Background: According to the literature, inspiratory muscle fatigue may increase after swimming training (ST). This study aimed to examine the efficacy of 8-week inspiratory muscular training (IMT) in disabled swimmers, combined with standard sports training, on selected parameters of lung ventilation and the function of respiratory muscles. Methods: A total of 16 disabled swimming division athletes from Wroclaw’s ‘Start’ Regional Sports Association qualified for the study. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups (ST and IMT). Both groups participated in swimming training for 8 weeks (8 times a week). The IMT group additionally participated in inspiratory muscle training (8 weeks). In all respondents, a functional lung test and the respiratory muscle strength was measured. Results: After 8 weeks of training, a significant increase in ventilation parameters and respiratory muscle strength was observed only in the IMT group. In ST group 1, a 20% improvement in the strength of inspiratory muscles was achieved. Conclusions: The inclusion of IMT is an important element that complements swimming training, allowing for greater increases in lung ventilation parameters and the strength of respiratory muscles in disabled swimmers.

The recent Olympic Games in London incited much interest in the competition of disabled athletes. Various people connected with swimming, including coaches and athletes, have speculated about the fairness of competitions of disabled athletes. A constant problem are the subjective methods of classification in disabled sport. Originally, athletes with disabilities were classified according to medical diagnosis. Due to the injustice which still affects the competitors, functional classification was created shortly after. In the present review, the authors show the anomalies in the structure of the classification. The presented discovery led to the suggestion to introduce objective methods, thanks to which it would be no longer necessary to rely on the subjective assessment of the classifier. According to the authors, while using objective methods does not completely rule out the possibility of fraud by disabled athletes in the classification process, it would certainly reduce their incidence. Some of the objective methods useful for the classification of disabled athletes are: posturography, evaluation of the muscle parameters, electrogoniometric assessment, surface electromyography, and analysis of kinematic parameters. These methods have provide objective evaluation in the diagnostic sense but only if they are used in tandem. The authors demonstrate the undeniable benefits of using objective methods. Unfortunately, there are not only advantages of such solution, there also several drawbacks to be found. The conclusion of the article is the statement by the authors that it is right to use objective methods which allow to further the most important rule in sport: fair-play.

The aim of the study was to assess the symmetry of flexion and extension movements in upper limbs in disabled powerlifters during bench press with different barbell loads.29 disabled athletes from the National Powerlifting Team were examined. Mean age was between 23.9 ± 6.1. Mean sport experience was 5.4 ± 3.6 years.Both flexion and extension movement were performed symmetrically, which was indicated by an insignificant (p < 0.05) difference in the movement onset in the left and the right upper limb.Time differences in the movement onset and the achievement of maximal angular velocity were statistically insignificant in all trials (loads from 40% to 95% 1RM). During extension with loads over 60% 1RM differences in time of achieving maximal angular velocity were statistically significant or close.

Introduction. When evaluating the swimming technique of people with disabilities, a particularly important factor, besides physiological aspects, is the efficiency of the effort expended. This suggests that assessing and monitoring the effectiveness of swimming should be a regular part of training for swimmers with disabilities. Therefore, it seems important to distinguish how changes occur in the parameters that determine the effectiveness of swimming. This is especially true of anaerobic lactic exercise as the lactic acid concentration in the blood increases significantly. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of calculating velocity and the stroke index in the swimming training of people with disabilities, along with the progressive fatigue of a high-intensity interval training workout. Material and methods. The sample comprised 12 elite competitors with a disability. The experiment consisted in swimming sequential distances of 48 m, 50 m, 52 m, and 54 m at maximum intensity. Competitors performed four sets of four repetitions with a 75-second interval between repetitions and 15 minutes of active resting between sets. All sets were recorded using five digital cameras with a frequency of 50 frames per second. The recorded material was analysed with the use of motion analysis software, and the stroke index was calculated. Results. There was found to be no significant change in the average swimming velocity during each set and corresponding repetition, which means that the participants were able to tolerate the training intensity. Also, the stroke index did not change to a statistically significant degree in either of the subsequent sets or the subsequent repetitions (p < 0.05). Conclusions. We conclude that analysing the value of the swimming stroke index for people with disabilities can be a diagnostic method for assessing the effectiveness of high-intensity interval training.

Stroke causes impairment of brain function resulting in the disorder of motor control of the trunk. Assessment of the movement of a patient with hemiparesis poses many difficulties and limitations. A standard clinical neurological diagnosis does not provide an accurate assessment in terms of trunk deficit. This is the reason for the relatively small and insufficient monitoring of motor changes in patients. Post stroke assessment of the trunk is still insufficient despite the fact that disorders are a common problem in patients with stroke. Trunk function has been identified as an important early predictor of functional outcome after stroke. Trunk Impairment Scale-TIS is the only well-validated tool to examine a patient with hemiparesis taking into account qualitative and quantitative assessment of the trunk deficit. This scale consists of three subscales: static balance in sitting, dynamic balance sitting and coordination. TIS assesses existing compensation during motor tasks. The scale was translated into Polish and pre-adapted to clinical practice The scale supports clinical reasoning in terms of structure and function, body disorders and activity limitations of patients after stroke It appears that the introduction of scale in the clinical study for patients with stroke hemiplegia may not only affect the expansion of detailed documentation of motor deficits, but to support planning and carrying out appropriate (suitable) physiotherapy strategies.