The so-called "heel spur" is a radiological term referring to adaptive bone growth as a result of chronic overload enthesopathy of the proximal attachment of the plantar fascia. The main cause of the pain is continued localised pressure on the surrounding soft tissues. Vibroacoustic wave therapy is a relatively new method gaining popularity among doctors, physiotherapists and patients. The aim of this study was to confirm the clinical efficacy of vibroacoustic therapy compared to laser and ultrasound therapy. The study enrolled 60 patients treated for plantar heel spurs who were divided into a study group of 40 patients who underwent vibroacoustic therapy and a control group of 20 patients treated with ultrasound and laser therapy. The outcome measure for evaluating the effectiveness of physiotherapy was a subjective assessment of pain intensity by VAS and the modified short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire. The mean pain intensity score in patients undergoing vibroacoustic therapy decreased by about 2.6 points according to the VAS scale and 17 points according to the McGill questionnaire, compared to reductions of 0.6 and 6 points, respectively, in the ultrasound and laser therapy group. The correlation between subjective assessment of pain according to the VAS scale and palpation-based assessment of pain was significantly positive between the two groups, demonstrating similarity of the two scales, with a slight dominance of the group undergoing laser and ultrasound therapy. These results represent a tentative confirmation of analgesic effectiveness of the vibro-acoustic method in musculoskeletal overload conditions. 2. In order to confirm its effectiveness, it is necessary to conduct further prospective randomized studies with blinding and evaluate the long-term results.

Study aim : The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of whole-body and local cryotherapy on pain and function of the osteoarthritic hip. Material and methods : The study included 40 patients (26 women and 14 men) aged 36 to 85 years with confirmed hip osteoarthritis. Twenty participants received whole-body cryotherapy whereas twenty received local cryotherapy in the hip region. A visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess the effects of therapy. Results : Based on the examinations, improvements in both reported pain and general functional status of the participants were observed in both groups. Slightly greater improvement regarding reported pain was found in the group of participants undergoing local cryotherapy treatments. Conclusion : The results showed that the analgesic effect of both whole-body and local cryotherapy noticeably increased the ability of the participants to engage in activities of daily living.

Background/Objectives: Eating habits and behaviors play a central role in maintaining health and overall well-being. In the case of young students, they affect not only appearance and general mood but also cognitive ability, concentration, and broader learning ability. For this reason, it is essential for young people to have well-balanced and wholesome diets. Methods: The study included 186 Polish and 136 Greek university students majoring in sports. The research tool was the validated survey questionnaire FFQ-6, and the data collected were additionally used to calculate the healthy diet index (pHDI-10). Results: Based on the analysis of the collected data, the dietary habits of the students surveyed were assessed, taking into account, among other things, the frequency of consumption of sweets, salty snacks, processed foods, and sweetened drinks, but also healthy products, including vegetables and fruit or vegetable and fruit juices. The data collected made it possible to determine an index of the health value of the participants’ diet. Conclusions: The analysis of the collected data led to the conclusion that, more often than their Greek peers, Polish university students tend to reach for sweets, salty snacks, or sweetened drinks. Greeks were more likely to choose fruit and vegetables and vegetable and fruit juices. However, among both Poles and Greeks, the index of the health-promoting value of the diet is low, indicating a high risk of diet-related diseases of lifestyle. Similar trends can be observed among students of almost all nationalities, which makes it reasonable to consider the implementation of appropriate educational programs on nutrition and healthy lifestyle principles in general.

Physical activity is vital for a child’s development and is influenced by their living environment and parental role models. This study examined the relationship between selected socioeconomic factors, children’s physical activity levels, and Body Mass Index (BMI). Data were collected from 9,333 children aged 6.5 to 9.5 years participating in the “Physical Education (PE) with University of Physical Education (abbreviation in Polish - AWF)” Programme (2021–2024). Information included anthropometric data of children and parents, physical activity levels, children’s leisure activities, and parents’ employment status. The data was collected using a questionnaire designed for the programme. Children with normal BMI were more active and more often engaged in organized (χ2 = 33.92; p < 0.001) and unorganized (χ2 = 4.08; p = 0.04) physical activities than obese peers. They spent less time on passive activities like watching TV (χ2 = 51.57; p < 0.001) or using a computer (χ2 = 88.18; p < 0.001). Overweight children preferred sedentary and low-intensity activities. Normal BMI correlated with parents’ higher education and employment (mothers: χ2 = 115.80; fathers: χ2 = 45.30; both p < 0.001) and living in larger cities (χ2 = 40.14; p < 0.001). Parental education and employment positively influence children’s BMI and activity levels. Normal BMI is associated with greater engagement in both structured and unstructured physical activity.

Study aim: To evaluate circulating lipoproteins, glucose, insulin and the index of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in male Polish students with normal BMI and waist circumference (WC) in the context of their physical activity. Material and methods: A total 170 male students with normal BMI and WC less than 102 cm were accepted for the study (56 sedentary and 114 physically active). Body weight and height were determined using standard medical equipment. Waist circumference was measured using non-stretchable tape. The percentage of body fat was determined from the sum of the thickness of four skinfolds. Circulating lipoproteins, glucose and insulin level was determined. Results: Active participants had significantly lower plasma TC, LDL-C, TC/HDL ratio, LDL/HDL ratio, insulin and HOMA-IR compared to sedentary subjects (P < 0.001). However, even among active participants, as many as 58% were characterized by high TG, 17% high TC, 12% high LDL-C and 20% high TG/HDL ratio. Conclusion: In male students with normal body composition according to BMI and WC distorted metabolic variables were observed. Additionally, physical activity markedly decreased but not eliminated these disturbances. Thus, using BMI and WC for body composition classification as healthy possibly provide a false results concerning metabolic status.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the potential of WHT.5R to determine metabolic risk in Polish college students of both sexes. Material and methods: In all volunteers, body weight, body height, and waist circumference were measured and a waist-to-height ratio 0.5 (WHT.5R) was calculated. Of all volunteers, only those with WHT.5R ≤ 0.726 were included in further procedures (132 males, 162 females). Circulating glucose, insulin, triacylglycerol, total cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol were determined. Plasma concentrations of non-HDL-cholesterol and HOMA-IR were calculated. Results: In the male group, there was a significantly higher percentage of participants with disturbed lipid profiles, with 20.4% and 28.0% for TC and non-HDL-C, respectively compared to females (13.0% and 9.9%, respectively). No sex-related differences were noted in the percentage of participants with disturbed circulating HDL-C, glucose, and HOMA-IR. Pronounced metabolic disturbances were noted despite WHT.5R values that did not exceed the established cut-off. Conclusions: In the study population, WHT.5R turned out not to be a reliable index of metabolic disturbances and health risks. However, WHT5.R showed sex-related differences in metabolic profile and confirmed lower metabolic risk in female compared to male students. Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the potential of WHT.5R to determine metabolic risk in Polish college students of both sexes. Material and methods: In all volunteers, body weight, body height, and waist circumference were measured and a waist-to-height ratio 0.5 (WHT.5R) was calculated. Of all volunteers, only those with WHT.5R ≤ 0.726 were included in further procedures (132 males, 162 females). Circulating glucose, insulin, triacylglycerol, total cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol were determined. Plasma concentrations of non-HDL-cholesterol and HOMA-IR were calculated. Results: In the male group, there was a significantly higher percentage of participants with disturbed lipid profiles, with 20.4% and 28.0% for TC and non-HDL-C, respectively compared to females (13.0% and 9.9%, respectively). No sex-related differences were noted in the percentage of participants with disturbed circulating HDL-C, glucose, and HOMA-IR. Pronounced metabolic disturbances were noted despite WHT.5R values that did not exceed the established cut-off. Conclusions: In the study population, WHT.5R turned out not to be a reliable index of metabolic disturbances and health risks. However, WHT5.R showed sex-related differences in metabolic profile and confirmed lower metabolic risk in female compared to male students.