The aim of this study is the investigation of the effect of changes in muscle strength in gestational age upon fear of falling and quality of life. Materials and methods:This longitudinal, descriptive study included a sample of 37 pregnant women who volunteered to participate. The research data were collected at 20 and 32 weeks of gestation. Data collection instruments included a newly developed questionnaire form, the Tinetti Falls Efficacy Scale, a visual analog scale, and the Turkish language version of the WHO Quality of Life Scale. Upper body flexibility was measured by the back scratch test, while muscle strength was measured by a handgrip dynamometer and balance by the unipedal stance test.Results: It was found that, as pregnancy advanced, pregnant women had an increased fear of falling, as well as elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels. Participants suffered significant impairments in their balance, handgrip strength, and quality of life within the physical, psychological, and environmental domains. Conclusion:As pregnancy advances, muscle strength decreases and the fear of falling experienced by pregnant women increases, which significantly impairs the quality of life in the domains of environment, physical, and mental health.

PurposeThe aim of this study was to examine the effect of exercise prescribed by primary care physicians (PCPs) on the quality of life (QoL) of elderly people.MethodRandomisation was performed at PCPs level from 16 primary healthcare centers. Patients were divided into intervention and control groups. Both groups of physicians received theoretical training (14 h), and the intervention group received additional practical training on exercise prescription (10 h). Patients in the intervention group were prescribed endurance, flexibility, balance, and strength exercises and were given training packs. QoL was measured using Short Form-36. Measurements were taken at the beginning of the study, after the 3rd month, and at the end of the 6th month to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention.ResultsThe age of participants (Intervention group n = 69, Control group n = 110) was 57.68 ± 5.08 years. At the end of the study, physical function, physical role function, social role function, mental health, vitality, general health perception, and emotional role function scores increased and body pain scores decreased in the intervention group. Significant differences (p < 0.05) between the intervention and control groups were observed for physical function, physical role function, body pain, mental health, vitality, and emotional role function scores but not for social role function or general health perception scores.ConclusionsExercise prescriptions given by PCPs containing endurance, strength, flexibility, and balance exercises improve QoL in elderly people.

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Abstract. [Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the effects of upper extremity-oriented intensive onesided and double-sided dribbling on the postures of basketball playing children during the period of their basic training.[Subjects] Forty male children registered for a summer basketball training course held in Isparta, Turkey, voluntarily participated in the study.[Methods] The children were formed into two equal groups: a single dribbling group, and a double dribbling group. Both groups were subject to daily training for 1.5 hours during a period of 10 weeks. Anterior and lateral posture were analysed before and after the training period. Symmetrical differences were studied in the anterior analysis, while angular ones were examined in the lateral one.[Results] Before the training period, no significant differences were found between the two groups in either the anterior or lateral posture tests (p>0.05). Following the training, however, a significant difference with regard to shoulder and chest regions was observed between the groups in the anterior analysis (p<0.05). On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the posttraining lateral test results (p>0.05).[Conclusion] Intensive one-sided dribbling training was thus observed to be effective in the asymmetrical formation of the dominant one-sided shoulder and chest regions of basketball playing children. In accordance with these data, rather than one-sided dribbling exercises, double-sided dribbling ones are recommended, because this can be said to be more beneficial for the children's posture.

Sports competition is one of most intense occasions where stress is felt quite intensely. Fierce competition environment, expectations, psychological pressure, will to win, and anxiety about backfire, will undermine sportive performance. The main aim of this research is to determine different strategies that various muay thai sportsmen participating in sports competition among universities use in coping with stress. In order to measure the stress coping strategies of athletes, stress coping style scales adapted to Turkish by Şahin and Durak (1995)