The association between movement screening and physical fitness testing in athletes is conflicting, and therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between Functional Movement Screen (FMS) performance and physical performance in elite female youth football players. Twenty-two players from the national U16 team of Bosnia and Herzegovina underwent FMS and physical performance tests, including speed, agility, and jump assessments. Jump and speed performance score correlated well with ASLR, while the overall FMS score was not associated with any of the performance variables. These findings suggest that while certain movement patterns may impact athletic performance, the relationship between movement screening and physical performance is delicate. Coaches and practitioners should consider individual variations and sport-specific demands when interpreting FMS results in order to optimize and maximize athlete performance and reduce injury risks.

Sport, particularly in the realm of professional competition, is a domain of human endeavor that is increasingly dependent on the use of analytical statistical information. Consequently, mathematics and statistics are becoming increasingly crucial elements in sports. Although experts recognize the importance of analytics in women’s basketball, the literature addressing this subject remains limited. The objective of this study is to employ quantitative methodologies to discover prevailing patterns in global women’s basketball representation. The entities examined in this article were the games contested during the 2021 Olympic Games, the 2022 World Cup, and the 2023 continental championships. Two regression models were created for the research, using thirteen standard variables observed in the game. The evaluation of the regression model was conducted using the stepwise regression method, incorporating dimensionality reduction based on the outcomes of factor analysis. Among the 14 models that were observed, 13 of them exhibited strong and moderate linkages, while only 1 displayed weak connections and lacked statistical significance. The primary factors that account for the disparity between winning and losing teams in games are primarily associated with shooting accuracy toward the basket. When examining individual championships, the percentage surpassed 50% in all cases except for AfroBasket. However, when considering the overall results, the significance of shooting rose to 86%. The variable representing offensive rebound efficiency had a significant influence on the outcome, being present in all individual competitions, whereas defensive rebound efficiency was only considered in the overall results.

Purpose. The aim of the study was to examine the effects of five weeks detraining period on body composition changes in elite professional Indonesian male soccer players. Material and methods. The body composition of 24 top-level male soccer players (age: 26.33 ± 4.06 years) competing in First League of Indonesia was measured before and after the 5-weeks detraining period. Body composition variables, including body mass, body fat percentage, fat-free mass, and total body water percentage, were measured using the bioelectrical impedance method. The results. The paired samples T-test showed significant changes in the means of body composition variables for body fat percentage, fat-free mass, and total body water percentage. Mean values for body fat percentage increased during the detraining period from 10.87 ± 2.47% to 11.98 ± 2.75% (10.3%). A decrease in mean values for fat-free mass (61.34 ± 5.74 kg to 59.80 ± 6.22; 2.49%) and total body water percentage (from 65.13 ± 1.84% to 64.40 ± 1.99%; 1.12%) was observed. No significant changes occurred in body mass (from 69.05 ± 8.07 kg to 69.05 ± 8.48 kg; 0.04%) from initial to final testing. Conclusions. Since there was a significant difference in body fat percentage, fat-free mass, and total body water percentage% before and after detraining period., it is suggested that 5 weeks of detraining period.  for the professional soccer players may not be necessary, and the duration should be shortened to maintain body composition status.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of an 8-week aerobic dance intervention on postural balance in children. Forty-one children, aged 9 to 11, were randomly assigned to either an aerobic dance group (ADG) or a control group (CG) from a primary school. Postural balance was assessed using center of pressure (CoP) excursions before and after the 8-week intervention period. Evaluations were conducted on both firm and foam surfaces in bipedal and unipedal stances under open-eyes (OE) and closed-eyes (CE) conditions, as well as on both medial–lateral (ML) and anterior–posterior (AP) surfaces in a bipedal stance under OE conditions. The ADG exhibited significantly decreased CoPVm values during firm bipedal CE, unipedal OE, foam bipedal OE and CE, and foam unipedal OE (p < 0.005). This study suggests that aerobic dance intervention improved postural balance in children, showcasing adaptability and improved stability under various conditions.

ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were to investigate: 1) whether there were morning-to-evening differences in short-term maximal performance and 2) the impact of prolonged and specific warm-up on short-term maximal performance diurnal variations in young basketball players. Fifteen basketball players of both sexes (Male = 8; Female = 7; age: 14.4 ± 0.46 yr; weight: 64.7 ± 7.1 kg; height: 175.2 ± 6.6 cm; BMI: 21.1 ± 1.9 kg/m2) completed the following short-term maximal performance tests: CMJ with and without arm swing, Lane Agility Drill, Zig-Zag agility test with and without the ball, Sprint 20 m with and without the ball with the passage at 5 and 10 m. All tests were performed after the 15-min standard warm-up procedure (with static stretching) and/or 25-min specific warm-up (with prolonged running and dynamic stretching) in the morning and evening. Vertical jumping tests and all change-of-direction speed tests (with and without a ball) with superior responses were achieved in the evening after standard warm-up among all participants (p < 0.05). In contrast, superior short-term maximal performance was observed in the morning after prolonged and specific warm-up protocol (p < 0.05). It was concluded that specific and prolonged warm-up protocols are suitable strategy to prevent diurnal variation in short-term maximal performance in young basketball players.

Introduction: The positive effects of static stretching exercises (SS) on physical fitness and rehabilitation are well established, but the effect on general health and physical fitness, including muscle function, flexibility, and activities of daily living at the individual level are less well understood. The objective of this systematic review was to compile the latest research on the effects of SS on general health and different occupational groups with regards to improving or maintaining general health. Material and methods: This review followed PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, MEDLINEOnline medical articles, and Science Direct databased were searched from 2010 to 2022 (including 2022) using the search string ‘static stretching effects OR muscle stretching exercises AND rehabilitation AND injury prevention’. Results: Th e database search yielded 799 articles of which 20 remained after elimination according to the selection criteria. The articles found that the effect of SS, regardless of the protocol used or whether it is active or passive, has a positive effect on the health status of the subjects. SS can reduce work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD), improve respiratory muscle function in patients after a stroke with hemiparesis, improve lung function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and can be used in pregnancy to reduce the risk or pre-eclampsia. Conclusion: SS is an effective and safe method for improving flexibility and ROM, preventing muscle atrophy, enhancing physical functioning, and improving quality of life with minimal risk of injury.

Introduction Basketball is a fast-paced intermittent team sport, wherein the players must exhibit different morphologies and fitness levels depending on their position. The aim of this study was to assess the differences in the athleticism of basketball players by playing positions and in its relations with body composition and anthropometric measures. It was hypothesized that calculated athleticism has stronger and better predictive relations with morphology compared to motoric tests alone. Methods 47 basketball players were divided into three groups according to playing position [guards (n = 14), forwards (n = 22), centers (n = 11)]. Body composition and anthropometrical measurements were done for all players. Athleticism was presented in terms of overall (OFS), jumping (JFS) and sprinting (SFS) fitness scores. Results Fitness scores were found to be more strongly related to body composition and anthropometry measurements than motoric tests alone. All three fitness scores were moderate to strongly correlated with skinfold thickness and fat percentage, while body height, fat-free mass, and lean body mass were positively correlated. Significant differences in athleticism fitness scores were found between guards and other groups. Forwards displayed superior athleticism in power and sprint abilities when compared to guards and centers. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that fat percentage, lean muscle mass, skinfold thickness, and arm span exhibited strong predictive capabilities in relation to athleticism scores. Conclusions Coaches and practitioners should be aware that athleticism includes a multitude of components, and they should use athleticism assessments before designing training regimens that are tailored to each position's unique needs.

Although many women perform postural tasks while listening to music, no study has investigated whether preferred music has different effects than non-preferred music. Thus, this study aimed to explore the effects of listening to preferred versus non-preferred music on postural balance among middle-aged women. Twenty-four women aged between 50 and 55 years were recruited for this study. To assess their static balance, a stabilometric platform was used, recording the mean center of pressure velocity (CoPVm), whereas the timed up and go test (TUGT) was used to assess their dynamic balance. The results showed that listening to their preferred music significantly decreased their CoPVm values (in the firm-surface/eyes-open (EO) condition: (p < 0.05; 95% CI [−0.01, 2.17])). In contrast, when the women were listening to non-preferred music, their CoPVm values significantly (p < 0.05) increased compared to the no-music condition in all the postural conditions except for the firm-surface/EO condition. In conclusion, listening to music has unique effects on postural performance, and these effects depend on the genre of music. Listening to preferred music improved both static and dynamic balance in middle-aged women, whereas listening to non-preferred music negatively affected these performances, even in challenged postural conditions.

Objective: This study aims to compile the latest information concerning workplace stretching regimens and to give a panoramic view of their effectiveness in reducing work-related Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Methods: Searching MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PEDro, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, SPORTDiscus and PubMed databases from 2010 to 2022 found 723 eligible studies, based on predefined inclusion criteria. Results: In the review, 14 included studies recruited subjects aged 18 years, with males (n=813), females (n=5141), and some research did not identify gender (n=3). The included studies were of both high (n=6) and low quality (n=8). Seven studies revealed stretching exercises to be an effective and safe non-pharmacological intervention for MSDs, and one study included an active control group observed better improvement in the treatment group. Four trials showed a significant effect from stretching exercises as a stand-alone treatment. Three studies revealed that stretching exercises had a meaningful and major effect on MSDs complaints, while two studies reported no significant results when utilizing Anti-fatigue mats in addition to stretching. Conclusion: The current study indicated that stretching exercises are a crucial and useful technique for preventing and treating pain and function in Work-related MSDs affecting the neck, shoulder, back, etc. Workplace/ergonomic changes can enhance the results of stretching exercises.

Player performance in an intense sport such as basketball is known to be related to attributes such as speed, agility, and power. This study presents a comparative analysis of associations between anthropometric assessment and physical performance in different age groups of elite youth basketball players, while simultaneously identifying the predictors for speed and agility in these players. U14 (n = 44), U15 (n = 45), and U16 (n = 51) players were tested for anthropometry, lower-body power, speed, and agility. U16 players were found to be taller, heavier, more muscular than U14 and U15 players. In addition, the U16 group showed better performance in all performance tests. Age had a significant positive correlation with countermovement (CMJ) and drop jump (DJ) performance in U14 players, and a significant negative correlation with 15m and 20m sprint times in the U15 group. CMJ and DJ emerged as the most significant predictors for sprint and agility variables, respectively. Body fat percentage was found to be a significant predictor for the speed and agility tests in all age groups, but a negative lower-body power predictor. Therefore, besides all sport-specific and fitness tests, it is essential to place emphasis on the percentage of body fat when designing players’ individualized training programs, and during team selection.

Purpose: The main aim of this study was to examine and analyse the body composition of young soccer players across different age groups. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 126 young soccer players divided into age categories: U15 – 53 players (age=14.68±0.47); U17 – 51 players (age=16.47±0.50); U19 – 22 players (age=18.05±0.38). The subjects’ height was measured using an anthropometer, while their body composition was measured using the TANITA BC-420MA digital scale. Results: On average, soccer players in the U15 group had significantly lower body height, weight, body mass index and fat free mass than U17 and U19 players, but had a higher percentage of body fat (p < 0.05). In addition to the percent of body fat mass, which tends to significantly decrease with age, the results also demonstrate significant non-linear increases in body height, weight, and lean body composition concurrent with the players’ ages. Conclusion: These results indicate that younger soccer players have lower absolute values of morphological characteristics compared to senior players.

The study aimed to investigate differences in anthropometry, body composition (BC), and somatotype in young football players of the same chronological age according to the maturity stage. Overall, 64 elite players (age: 14.28 ± 0.46 years) were evaluated for standing and sitting body height, girth measures, and BC using the bioelectric impedance scale and skinfold thickness. In total, two-thirds (73.44%, n = 47) of football players were classified as on-time maturers, 12.50% (n = 8) were early maturing, and 14.06% (n = 9) were late maturing. Standing and sitting height, leg length, fat-free mass, and muscle mass were significantly different (p < 0.001) across maturity groups. A significant decrease (p < 0.05) with maturity progression was seen for subscapular and suprailiac skinfolds along with a girth increase at all sites (p < 0.05). Early maturers were balanced ectomorphs, while on-time and late maturers featured mesomorph–ectomorph characteristics. The obtained results suggested that mature players have better BC presented as a lower fat percentage along with higher muscle mass, advantages in circumferences, and longitudinal dimensions of the body with highlighted mesomorph features. Maturity can have a substantial influence on body measures, thereby affecting sport-specific performance. Early maturers can use their anthropometric advantages and compensate for a lack of talent, consequently preventing even participation of physically undeveloped players in training. A better understanding of maturity, BC, and somatotypes can help in the selection of young talented players.

Basketball is one of the popular sports in the world, and physical performance is becoming increasingly important in basketball as the game evolves. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of a 3-week modified complex training on athletic performance of women's national basketball players. An experimental study involved the participation of 12 highly trained female basketball players (national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina). Observed variables before and after 3-weeks of modified complex training were 300 yards test, 20-yards test, lane agility and beep test. Means and standard deviations for each of the variables were calculated, and differences pre-to-post performance changes were examined using a paired sample t-test. Three weeks of specific complex training sessions show a statistically significant increase in all tested variables, 300 yards (p≤.001); 20 yards (p≤.001); Lane agility (p≤.001) and beep test (p=.028). It can be concluded that applied complex training program has significantly improved studied parameters of condition preparation of elite female basketball players.

Physical therapists employ several exercises to alleviate low back pain (LBP). Electromyography (EMG) examination of exercises can monitor muscle activation to help clinicians determine the exercise’s effect on stabilisation, endurance, or strength. This study evaluated surface EMG activity comparison for Flying Squirrel Exercise (FSE) and the novel 3-Point Quadripod Exercise (3-PQE) to find the most effective exercise for stimulating the lumbar multifidus (LM) muscle. The study recruited 64 healthy young females (19–24 years). Raw data were normalized and are expressed as the percentage of maximum voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC). The test–retest reliability of the EMG recordings was estimated using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC3,1). One-way ANOVA was used to statistically analyse and compare the EMG amplitudes during the two exercises. The ICCs for 3-PQE and FSE were 0.94 (SEM, 21.7% MVIC) and 0.87 (SEM, 19.05% MVIC), respectively. The 3-PQE (69 ± 26% MVIC) demonstrated significantly higher activity than did FSE (30 ± 18% MVIC) (F = 15.573, p = 0.001). Thus, 3-PQE might be a feasible strategy for the prevention and rehabilitation of LBP in females.