Avoiding isolation: Physical activity for persons with disabilities and Covid-19

It was aimed in this article to draw attention to the following issues: the importance of issuing guidelines on what countries can or should do in order for individuals with disabilities to maintain their daily exercises or physical activity routines, and informing the public about it; the importance of considering the needs of a person with disabilities in emergency preparedness and response plans of the countries affected by the Covid-19 pandemic; the importance of the dissemination of public health messages in plain language and accessible formats through all mass media channels; the importance of providing psychosocial support to persons with disabilities and their families; and, the importance of strengthening support networks for persons with disabilities. In the research, the literature on Covid-19 and physical activity in disabilities published in 2020 was scanned via Pubmed and Google Scholar, and the study was designed as a review. Analysis of the related literature showed that it is important to develop a habit of performing regular physical activity in disabilities and to continue these activities especially during the pandemic period. In this review, persons with disabilities should be informed about what they can or should do to maintain their daily exercise or physical activity routines.

A comparison of balance and leg muscle strength between tai chi and yoga in older adults: A cross-sectional study

Background: There is increasing evidence that practicing tai chi or yoga can improve the elderly’s physical performance. This study aimed to compare the effects of tai chi and yoga on balance and leg muscle strength in the elderly. Material & Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 90 elderly persons who practice tai chi (n = 36), yoga (n = 23), and a control group (n = 31). The balance function was assessed using the single-leg stance (SLS) test, while leg muscle strength (LMS) was assessed using a leg-back dynamometer. A Chi-square, Spearman rank test, one-way ANOVA with LSD post hoc were applied. The significance was set at p<0.05. Results: One-way ANOVA showed a difference in LMS and SLS between groups (p<0.01). LSD post hoc analysis found the difference in LMS between tai chi and yoga (64.3 vs. 41.5, p<0.01) and tai chi and control (64.3 vs. 30.4, p<0.01). The difference was also found in SLS between tai chi and control (36.7 vs. 6.2, p<0.01) and between yoga and control (41.4 vs. 6.2, p<0.01). Conclusion: Elderly persons who participated in tai chi and yoga demonstrated higher LMS and SLS performance than the sedentary participants. The tai chi group showed better muscle strength than the yoga group.

The relationship between perceived health outcomes of recreation, exercise dependence, and life satisfaction: A study with fitness center members

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between perceived health outcomes of recreation, exercise dependence, and life satisfaction among fitness center members. Material and methods: The study sample consisted of 490 participants, 336 males, and 154 females, who were members of a private fitness center in Istanbul. The participants were selected using a purposeful sampling method. Data collection tools included the Perceived Health Outcomes of Recreation Scale, developed by Gomez et al. and adapted to Turkish by Yerlisu Lapa et al., the Exercise Dependence-21 Scale, developed by Hausenblans and Downs and adapted by Gürbüz and Aşçı and the Life Satisfaction Scale developed by Diener et al. and adapted by Yetim. The data were analyzed using independent t-test, MANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis. Results: The independent t-test results showed a significant difference in LSS scores by gender. MANOVA analysis results revealed that the main effect of gender on the sub-dimensions of PHORS was not significant, but there was a difference in the PSYC sub-dimension. Besides, the main effect of gender on ED-21 and all sub-dimensions was significant. Conclusions: There was a positive and moderate relationship between LSS and PHORS; a negative and low-level correlation between LSS and ED-21, and between PHORS and ED-21.

Epigenetic impact of the parents' physical activity on the health of their children

All parents’ dream is to have healthy children. The question whether the parents' lifestyle affects the quality of their progeny's health has been bothering scientists and society for many years. Based on epidemiological studies, it has been shown that physical activity during pregnancy is beneficial both for the health of the mother and the newborn. A significant number of studies conducted so far have shown that exercises performed by fathers modulate future generations by affecting the sperm epigenome. Epigenetics plays a key role in transmitting the response of the parents' environment and their lifestyle onto the characteristics and health of their progeny.

Evolution of physical performance in professional soccer across four consecutive seasons

Background: Main purpose of this research was to investigate the changes of physical match performance in Polish Ekstraklasa across four consecutive seasons. Material and methods: A total of 949 official matches from season 2017/2018 to 2020/2021 were analyzed. Such match running performance variables as total distance, high-speed running, sprinting, and number of high-intensity runs were involved. Each season data were divided into two rounds (spring round and autumn round). Due to the pandemic of COVID-19 additional post-lockdown round (Spring I 2019/2020) occurred. Results: Comparison in the results between Spring 2017/2018 and Spring 2020/2021 indicated significant increases in total distance (2.1%, p<0.001), high-speed running (11.9%, p<0.001), sprinting distance (7.7%, p<0.01) and number of high-intensity runs (9.7%, p<0.001). Moreover, within season analysis exhibited that during spring rounds Ekstraklasa teams covered significantly longer (p<0.01) distances in high-speed running than during autumn rounds. Reduction in physical match performance was reported after the 12-week pandemic lockdown. Conclusions: The results of this study confirmed the growing importance of such match activities as high-speed running, sprinting and number of high intensity runs which increased in Polish Ekstraklasa by 8-12% within last 4 years. This growing tendency was disrupted by unexpected off-season period caused by COVID-19 lockdown.

Positive body image among Polish elite athletes

Background: This study aimed to analyze factors differentiating body appreciation among Polish elite athletes. Material and Methods: Participants were athletes, both men and women (N=408), who completed questionnaire BAS-2. Results: In general, men had a better perception of their body than women (p<0.01). Higher appreciation of the body was visible among women sprinters, opposite to volleyball players (p <0.03). Indirect competition for women was connected to higher body appreciation (p<0.05). Gender and individual/team sport also significantly differentiated appreciation of the body (p<0.02). Furthermore, training frequency in a week differentiated body appreciation (p<0.03), as well as characteristic of sports performance [indoor sports, and higher in water sports (p<0.02)]. Conclusions: Results suggest that not only the common category of the sport type – aesthetic, technical, strength – differentiates the body image. Equally important for differences in body appreciation is also gender, sport discipline, and background of sport training: frequency per week, the character of competition (direct-indirect), individual/non-individual competition, or characteristic of sports performance.

The impact of horseback riding on the balance of 7-year-old children

Introduction: This research aimed to determine the impact of horseback riding on the balance ability of first-grade students. Material and methods: Fifty-eight students were divided into two sub-groups: twenty-eight riders and thirty non-riders. The subtest of balance is composed of nine items which were grouped into five variables: Total balance, Static balance, Dynamic balance, and Open and Closed eyes balance. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine the significance of the difference between the groups, and the strength of the effect of intergroup differences was determined using the Cohen criteria. Results: The results showed that there were statistically significant differences between groups in Total balance, Static, and Balance with closed eyes. Cohen's criterion indicates that there was a strong effect of intergroup differences in performance demanding balance tasks of 7-year-old children. Conclusion: It can be observed that horseback riding has the effect of reducing the difference between the maximum and minimum balance points by enhancing competencies at the minimum level.

Too masculine for healthcare, too feminine for intense sports: correlation between gender conformity and pro-health behaviours

Background: The goal of this paper is to examine to what extent levels of femininity and masculinity are associated with practicing several types of health behaviours among individuals who are physically active and inactive. Material/Methods: A total of 559 individuals aged between 35 and 45 (M = 39.4; SD = 3.2) took part in the study. The inactive group consisted of 211 individuals (n = 85 women, n = 126 men), and the active group consisted of 348 individuals (n = 131 women, n = 217 men). The participants completed the following pen-and-paper questionnaires: the Psychological Gender Inventory, the Health Behaviours Inventory, and the Inventory of Physical Activity Objectives. Results: Physical activity and androgynous psychological gender were shown to be associated with the levels of health behaviours in men and women. Among men, femininity turned out to be a factor protective against hegemonic masculinity, while among women it was observed that it is mainly masculinity that correlates with health behaviours. Physical activity was associated with a better psychological attitude. Conclusion: It is possible to treat physical activity as a protective factor against decreased mood and an aid in coping with decreased mood. Society and culture should encourage the development of femininity and masculinity from the earliest years. Future research on masculinity and femininity and pro-health behaviours should be aimed at looking for ways to promote physical activity among undifferentiated individuals.

Muscle strength evaluation of limb dominance in prepubescent swimmers boys and girls

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the lower limb muscle strength in terms of gender and limb dominancy in prepubescent swimmers. Material and Methods: Seventy-four prepubescent swimmers (mean age: 11.01±1.58 years; 42 boys; 32 girls) who were training for at least 8 hours a week and without current lower limb pain participated in the study. Isometric muscle strength of lower limb was measured by hand-held dynamometry. Independent samples-t test was used to determine the difference between genders, while paired samples-t test was used for dominant-nondominant side comparison. The significance level was accepted as p<0.05. Results: Knee flexion (p<0.001), extension (p<0.001) and ankle dorsiflexion (p=0.003) muscle strength were stronger on the dominant side than on the non-dominant side. Knee flexion/extension strength ratio was similar (p=0.957); while ankle plantar flexion/dorsiflexion strength ratio was significantly different (p=0.011). Boys swimmers had stronger isometric muscle strength in the dominant side together with knee flexion (p=0.018) and knee flexion extension strength ratio (p=0.007) than girls swimmers. Conclusion: Boys swimmers had higher dominant side knee flexion muscle strength compared to female peers. Gender and lower limb dominancy might be important for lower limb muscle strength to show varieties in prepubescent swimmers before planning a training program.

Investigation of athlete high school students' moral decision-making attitudes in terms of sport variables

Background: Sports activities are performed in accordance with moral values and principles. The purpose of this research is to examine the decision-making attitudes of young sports students based on age, gender, license status, and sports branch type. Material and Methods: The "Moral Decision-Making Scale in Youth Sports" developed to evaluate the moral decision-making attitudes of young athletes was used as a data collection tool in this research. A five-point Likert scale was used to evaluate the scale items. Results: The athletes' views regarding moral decision-making attitudes were found to be for the Acceptance of Cheating dimension for the Acceptance of Gamesmanship dimension; and for the Keep Winning in Proportion dimension. It was determined that there was a significant difference in the student athletes' moral decision-making attitudes depending on gender, the type of sports played and being a certified athlete. Conclusions: Sports fields are the places where young athletes exhibit their skills and abilities in competitions. In these competitions, it should be emphasized to young athletes that respecting the values of the sport and following the rules is more important than winning and that they should stay away from negative behaviors such as cheating or gamesmanship.