Volume 29 (2022): Issue 3 (September 2022)

Introduction. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of unstable resistance training with blood flow restriction (URT with BFR) on short-term memory, strength and dynamic balance in older adults.

Material and Methods. A total of 27 male older adults (age= 62 ± 1.5 years) were randomly divided into two experimental groups: URT with BFR, URT without BFR, and a control group. The training program for the experimental groups consisted of bodyweight Scott exercise (three sessions a week for four weeks). The first two weeks included three sets, each set consisted of 15 repetitions at 60-second intervals. The second two weeks included four sets, with each set consisting of 15 repetitions and the use of weight constituting 5% of each person’s body weight (mean = 3.5 ± 1.5kg). To restrict blood flow, an 8-cm wide elastic band was used at 72 ± 9 mm Hg arterial pressure. All subjects performed Wechsler memory, 30-sec chair stand test, and timed up and go test (TUG) before and after the intervention. Data analysis was carried out using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc test.

Results. The results showed that URT with BFR was significantly superior to other groups in the variables of strength (p = 0.001), dynamic balance (p = 0.0001) and short-term memory (p = 0.04).

Conclusions. These findings suggest that URT with BFR can be a useful training method for older adults.

Introduction. The aim of this work was to assess bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) in male athletes performing weight-bearing and weight-supporting sports activities as well as in untrained men.

Material and methods. The study included 140 men aged 20-23. The study group consisted of wrestlers, football players, cyclists and untrained men. BMC (g) and BMD (g/cm2) in the lumbar spine (L2-L4) were determined with the use of the DEXA method. Biochemical parameters (concentration of osteocalcin, testosterone and 25-OH vitamin D in blood) were measured using the ELISA method. Diet composition was assessed based on three individual questionnaire interviews regarding nutrition in the last 24 hours prior to the study.

Results. Statistical analysis revealed that wrestlers demonstrated the highest levels of parameters related to bone mass. In this group, mean values of BMC, BMD as well as BMD compared to peak populational bone mass were significantly higher than in cyclists and the men from the control group. In the case of BMD (g/cm2), the difference was at the level of p < 0.001, whereas in the remaining parameters, i.e. BMC (g) and BMD with reference to age (%), it was at the level of p < 0.01. No significant differences between the groups were observed in the concentration of osteocalcin, testosterone and 25-OH vitamin D in blood and in nutrition.

Conclusions. Athletes who perform sports that predispose to the development of bone pathology should also do exercises that would support bone mineralisation and prevent osteoporosis in the future.

Introduction. The aim of this study was to determine whether the level of selected psychomotor abilities is a predictor of goalkeepers’ actions performed when saving throws made by the attacker in and without contact with the defender depending on the court area from which the throws are made.

Material and Methods. The study included ten leading goalkeepers of the Polish PGNiG Superleague. The research material was a video recording of 1369 goalkeeper saves during throws without contact between the attacking player and the defender and 898 with contact. To assess goalkeepers’ actions, the observation method categorized according to Norkowski’s concept was used. The level of selected psychomotor abilities was assessed using the Vienna Test System. RT (ver.S.1) – simple reaction time, RT (ver.S.3) – reaction time with choice; ZBA (ver.S.3) – time-space anticipation. The statistical test used was the regression analysis.

Results. The research results presented indicate that selected psychomotor abilities are the predictors of goalkeepers’ actions in the context of the court area from which a throw is made depending on the contact between the thrower and the defender. Predictors of the effectiveness of interventions during throws from pivot positions (without contact with the defender) are simple reaction time, motor time and time anticipation (y = 0.40326RTSRT - 0.66451MTSRT - 0.62533TA - 0.18835RTCRT + 69.58). The predictor of the effectiveness of interventions during throws from backcourt position from the first line (without contact with the defender) is reaction time with choice (y = -0.15796RTCRT + 70.92).

Conclusions. Specific psychomotor abilities should be developed to increase goalkeepers’ effective actions and reduce errors that result in ineffective saves, i.e. the loss of goals.

Introduction. During the COVID-19 pandemic, comprehensive social distancing policies, such as prohibiting agglomerations, travel restrictions, and staying-at-home recommendations, were adopted by several countries. Due to these lockdown measures, older adults decreased daily physical activity levels, consequently increasing sedentary behavior. This pilot feasibility study aimed to explore the feasibility of implementation (i.e., adherence, safety) and acceptability (i.e., satisfaction, intent to continue use, perceived appropriateness) of an online face-to-face supervised exercise intervention in a sample of older adults.

Material and Methods. Seven older adults (mean age: 68 ± 5 years; 38% females) completed the study. The exercise program was composed of two 45-min sessions per week for five consecutive weeks. Participants followed a remote exercise program in Zoom©. After each training session, both participants and the fitness trainer completed a questionnaire designed to investigate the acceptability and feasibility of the exercise program.

Results. Six out of seven participants (i.e., 86%) attended 100% of the workouts. No experience of fall/injury occurred during the training. All the participants agreed or strongly agreed to have the competence to perform the proposed exercise (range 100-42.9%), and this perception increased at the end of the intervention.

Conclusions. Our results suggest that an online physical exercise program using web technology seems to be feasible and acceptable to independent older adults. The program does not require specific equipment, shows a high adherence level, and seems safe. Moreover, both the participants and the fitness trainer reported a high level of satisfaction with the activity.

Introduction. This study aimed to determine the criteria for the choice of nine different leading ski centers that serve actively in the ski tourism sector of Turkey, to calculate the criteria weights, and to measure the performance of these centers.

Material and methods. In this context, the data were defuzzified using the CFCS method, and the fuzzy DEMATEL method was used to determine the criteria affecting the choice of ski centers. Then, the TOPSIS method was applied to measure the performance of ski centers by using the criteria weights obtained with the fuzzy DEMATEL method.

Results. As a result of the analysis, the weights of the main criteria were found as follows: facility amenities, price, accessibility, accommodation, alternative tourism, and visitors’ rating scores. Consequently, the top three ski resorts according to their scores are SC4, SC1, and SC9, respectively. The ski center which is coded SC9 is ranked at the bottom.

Conclusions. The study examined the ski centers that actively operate in Turkey. This could be considered as a spatial decision-making problem. This study could be a road map for the performance evaluation in ski tourism. Moreover, the results will be beneficial for the ski centers to identify their deficiencies and carry out improvement works in attracting the increasing demand for skiing to their centers.

Introduction. The positive legacy of the Olympics is often cited by the International Olympic Committee and national organizers. Some scholars, however, question an uncritical approach to an exclusively positive economic legacy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of hosting the Olympics on infrastructure development, with a potential impact on economic growth in the form of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in three phases of seven Olympic Games organised in Europe in recent years.

Material and methods. The effect of a particular Olympic period on the GDP was analysed using a difference-in-difference technique in which the difference between each of the analysed seven host countries’ GDPs and those of a reference set of countries was obtained. Each time, as part of the observation, an event time period was distinguished covering all three phases of the event: the preparatory phase, the event phase and the post-event phase.

Results. For the Winter Olympic Games, no statistically significant positive results are observed in the long term, which may indicate a very limited importance of the economic legacy of these events for potential host countries. In the case of Summer Olympic Games, the positive impact of the organization of these events in the post-event phase is noticeable

Conclusions. The obtained results confirm the ambiguous impact of Olympic Games on the hosts’ economies and are in line with the attitude of many scholars to an uncritical approach to the only positive legacy of these events.