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Background: Systematic physical activity has become an essential part of the guidelines for the prevention and treatment of low back pain (LBP). The aim of this study was to assess differences in trunk alignment parameters with regard to the level of physical activity in groups of individuals with and without LBP. Methods: 43 participants with LBP and 37 healthy persons were recruited. Participants were divided into two subgroups: (1) students with a moderate level of physical activity (MPA); (2) students with a high level of physical activity (HPA). An original questionnaire was used to assess the prevalence of LBP. The spinal posture was measured using the Formetric 4D rasterstereographic system. Results: There were no significant differences between groups for any of the parameters assessed: trunk imbalance, trunk inclination, trunk torsion, pelvic tilt, pelvic inclination, pelvic torsion, kyphotic angle and lordotic angle. Conclusions: There are no differences in trunk alignment parameters in the sagittal, frontal and transversal planes between physically active males with and without LBP. Therefore, it can be assumed that physical activity may reduce the risk of the deterioration of trunk alignment in males with LBP younger than 25 years.

An increase in the level of physical activity has become an important part of recommendations in the management of low back pain (LBP). While the effect of a low level of physical activity on postural stability is becoming clear, the possible effect of high level of physical activity in individuals with LBP has received less attention to date. Objective. The aim of this study was to find out whether there exist differences regarding postural stability taking into account the level of physical activity in individuals with and without LBP. Methods. This cross-sectional study included 58 participants with LBP and 24 healthy persons. Participants were divided into two subgroups, i.e. participants with a moderate level of physical activity (MPA) and participants with a high level of physical activity (HPA). A questionnaire was used to assess LBP prevalence. Postural stability was assessed with the use of the dynamographic platform. Results. There were no differences between groups for any of the centre of pressure (COP) parameters assessed: average velocity (V), area of the ellipse (AoE), length of the ellipse in the anteriorposterior direction (LoEAP) and length of the ellipse in the medial-lateral direction (LoEML). Conclusion. Our study showed that in the group of participants with LBP a high level of physical activity does not ensure better postural stability than a moderate level of physical activity. However, physical activity helps people with LBP to prevent postural instability.

Background Carrying a schoolbag is a daily activity for most children and adolescents.The perception of a schoolbag’s weight depends upon the individual and is a relevant theme in schoolchildren. Describing the association between the perception of heaviness in carrying a schoolbag and NLBP can facilitate the planning of preventive programs, quite different from those based on specific weight limits for schoolbags in children and youth. Objective To determine the prevalence of non-specific low back pain (NLBP) and to analyse the association between the perception of heaviness in carrying of schoolbags and NLBP in Polish children and youth aged 10–19. Methods This study included 11,423 children and youth (6,252 girls and 5,171 boys) from Poland. An original questionnaire was used to assess NLBP prevalence. Results Among 11,423 of the respondents, 41.5% of the respondents admitted that they had experienced NLBP in the period of the last 12 months. The percentage of individuals reporting NLBP increased with age of participants, p p Conclusion In the examined group of schoolchildren a frequent occurrence of NLBP (41.5%) was noted. Its occurrence was related to female sex and age. Students who thought that their backpacks weighed too much manifested higher probability to develop NLBP.

BackgroundRespiratory system diseases are some of the most common pathologies worldwide. Although osteopathic manual therapy (OMT) is used predominantly to treat other pathologies, certain OMT techniques have been shown to improve patients' respiratory function.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the influence of osteopathic techniques on breathing.MethodsTests were performed with the use of a spirometer and the results were expressed as Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1), and Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF). Thirty healthy males and females between the age of 18 and 50 took part in the research. Fifteen individuals were randomly assigned to the experimental group and fifteen persons were assigned to the placebo group. The participants from the experimental group were treated with such osteopathic techniques aimed at the pulmonary system as the thoracic thrust (manipulations of vertebral joints and ribs), the sternal pump technique and stretching of the diaphragm. The placebo group was treated with soft tissue therapy (STT) techniques for the masseter muscle.ResultsThe described set of osteopathic techniques exerts an influence on PEF in healthy individuals; however, it does not affect FVC and FEV1.ConclusionOsteopathic techniques do not seem to improve lung health, as reflected in FEV1 and FVC, but they improve the respiratory function aspects reflected by PEF in the participants without any history of lung disease.

Introduction Due to a high prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among children and adolescents, it is significant to seek effective prevention and therapeutic procedures. One idea for the programmes is a potential relation between the occurrence of LBP and the level of physical activity. The aim of this review was to analyse the current knowledge regarding the association between physical activity and LBP among children and adolescents. Methods Publications were retrieved by searching the following databases: PubMed, The Cochrane library, Web of Science, Medline and SportDiscus with Full Text (EBSCO). The search strategy included keywords related to physical activity and LBP. The studies included were assessed for methodological quality. PRISMA guidelines were followed for the systematic review. Results The total sample size of the nine included studies consisted of 75,233 subjects, with an age range of 9–19 years. All the studies were assessed to be of high quality. One cohort study and five cross-sectional studies found the association between physical activity and LBP in children and adolescents. The remaining studies found no relationship between physical activity and LBP. These findings showed that both extremes of activity levels (i.e. being very low and very high physically active) are associated with LBP. Conclusion There is moderate evidence for the association between physical activity and LBP in children and adolescents. The results highlight the need for continued research. It seems that for clear evaluation of the analysed association the prospective cohort studies should be conducted.

Objectives. The aim of the study was to assess the change of sagittal spinal curvatures in children with generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) instructed with “straighten your back” command (SYB).Methods. The study included 56 children with GJH. The control group consisted of 193 children. Sacral slope (SS), lumbar lordosis (LL), global thoracic kyphosis (TK), lower thoracic kyphosis (LK), and upper thoracic kyphosis (UK) were assessed with Saunders inclinometer both in spontaneous positions (standing and sitting) and after the SYB.Results. Children with GJH after SYB presented the following: in standing, increase in SS and decrease in TK, LK, and UK (P<0.01), with LL not significantly changed; in sitting: decrease in global thoracic kyphosis (35.5° (SD 20.5) versus 21.0° (SD 15.5),P<0.001) below the standards proposed in the literature (30–40°) and flattening of its lower part (P<0.001). The same changes were observed in the control group.Conclusions. In children with generalized joint hypermobility, the “straighten your back” command leads to excessive reduction of the global thoracic kyphosis and flattening of its lower part. Therefore, the “straighten your back” command should not be used to achieve the optimal standing and sitting positions.

Introduction. The aim of the study was to assess final-year physical education (PE) students’ knowledge of exercises strengthening the abdominal muscles which are used in the introductory part of a PE lesson. Material and methods. The research involved 467 final-year physical education students. The group examined included undergraduate (Bachelor) and postgraduate (Master) students from four universities in Poland. A knowledge test with photographs was used to conduct the study. The students completed the knowledge test with one of the authors present. If the students had any questions regarding the exercises included in the test, they were demonstrated by the person in the photographs. The data were analysed using the Mann- Whitney-Wilcoxon test. Kendall’s concordance coefficient was used to assess reliability and measure the agreement between the opinions of a group of experts who were asked to rate the exercises in terms of their safety and effectiveness. The calculations were made with the use of statistical and calculation software (SPSS 9.0 for Windows). An alpha value < 0.05 was accepted as the level of significance of differences between the groups of undergraduate and postgraduate students. Results. Eighty-two participants (17.6%) performed the task correctly, selecting all the safe exercises, 139 students (29.8%) made one error, while 110 marked all the overloading and ineffective exercises as safe. Conclusions. The students’ knowledge of safe exercises strengthening the abdominal muscles was insufficient. Both undergraduate and postgraduate students demonstrated similar knowledge concerning these exercises.

Introduction The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of low back pain episodes (over a period of 12 months) and everyday functioning of students suffering from it. Material and methods The study enrolled 1321 students of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd year of Bachelor-level programmes in Physical Education, Physiotherapy, Pedagogics, and Tourism and Recreation at 4 universities in Poland. An original questionnaire was used. A 10-point VAS scale was used to assess pain intensity. The reliability of the questionnaire had been assessed before commencing the study by administering it twice at a month's interval to a group of 20 people. No significant differences were noted between the results obtained in the two tests (p Results Our analysis of the frequency of low back pain episodes showed that the respondents who experienced pain rarely (1-2 episodes per year) constituted the biggest group. With regard to pain intensity, mild pain, reported by 43.4% of the respondents, was most common. Over 20% of the subjects reported severe pain. A considerable percentage of the respondents (over 20%) limited their physical activity because of low back pain and 4.4% had to give up physical activity altogether. Nearly 60% of the subjects reported that the low back pain made it difficult for them to sit for prolonged periods, while nearly 50% had difficulty standing. Conclusions 1. This study of a group of students from eastern Poland revealed that low back pain is common. 2. Low back pain interferes with or limits daily activities of the students, such as sitting, standing or physical activity.

Objectives To assess abdominal muscles (AM) activity during prone, side, and supine bridge on stable and unstable surfaces (BOSU, Swiss Ball). Design Prospective comparison study. Setting Research laboratory. Participants Thirty-three healthy volunteers from a university population. Main outcome measures Surface electromyography of the rectus abdominis (RA), the external oblique (EO) and the internal oblique with the transversus abdominis (IO-TA). Results The AM exhibited the highest activity during prone bridge on a Swiss Ball (RA, EO, IO-TA 44.7 ± 19.2, 54.7 ± 22.9, 36.8 ± 18.6 in % of MVC, respectively). The lowest activity was observed during supine bridge on a stable surface and a BOSU (under 5.0). The lowest ratio analyzed on the basis of the relation of EO and IO-TA activity to RA was obtained during prone bridge on the Swiss Ball (1.4 ± 0.7 for EO, 0.9 ± 0.5 for IO-TA). The highest ratio was obtained during prone bridge on stable surface and supine bridges. Conclusions The highest level of activity in the abdominal muscles is achieved during prone bridge on a Swiss Ball. However, this exercise provided the lowest activity of the EO and IO-TA in relation to RA. It is essential to conduct further studies verifying the usefulness of using Swiss Ball during core stability training.

The study sought to characterize back pain (BP) (in the period of 12 months) in children and youth aged 10 to 19 from eastern Poland. The study included 11619 children and youth (6254 girls and 5365 boys) aged 10 to 19 from eastern Poland. An original questionnaire was applied as a research tool. Before the study, the reliability of the questionnaire had been assessed. The Kappa coefficient value for all the analyzed variables was equal to or higher than 0.91. Over 74.4% of the respondents admitted that within the last 12 months, they had experienced BP which was usually located in the lumbar spine (55.8%). The percentage of individuals reporting BP increased with age of participants. Girls reported BP more often than boys (82.8% vs 64.3%). The main circumstances in which BP occurred included lifting heavy objects, carrying school backpack and maintaining a sedentary position (70.7% vs 67.4% vs 67.8%). Over 67% of the respondents declared they did not know ergonomic principles. High prevalence of BP was noted. The declared BP was mainly located in the lumbar spine. Girls reported BP more often than boys. The students presented a very low level of knowledge about ergonomics. Therefore, the appropriate education should be included at school.

Squat - Rules of Performing and Most Common Mistakes The squat is an exercise which is commonly applied in sport, recreation and while performing numerous everyday activities [1, 2, 3]. The improper performance of the squat leads to the shaping of an improper movement pattern. In this work the methodology of teaching the squat, which has to be learnt to constitute a significant element in the prophylaxis of the musculoskeletal system overloads, is described.

Background and Objective. The limitations of muscle flexibility are a common dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, various therapeutic techniques are used in rehabilitation programs to increase their flexibility. The aim of this prospective, randomized, single-blind study was to evaluate the changes in the flexibility of hip flexors in children who participated in a 6-week therapeutic program consisting of one physiotherapy session per week with a physiotherapist and daily home exercises. Material and Methods. A total of 94 children aged 10–13 years were randomly assigned to 3 experimental groups: postisometrical relaxation group (PIR group), static stretching combined with stabilizing exercise group (SE/SS group), and stabilizing exercise group (SS group). To assess the flexibility of one- and two-joint hip flexors, the modified Thomas test was used. The examination was conducted by blinded observers. Results. A significant improvement in the flexibility of one-joint hip flexors was documented in all 3 groups (P0.05). Conclusions. The 6-week therapeutic program regardless of the technique applied (postisometrical muscle relaxation, static stretching with stabilizing exercises, and stabilizing exercises only) resulted in the increased flexibility of one-joint hip flexors. Only static stretching combined with stabilizing exercises led to a significant increase in the flexibility of two-joint hip flexors.

Methods 94 children (46 boys and 48 girls) aged 10-13 years (11.5 ±0.5), were randomly divided into 3 groups. Each group underwent a 6-week therapeutic programme aiming to correct muscles flexibility. The first group-GI (31 children) realized the programme of post isometric muscle relaxation (PIR), the second one-GII (31 children) performed static stretching with stabilization exercises, the third group-GIII (32 children) realized only stabilization exercises. The shortening of hamstring, one-joint and two-joint hip flexors was assessed clinically according to Kendall. The straight leg raise (SLR test) angle and the popliteal angle were measured for hamstrings, the angle in sagittal plane in hip for one-joint and the knee flexion was measured for twojoint hip flexors. Fingertips-to-floor distance (FTF test) in trunk flexion was also noted. The examination was conducted twice – before therapy and a week after its completion, by the blinded observers.

Objective. The aim of this work was to define the prevalence of back pain in children and youth aged 10–19 from the southeast of Poland.Material and Methods. The cross-sectional study included 1089 students (547 girls and 542 boys) aged 10–19. The prevalence of back pain, its intensity, location, and situations in which it occurred were assessed with a questionnaire.Results. Among 1089 respondents, 830 (76.2%) admitted that they had experienced back pain at various frequencies within the year preceding the study. Back pain was located mainly in the lumbar segment (74.8%). Mild pains were dominant, which was declared by 44.7% of the respondents. Girls experienced back pain significantly more frequently than boys (52.2% versus 47.8%,P<0.05).Conclusions. The research revealed that back pain is a common phenomenon. The prevalence of back pain in children and youth living in southeast Poland is similar to the frequency of occurrence of such complaints occurring in peers in other countries. It seems significant to monitor the remaining regions of Poland in order to define the scale of the problem and to look for the risk factors of back pain in children and youth to undertake efficient prophylactic actions.

Background: A squat is one of the exercises commonly applied in sport, in school physical education classes, among amateurs practising recreational sport as well as in rehabilitation of children and elderly people. The role of the preventive effect of the correctly performed squat on the musculo-skeletal system is particularly highlighted, while threats posed by an incorrect performance of the exercise are simultaneously indicated. The aim of the work was to define the knowledge of students concerning the methodology of teaching the correct squat and to present methodological fundamentals in this field. Material/Methods: The research involved 412 students of physical education and of a special course for personal trainers. The diagnostic poll method with the use of two techniques, i.e. a questionnaire and knowledge test, was applied. The collected data were analysed statistically with the use of the Excel packet. Results: Over a half of the students examined in the test admit that they do not know what the correct squat looks like. The subjects also indicate the lack of knowledge concerning the methodology of teaching it. Over 86% of the respondents admit that during classes included in the studies curriculum they had no opportunity to observe the methodology of teaching the squat. Simultaneously, nearly 71% of the students indicate that an incorrect performance of this exercise may bring about negative effects in the musculo-skeletal system of a person practising sport. Conclusions: The knowledge of students concerning the methodology of teaching the correct squat is insufficient.