<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
<italic>Study aim</italic>: This study aims at examining the impact of Mindfulness and mental skills on competitive anxiety in athletes.
<italic>Material and methods</italic>: The present study is quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design. Participants were 45 19–30 years old male shooters randomly assigned to three groups with 15 people. The test consisted of six 60-minute mindfulness training/Mental skills/control that lasted six weeks. Measurements included competitive state anxiety based on the competitive state anxiety inventory in two pretest and post-test stages. Data were analyzed using statistical software at a confidence level of 0.05 using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
<italic>Results</italic>: The results showed that cognitive interventions of Mindfulness and mental skills reduced competitive state anxiety (P &lt; 0.05), but there was no difference between the effectiveness of these methods. (P &lt; 0.05).
<italic>Conclusions</italic>: Six weeks of mindfulness and mental skills training can help improve athletic performance by reducing anxiety levels.
</abstract>

The impact of Mindfulness and Mental Skills Protocols on Athletes’ Competitive Anxiety

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Summary</title>Study aim: To compare the blood ammonia and lactate concentrations in sprinters and triathletes during an incremental treadmill exercise test and in the 30 minutes of recovery.
Material and methods: The study included 10 male sprinters and 14 male triathletes who compete at the national and international level. A treadmill test until exhaustion was administered. Blood samples for ammonia and lactate were obtained when the athletes were at rest, during and immediately after exercise, and between 5 and 30 min after exercise.
Results: The ammonia concentration and time course were similar in the sprinters and triathletes (F = 1.81, p ≥ 0.05, η2 = 0.08). An exercise-related increase in blood ammonia was almost linear, regardless of the exercise intensity. In the case of lactate, the interactions between the concentrations measured in the sprinters and triathletes were statistically significant (F = 5.78, p ≤ 0.001, η2 = 0.21). Post-hoc tests revealed that the lactate concentrations differed significantly between the sprinters and triathletes in the 18th min (p ≤ 0.01) and the 21st min (p ≤ 0.001) of the exercise test. The blood lactate increased in a nonlinear manner (slowly at lower intensities and rapidly at higher intensities). During the 30 min recovery period, both the ammonia and lactate levels decreased linearly. However, in the sprinters, the peak values were maintained in the first stage of recovery (5 min post-exercise).
Conclusions: The study showed that the blood ammonia concentration may be a useful marker of exercise-related metabolic responses in sprint-trained as well as in endurance-trained competitive athletes. Blood ammonia levels were more intensity-sensitive across the whole intensity range during the incremental exercise when compared to the blood lactate levels.</abstract>

Department of Didactics of Physical Activity, University of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland

Department of Athletics, University of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland

Blood ammonia and lactate responses to incremental exercise
in highly-trained male sprinters and triathletes

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Summary</title><italic>Study aim</italic>: Taekwondo is known for its very dynamic sports fighting, in which the athletes perform strikes mainly with their lower limbs. The aim of the study was to compare the differences between the impact force of strikes performed with the dominant and non-dominant limbs and its correlation with anthropometric indicators.<italic>Material and methods</italic>: Six elite Olympic taekwondo players took part in the research (20.0 ± 3.2 years, 185.0 ± 8.5 cm, 75.3 ± 10.9 kg). Body composition including body mass, percent of body fat (FATP), fat mass (FATM), fat-free mass (FFM) and muscle mass (MM) was determined by bioelectric impedance analysis. Maximal strike impact force (Fmax) and Fmax relative to FFM (Fmax · FFM−1) of roundhouse kick (dollyo chagi) and side kick (yop chagi) were measured using a dynamometric punching bag with an embedded accelerometer.<italic>Results:</italic> We found significant differences between the dominant limb (DL) and non-dominant limb (NL) in anthropometric analysis: FATP was 10.52 ± 5.38 % and 11.32 ± 4.83 %, FFM was 11.87 ± 0.97 kg and 11.43 ± 1.09 kg, MM was 11.25 ± 0.92 kg and 10.82 ± 1.02 kg for DL and NL respectively. In dollyo chagi Fmax and Fmax · FFM−1 were higher for DL than NL and were 2733 ± 748 N and 2206 ± 778 N, 41.34 ± 8.16 N · kg−1 and 33.29 ± 9.02 N · kg–1 respectively. Yop chagi has a lower impact force compared to dollyo chagi. Fmax and Fmax · FFM−1 for DL and NL were 1763 ± 303 N and 1779 ± 372 N, 26.76 ± 3.07 N · kg−1 and 26.9 ± 3.57 N · kg–1 respectively. We found a significant correlation between Fmax in yop chagi and FFM (R = 0.83, p &lt; 0.05).<italic>Conclusions</italic>: Athletes should fight using a stance where the dominant limb is moved further away from the target in order to strike with maximum force.</abstract>

Differences between anthropometric indicators and the impact force of taekwondo kicks performed with the dominant and non-dominant limb

<abstract xml:lang="en"><title style='display:none'>Acute effects of static stretching on muscle strength</title><italic>Study aim</italic>: To assess the effects of static passive maximal stretching on muscle performance in order to clarify the existing controversies.<italic>Material and methods</italic>: Two randomly selected groups of the Brazilian Air Force personnel were studied: experimental (n = 15), subjected to 3 bouts of static passive stretching exercises of wrist flexors and extensors (beyond a mild discomfort). Every bout lasted 10 s and was followed by a 30-s rest. The control group (n = 15) performed no exercises. Muscle strength was measured with a handgrip dynamometer before and 20 min after the test.<italic>Results</italic>: Subjects from the experimental group had the pre-exercise handgrip strength significantly higher than postexercise (by about 7%; p&lt;0.01). No significant decrease was noted in the control group.<italic>Conclusions</italic>: Static passive stretching induces decreases in muscle strength.</abstract>

Master Degree Course of Human Kinetics, University Castelo Branco

Laboratory of Human Kinetics Bioscience, Rio de Janeiro

Euro-American Physiology Doctoral Program

Acute effects of static stretching on muscle strength

<abstract xml:lang="en"><title style='display:none'>Social and political factors affecting sporting success in small countries: The case of Cyprus</title><italic>Study aim:</italic> To examine the major social, cultural, and political factors determining sporting successes in very small countries at macro, meso, and micro levels through the example of Cyprus.<italic>Material and methods:</italic> The article is based partly on the analysis of statistics and documents and partly on a segment of a comprehensive investigation carried out by standardized questionnaire and in-depth interviews among all Cypriot Olympians participating in the summer Olympic Games (N=93). The response rate was 79.6%. Regarding some major characteristics (age, gender, sport) the researched population fairly represents the total population.<italic>Results:</italic> Little investment has been made in building sports facilities, the training of coaches, the support for sport science, and in the development of sport medicine. Elite sport has been reluctantly promoted by sport policy. Elite athletes had limited competition opportunities. Cypriot children with lower socioeconomic backgrounds and from villages had higher chances for becoming top-level athletes. Young girls hardly had any access to competitive sport.<bold>Conclusions:</bold> Based on the analysis of documents it can be stated that not only the smallness of the country and the small number of the population but also the poor sporting tradition and culture as well as inconsistent sport policy also contribute to the Cypriot elite athletes' sporting results. From the findings by questionnaire it might be concluded that the Cypriot children had no equal chances to become top athletes.</abstract>

Social and political factors affecting sporting success in small countries: The case of Cyprus

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Summary</title><italic>Study aim: </italic>Interactions between the fingers and a handle can be analyzed using a finite element finger model. Hence, the biomechanical response of a hybrid human finger model during contact with varying diameter cylindrical handles was investigated numerically in the present study using ABAQUS/CAE.<italic>Materials and methods: </italic>The finite element index finger model consists of three segments: the proximal, middle, and distal phalanges. The finger model comprises skin, bone, subcutaneous tissue and nail. The skin and subcutaneous tissues were assumed to be non-linearly elastic and linearly visco-elastic. The FE model was applied to predict the contact interaction between the fingers and a handle with 10 N, 20 N, 40 N and 50 N grip forces for four different diameter handles (30 mm, 40 mm, 44mm and 50 mm). The model predictions projected the biomechanical response of the finger during the static gripping analysis with 200 incremental steps.<italic>Results: </italic>The simulation results showed that the increase in contact area reduced the maximal compressive stress/strain and also the contact pressure on finger skin. It was hypothesized in this study that the diameter of the handle influences the stress/strain and contact pressure within the soft tissue during the contact interactions.<italic>Conclusions: </italic>The present study may be useful to study the behavior of the finger model under the static gripping of hand-held power tools.</abstract>

Finite element analysis to assess the biomechanical behavior of a finger model gripping handles with different diameters

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
<italic>Study aim</italic>: The correlation between pain and emotional status in subjects with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) is established. Nevertheless, there is a lack of up-to-date findings based on objective assessment of pain using a digital algometer on the mastication muscles. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the emotional status and the chronic pain pressure threshold (PPT).
<italic>Material and methods</italic>: Thirty-eight subjects were screened for the existence of temporomandibular disorders with the 3Q/TMD questionnaire for chronic pain (GCPS) and emotional status (PHQ-9 and GAD-7). The results were evaluated in comparison with the PPT measured with a digital algometer on the masseter muscles. Each subject was examined three times (at 1 and 7 months after the initial examination). Chronic pain scores (GCPS) were found to be higher in the TMD group in all three examination sessions (p &lt; 0.05).
<italic>Results</italic>: Pain, depression and anxiety levels were higher in female subjects regardless of the existence of TMD, but only some differences were significant. A correlation between chronic orofacial pain scores and PPT was found in 2 out of 3 examination sessions.
<italic>Conclusion</italic>: The PPT scores for the masseter muscles did not correlate with the emotional state in the study group.
</abstract>

The relationship between depression, anxiety, chronic pain and pain pressure threshold of the masseter muscle in healthy young subjects. A pilot study

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
<italic>Study aim</italic>: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the FIFA 11+ injury prevention programme on strength and on muscle strength and landing biomechanical markers of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during fatigue among youth recreational soccer players.
<italic>Material and methods</italic>: Thirty volunteer participants were assigned to the intervention group (n = 15) and control group (n = 15). The intervention group performed the FIFA 11+ programme as a warm-up activities, while the control group performed unstructured warm-up twice per week for 8 weeks. The data measurements were taken before fatigue simulation (PRE), immediately after simulation (POST5), after 20 min (POST20), and 35 min (POST35) after simulation before and after the completion of the intervention. Five-minute fatigue simulation was used for fatigue induction. Muscle strength was measured using an isokinetic machine during concentric and eccentric contractions of the hamstrings and quadriceps. Meanwhile, landing biomechanics was measured by the Landing Error Scoring System.
<italic>Results</italic>: No significant differences were observed in individual muscle strength, H/Q CONV, and H/QFUNC ratio. The biomechanical landing markers showed a significantly higher score in PRE (P = 0.004; effect size = 0.32) and POST5 (P = 0.007; effect size = 0.29) in the FIFA 11+ group compared to the control group.
<italic>Conclusion</italic>: Twice a week for eight weeks of FIFA 11+ is adequate to detect positive changes in biomechanical markers of ACL injury during fatigue.
</abstract>

Effects of the FIFA 11+ injury prevention programme on muscle strength and landing biomechanical markers of ACL injury during fatigue among youth soccer players

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
<italic>Study aim:</italic> The aim of our study was to determine whether six weeks of CrossFit training, a popular form of high-intensity training, improves the atherogenic index of plasma and blood lipid profile indicators in young healthy men.
<italic>Material and methods:</italic> Twenty-nine young, normolipidemic men (age 23.3 ± 2.4 years, height 181 ± 6.2 cm, BMI 24.4 ± 1.7) participated in a six-week CrossFit program. Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), autoantibodies against oxidized LDL (oLAB), and triglycerides (TG) were determined before and after completion of 6 weeks of CrossFit training, before, 3 minutes, and 60 minutes after the VO2max cycling test to exhaustion. Based on lipids, the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and the ratios TC/HDL-C, LDL-C/HDL-C, and TG/HDL-C were calculated.
<italic>Results:</italic> A statistically significant main effect was found for the measures TG and HDL-C for the predictor variable TIME (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively). No significant main effect was found for the predictor variable TRIAL or the TRIAL × TIME interaction.
<italic>Conclusions:</italic> The statistically significant changes observed after cycling to exhaustion confirm that intense physical exercise affects lipid metabolism. Six weeks of CrossFit training had no effect on the statistically significant changes in plasma lipid profile and AIP in young healthy men.
</abstract>

Effect of six weeks of CrossFit training on blood lipid profile and atherogenic index of plasma in young healthy men: A pilot study

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
<italic>Study aim</italic>: The aim of this study was to examine the mediating role of secondary school students’ physical activity attitudes between health-related fitness knowledge (HRFK) and physical activity (PA).
<italic>Materials and methods</italic>: The research employed a quantitative research method, using the relational survey model. The participants of the study consisted of a total of 603 (female = 295, male = 308) secondary school students from six different secondary schools in Isparta and Burdur provinces in the fall semester of the 2023–2024 academic year. The data of the study were collected with a personal information form, the Turkish HRFK Test, the Physical Activity Attitude Scale for Secondary School Students and the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C). The analysis of the data was made using the Process Macro v3.3 plug-in with model 4 and 5000 resampling methods with a 95% confidence interval.
<italic>Results</italic>: It was found that students’ HRFK had significant positive effect on their physical activity attitudes and physical activities. It was observed that physical activity attitudes also positively affected physical activity. Additionally, physical activity attitudes were found to have a mediating role between HRFK and physical activity.
<italic>Conclusions</italic>: To conclude, it was found that secondary school students’ HRKF affected their participation in physical activity. However, our research showed that the effect of HRFK on physical activity of secondary school students may occur indirectly through physical activity attitudes. It can be concluded that the HRFK level of secondary school students is important for participation in physical activity.
</abstract>

Health-related fitness knowledge, physical activity attitude and physical activity in secondary school students: A mediation analysis

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
<italic>Study aim</italic>: This study clarified the relationship between sex and dominant and non-dominant feet during landing movements in the vertical drop jump (VDJ).
<italic>Materials and methods</italic>: The participants were 16 healthy adults (8 men, 8 women) with no orthopedic history. A three-dimensional motion analyzer and a floor reaction force meter were used for measurement. The exercise task was a VDJ in which the participants jumped from a 30-cm-high platform, and the relationship between sex, dominant leg, and non-dominant leg was compared.
<italic>Results</italic>: In terms of joint angle, the main effect of sex on the internal/external knee joint angle was observed. No significant differences were observed in the other parameters.
<italic>Conclusions</italic>: A sex difference was found in the internal/external angles of the knee joint during the landing of the VDJ from 30 cm. However, there were no differences in the kinematic and kinetic data between the dominant and non-dominant legs.
</abstract>

Effects of kinematics and kinetics parameters of the vertical drop jump test on differences between the sexes and dominant and non-dominant feet

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
<italic>Study aim</italic>: This study aimed to compare the acute and prolonged effects of three different Kinesio Taping (KT) techniques (underactive/overactive muscle correction [UMC]/[OMC] and functional correction [FC]) on hip ROM in the sagittal plane and compare them to those of the placebo Kinesio Taping (PKT) application.
<italic>Materials and methods</italic>: The sample consisted of 56 young healthy participants of both genders who were randomly divided into four equal groups. Measurements were performed using Kinovea software for video analysis during the performance of an active straight leg raise and the modified Thomas test at three timepoints: before the intervention and 60 min and 48 h after the intervention.
<italic>Results</italic>: Mixed-model ANOVA revealed a statistically significant interaction between group and timepoint (F = 6.210; p &lt; 0.001; ηp2 = 0.285 for ipsilateral hip extension ROM; F = 2.064; p = 0.036; ηp2 = 0.117 for contralateral hip flexion ROM). The results revealed acute and prolonged ROM changes after the application of three different KT techniques compared to those after the control procedure, but these changes were not significant.
<italic>Conclusions</italic>: These findings support the use of KT as a modality for enhancing ROM. In muscle techniques, the factor of the anchor placement direction, with the same percentage of Kinesio tape tension, generates different effects. These effects were greater after 48 h than immediately after application. In changing the segmental posture or joint alignment, FC proved to be more intense than the KT muscle techniques, with an immediate effect that persisted even after two days.
</abstract>

Acute and prolonged hip kinematic changes after three different Kinesio Taping® interventions: A randomized placebo-controlled trial

<abstract xml:lang="en"><title style='display:none'>Teacher-coach role conflict in school-based physical education in USA: a literature review and suggestions for the future</title>Teaching and coaching are two different occupational roles, and teachers who also coach have stressful work environments common to all educational settings, but each occupational role has specific stress and burnout problems. The responsibilities of physical education (PE) teachers and coaches are distinguishable from one another. These different roles and role conflicts may create stress among PE teachers who also coach. The history of physical education shows that there are contextual factors that promote PE teacher-coach role conflict. The aim of this paper is to analyse these contextual factors via using a literature review analysis and to provide suggestions about teacher-coach role conflict for school-based physical education in USA.</abstract>

Department of Kinesiology, Sport Studies & Physical Education, The College at Brockport, State University of New York, USA

School of Sport Sciences & Technology, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey

School of Physical Education and Sport, Turkish Republic of North Cyprus, The American University Girne

School of Physical Education and Sport, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey

School of Sport Sciences & Technology, Ankara, Turkey, Hacettepe University

School of Physical Education and Sport, Anadolu University, Eskişehir, Turkey

Teacher-coach role conflict in school-based physical education in USA: a literature review and suggestions for the future

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> Study aim: To measure the effects of Pilates and aqua fitness training on functional fitness and quality of life in older individuals. Material and methods: A total of 54 participants (M = 66.4 ± 6.2 years) from a club for retired people in Eger, Hungary, were randomly assigned to 3 groups: one did Pilates 3 times/week (n = 22); one did aqua fitness 3 times/week (n = 17); and a control group (n = 15). The Fullerton Functional Fitness Test (FFFT) was used to measure functional fitness pre - and post-program. Quality of life was measured by WHO’s quality of life questionnaire (WHOQOL). Results: In the FFFT, significant improvement was found in 5 out of 7 variables: lower and upper body strength, lower body flexibility, physical mobility (especially dynamic balance), and aerobic endurance by the Pilates group. Shoulder flexibility improved significantly in the Aqua fitness group. Lower body strength improved in the control group. BMI did not change significantly in any of the groups. WHOQOL showed improvement in perception and autonomy in the Pilates group; sociability in the Aqua group. The between-subject analyses yielded a significant main effect of the experimental group F(1, 52) = 4367 (p &lt; 0.001). Discussion: A 6-month intervention program is an appropriate tool to improve overall physical performance of healthy, inactive older adults, regardless of the type of exercise concerning Pilates or Aqua fitness, but might improve only some aspects of QOL. There is a strong need for well-designed intervention programs for the elderly.</abstract>

Eszterházy Károly College – Institute of Sport Sciences, Eger

Semmelweis University Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Budapest

University of Debrecen, Faculty of Child and Adult Education, Hajdúböszörmény, Hungary

Effects of Pilates and aqua fitness training on older adults’ physical functioning and quality of life

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Summary</title><italic>Study aim</italic>: Evidence supports female sex hormones have an influencing effect on amultitude of physiological and psychological systems related to exercise. Little is known, however, whether is effect persist into the recovery from exercise. Our objective was to examine aspects of muscle damage/inflammation process during recovery in healthy, exercise-trained women following endurance activity at the mid-follicular (MF; low sex hormone level) and mid-luteal (ML; elevated sex hormone levels) phases of their menstrual cycle.<italic>Material and methods</italic>: The MF and ML exercise sessions consisted of running for 90 minutes at 70% VO2max on atreadmill in a controlled laboratory environment. Menstrual cycle phase was hormonally confirmed, diet and physical activity was control throughout the study. Outcome measures were: blood creatine kinase (CK) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) assessed at immediate-post exercise (IP), 24-hour and 72-hour into recovery. Statistics involved ANOVA procedures.<italic>Results</italic>: At 24-hours and 72-hour into recovery CK activity was greater in MF than ML (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05) while for IL-6 at IP, 24-hour and 72-hour responses were significantly greater at MF than at ML (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05).<italic>Conclusions</italic>: Amore robust recovery CK and IL-6 response occur in the MF of the menstrual cycle when female sex hormones are reduced. This finding suggests female sex hormone changes due to menstrual cycle phase affect the physiologic responses during the extended recovery period from intensive exercise in eumenorrheic women.</abstract>

Female sex hormones and the recovery from exercise: Menstrual cycle phase affects responses

<abstract xml:lang="en"><title style='display:none'>The influence of juggling on mental rotation performance in children</title><italic>Study aim:</italic> To assess the influence of juggling training on mental rotation performance in children.<italic>Material and methods:</italic> Two groups of girls aged 6 - 14 years were studied: experimental (EG; n = 26) and control (CG; n = 24). All girls solved a mental rotation task with 3-D block figures on computer screen (pre-test). After the initial test, EG girls participated in juggling training for 3 months; the CG girls participated in light strength training with theraband stretch bands. After 3 months, all girls solved the mental rotation task again (post-test). The post-pre differences in the mental rotation performance were recorded.<italic>Results:</italic> Children who learned juggling performed the mental rotation task significantly (p&lt;0.05 - 0.01) faster, in terms of reaction time, at non-zero angular disparity than their mates who were strength-trained.<italic>Conclusions:</italic> Since mental rotation skills enhance spatial imagination, problem solving and mathematical skills, it may be assumed that juggling training enhances also other cognitive domains and is worth implementing in the education process.</abstract>

Institute of Sport Science, University of Regensburg

Department of Anaesthesiology, Charité University of Medicine, Berlin

Institute of Experimental Psychology, University of Düsseldorf, Germany

The influence of juggling on mental rotation performance in children

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Summary</title>Study aim: The aim of the present study was twofold: firstly, to examine the effect of age on a 20 m sprint performance; and secondly, to establish normative data for the 20 m sprint performance by age in football players.
Material and methods: The anthropometric characteristics of 474 football players (aged 16.81 ± 5.35 yrs, range 9.02–35.41 yrs) were examined and their 20 m sprint performance (with 0–10 and 10–20 m splits) was monitored by a photocell system (Brower Timing Systems, Utah, USA).
Results: A one-way analysis of variance revealed significant differences between the yearly age groups with regards to the sprint time (p &lt; 0.001, η2 = 0.584), as well as the 0–10 m (p &lt; 0.001, η2 = 0.361) and 10–20 m split times (p &lt; 0.001, η2 = 0.635). The older groups scored better than the younger groups. The time attained in the 20 m sprint, and the 0–10 m and 10–20 m splits correlated moderately to largely with the athlete’s age (r = –0.53, –0.40 and –0.57, respectively, p &lt; 0.001).
Conclusions: In summary, the speed ability of the football players improved with age until 15 years old, where it reached its peak. On the other hand, the other age groups U16 to U35 revealed no major differences in the speed over a 20 m sprint. The reference values presented in this study might help football coaches and fitness trainers in monitoring training and in the selection of players. Moreover, since this is the first study of this kind to compare adult age groups, sport scientists focusing on relevant topics might use it as a reference in future studies.</abstract>

Department of Physical and Cultural Education, Hellenic Army Academy, Greece

Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Nikaia, Greece

Instutute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, Switzerland

Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Escola Superior de Desporto e Lazer, Portugal

Area of Corporal Express, Faculty of Humanities and Science Education, University of Jaen, Spain

Reference values for the sprint performance in male football players aged from 9–35 years

<abstract xml:lang="en"><title style='display:none'>Postural variables in girls practicing volleyball</title><italic>Study aim:</italic> To assess body posture of young female volleyball players in relation to their untrained mates.<italic>Material and methods:</italic> A group of 42 volleyball players and another of 43 untrained girls, all aged 13 - 16 years were studied with respect to their body posture indices by using computer posturography. Spinal angles and curvatures were measured, and asymmetry and body posture type were assessed. Body height and mass, BMI and body fat content (by bioimpedance technique) were determined.<italic>Results:</italic> As compared with untrained girls, the volleyball players were more slender, the positions of shoulders and pelvis being more symmetrical, and shoulder blades and waist triangles were more asymmetrical. Volleyball players were predominantly kyphotic, their lumbar lordosis was flattened and head protruded, especially in those having longer training experience.<italic>Conclusions:</italic> The observed asymmetries brought about by unilateral training loads and progressing thoracic kyphosis call for applying corrective and/or yoga exercises to adolescent female volleyball players.</abstract>

Postural variables in girls practicing volleyball

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