The aim of this study was to evaluate center of pressure (CoP) changes in unilateral sports and examine how these changes affect the athlete’s feet, ankles, knees or posture. The study sample consisted of 40 professional male players (age: 19.4 ± 2.08 years; height: 165.78 ± 4.92 cm; weight: 59.04 ± 4.02 kg; BMI: 21.57 ± 2.22; foot size: 40.9 ± 1.6), divided by type of sport into group H—handball (n: 20) and group F—football (n: 20). To evaluate the monitored parameters, we used the instrumental diagnostic techniques: 3D laser footscan, baropodometric platform FreeStep and 2D Videography. We found no significant differences between the groups in the loading of the right and left foot (F: 8.3 ± 4.22; H: 7.7 ± 6.1) (p = 0.410). We found a significant difference in the load on the front and back of the left (p = 0.0079) and right foot (p = 0.0210) depending on the type of sport performed. Maximum and mean values of CoP (g/cm²) showed statistically significant differences depending on the sport performed (p < 0.0001). The shift in CoP (mm) from the norm depending on the sport performed was confirmed in the latero-lateral direction (p = 0.003), but not in the antero-posterior direction (p = 0.320). We found a difference in the angulation of the knees and heels depending on the sport played. Handball players showed higher knee varosity/valgosity (p = 0.015) and heel values than football players (p = 0.002). The handball players also confirmed a worse postural load and initial forward posture. The one-sided sports, handball and football, showed negative effects on the athlete’s movement system. These changes were more pronounced in handball players. Proper training programs should be applied in athletes’ daily routine to improve the negative effects of unilateral sports.

The study describes the benefits of MIS-TLIF (minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion) and compares them with OTLIF (open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion). It compares blood loss, length of hospitalization stays (LOS), operation time, and return of the patient to the environment. A total of 250 adults (109 males and 141 females), mean age 59.5 ± 12.6, who underwent MIS-TLIF in the Neurosurgery Clinic (NSC) Ruzomberok, Slovakia, because of lumbar degenerative diseases (LDD), participated in this retrospective study. Data were obtained from the patients’ medical records and from the standardized Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) index questionnaire. To compare ODI in our study sample, we used the Student’s Paired Sample Test. To compare the MIS-TLIF and OTLIF approaches, a meta-analysis was conducted. Confidence intervals were 95% CI. The test of homogeneity (Chi-square (Q)) and the degree of heterogeneity (I² test) among the included studies were used. Statistical analyses were two-sided (α = 0.05). All monitored parameters were significantly better in MIS-TLIF group: blood loss (p < 0.001), operation time (p < 0.001), and ODI changes (p < 0.001). LOS (p < 0.042) were close to the significance level. ODI in the study sample decreased by 33.44% points after MIS-TLIF, and it significantly increased as well (p < 0.001). The percentage of patients who were satisfied with the surgery they underwent was 84.8%. The study confirmed that the MIS-TLIF method is in general gentler for the patient and allows the faster regeneration of patient’s health status compared to OTLIF.

Background/Objectives: One of the primary goals of neurorehabilitation after stroke is gait reeducation, as it provides the patient with greater autonomy and enhances their safety in daily activities. A preliminary clinical study was undertaken to determine whether robotic gait reeducation using the Lokomat device is more effective than conventional therapy in achieving gait symmetry. Methods: The research group consisted of 107 patients, with an average age of 63.54 years, all in the subacute stage of hemiparesis. These patients underwent 4 weeks of neurorehabilitation and were assigned into experimental and control groups. The patients in the experimental group underwent neurorehabilitation (20 sessions) and twice-weekly walking on the Lokomat device (10 sessions). The control group received equivalent neurorehabilitation and conventional gait reeducation. We monitored the return of ideal limb loading (to a 50:50 ratio) and the restoration of the step length on the paretic limb to a physiological length (73 cm), as well as the subsequent restoration of gait symmetry. The measurements were performed using the HP Cosmos Zebris Treadmill FDM-T device. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was conducted within each group to analyze the effectiveness of gait reeducation before and after therapy. To compare the results between the two groups, the Mann–Whitney test (α = 0.05) was employed. Results: There was no significant difference between the robotic and conventional therapy groups (p = 0.432 (>0.05)). A significant change occurred only in the control group in the 50:50 limb loading parameter (p = 0.042). There were no significant changes in the other parameters. Conclusions: Under the conditions of our study, robot-guided gait reeducation did not appear to be more effective than conventional therapy. The monthly duration of gait reeducation is insufficient to achieve a symmetrical gait in patients with spastic hemiparesis.

Regular sports activity induces kinesiological adaptations and alters musculoskeletal configuration, influencing postural control and balance. These adaptations vary by sport type and may differentiate athletes from non-athletes. This study analysed the effect of regular physical activity, including high-performance sport participation, on postural stability and examined whether this influence is reflected in static sway parameters. The study included 88 men divided into an athlete group (S: n = 46) and a non-athlete control group (NS: n = 42). A comparative design was used to assess differences between groups. Postural diagnostics were carried out with the Feemed Maxi baropodometric platform, enabling precise evaluation of plantar pressure distribution and standing stability. Athletes demonstrated greater asymmetry in foot-loading distribution globally and within partial plantar segments. Mean asymmetry values were higher in athletes (total foot: +3.131; forefoot: −2.414; rearfoot: +2.413) than in non-athletes (total foot: −2.472; forefoot: +0.983; rearfoot: −1.317). The primary statistically significant finding was a greater anteroposterior centre-of-pressure displacement in athletes, indicating increased sagittal-plane postural load (p < 0.001), whereas mediolateral displacement remained minimal and non-significant (NS: −0.012; S: −0.011; p = 0.891). Overall normalised CoP position was slightly higher in non-athletes (10.245%) than in athletes (10.103%). Long-term sports loading influences plantar pressure distribution and postural mechanics through subtle, often subclinical adaptations shaped by training level, sport specialisation, and individual biomechanical characteristics.

A stroke is defined as a sudden disruption of the blood supply to the brain tissue. It is the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer. The number of individuals with a stroke in the Czech Republic is 350 patients per 100,000 individuals per year. This means that roughly 35,000 people suffer from a stroke in the Czech Republic every year. Patients who have survived a stroke often suffer from hemiparesis, which affects the stereotype of walking. A characteristic feature of hemiparetic gait is circumduction movement in the hip joint and weakening of the ankle extensor groups, reduced speed, shorter step length and less load on the paretic limb. As part of the rehabilitation, it is possible to stimulate the paretic lower limb using the walkaide. It is a type of functional electrical stimulation, which causes irritation of the peripheral nerve and subsequent activation of the paretic muscle. The aim of the presented study was to propose a methodology for objectifying the influence of electrical stimulation using WalkAide on selected walking parameters.

The development of spinal surgery makes it possible to perform minimally invasive interventions in the treatment of LDD (lumbar disc degeneration). The lumbar spine is most often indicated for surgery. At present, several types of operations (decompression, fusion, dynamic stabilization) are performed in the surgical solution of vertebrogenic problems in the lumbar spine. What type of operation and operative technique the operator chooses depends on the graphic documentation of the affected section of the spine and the clinical picture. At present, the minimally invasive surgical technique called minimally invasive spinal surgery (MISS). The procedure allows less tissue damage, less blood loss, earlier verticalization and a shorter hospitalization period. this fact points to the necessity of accelerated forms of rehabilitation in spinal surgery. We followed 250 patients whose average length of hospitalization after mini-invasive procedures at NCHK in Ružomberok in 2022 was 4.84±0.81 days. We appeal to the need for preoperative preparation, which will speed up postoperative rehabilitation.