Introduction: Strength is a primary component of human motor skills and one of the most frequently trained motor abilities. Handball belongs to a group of sports in which handgrip strength plays a key role. The aim of the study was to assess handgrip strength of children and adolescents handball players. This research may prove useful due to the need to monitor the training process. It will enable coaches and therapists to compare the results of children and adolescents with regard to age, gender and body dimensions as well as plan strength training programmes for handball. Material and methods: The study was carried out on a group of 99 handball players from the "Handball Club" in Radzymiński Centre of Culture and Sport. The study included both boys and girls aged 9 to 16 who regularly and actively participated in handball training. The work presents basic anthropometric characteristics of the study participants and the results of handgrip strength measurements of both hands with the use of a hydraulic dynamometer. Results: Handgrip strength increases with age in both girls and boys. Handgrip strength is greater in boys than in girls, which is connected with greater body mass, body height, relative body weight and phalanx length. Conclusions: The given values of handgrip strength will enable coaches and therapists to compare the results of children and adolescents with regard to age, gender and body dimensions in order to monitor strength and plan strength training program in handball.

Background. The foot is one of the most important anatomical structures of the human body. It is mainly responsible for maintaining an appropriate position, both in static and dynamic conditions. This function is conditioned by many factors, the most important being a normal shape of the foot arch, which determines its proper operation. Any deviation from the norm may result in disruption in the performance of the foot and affect the functioning of even distant segments of the human body. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the foot arches and the efficiency of the balance mechanism in standing. Material and methods. The study enrolled 48 individuals, of whom 21 were women and 27 men. Evaluation of the foot arches was performed using Clarke's angle index, which was determined with the use of a mirror podoscope produced by Podoskop.pl and a specialist computer program FREEstep. The efficiency of the balance mechanism in the standing position was evaluated on the basis of six stabilographic tests. Results. A statistical analysis showed a significant relationship between the mean value of Clarke's angle index in bipedal standing and the result of the stabilographic test for bipedal standing with eyes closed, and between the value of Clarke's angle index for the left foot in bipedal standing and the result of stabilographic tests for bipedal standing both with the eyes open and closed. Conclusion. 1. There is a correlation between the value of Clarke's angle index of the foot in bipedal standing and the length of the foot pressure path on the ground du­ring bipedal standing. 2. Individuals with a reduced plantar vault of the foot have reduced efficiency of the balance mechanism in bipedal standing both with the eyes open and closed. The above observations can be generalised as follows: individuals with more arched feet have better balance control in bipedal standing. 3. Persons with more arched feet have better balance control in bipedal standing.