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Background Studies have demonstrated a relationship between dental malocclusion and posture defects. The aims of the study were to present (1) the effect of a physiotherapeutic approach to a patient with a distal occlusion defect with the use of a set of exercises to strengthen the muscles responsible for mandibular protrusion, and (2) a non-invasive and easy-to-use method to monitor the effects of therapy. Methods Five year old girl with a distal occlusion and with a low basic postural tone was referred to physiotherapy. A therapeutic program i.a. concerning a strengthening of the temporomandibular joint muscles with the use of a flexible tape was proposed. To assess the functional changes of the masticatory apparatus a photoanthropometric method was used. In side-face photos, proportions of 2 linear measurements and values of two angles on the first day of therapy, after 2 and after 4 months of exercises, with the mandible located freely and in the maximum protrusion were compared. Results A comparison of indices and angles showed a marked improvement in mandibular mobility already after two and four months of the exercises. Using the elastic resistance tape in addition to general developmental exercises allowed for increasing the mobility in the temporomandibular joint. Conclusion Malocclusion should not be considered separately, without taking into account the body posture. The work of the physiotherapist can benefit the orthodontist, correcting postural defects and consequently affecting malocclusion. A comparison of linear measurements and angles can be used to assess the progress of the therapy.

Summary Objectives From a human evolution perspective, identifying a link between physique and vocal quality could demonstrate dual signaling in terms of the health and biological condition of an individual. In this regard, this study investigates the relationship between men's body size, shape, and composition, and their vocal characteristics. Materials and Methods Eleven anthropometric measurements, using seven indices, were carried out with 80 adult Polish male participants, while the speech analysis adopted a voice recording procedure that involved phonetically recording vowels /ɑː/, /ɛː/, /iː/, /ɔː/, /uː/ to define the voice acoustic components used in Praat software. Results The relationship between voice parameters and body size/shape/composition was found. The analysis indicated that the formants and their derivatives were useful parameters for prediction of height, weight, neck, shoulder, waist, and hip circumferences. Fundamental frequency (F0) was negatively correlated with neck circumference at Adam's apple level and body height. Moreover neck circumference and F0 association was observed for the first time in this paper. The association between waist circumference and formant component showed a net effect. In addition, the formant parameters showed significant correlations with body shape, indicating a lower vocal timbre in men with a larger relative waist circumference. Discussion Men with lower vocal pitch had wider necks, probably a result of larynx size. Furthermore, a greater waist circumference, presumably resulting from abdominal fat distribution in men, correlated with a lower vocal timbre. While these results are inconclusive, they highlight new directions for further research.

The aim of this work was to estimate the size and direction of relationships between the size of sway and variables describing the building and shape of the body of children and adolescents. The study involved 98 people (48 boys and 46 girls) aged 10.2–17.7 years. Body building data was acquired using the GPM anthropometer for linear measurements, caliper for width measurements, tape for body circuits. Body sway measures were collected with the CQ Stab 2P balance platform (CQ Elektronik System, Poland), which measures the center of pressure under the participant’s feet. All balance measurements were carried out with eyes open and closed, both twice. Generally, in both boys and girls, regardless of their age, the size of sway increased with decreasing body height and weight, decreasing body circumferences and body width and flattening of the chest. In addition, for most anthropometric variables, when the eyes were closed, these relationships increased, which was particularly evident in the case of mediolateral sway. Obtained results showed a significant although weak relationship between the sway size and body building. Regardless of age, participants characterized by smaller morphological parameters have beed swayed more in saggital and mediolateral planes. These observations indicate that the body building should be taken into account when standing posture is assessed in healthy, disabled or special group i.a. athletes.

A biometric photo can be a research material allowing to limit the participation of a measured and measuring person, shortening the process of data collection and reducing the measurement error. The aim of the study was to compare anthropometric indices obtained from measurements made by single measurer and team of measurers. Measurements made by single measurer were more accurate, they were characterized by a smaller standard deviation than those performed by team of measurers. Most of the mean values of anthropometric indices obtained by both methods differed significantly. The largest discrepancies were noted for indices based on the measurements of the height of the nose (n-sn) and width of the mandible (go-go), which indicates difficulties in the exact position of these anthropometric points in the photo. Selection of point position performed by single measurer ensures greater accuracy and repeatability of the technique used to apply points to the face image.