Static and dynamic postural stability of children girls engaged in modern dance.

ABSTRACTBackground: Postural stability (PS) has an important role in many athletic activities. However, modern dance demands a heightened PS because of the required aesthetic quality and speed of movement. The aim of the present study was to compare the static and dynamic PS of young dancers and participants of other sporting activities.Method: A total of 101 girls (age: 7.91 ± 0.7 year) were divided into a Dance group (N = 53) and a physically active Control group (N = 48). Static PS was assessed with a two-leg standing test on a Force plate, and dynamic PS was assessed with a Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK) - a walking backwards test on a balance beam.Results: Multivariate analysis of variance showed a general difference between the groups (F = 21.95; p ≤ 0.0001). In static PS, the Dance group was better in Total distance of center of pressure (COP) (p ≤ 0.0001; ES = -1.70), Anterior-posterior oscillation (p ≤ 0.0001; ES = -1.40), Medial-lateral oscillation (p ≤ 0.0001; ES = 1.75) and Length in function of surface (p ≤ 0.0001; ES = -0.98). Both parameters of dynamic stability, the KTK test (p ≤ 0.0001; ES = 1.28) and Motor quotients KTK test (p ≤ 0.0001; ES = 1.45), were significantly better in the Dance group.Conclusion: The results from the present study indicate that children girls who participate mostly in dance develop better static and dynamic PS than children girls who participate in other sport activities. These findings underline the importance of training modification toward the improvement of PS in dance.

Nine Months of a Structured Multisport Program Improve Physical Fitness in Preschool Children: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Research in preschool children that investigates the impact of different exercise interventions on physical fitness is limited. This pre-post study was aimed at determining if participation in a nine-month structured multisport program (MSG; n = 38) could enhance physical fitness components compared to a formal exercise program (control group (CG); n = 36) among preschool children. Physical fitness was assessed using standardized tests (the standing long jump, sit and reach, 20 m sprint, sit-ups for 30 s, bent-arm hang, medicine ball throw (MBT), grip strength, 4 × 10 m shuttle run, and 20 m shuttle run tests). The structured multisport program involved fundamental/gross and fine motor skills and ball game-based exercises twice a week. The control group was free of any programmed exercise except for the obligatory program in kindergartens. A mixed ANOVA demonstrated significant group-by-time interaction effects for the 4 × 10 m shuttle run, standing long jump, sit-ups, bent-arm hang, grip strength, and sit and reach tests (p < 0.05). There was no significant group-by-time interaction effect for the 20 m sprint test (p = 0.794) or for the 20 m shuttle run test (p = 0.549). Moreover, the MSG and CG performance in the MBT and 20 m shuttle run tests improved to a similar extent from pre- to post-test. Our results indicate that compared to the formal plan, the structured multisport program led to a sustained improvement in physical fitness in healthy 5-to-6-year old children.

Clients' Perception of Outcome of Team-Based Prenatal and Reproductive Genetic Counseling in Serbian Service Using the Perceived Personal Control (PPC) Questionnaire.

This is the first study in Serbia and the region of South-East Europe dedicated to clients' perception of outcome and efficiency of prenatal and reproductive genetic counseling. The primary aim of this study was to assess overall value and success of genetic counseling in prenatal and reproductive care with regard to perceived personal control of clients, reflecting also in a part patient comprehension, knowledge retention, and empowerment in decision-making. The standardized Perceived Personal Control questionnaire (PPC) was used for the assessment of 239 female participants. First, we performed a complete validation of the psychometric characteristics of the Serbian-language version of the PPC questionnaire. The validation of the questionnaire permits other researchers from Serbian-speaking regions of South-East Europe to use this standard instrument to assess the effectiveness of prenatal genetic counseling in their communities and analyze advantages and disadvantages of their counseling models. We also measured social and demographic characteristics of participants. Further, we analyzed effects of our team-based prenatal and reproductive genetic counseling model through (a) calculation of PPC scores at three different stages (before initial, after initial, and before second counseling session), and (b) by assessing participants' responses by indication for referral (advanced maternal age, abnormal biochemical screening, family history of hereditary disorders, maternal exposure to drugs, exposure to radiation, exposure to infective agents, infertility or recurrent abortions, and miscellaneous). The results indicate that participants' knowledge after initial counseling increased significantly and after that remained stable and sustainable. A satisfactory level of confidence among participants had been achieved, in that many felt an increased sense of control over their situation and emotional response to it. Indirectly, these results indicate the success of a team-based prenatal genetic counseling model, which has not been assessed in the literature to date.