(1) Dynamic knee valgus is a predisposing factor for anterior cruciate ligament rupture and osteoarthritis. The single-leg squat (SLS) test is a widely used movement pattern test in clinical practice that helps to assess the risk of lower-limb injury. We aimed to quantify the SLS test using a marker-less optical system. (2) Kinect validity and accuracy during SLS were established by marker-based OptiTrack and MVN Xsens motion capture systems. Then, 22 individuals with moderate knee symptoms during sports activities (Tegner > 4, Lysholm > 60) performed SLS, and this was recorded and analyzed with a Kinect Azure camera and the Dynaknee software. (3) An optical sensor coupled to an artificial-intelligence-based joint recognition algorithm gave a comparable result to traditional marker-based motion capture devices. The dynamic valgus sign quantified by the Q-angle at the lowest point of the squat is highly dependent on squat depth, which severely limits its comparability among subjects. In contrast, the medio-lateral shift of the knee midpoint at a fixed squat depth, expressed in the percentage of lower limb length, is more suitable to quantify dynamic valgus and compare values among individual patients. (4) The current study identified a new and reliable way of evaluating dynamic valgus of the knee joint by measuring the medial shift of the knee-over-foot at a standardized squat depth. Using a marker-less optical system widens the possibilities of evaluating lower limb functional instabilities for medical professionals.

Összefoglalás. A fizikai képességek magas színvonala nélkülözhetetlen a hon- és rendvédelmi szervek személyi állományának tagjai számára. A hadrafoghatóság, bevethetőség alapvető feltétele a fizikai, mozgásszervi egészség és edzettség megléte. Az állomány felmérésére jelenleg alkalmazott fizikai tesztelési eljárások a sérülések megelőzésére, a teljesítmény optimalizálására kevésbé alkalmasak, pedig a hosszú távon fenntartható magas szintű teljesítmény a szervezeti hatékonyság és a produktivitás kulcseleme. A hon- és rendvédelmi területen dolgozó szakemberek kiképzési, oktatási költsége jelentős anyagi ráfordítás mellett valósítható meg, így a sérüléseik megelőzése, fizikai alkalmasságuk fenntartása igen fontos feladat. Külföldi példák alapján a biomechanikailag helytelen mozgások kiszűrése hozzájárul a sérülések megelőzéséhez. Summary. High level of physical fitness is an essential requirement towards the members of armed forces, firefighters, law enforcement services and other government services. Physical condition assessment is routinely used to determine operational readiness of these units, however, these routine tests are not suited for injury prevention. A musculoskeletal disorder, or injury can negatively influence the success of the mission and cause a long-term disability and inefficient productivity. Therefore, specific tests are required to measure musculoskeletal properties which play a significant role in the mechanisms of injury in order to screen potential injury and apply preventive measures. Several countries apply movement analysis tests and functional movement screening for their armed forces. These tests can efficiently predict the possibility of musculoskeletal injuries, thus keep soldiers in service. In most cases at the operational level specific positions mandate special physical requirements from the subjects. Task-specific testing methods provide a comprehensive report about the subjects’ current physical state. Our research team have previously developed a user-friendly, simple and cost -effective movement analysis system that can monitors and records the subjects’ movements with artificial intelligence-based Kinect Azure camera without any markers, which enables state of the art measurement, documentation and can avoid subjective evaluation or conformation bias. This method is able to provide a biomechanical report about the subject during key movement patterns such as walking, running, jumping, or squatting. The system can detect the incorrect and the well-executed technics. A corrective treatment plan is also provided if sub-optimal movement patterns are recognized. During musculoskeletal rehabilitation there is a need for objective testing and retesting in order to provide optimal quantity and quality of training loads to avoid further injury. Repeated testing provides feedback about successful rehabilitation process.

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Introduction: Professional athletes are endangered by COVID-19 and belong to the high-risk population due to their lifestyle. To obtain information on the behavior of COVID-19 in professional athletes, serological, cytokine, and virus neutralization capacities were analyzed. Materials and methods: Hungarian national teams participated in international sports events during the early phases of the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020. Altogether, 29 professional athletes volunteered to donate plasma. Their serological status was evaluated by IgA, IgM, and IgG ELISAs and the highest virus neutralization titer in an in vitro live tissue assay. Plasma cytokine patterns were analyzed with a Bioplex multiplex ELISA system. Results: Surprisingly, only one athlete (3%) had anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG, while IgA was more common (31%). Neither plasma showed direct virus neutralization in a titer over 1:10; hence, they were not suitable for reconvalescent treatment. The ‘cytokine storm’ markers IL-6 and IL-8 were at baseline levels. In contrast, either the TNF-alpha-related cytokines or the IFN-gamma-associated cytokines were elevated. There was a strong negative correlation between the TNF-alpha- or IFN-gamma-related cytokines. Conclusions: Professional athletes are susceptible to the SARS-CoV-2 infection without developing long-term immunity through neutralizing immunoglobulins. Elevated secretory and cellular immunity markers indicate that these systems are probably responsible for virus elimination in this subpopulation.