The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a six-week core stability training program on the fundamental movement pattern assessed using the Functional Movement Screen Test in tennis players. The study group consisted of 160 subjects (74 women, 86 men) with a mean age of 20.26 ± 1.55. The Functional Movement Screen Test (FMS™), as well as the core stability tests including the lateral trunk muscles endurance test (the side bridge test), the abdominal muscles endurance test and the trunk extensors muscle endurance test—were used to evaluate the effects of core stability training. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in the FMS test scores before and after introducing a core stability exercise program. Initially, the average total score of the FMS test in female tennis players was 14.58 ± 2.91, and after core stability training it was 17.20 ± 1.68 (p < 0.001). In the male group, the total FMS test score was 14.44 ± 2.76 before and 16.91 ± 1.36 after (p < 0.001) in the final assessment. Additionally, statistically significant differences were observed in the core stability test scores before and after introducing a stabilisation training program. The results of the study showed that specific core strengthening exercises could improve the FMS test scores in adult tennis players. This may also have an influence on reducing injury risk in this group, although further studies would be required to test this.

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) children present complex and heterogeneous motor disorders that cause gait deviations. Clinical gait analysis (CGA) is used to identify, understand and support the management of gait deviations in CP. Children with CP often use ankle–foot orthosis (AFO) to facilitate and optimize their walking ability. The aim of this study was to assess whether the gait deviation index (GDI) and the gait variability index (GVI) results can reflect the changes of spatio-temporal and kinematic gait parameters in spastic hemiplegic CP children wearing AFO. Method: The study group consisted of 37 CP children with hemiparesis. All had undergone a comprehensive, instrumented gait analysis while walking, both barefoot and with their AFO, during the same CGA session. Kinematic and spatio-temporal data were collected and GVI and GDI gait indexes were calculated. Results: Significant differences were found between the barefoot condition and the AFO conditions for selected spatio-temporal and kinematic gait parameters. Changes in GVI and GDI were also statistically significant. Conclusions: The use of AFO in hemiplegic CP children caused a statistically significant improvement in spatio-temporal and kinematic gait parameters. It was found that these changes were also reflected by GVI and GDI. These findings might suggest that gait indices, such as GDI and GVI, as clinical outcome measures, may reflect the effects of specific therapeutic interventions in CP children.

Introduction. The aim of this study was to assess static balance of patients after Total Hip Replacement (THR) compared with the age-matched, asymptomatic control group, considering the subject’s gender and the time since the surgery. Materials and Methods. The Total Hip Replacement (THR) group consisted of 55 subjects (mean age: 56.3±8.7 years) and the control group consisted of 48 subjects (mean age: 58±6.2 years). For the assessment of static balance, a stabilometric force platform was used. All subjects performed two 30-second trials in the double-leg stance position with eyes opened and closed. In the study group, the stabilometric assessment was performed once within the period of 24 to 36 months after the surgery. Results. Subjects from the study group had significantly increased mediolateral COP velocity in the test with eyes opened, as well as the values of most of the COP parameters (excluding COP path area) in the test with eyes closed, compared to the control group. Higher values of the selected COP parameters were observed in the male subjects from the study group. Conclusion. In contrast to a number of papers, our study revealed some deficits in static balance in patients after THR up to 2-3 years after surgery.

BACKGROUND:The Knee Outcome Survey Activities of Daily Living Scale (KOS-ADLS) is a self-reported questionnaire used for the evaluation of the overall health of patients with knee dysfunctions. The purpose of this study was to perform a cross-cultura...

Introduction. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the level of neuromotor function and somatic development in 6- and 7-year-old children born before the 30th week gestation with that in full-term children at the same age, as well as the correlation between prematurity and motor development.Material and Methods. The study group consisted of prematurely born 40 children. Their mean gestational age at birth was27.8±1.6weeks (range 24–30 weeks). The control group consisted of 40 healthy children born with normal birth weight (>2500 g). The neuromotor function was assessed using Touwen neurological examination criteria. During the examination, the attention was focused on the hand preference, laterality, synkinesis, and asymmetry. In addition, children’s weight, height, and BMI index were measured.Results. Premature children showed much worse results than full-term ones in hand function (p<0,001). They obtained the best results in paper tearing while crossing the body midline turned out to be the most difficult. Considering the quality of walking, the biggest difficulty for the premature children was to walk backwards along the straight line while during normal walking they showed the best results. The results for the muscle tone subcategory in the study group were also significantly worse than those in control group (p<0,001), as well as the total outcome for the movement coordination and diadochokinesis subcategories (p<0,001).Conclusion. The nondisabled, prematurely born children have significantly lower average outcomes regarding hand function, quality of walking, muscle tone, coordination, and diadochokinesis at age of six to seven, compared to the full-term peers.

Background: The Oxford Shoulder Score (OSS) is a simple and reliable, joint-specific, self-reported outcome measure. It can be applied in patients with shoulder disease other than instability. The purpose of this study was to perform a translation, cultural adaptation of the Polish version of the OSS and to evaluate its selected psychometric properties in patients after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. Methods: Sixty-nine subjects participated in the study, with a mean age 55.5 (ranging from 40 to 65 years). The OSS has been translated using the widely accepted guidelines. All patients completed the Polish version of OSS (OSS-PL), the short version of the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (QuickDASH), the Short Form-36 v. 2.0 (SF-36) and the 7-point Global Rating of Change Scale (GRC). Results: High internal consistency of 0.96 was found using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Reliability of the OSS resulted in Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) = 0.99, Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) = 1.14 and Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) = 3.15. The validity analysis showed a moderate (General health r = 0.34) to high (Physical role functioning r = 0.82) correlation between the OSS-PL and SF-36 and a high correlation between the OSS-PL and the QuickDASH (r = − 0.92). Conclusions: The Polish version of OSS is a reliable and valid, self-reported questionnaire, which can be applied in patients with a rotator cuff tear undergoing reconstruction surgery. The very good psychometric properties of the Polish version of the OSS indicate that it can be used in clinical practice and scientific research.