Proper posture, characterized by the appropriate alignment of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar segments of the spine, enables these regions to maintain their normal curvature. Body composition is recognized as one of the factors that can influence overall postural alignment of the spine. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of the parameters of body composition on the prevalence of postural disorders in the sagittal plane. The cross-sectional study was conducted on 152 children of both genders (78 boys), at a mean age of 11 years ± 6 months. In order to evaluate postural disorders, the Formetric 4D System, a tool manufactured by Diers, Schlangenbad, Germany was used. Based on its output data, the following variables were obtained: hyperkyphosis, hyperlordosis, kypholordosis, flatback, and normal alignment of the body in the sagittal plane. The evaluation of body composition parameters was conducted using the InBody 770 device. To determine how body composition influences the postural status of the spinal column, a discriminant analysis was employed. The results showed that approximately 65.8% of children exhibit various types of postural disorders when assessing the alignment of the spine in the sagittal plane. The most prevalent disorder observed was hyperkyphosis, affecting 34.2% of the subjects, followed by kypholordosis at 16.4%. Moreover, the results demonstrated that body composition significantly influences body posture (p = 0.004). An increase in fat mass corresponds to a deviation from normal body posture, whereas an increase in the percentage of skeletal muscle mass and fat-free mass is associated with a reduction in postural abnormalities in the sagittal plane. Considering the results, it is clear that body composition parameters serve as more reliable predictors of the influence on body posture compared to simply calculating the body mass index. Furthermore, it can be concluded that there are consistent patterns of influence by specific body composition parameters, including fat mass, percentage of skeletal muscle, and fat-free mass, on body posture among children from various climates. These results underscore the significance of implementing strength exercises in children, particularly during periods of rapid growth and development, as a means of preventing and correcting postural disorders.

The aim of this study was to implement a familiarization protocol and to determine the constructive validity of four different non-reactive agility tests on a sample of professional female basketball players (n = 12; age: 18.17 ± 1.90 years). Following the protocol, the participants performed standardized tests three times (the Agility t-test and the Sprint 9-3-6-3-9 m with 180° Turns), while the lateral agility, universal agility, frontal agility, and semicircular agility tests were repeated five times each, with a three-minute rest period between each repetition. A single-factor analysis of variance for repeated measures (ANOVA) determined significant differences between a series of test repetitions for familiarization. Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped the samples based on the results of the standardized tests into two groups. A t-test for independent samples determined a significant difference between these groups (p < 0.05) on all four tests (lateral, universal, frontal, and semicircular agility). Pearson’s linear correlation determined a correlation between the results of the standardized agility tests and the lateral, universal, frontal, and semicircular agility tests, with correlation coefficients ranging from r = 0.936 to r = 0.987. A high value was observed for the discriminant analysis (0.821), while the maximum value was observed for the Kendall coefficient of concordance (W = 1). The study confirmed the validity of the applied tests and determined that the results are influenced by the number of series performed during the preparation for testing. In practice, it is necessary to perform two series of universal and frontal agility tests, i.e., four series of repetitions of lateral and semicircular agility tests in professional women’s basketball.

Keeping the head in a forward position can, in the long run, cause a postural disorder termed upper crossed syndrome - UCS. Upper crossed syndrome is defined as overactivity, or tightening, of the upper trapezius, major pectoralis and levator scapulae, combined with a weakened rhomboid, serratus anterior, middle and lower trapezius, as well as deep cervical flexors. This posture can result in neck pain, as well as upper back pain. The syndrome has been exacerbated with technological advancement, and the ever-increasing use of computers and smartphones. It affects school-age children, university students, as well as employees who work in an incorrect position or repeat the same actions throughout their working day. Physical exercise, namely, strength and stretching exercises, is one of the possible methods of correcting this postural disorder. Therefore, the objective of this study is to conduct a systematic review of studies to date in order to determine the effects of implementing different exercise programs on the treatment of upper crossed syndrome. The analyzed scientific papers were collected by searching online databases of electronic academic journals: Google Scholar, PubMed, Wolters Kluwer. The review focused on papers published between 2000 and 2019. Key words used for searching the databases included: upper crossed syndrome, effects, exercise program. Studies were included based on meeting the following criteria: examining the effects of different exercise programs on upper crossed syndrome, as well as on reducing neck and upper back pain, and improving functional ability. Based on the criteria set, a total of 15 studies were included in the final analysis. The final analysis established that upper crossed syndrome was affected most favorably by programs containing strength and stretching exercises, when these were administered over a 4-week period, with a minimum weekly frequency of 3 practice sessions

This overview of systematic reviews with meta-analysis aimed to summarize the effects of resistance training (RT) on physical fitness of people with Down syndrom (DS). A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus, up until January 30th, 2024. The search included key terms like resistance training, strength training, weight training, intellectual disability, and Down syndrome. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration assessment tool. Eighteen articles were reviewed, with nine included in the meta-analysis. The results demonstrated that RT interventions positively impacted physical fitness in individuals with DS, with significant improvements in both upper and lower limb strength and cardiorespiratory endurance, as indicated by VO_2peak (p = 0.000). Eleven studies were classified as high quality with low risk of bias, four had some methodological concerns, and three non-randomized studies exhibited a high risk of bias. RT interventions appear to significantly enhance physical fitness, including muscle strength, functional abilities, cardiorespiratory fitness, and balance, among individuals with DS, regardless of variations in training methods or program designs.

The research results referring to frequency have indicated that most of the sports injuries among athletes of both genders occur in basketball and that knee injury is the second most frequent injury during sports activities. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) represents one of the four most important connections for knee stability, and it is frequently prone to injury during sports activities. The aim of this paper was to determine the effects of an exercise program on the prevention of injury to the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee joint among young female basketball players. To collect existing research on the effects of the applications of prevention programs on the prevention of ACL injury in young female basketball players, the following electronic databases were searched: PubMed, SCIndeks, PEDro, J-GATE, DOAJ and Google Scholar. The analyzed studies were published between 2003 and 2018 and the participants were young female basketball players. According to the results of this study, the most frequently used training programs were neuromuscular programs, whose structure includes several types of exercises and which represented a combination of plyometric exercises, core strengthening exercises, exercises to strengthen the muscles of the lower extremities, agility exercises, flexibility exercises, and balance exercises. Finally, the application of the knee injury training program leads to an improvement in motor balance, proprioceptive abilities, balance, flexibility, as well as biomechanical abilities related to injuries of the ACL, leading to an improvement in sports performance among female basketball players.

Changes and deformities to the feet are frequent among athletes. The aim of this review paper is to determine the prevalence of foot deformities among athletes with various backgrounds, as well as to determine the influence of the deformities on motor task performance. The compiled studies were published between 2002 and 2018. The following electronic databases were used for the search: PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, EBSCO. The identified studies had to satisfy the following criteria: that they included athletes and that the subject of analysis were the differences in foot deformities in relation to performing motor tasks. Research papers on this topic were reviewed and analyzed. They are clearly organized in tabular form, with a clear outline of the details of the research. The results of 16 research papers are summed up. The most prevalent deformity among athletes is flat feet (pes planus). The studies indicate the various deformities which are prevalent in particular sports, and determine the changes in the feet of the athletes, in particular for the foot which plays a decisive role in certain sports. Individuals with flat feet scored lower results compared to individuals with normal arches in terms of time and reaction speed when performing motor tasks.