Vertical jump performance: testing leg muscle strength, muscular performance and body balance

The constructed 3D model of the lower part of human body for the simulation of high jump enables to investigate not only parameters of the jump but to analyses the forces acting in muscles and joints as well. The model enables determining the most important muscles for the jump performance and sequentially to make recommendations for the sportsmen seeking the jump height. The developed methodology can be applied for the analysis of other type movements in sports

Strength and vertical jumping performance characteristics

The constructed 3D model of the lower part of human body for the simulation of high jump enables to investigate not only parameters of the jump but to analyses the forces acting in muscles and joints as well. The model enables determining the most important muscles for the jump performance and sequentially to make recommendations for the sportsmen seeking the jump height. The developed methodology can be applied for the analysis of other type movements in sports

Effect of different muscle temperature on human kinematic characteristics

The aim of the study was to analyze the effect of different muscle temperature on human kinematic characteristics. Kinematic analysis was used to explain how the experimental equipment “Biodex Medical System PRO 3” computes kinematic parameters. Subjects were tested using “Biodex Medical System PRO 3”, human muscle testing and rehabilitation equipment. Calf extensor and flexor muscle performance was tested. Muscle heating was performed by water temperature of 44±1 °C; muscle cooling – water temperature of 15±1 °C. Ten adult males were involved in the experiment.The kinematic analysis was performed by solving a set of equations that result from the kinematic and driver constraints. Gravity correction is admittedly less of a problem in extremity testing since the contra lateral (uninvolved) segment serves as the basis for comparison deriving the percentage deficiency. Unless indicated otherwise, the weight of symmetrical segments is considered equal. On the other hand, where no collateral segment exists, such as the case with the trunk, the poor accuracy of the commonly employed procedures for correcting this effect or abstaining from using it has significant ramifications in terms of the correct clinical interpretation

The relationships between psychological well-being, emotions and coping in covid-19 environment: the gender aspect for postgraduate students

Background: Postgraduate students were exposed to the Coronavirus pandemic, and their study process changed from face-to-face to online. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of gender differences on emotions, coping strategies and psychological well-being (PWB) in the environment of the Coronavirus pandemic second wave (11 July 2020–30 June 2021). Methods: Ryff scale, MEQ Multidimensional emotion questionnaire, and brief COPE scale. The participants’ consisted of postgraduate students (74 female and 54 male). The study was conducted from 21 June 2022 to 28 June 2022. Results: Postgraduate students rated their PWB levels insignificantly in terms of gender. However, the individual components of this construct were evaluated as being significantly different in terms of gender. Females were more likely to feel negative emotions and had a harder time regulating these emotions than males. Female students were less likely than males to use problem-focused and avoidant-focused coping strategies. Conclusions: Postgraduate females were more affected than males by the Coronavirus pandemic. Females’ PWB was more concerned with emotions than males. Females were less likely than males to use problem-focused coping strategies

The role of gender in association between emotional intelligence and self-control among university student-athletes

The purpose of this study was to reveal the peculiarities of undergraduate studies university student-athletes’ emotional intelligence and self-control indicators, and the role of gender as a predictor in the association between emotional intelligence and self-control. The study included students regularly involved in training at least three times a week. The sample consisted of 1395 student athletes from Lithuanian universities, among them 59.2% female and 40.8% male. For measurement, the SSRI inventory and a self-control scale were used. All values of emotional intelligence indicators were significantly higher for males than females. Estimates of the components of the self-control construct varied. The score for the healthy habits component was significantly higher for women than for men, the self-discipline component did not differ significantly, and the other three components were higher for males. Estimates of the components of the self-control construct varied. Models for predicting the values of self-control components were proposed. Only one component of the emotional intelligence construct, optimism, was repeated in all forecasting models, as well as gender. Other components of emotional intelligence vary in models

Development of Body-Tissue Temperature-Control Transducer

The aim of this study was to develop a transducer for non-invasive temperature measurement in deeper tissue layers during tissue cooling. Simulation of the temperature field distribution in human tissues and the transducer were done, and the influence of transducer structure and material properties were studied. Using simulation results, the experimental transducer was designed for temperature measurement in deeper tissue layers during cooling. The temperature measurements with the needle thermometer and the transducer were well correlated at both before tissue cooling r = 0.723 and after cooling r = 0.945, and the temperature difference was no more than ±0.2 °C

Effects of Home Exercise and Manual Therapy or Supervised Exercise on Nonspecific Chronic Low Back Pain and Disability

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of two therapeutic methods: home-based exercise and manual therapy (MT) or supervised exercise on pain and functional status in individuals with chronic nonspecific low back pain. In total, 60 individuals with LBP were included in this randomized study. All participants were treated for 6 weeks in one of two groups: the manual therapy group or the exercise therapy group. In addition, all participants were asked to perform an exercise program at home independently. Levels of pain, spinal mobility, disability, and abdominal and back muscle endurance were measured before and after 6 weeks of intervention. Results: After MT, disability was reduced by 70% (F = 42.2; p ηp2 = 0.99) and pain was reduced by 78% (F = 4.9; p ηp2 = 0.51). After exercise therapy, disability and pain were reduced by 78% (F = 11.5; p ηp2 = 0.78) and 68% (F = 9.4; p ηp2 = 0.41), respectively. Muscle endurance and lumbar spine mobility values were significantly higher in both groups after 6 weeks of intervention (p p ηp2 = 0.24) and after exercise therapy by 38% (F = 28.4; p ηp2 = 0.82). Abdominal muscle endurance improved by 29% (F = 24.2; p ηp2 = 0.79) after MT and by 34% (F = 57.6; p ηp2 = 0.67) after exercise therapy; back muscle endurance improved by 18% (F = 48.6; p ηp2 = 0.78) after MT and by 20% (F = 14.2; p ηp2 = 0.76) after exercise therapy. After 6 weeks of intervention, there was no statistically significant difference between the pain, disability, and spinal mobility groups (p > 0.05). However, differences between groups in kinesiophobia (p = 0.02), back (p p < 0.03) muscle endurance values were statistically significant. Following the home exercise program and manual therapy, or the home exercise program and supervised exercise, LBP and disability had clinically significant reductions and functional status showed improvement

Riding a Mechanical Scooter from the Inconvenient Side Promotes Muscular Balance Development in Children

Mechanical scooter riding is a popular physical activity among children, but little is known about the differences in muscle loading between the dominant and non-dominant sides during this activity. The objective of this study was to identify the muscle activation patterns in children’s dominant and non-dominant legs as they rode scooters on the convenient and inconvenient sides. The study included nine healthy children aged 6–8. The participants rode 20 m on a mechanical scooter at a self-selected pace using both the convenient and inconvenient sides. Electromyography was used to measure the muscle activity in the dominant and non-dominant legs during the pushing and gliding phases. A 20 m sprint run was used as a control exercise to estimate the typical differences in muscle activation between the dominant and non-dominant legs. In the pushing phase, the symmetry index for five of the eight analyzed muscles exceeded 50% (p p < 0.05). Upon observing children who changed sides while riding a scooter, it was found that the pattern of muscle activation displayed a reverse trend that resembled the initial pattern. Our study indicated notable differences in muscle activity patterns between the dominant and non-dominant sides of individual leg muscles during children’s scooter riding. These patterns were reversed when children switched sides on the scooter. These findings suggest that using both legs and switching sides while riding a scooter may be a viable strategy for promoting balanced muscular development

Strength and vertical jumping performance characteristics

The constructed 3D model of the lower part of human body for the simulation of high jump enables to investigate not only parameters of the jump but to analyses the forces acting in muscles and joints as well. The model enables determining the most important muscles for the jump performance and sequentially to make recommendations for the sportsmen seeking the jump height. The developed methodology can be applied for the analysis of other type movements in sports

Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Health Behaviours among University Students: The Predictive and Moderating Role of Gender

This study investigated the role of gender as a potential predictor of health behaviour and potential moderator of the relationship between emotional intelligence and health behaviour. This cross-sectional study included 1214 students (597 males and 617 females). Data were collected using the Schutte Self-Report Inventory and the Health Behaviour Checklist. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was executed with the components of health behaviour as the dependent variables to examine the predictive value of the emotional intelligence indicators as the independent variables. Gender predicted all categories of health behaviours. Only one indicator of emotional intelligence, appraisal, predicted the Accident Control and Traffic Risk Taking categories. The emotional intelligence indicator of social skills emerged only as a predictor of Wellness Maintenance and Enhancement in university students. Gender moderates the relationship between all emotional intelligence indicators and health behaviour components except the relationship between Appraisal and Substance Risk Taking and the relationship between Utilization and traffic risk taking