Search

The purpose of the current study was to assess the effect of an intervention program with elastic bands on the improvement of the table tennis Forehand Topspin stroke accuracy and effectiveness at developmental ages. The sample of the study consisted of twenty four male and female table tennis players aged 13.75 ± 2.24, with weight 48.33 ± 11.50, height 1.58 ± 14.40 and time of experience 3.8 ± 1.31 years. Following an initial evaluation test which recorded the success and accuracy of the Forehand Topspin stroke the sample was divided into two equivalent groups (experimental and control). To ensure the accuracy and stability of the strokes, the participants used a specific training robot, which presented the same degree of difficulty for all. Next, the two groups followed the same training program, with the experimental group executing additional exercises with elastic bands after the end of the usual training, for 12 weeks. The measurements included two-way analyses of variance; a repeated (initial -- final measurements) and an independent. The results showed that both groups presented a statistically significant improvement concerning Forehand Topspin strokes, while the experimental group increased successful strokes considerably and reduced unsuccessful ones (p<0,05). What emerges from the study is that improved muscular coordination and physical control in both male and female athletes deriving from the use of elastic bands and contributed decisively to the amelioration of the Forehand Topspin stroke, concerning both accuracy and success. The results of the present study are similar to those of other scientific researches concerning other sports, where the use of elastic bands improved the performance of young athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, many tests have been developed to evaluate the mobility and functional capacity of people with neurological disorders (Hemiplegia, MS). The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and additionally to determine the measurement error of TMT and TUG in adults with neurological disorders (hemiplegia, MS). Methods: In the study of tests 20 adults (11 with multiple sclerosis and 9 with hemiplegia) who were retrospectively registered participated. The average age of adults was 38.7 ± 13.9 years old and their average body mass was 65.1 ± 13.1kg. The Greek version of the tests and a Nikon 5300 digital camera for video recording were used for data collection. ICC was calculated by means of a two-way ANOVA model. Results: The results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the two independent evaluators and that the TMT (ICC > 0,936 ) and TUG (ICC> 0,996) had strong reliability. Conclusions: Overall, the results of the present investigation provided considerable evidence suggesting that the tests TMT and TUG are reliable and can be used to evaluate kinetic and balance disorders. Therefore, it was concluded that the tests should be applied to reliably estimate the mobility and functional ability of adults with neurological disorders.

The aim of the present study was the control and determination of the PEDI, GMFM and TUG test's reliability in children with cerebral palsy. 20 children with cerebral paralysis took part in the research (7 with tetraplegia, 6 with diplegia and 7 with right hemiplegia). The basic inclusion criterion was the absence of other dysfunctions such as learning difficulties, loss of sensation, or any kind of illness. The individuals should not have undergone orthopaedic operation or drug treatment 6 months prior to the research, that would influence the spasticity, as well as to not have participated in other therapeutic programs but for physiotherapy. For the collection of the data, PEDI, GMFM, TUG tests were used. Then the measurements were carried out in two days. The first (T1) and second (T2) measurement, which were conducted a day apart from each other, were conducted under the exact same conditions. In the present study the GMFM, PEDI and TUG tests' clinical importance and reliability were checked. The results showed that the tests posses a great degree of reliability, a finding that is in agreement with the international literature. In particular, regarding the GMFM the scores for the overall test were ICC=0.99, RMSdif(%) (mean±SD)=0,76±0,86 with standard error 0,50 and variance coefficient CV%=0,75±0,8. From the results of the PEDI test the reliability was ascertained satisfactorily. Specifically the scores were ICC=0,99, RMSdif(%) (mean±SD)=0,98±1,84, with standard error 0,72 and variance coefficient CV%=1,00± 1,9. Regarding the TUG test, in the research the scores were ICC=0,99, RMSdif(%)(mean±SD)=6,19±4,94, with standard error 0,97 and variance coefficient CV%=6,35±5,3. It is, consequently recommended that they should be applied in order to evaluate the functional ability of children with C.P. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to study the effect of hand paddles on the pitch, the sweepback angles and other stroke kinematic characteristics of the hand during front crawl swimming. Ten female competitive swimmers swam without and with small (116 cm²) and large (268 cm²) paddles. Four cameras (60 Hz) were used to record the underwater strokes and the digitizing was undertaken using the Ariel Performance Analysis System. When the size of the paddles increased, the stroke length, the mean swimming velocity and the total duration of the stroke were significantly increased (p < 0.05), while the average velocity of the hand during the pull and the push phases were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The stroke rate was decreased significantly (p <0.05) only when using large paddles. The relative duration of the separate phases of the stroke, the magnitude of the medial-lateral displacements and the pitch and sweepback angles of the hand were not modified, indicating that the use of hand paddles did not caused significant alterations in the orientation and the movement of the hand during the underwater stroke in front crawl swimming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to record the incidence of Sport Injuries (acute and overuse syndromes) in Greek artistic gymnasts in relation to sex, age, event and exercise phase.Methods: 187 Greek elite artistic gymnastic athletes (100 male and 87 female athletes) participating in Greek artistic gymnastic championship involving all age-related categories, were observed on a weekly basis for a year. The athletes consisted of the pre-national team that was chosen to prepare for the next Olympic games.Results: 147 (61.5%)acute injuries and 93 (38.5%) overuse syndromes were recorded. The most common anatomical location of injury was the ankle (110 cases, 46%), followed by the knee (63 cases, 26.2%). According to the results, the rate which involved mild injuries was 26.8% (64 cases, 34 males, 30 females) moderate injuries was 44% (106 cases, 59 males, 48 females), major injuries was 29% (70 cases, 38 males, 31 females). For the total sport injuries recorded, the injury incidence on the 'floor' and especially during 'landing phase', were statistically significant.Conclusions: Artistic gymnastics predisposes to acute injuries, by its nature, but up to 70% are mild and moderate. Special attention needs to be given during 'floor exercises', especially on landing phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mos, the product of the C-mos gene, is a component of the mitogen-activated protein-kinase transduction pathway, and is involved in the control of meiosis and mitosis. High levels have been reported to cause p53-mediated growth arrest and apoptosis. Apart from a study on lung carcinomas, there is little information about its role in human neoplasia. The aim of this study was to investigate expression of mos in astrocytic tumours and to correlate it with the accumulation of p53. Material and methods: We studied the expression of mos in 62 cases of supratentorial diffuse astrocytic tumours and correlated this with tumour grade, survival and accumulation of p53. Results: Intracytoplasmic immunopositivity for mos was found in 28 (45%) cases: 3/20 (15%) grade 2 astrocytomas, 9/20 (45%) grade 3 anaplastic astrocytomas and 16/22 (73%) glioblastomas. Immunopositivity for mos correlated significantly (P < 0.01) with tumour grade but not with p53 expression. In contrast to the findings in relation to lung carcinomas, immunopositivity for mos in astrocytic tumours did not predict recurrence-free or overall survival time. Cytoplasmic immunostaining was observed in scattered large cortical neurons adjacent to tumours, possibly as a result of ‘stress’-induced abortive entry into the cell cycle. Conclusions: The correlation of mos immunopositivity with tumour grade may reflect the expansion of more malignant mos-positive clones. This study provides evidence that mos may be involved in the neoplastic progression of a proportion of astrocytic tumours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]