Introduction: Human foot make up the functional whole, thus changes in one of them may contribute to activating individual compensating mechanisms leading to disorders in the shape of the remaining segments and dysfunctions and consequently to complications in other elements of the motor system. Aim of the research: Analyze correlations between characteristics of feet structure in women and men over 60. Material and methods: The research conducted by podoscopic method involved seniors from the Podkarpackie and the Małopolskie voivodeships, including 116 females and 82 males. Tested persons were divided into three age groups (60-69 years, 70-79 years, 80-90 years). The following indices were analyzed: the Clarke's angle, Wejsflog's index (W wp), heel angle (γ), hallux valgus angle (α), and the V toe varus deformity angle (β). In order to evaluate the correlations between characteristics of feet structure the Spearman's rank correlation was employed. Results: We observed a statistically significant correlations of the hallux valgus angle and Clarke's angle as well as between the V toe varus deformity angle with the Wejsflog's index and the heel angle in the absence of statistically significant associations between V toe varus deformity angle and Clarke's angle. Conclusions: Changes in different parts of the foot that result from involution processes increasingly interact with one another in the elderly age. Prevention of foot deformities and dysfunctions should focus primarily on maintaining or restoring the capacity of foot muscles, improving proprioception and proper selection of footwear, which should not distort the shape and function of the frontal foot segments. Streszczenie Wprowadzenie: Stopa ludzka stanowi funkcjonalną całość, dlatego zmiany w jednym z segmentów mogą stanowić przyczynę uruchomienia zmiennych osobniczo mechanizmów kompensacyjnych, prowadząc do zaburzeń w ukształtowaniu pozostałych segmentów i dysfunkcji, a w konsekwencji również powikłań w obrębie innych elementów narządu ruchu. Cel pracy: Analiza związków pomiędzy cechami stóp u kobiet i mężczyzn po 60. roku życia. Materiał i metody: Badaniami metodą podoskopową objęto seniorów z województwa podkarpackiego i małopolskiego, w tym 116 kobiet i 82 mężczyzn. Badanych kwalifikowano do 3 przedziałów wieku: 60-69 lat, 70-79 lat, 80-90 lat. W analizach uwzględniono następujące wskaźniki: kąt Clarke'a, wskaźnik W wp Wejsfloga, kąt piętowy (γ), kąt koślawości palucha (α), kąt szpotawości V palca (β). Do oceny związków między cechami budowy stóp zastosowano korelację rang Spearmana. Wyniki: Stwierdzono statystycznie istotne związki między kątem koślawości palucha (α) a kątem Clarke'a oraz między kątem szpotawości V palca a wskaźnikiem Wwp Wejsfloga i kątem piętowym wobec braku statystycznie istotnych związków kąta szpotawości V palca z kątem Clarke'a. Wnioski: W wieku podeszłym na skutek procesów inwolucyjnych zmiany w poszczególnych częściach stopy coraz silniej na siebie oddziałują. W działaniach zapobiegających zniekształceniom i dysfunkcjom stóp ...

Introduction and Aim Down syndrome (DS) is associated with numerous developmental abnormalities, some of which cause dysfunctions of the posture and the locomotor system. The analysis of selected features of the foot structure in boys with DS versus their peers without developmental disorders is done. Materials and Methods The podoscopic examination was performed on 30 boys with DS aged 14-15 years. A control group consisted of 30 age- and gender-matched peers without DS. Results The feet of boys with DS are flatter compared to their healthy peers. The hallux valgus angle is not the most important feature differentiating the shape of the foot in the boys with DS and their healthy peers. In terms of the V toe setting, healthy boys had poorer results. Conclusions Specialized therapeutic treatment in individuals with DS should involve exercises to increase the muscle strength around the foot joints, enhancing the stabilization in the joints and proprioception. Introducing orthotics and proper footwear is also important. It is also necessary to monitor the state of the foot in order to modify undertaken therapies.

Purpose. The aim of the study was to distinguish the kinematic indicators influencing the average horizontal velocity of swimming (v cOM ) with underwater dolphin kicks (UDK). Methods. The study involved 15 boys and 20 girls (mean age, 11.5 ± 1.00 years; height, 1.57 ± 0.09 m; training experience, 2.5 ± 1.00 years) practicing swimming 7 times a week. We determined the body height (H), the length of the body with the arms lifted (L b ), and the best result in the 50-m freestyle (pbt); characteristic anthropological points were marked on the body. The subjects performed UDK after a water-start for a distance of ca. 8 m (without a push-off from the wall). Movements were recorded with an underwater camera. The recordings were kinematically analysed with the SkillSpector program. On this basis, we calculated v cOM , frequency of movement (f), amplitude of movement (A), horizontal displacement in one cycle (D pk ), maximum flexion in the knee joints (KF max ), the product of f and A (I Af ), the Strouhal number (St), and relative amplitude of toe movement (A rEL ).Results. The movements of the subjects were characterized as follows: v cOM = 1.08 ± 0.13 m/s, f = 2.00 ± 0.

SummaryAim of the study. To determine the level of technical efficiency of gymnasts from the youngest sports category in elementary floor exercises.Material and methods. Study participants comprised 12 boys who trained in gymnastics in four gymnastic clubs in the Małopolskie Voivodeship. The participants were 7 and 8 years old. The study assessed their performance in floor exercises using a test developed and implemented by trainers from the aforementioned gymnastic clubs. All exercises were registered with a camera. The obtained video footage was subjected to further analysis. The performed exercises were evaluated by experts in gymnastics, who ascribed numerical values to observed errors. Each exercise was divided into movement phases, which were subjected to separate analysis by the experts.Results. The results of this study are presented in tables together with points ascribed by the experts. The technique of performing each exercise (according to all the constituent phases) was presented on the basis of elementary parameters of descriptive statistics. A synthetic indicator of technical efficiency was created by summing up the values of errors in each phase (Me = 30.00 pts).Conclusions. Study participants vary significantly in terms of technical efficiency. The greatest values of technical errors in all floor exercises performed by youngest-category gymnasts were noted in the forward roll onto arms and in the left leg cartwheel. Analysis of video footage of individual exercise phases allowed the experts to reliably spot technical errors. The analysis will enable trainers to select appropriate training methods in order to eliminate these errors.

Introduction. The aim of this study was to measure the duration of biopotentials in selected muscles of the lower limbs, evaluate the time of elevated bioelectrical activity in these muscles, and identify similarities and differences in electrical phenomena that occur in the muscles for various external settings of a cycle ergometer. Material and methods. The study examined 10 healthy people (5 women and 5 men) aged from 20 to 30 years. A cycle ergometer and EMG apparatus were used in the experiment. The bioelectrical activity of six muscles of the lower limbs (rectus femoris, vastus medialis, tibialis anterior, biceps femoris, gastrocnemius caput mediale, and gastrocnemius caput laterale) was recorded for four different settings of the cycle ergometer (variable saddle height and method of foot attachment to pedals). The EMG records were presented with reference to the bicycle crankset rotation cycle. Conclusions. The study found that changing the height of the saddle of the cycle ergometer and the use of toe clips in the pedals caused changes in bioelectrical activity in the muscles. The adjustment of saddle height affected the duration of potentials more noticeably than the use of toe clips. Furthermore, only one period of elevated electrical activity in the muscles of the lower limbs was found in the pedalling cycle. The longest time of the presence of action potentials was recorded for the m. gastrocnemius caput laterale, whereas the shortest time was observed in the m. vastus medialis.