To abate the spread of the COVID-19 virus, different restriction measures were imperative, limiting the possibility to be engaged in physical activity. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on physical activity (PA) levels expressed as energy expenditure (MET-min/week) and sedentary behaviour in Kosovo. The possible association between PA levels and other factors was analyzed. 1633 participants (age range: 13 to 63 years; mean: 24.70 ± 9.33 years; body height: 172 ± 10.57 cm; body mass: 69.10 ± 13.80 kg; BMI: 23.09 ± 3.63 kg/m²) participated in the study, categorized by age, gender, BMI, and living area. An online survey, including an adapted version of the IPAQ-SF, was administered once during lockdown to assess PA levels and sedentary behaviour both before and during COVID-19 lockdown. The Wilcoxon signed-rank, Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis rank of sum tests were used for statistical analysis. COVID-19 restrictions had a negative impact on the types of and overall PA levels MET-min/week (p < 0.001). Sedentary behaviour significantly increased during COVID-19 restrictions (p < 0.001). Higher decreases in MET-min/week during lockdown were observed among males, young and young adults, overweight, and urban-living participants. Finally, COVID-19 restrictions decreased the PA levels and MET-min/week, and increased sedentary behaviour also in a relatively young cohort. Such differences were dependent on several factors.

High levels of physical fitness (PF) can positively affect both health and cognitive function, thus monitoring its levels in youth can help increase health and quality of life in adult populations later on. This systematic review aims to identify PF field-based tests used in young European populations practicing sport to find tools that are adequate for the considered target involving a new battery within the Enriched Sport Activities (ESA) project. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was followed. In the 83 identified articles, the main tests used were: vertical/horizontal jumps (for muscular strength/power); push-ups, running at maximum effort, sit-ups (for muscular strength/endurance); multistage non-intermittent and intermittent tests (for aerobic endurance); sit and reach (for flexibility); sprinting and agility T-tests (for speed and agility, respectively); 10 × 5 m shuttle run (SR) (for both speed and agility). Few studies assessed coordination, reaction time, power, and balance. Although the selected tests are widely used and validated, they do not determine all PF aspects and do not reflect sport-specific features. A final decision was made for the inclusion of the following tests: standing broad jump, seated medicine ball throw, 20 m SR test, 30 m sprint, Illinois test, and a new test, i.e., the crunning test, to assess different skill-related components at once. The use of this combination of tests allows for the assessment of all PF components and can help planning effective training programs and cultivate sporting talent.

Inactivity is a major issue that causes physical and psychological health problems, especially in people with intellectual disability (ID). This review discusses the beneficial effects of sport intervention programs (SIPs) in people with ID, and aims to provide an overview of the scientific literature in order to identify the main factors influencing the participation of people with ID in SIPs. Twelve papers were analyzed and compared. The results show a large variety in examined SIPs, concerning participants’ age and disability, intervention characteristics and context, as well as measures and findings. The main factors essential for people with ID partaking in SIPs appeared to be suitable places for the SIP development, adequate implementation of physical activity (PA) programs in school and extra-school contexts, education, and the training of teachers and instructors. The literature review highlights the relevance of using SIPs in order to improve physical and psychological health, as well as increase social inclusion in populations with ID. SIPs should be included in multifactor intervention programs. Nevertheless, the need is recognized for stakeholders to adopt specific practice and policy in promoting social inclusion in order to organize intervention strategies which are able to provide quality experiences in sport and physical activity for people with ID.

Introduction: The successful combination of a sports career and education, known as the dual career, requires cooperation and a multi-dimensional approach. Although extensive research has been conducted on dual career programs and services in developed countries, there is limited information available on the dual-career phenomenon in developing countries. This study aimed to explore the dual career experiences of university student-athletes in the Republic of Kosovo.Materials and methods: A 30-item online survey was distributed to student-athletes, addressing various aspects of the dual career. A total of 121 student-athletes (males: 63.6%; females: 36.4%) voluntarily participated in the survey.Results: These student-athletes represented 13 different sports, with 102 (84.3%) participating in team and 19 (15.7%) in individual sports. Between individual and team sports no significant differences were found regarding university and sports engagement, and the time required to travel from the university to the training venue, whereas a significant difference (p = 0.019) emerged for the time needed to travel from home to the training venue. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between university majors in terms of sports engagement. The present findings highlight a lack of familiarity with dual career programs among student-athletes (89.3%) and the need for dual-career policies at the university (16.5%), sport (9.9%), and national (13.2%) levels. Student-athletes faced various challenges, mainly related to limited leisure time (62.8%), academic overload (60.3%), frequent absence from classes (59.6%), and financial uncertainty (35.5%). Recommended improvements included increased financial support (66.1%), the availability of sports facilities at or near the university (48.8%), greater educational flexibility (26.4%), tutoring services at the university (25.6%), and sports clubs (19%) levels, as well as improved communication regarding existing initiatives and legal aspects (53.7% and 47.1%, respectively). The study also identified parents (98.3%), coaches (86%), and siblings (60.3%) as important sources of support for student-athletes at personal, sports, and university levels.Conclusions: In conclusion, to enhance the potential of future student-athletes in the Republic of Kosovo, relevant stakeholders in sports and higher education should collaborate closely and implement programs and services based on international best practices for dual-career support.

In Multiple sclerosis (MS) it is important to preserve the residual physiological functions of subjects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of nanotechnological device treatment combined with home-based training program (TP) on lactate level, hand grip strength and cervical mobility on MS patients. Seventeen MS patients were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG) in which the Taopatch® nanotechnological device was applied or to a control group (CG). All the participants carried out a cervical range of motion (1) assessment and the hand grip test at baseline (T0) and after TP (T1), also investigating the lactate levels to figure out if there could be a correlation with the possible changes in the investigated parameters. The results showed no significant differences in both groups for ROM. As regards the hand grip test, EG showed a statistically significant improvement on strength for both hands, dominant (p = 0.01) and non-dominant (p = 0.04), while the CG showed an improvement only for the non-dominant hand (p = 0.001). No correlation was found between baseline lactate level and cervical ROM change. We can definitely conclude that exercise and Taopatch® can help to improve and maintain hand strength in MS subjects and also can prevent sedentary lifestyle during the COVID-19 pandemic time. These are preliminary results that need further investigations, possibly increasing sample size and lengthening time of intervention.

The age-related decline of muscle strength, mass, and physical performance (sarcopenia) has been raising concerns among the scientific and healthcare communities. This decline may differ between populations, age groups, and sexes. Therefore, we aimed to explore sarcopenia together with the impact of health and socio-economic parameters in mature Kosovans. A cross-sectional study was conducted on community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 60 years (n = 240, 47.1% female) from the Prishtina region. Sarcopenia was identified using the following criteria: (i) the European Working Group in Sarcopenia for Older People (EWGSOP1), (ii) the revised EWGSOP2 algorithms, and (iii) sex-specific cut-points derived from the Kosovan population. In males, pre-sarcopenia/probable sarcopenia was detected from the EWGSOP1, EWGSOP2 and Kosovan-specific criteria at values of 3.1%, 5.5%, and 28.3%; sarcopenia was detected at 1.6%, 5.5%, and 0.0%, and severe sarcopenia was detected at 4.7%, 2.4%, and 4.7%, respectively. Pre-sarcopenia was lower in females (0.9%, 5.3%, 16.8%), with no cases of sarcopenia or severe sarcopenia detected by either algorithm. Sarcopenic males were older, had a lower weight, BMI, skeletal muscle mass, performance score, nutritional status (p < 0.001), educational level (p = 0.035), and higher malnourishment risk (p = 0.005). It is notable that high overweight and obesity levels were also detected (93.8% of females, 77.1% of males). This study highlights the importance of using population-specific cut-points when diagnosing sarcopenia, as otherwise its occurrence may be underestimated, especially in obese persons. Age, body composition, physical performance, health, and socio-economic conditions can influence the occurrence of sarcopenia.