women that performed aerobics recreationally. Twenty-two healthy women (age 35 ± 5 years) were involved in the specific aerobic program with mini trampolines (jumping) over the period of 5 weeks. To measure the psychological parameters a modified questionnaire of type X-STAI was distributed before and after the single work out at the beginning of the study and after the 5 weeks period. Chi-quadrat analysis was used to evaluate the data. The greatest and statistically the most significant differences were recorded in the parameters ´enthusiastic´, ´boosted by energy´ and ´relaxed´, in comparison with the emotions at the beginning and at the end of the lesson in initial measuring. Comparison of changes after the 5 weeks period at the beginning and at the end of the lesson shows statistical significance in all parameters, except ´tired´. No statistical changes occurred at either the beginning or the end of the lesson comparing initial and final phases. Based on the results, we can conclude that specialized aerobic training provokes immediate changes in psychological state of the trainees via increase of their positive and decrease of negative emotions right after the lesson and when compared to its beginning. This leads to a better mental stability and a greater resistance to the influences of outer environment on mental state