Background: Fatigue can be a useful tool to understand the effects of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior on musculoskeletal health in university students. Methods: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine gender differences in the relationships between fatigue and specific types and levels of PA, posture, sleep quality (SQ), and non-specific low back pain (NS-LBP) in young adult university students aged 18–25 years. A total of 180 students completed all required tests. Results: Female students had higher total fatigue as they generally engaged in more PA in contrast to male students, who had higher total fatigue when they engaged in less moderate and less vigorous PA. With increasing sedentary behavior, overall fatigue was pronounced in both sexes, although female students spent significantly more time sitting. Poorer SQ correlated with NS-LBP and higher levels of sleep-related fatigue in female students. Males with pronounced hypekyphosis and females with pronounced lordosis were more fatigued. In addition, fatigue was more pronounced in female students with a higher extensor/flexor ratio, suggesting that trunk extensors are more fatigued due to the need to maintain lumbar spine stability. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the choice of PA should be gender-specific to prevent chronic musculoskeletal disorders and fatigue in young adult university students.

Comprehensive data on sagittal spinal alignment, regional mobility, trunk muscle strength and imbalances in 9–11-year-old children participating in intensively organized sport (IOS) are limited. This cross-sectional study evaluated the association between IOS participation and the aforementioned postural parameters, compared with a non-intensive comparison cohort. A total of 143 children were included (IOS: n = 66; controls: n = 77). Sagittal spinal curvatures (thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis) and regional mobility were assessed using Spinal Mouse^®, software-generated sagittal spinal curvature and trunk muscle imbalance profiles were assessed using Moti Physio 3D system, and absolute trunk muscle strength was measured using a K-Push dynamometer. Statistical analyses included multivariable ANCOVA, multivariable ordinal logistic regression, Fisher’s exact tests, and Benjamini–Hochberg (BH) adjustments, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. In adjusted ANCOVA models, the IOS group demonstrated significantly higher absolute trunk flexor (20.1 ± 0.5 vs. 16.8 ± 0.5 kgf) and extensor (25.5 ± 0.5 vs. 22.7 ± 0.5 kgf) strength than controls (both p < 0.001), independent of demographic and anthropometric covariates. At the univariate level, the comparison group showed a significantly higher prevalence of software-classified weakness of the m. rectus abdominis (88.3% vs. 72.7%; BH-adjusted p = 0.05) and tightness of the m. psoas major (96.1% vs. 83.3%; BH-adjusted p = 0.05). In contrast, sagittal spinal curvatures and mobility did not differ between groups. After BH adjustment, m. quadratus lumborum differences showed only a non-significant trend (BH-adjusted p = 0.06). Structural parameters were mainly associated with biological factors: age showed an independent association with lumbar lordosis severity (BH-adjusted p = 0.03), whereas sex was independently associated with thoracic (BH-adjusted p = 0.01) and lumbar spine mobility (BH-adjusted p = 0.03). In summary, IOS participation in children aged 9–11 years is associated with greater absolute trunk strength, whereas structural sagittal spinal profiles and software-based muscle-imbalance classifications appear to be driven primarily by age and sex. These findings support integrating non-invasive posture screening with trunk strength assessment when monitoring young athletes and planning developmentally appropriate exercise interventions.

Background: Motor irradiation is a concept in which the muscles of the talocrural joint can influence the torque of the quadriceps femoris muscle. The aims of this study are to compare the effects of three different talocrural joint positions on the torque of the quadriceps femoris muscle and to analyze the differences in torque measurements between two dynamometers. Methods: 33 students from the Faculty of Health Studies at the University of Rijeka participated in the study. The torque of the quadriceps femoris muscle was measured using the Cybex CSMi isokinetic dynamometer and the EasyForce^® hand-held fixed dynamometer. The measurements were performed three times continuously for each talocrural joint position. Results: When measured with the isokinetic dynamometer (p = 0.210) and the EasyForce^® dynamometer (p = 0.925), no significant difference was found in the torque of the quadriceps femoris muscle between the three talocrural joint positions. The dynamometers measured the torque consistently and showed a significant, from very good to excellent correlation of the data (p < 0.001), but did not provide identical results due to constant and proportional differences. Conclusions: There was no significant influence of the three talocrural joint positions on the torque of the quadriceps femoris muscle under isometric contraction conditions without a specific angular velocity. The use of the two dynamometers led to similar but inconsistent results in the measurement of muscle torque. This inconsistency is not only because of the differences between the devices themselves, but also due to fundamental methodological differences in participant stabilization and testing procedures.

Background/Objectives: Cardiovascular diseases remain one of the major public health challenges in Croatia, with coronary artery disease (CAD) as the most prevalent. The uneven development and concentration of healthcare facilities in urban areas suggest that rural regions lag in providing adequate healthcare. Methods: This quantitative, retrospective study included 732 patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who were treated between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2023 at Ogulin General Hospital, Croatia. Data were extracted from the hospital information system, and statistical analyses were performed, with p < 0.05 considered significant. Results: The analysis showed a decreasing trend in hospitalizations of patients with STEMI (Z = −3.574; p < 0.001) and an increase in hospitalizations of patients with NSTEMI (Z = 3.124; p = 0.002). No seasonal (χ² = 26.33; p = 0.238) or gender differences (χ² = 3.348; p = 0.188) were observed. A significant association between age and ACS occurrence was observed (χ² = 57.35; p < 0.001). The proportion of patients transferred to another health institution for further treatment was low (39.21%), particularly among patients with STEMI (12.89%). Conclusions: The results of this study indicate changes in the dynamics of ACS occurrence during the observed ten-year period. The number of hospitalizations is decreasing significantly, with a very low number of transfers of patients with STEMI; at the same time, there is an increase in hospitalizations of patients with NSTEMI. The study did not show statistically significant seasonal or gender differences in the incidence of ACS, while the incidence of NSTEMI increases with the age of the patients. These results emphasize the need for further improvement in the organization of healthcare for patients with ACS in the rural area served by Ogulin General Hospital.