Differences among sportswomen in different sports which might have a bearing on the anterior cruciate ligament injury rate and risk differences

Izhodišča: Namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti, ali imajo antropometrične razlike, razlike v položajskih značilnostih spodnjega uda in razlike v časovni izpostavljenosti treningu med športnicami, ki se ukvarjajo s košarko, rokometom in odbojko, vpliv na razlike v incidenci in tveganju za poškodbo sprednje križne vezi. Metode: Prospektivna, opisna raziskava. V raziskavi so sodelovale športnice, ki so bile registrirane pri Košarkarski, Odbojkarski in Rokometni zvezi Slovenije v sezoni 2003/2004. Za ugotavljanje razlik med športnicami in ugotavljanje vpliva razlik na razlike v incidenci in tveganju za poškodbo sprednje križne vezi so bile uporabljene spremenljivke: antropometrične značilnosti športnic, položajske značilnosti spodnjih udov in časovna izpostavljenost treningu. Rezultati: Statistično značilne razlike med športnicami so bile ugotovljene (P < 0,05) za spremenljivke: starost, telesna teža, telesna višina, indeks telesne mase, ukvarjanje s športom, povprečno število ur treninga in tekem na teden ter anteriorna laksnost kolenskega sklepa. Spremenljivki ekstenzija kolenskega sklepa in pronacija stopala se med športnicami v različnih športih nista statistično značilno razlikovali. Zaključki: Razlike v telesni višini, časovni izpostavljenosti treningu in anteriorni laksnosti kolenskega sklepa lahko imajo vpliv na razlike v incidenci in tveganju za poškodbo sprednje križne vezi med športnicami, ki se ukvarjajo s košarko, rokometom in odbojko.Background: To investigate anthropometric, lower limb alignment and playing exposure characteristics among sportswomen in different sports which might have a bearing on the anterior cruciate ligament injury rate and risk differences. Methods: Prospective descriptive study. Slovenian sportswomen registered in the Slovenian National Organisations of basketball, team handball and volleyball participated in the study. Anthropometric characteristics, lower limb alignment characteristics and playing exposure characteristics were compared between sportswomen in different sport groups. Results: Statistically significant differences (P < 0,05) were found between the different sport groups for the following variables: age, body mass and height, body mass index, duration of sport participation, average hours of training and games per week, and knee anterior laxity. The other collected variables (knee passive extension and foot pronation) did not show statistically significant differences between the three sports groups. Conclusions: Differences in body height, training exposure and knee anterior laxity might have a bearing on the ACL injury risk and rates differences among sportswomen in different sports

Prevalence of Nonspecific Low Back Pain in Schoolchildren in North-Eastern Slovenia

The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of the nonspecific low back pain (LBP) in a population of schoolchildren in Maribor, north-eastern Slovenia.100 children from an elementary school (age 11–15 y) and 90 children from a secondary school (age 17–18 y) were included in the study and investigated with a structured Watson questionnaire to assess low back pain prevalence, symptom characteristics, psychosocial factors, demographic, and anthropometric items. The data was statistically analysed using the SPSS software. 43% of children from elementary schools and 44% of children from secondary schools experienced back pain which lasted more than one day. No correlations between LBP and anthropometric items were found. Schoolchildren spend approximately 2 hours for learning, 2–3 hours for watching TV and approximately 2 hours for playing or working with the computer. Among important reasons for LBP, 44% of children mentioned carrying a school bag, 28% sitting on school chairs, and 18% intensive sport activity. Clinical examination of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine has shown that 12% of primary children and 12% of secondary children have increased cervical lordosis and 15% of primary schoolchildren have increased lumbar lordosis. In 5% of schoolchildren we found mild spinal scoliotic changes. Among our schoolchildren sedentary behaviour and low physical activity dominate. LBP may have an impact on their daily life, therefore it is important to recognise and treat it as soon as possible

POUZDANOST NAVIKULARNOG DROP TESTA PRI MJERENJU PRONACIJE STOPALA

The navicular drop test was used as an indicator of foot pronation. It is defined as the distance between the original height of the navicular from the floor, with the foot on the floor in sitting in the subtalar neutral position, and the final weight-bearing position of the navicular in relaxed stance. This measurement is thought to represent the sagittal plane displacement of the navicular bone from a neutral position to a relaxed standing position. The purpose of this study was to test intra-rater reliability of a method for measuring the navicular drop. Fourteen healthy subjects, mean age 34.5±5.68 years, participated in the reliability study. Foot pronation was assessed using the navicular drop test. Measurements of the navicular drop were performed three times on each foot, one day apart and were averaged for statistical analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (SPSS 10, for Windows). Intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.78 and 0.88 for the dominant and non- dominant leg respectively. The results demonstrated moderate to good intra-rater reliability for use of the navicular drop test for measuring foot pronation in clinical settings.Navicular drop test je upotrebljen kao indikator pronacije noge. Definira se kao razlika između visine navikularke od poda, u sjedećem položaju kad je noga na podlozi u subtalarnoj neutralnoj poziciji, i konačnom opterećenju navikularke u relaksiranom položaju. Mjerenje predstavlja pomak sagitalne ravnine navikularne kosti iz neutralne pozicije u stojeću neutralnu poziciju. Svrha studije je testiranje pouzdanosti intra-rater testa za mjerenje navikularnog pada. U studiji je sudjelovalo četrnaest zdravih osoba, prosječne starosti 34,5±5,68 godina. Pronacija noge je ocjenjena upotrebom navicular drop testa. Mjerenja navikularnog pada su izvršena tri puta na svakoj nozi, svaki drugi dan. Rezultati su bili statističko analizirani, upotrebom SPSS (SPSS 10, za Windowse).Koeficijent korelacije između različitih parametara je bio 0,78 i 0,88 za dominantnu odnosnu nedominantnu nogu. Rezultati pokazuju umjerenu do dobru intra-rater pouzdanost za upotrebu navikularnog drop testa za mjerenje pronacije noge u kliničkim okvirima

An exploratory study into the effects of a 20 minute crushed ice application on knee joint position sense during a small knee bend.

Objectives The effect of cryotherapy on joint positioning presents conflicting debates as to whether individuals are at an increased risk of injury when returning to play or activity immediately following cryotherapy application at the knee. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a 20 minute application of crushed ice at the knee immediately affects knee joint position sense during a small knee bend. Design Pre and post-intervention. Setting University movement analysis laboratory. Participants Eleven healthy male participants. Main Outcome Measures Kinematics of the knee were measured during a weight bearing functional task pre and post cryotherapy intervention using three-dimensional motion analysis (Qualisys Medical AB Gothenburg, Sweden). Tissue cooling was measured via a digital thermometer at the knee. Results Results demonstrated significant reductions in the ability to accurately replicate knee joint positioning in both sagittal (P=.035) and coronal (P=.011) planes during the descent phase of a small knee bend following cryotherapy. Conclusion In conclusion a twenty minute application of crushed ice to the knee has an adverse effect on knee joint repositioning. Team doctors, clinicians, therapists and athletes should consider these findings when deciding to return an athlete to functional weight bearing tasks immediately following ice application at the knee, due to the potential increase risk of injury

Accountability of a head of state in a parliamentary system

Magistrsko delo analizira pojem odgovornosti šefa države v parlamentarnih sistemih. V takem sistemu je vlada dejanski nosilec izvršilne oblasti, šef države pa le nominalni nosilec oblasti, ki nima neposrednih oblastnih pristojnosti. Odgovornost nosilcev javnih funkcij, tudi šefa države, mora biti sorazmerna z njihovimi pristojnostmi. Ne glede na to, ali je šef države monarh ali predsednik republike z omejenim mandatom, ga s funkcije s (pravno) političnimi instrumenti večinoma ni mogoče odstraniti. Politično odgovornost za vsebino aktov šefa države prevzema vlada v večini sistemov predvsem skozi institut protipodpisa. Pri pravni odgovornosti monarhi še naprej ostajajo neodgovorni, lahko pa se uveljavlja pravna odgovornost predsednika republike. Ta se poleg tega, da so predsedniki republik odgovorni enako kot drugi državljani, kaže predvsem kot odgovornost za kršitev ustave in zakonov, ki bi jih lahko storil v okviru izvajanja svojih ustavnih in zakonskih pooblastil, posebno takrat, ko bi ta pooblastila presegel. Poleg splošnih oblik odgovornosti so predstavljeni tudi specifični instituti, ki se nanašajo v največji meri prav na šefa države. To so institut obtožbe predsednika republike, institut imunitete in institut protipodpisa. Primerjalno-pravni del magistrskega dela daje vpogled v uveljavljanje odgovornosti šefa države v posameznih državah članicah Evropske unije, kjer imajo uveljavljen parlamentarni sistem.The thesis analyses the concept of accountability of the Head of State in parliamentary systems. In such a system, the government has the executive power and the Head of State is the nominal holder of power and has no actual authority. The accountability of public servants, including Heads of State, has to be in balance with the power they hold. A Head of State, being either a monarch or a president of the republic, cannot be removed from the position by (legal) political instruments. The government takes political responsibility for the acts of the Head of State, by countersigning all of them. Contrary to that, even if the monarchs continue to be unaccountable for their actions, the presidents of the republic still have legal liability. Additionally, the presidents are responsible for any actions in the same way as other citizens, especially when violating the constitution and laws while exercising their constitutional and statutory powers. Besides the general types of responsibilities, this thesis also presents specific constitutional elements that mostly refer to the Head of State: Impeachment procedure, immunity and countersignature. The comparative part of this thesis gives an insight into the implementation of responsibilities of a Head of State in individual member states of the European Union, where they also have a parliamentary system

Reliability of the weight-bearing ankle dorsiflexion range of motion measurement using a smartphone goniometer application

Background. Weight-bearing ankle dorsiflexion range of motion measurement (weight-bearing lunge test) is gaining in popularity because it mimics lower extremity function in daily physical activities. The purpose of the study is to assess the intrarater and the inter-rater reliability of the weight-bearing ankle dorsiflexion range of motion measurement with a flexed knee using a smartphone application Spirit Level Plus installed on an Android smartphone. Methods. Thirty-two young, healthy subjects participated in the study and were measured in four sessions by two examiners. One measurement was taken on each ankle in every session. Eight measurements were taken from each participant. A total of 256 were taken from all the participants. The measurements for the individual subject were repeated no sooner than 24 hours after the first session. In order to assess the reliability, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), standard error measurements (SEM) and minimal detectable change (MDC) at the 95% confidence interval were calculated. Results. Statistical data analysis revealed moderate intra-rater reliability for the right ankle (ICC = 0.72, 95% CI [0.49–0.85]) and good intra-rater reliability for the left ankle (ICC = 0.82, 95% CI [0.66–0.91]). Inter-rater reliability is moderate for the right (ICC = 0.73, 95% CI [0.52–0.86]) and the left ankle (ICC = 0.65, 95% CI [0.39–0.81]). Conclusion. The observed method is moderately reliable and appropriate when the main objective is to assess ankle dorsiflexion mobility in weight-bearing when weight-bearing is not contraindicated. The concurrent validity of the Spirit Level Plus application is excellent