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BACKGROUND. Kinesiology Taping (KT) is being increasingly more often used in musculoskeletal rehabilitation. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of Kinesiology Taping on rehabilitation outcomes in patients following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study enrolled 26 patients (16 women and 10 men) aged between 20 and 41 years. The patients were randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group (Group 1), which received Kinesiology Taping, and a control group (Group 2), which followed the same rehabilitation protocol except for KT. Student's t test with a minimum significance level at p<0.05 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS. All participants demonstrated a significant improvement in the range of knee flexion and extension in the affected limb as soon as the end of the first week of rehabilitation (p˂0.001). This tendency persisted in the following weeks until Day 28. Thigh measurements revealed a faster increase in thigh circumference in Group 1. Significant swelling reduction was found among patients from the experimental group at all consecutive measurements. The greatest difference (p<0.001) was noted at the beginning of the rehabilitation. After 28 days of rehabilitation, pain intensity and pain frequency had significantly decreased in all patients (p<0.001). Patients from the control group used analgesics significantly more often. CONCLUSIONS. 1. The use of KT contributed to a faster improvement of the range of knee motion, reduction of oedema and greater improvement in thigh circumference. 2. A similar reduction in pain intensity was observed in all patients. However, pain significantly less often forced patients from the experimental group to use analgesics or reduced their activity.

The Role of Pilates and Aquafitness Exercises in Sustaining the Health and Fitness of Elderly WomenBackground: The aim of this study was an evaluation of the effectiveness of two forms of physical activity: Pilates and aquafitness - gymnastics in water, in sustaining the health and fitness of women after the age of 55.Material and methods: In research groups were twenty five volunteer women - participants of physical training of the age from 55 to 76 years. One of the groups (Group 1) conducted exercise according to the Pilates method, and the second group (Group 2) practiced in water - aquafitness. The exercises took place once a week, 1.5 hours each. The research ("up and go" test, test for strength and endurance of lower limbs, test for strength of upper limbs, test for suppleness of the lower body part) has been conducted twice - in the first four weeks of training and after ten weeks.Results: The strength of upper limbs considerably increased (p=0.038) in the case of women practicing in water. The program of aquafitness contains a lot of resistance exercises for the upper limbs, which had impact on the above mentioned result. Improvement in the results of tests of suppleness of lower body part was observed (after an 10-week cycle of exercises) in Pilates groups.Conclusions: Pilates and aquafitness were beneficial for the level of suppleness of seniors. The frequency of exercises - once a week - is insufficient for sustaining full fitness, however, even such minimal doze of physical activity positively affects the physical and mental condition of the seniors.

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