The effect of core stability training on ball-kicking velocity, sprint speed, and agility in adolescent male football players.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of core stability training program on ball-kicking velocity, running speed, and agility in adolescent male football players. To this end, 36 male football players aged 12-14 were divided into the training group and control group. Before implementing the core stability training program, participants' ball-kicking velocity, sprint speed, and agility performance were measured with a Bushnell velocity radar gun, 20 m sprint test, and 505 agility test, respectively, in both training group and control group. After the measurements, the training group followed core stability training program three days a week, for eight weeks in addition to the routine training program, while the control group followed the routine training program only. Ball-kicking velocity, sprint speed, and agility performance were re-measured in both groups after the completion of the core stability training program. Significant improvements were detected in all parameters, i.e., ball-kicking velocity, sprint speed, and agility performance in the training group (p<0.05). On the other hand, in the control group, no significant change was detected in the ball-kicking velocity and sprint speed (p>0.05), whereas a significant improvement was observed in agility performance (p<0.05). Inter-group comparisons revealed statistically significant differences between the groups in ball-kicking velocity and sprint speed in favor of the training group (p<0.05), while no significant difference was found between the groups in agility performance (p>0.05). In conclusion, this study's findings suggest that core stability exercises can be incorporated into the routine training program of adolescent male football players.

Determinants of Travel Participation and Experiences of Wheelchair Users Traveling to the Bodrum Region: A Qualitative Study.

Although the number of people with disabilities and types of disability increases day by day, a sufficient point has not been reached regarding accessible tourism. The participation rate of people with disabilities (PWDS) in tourism activities is low, and there is a big gap in the travel and accommodation sector in this regard. Studies of previous scholars have concluded that the accessible tourism market is a significant and profitable area, but determinants of participation to travel and process of travel, such as wheelchair user expectations, are consistently ignored by the tourism industry. The main purpose of this study is to determine the determinants of travel by examining the motivations, expectations, processes and experiences of PWDS using wheelchairs to participate in tourism. Research was performed in Turkey's Bodrum district; 25 wheelchair users were included in the study. The keywords that emerged in the theoretical framework in light of the answers given to 39 open-ended questions online were coded in the Nvivo program. The results showed that wheelchair users intended to go on vacation but were less motivated to participate due to the lack of travel conditions. Wheelchair travelers argued that a companion was required for an enjoyable holiday that could meet their needs. In addition, the results revealed that the types of wheelchairs used by disabled passengers differ. The disabled stated that the wheelchairs they use in daily life are not suitable for use on the beach, sand or water. Despite the economic, social and technological change opportunities, basic tourism service expectations of PWDS are not met. This research project is a comprehensive study that makes determinations in terms of examining the social status of disabled people in terms of social sciences, examining the place and importance of disabled tourists in the market and eliminating the deficiencies of facilities serving in tourism.

Determination of exercise habits, physical activity level and anxiety level of postmenopausal women during COVID-19 pandemic.

In this study, researchers aimed to determine exercise habits, physical activity (PA) levels and anxiety levels of postmenopausal women (PMw) during the self-quarantine period of the COVID-19 pandemic. 104 PMw (59.00 ± 6.61 years old) participated in the study. It was found that PMw who had exercise habits before the pandemic period had higher PA levels, and the women with high anxiety levels during the pandemic had lower PA levels (p < .05). Anxiety levels and PA were negatively associated with each other. Numbers of grandchildren also affected the PA and anxiety levels of the PMw negatively. Women should be encouraged to initiate or maintain PA levels in all circumstances.

The Effectiveness of Massage for Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review.

CONTEXT: Massage is a widely used alternative therapy among health professionals and parents for children with cerebral palsy (CP). OBJECTIVE: The review intended to determine the effects of massage on the rehabilitation of children with CP. DESIGN: The research team conducted a literature review that examined the use of massage for children with various types of CP, such as ataxia, using relevant keywords. It included articles published up to December 2019. The research team searched the electronic databases PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. SETTING: The study took place at Eastern Mediterranean University in Famagusta, Cyprus. PARTICIPANTS: Participants in the reviewed studies were children with CP. OUTCOME MEASURES: The strength of the research designs was rated using Sackett's Levels of Evidence. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was used to assess the studies' methodological quality. The outcome measures were classified according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). RESULTS: Eleven studies that included 297 CP children were reviewed. According to the PEDro scores, 5 studies had high methodological quality; 5 studies had fair quality; and one study had poor quality. No study investigated the effects of massage for all classifications of the ICF. Muscle tone was decreased significantly in the reviewed studies, either between the groups or within the massage group (P < .05). No consensus existed about the other effects of massage due to the limited research. CONCLUSIONS: This study is a first review in this area and can be an important guide for professionals and caregivers who want properly use massage for children with CP. Massage as an adjunct to traditional therapies should be used to reduce muscle tone in spastic-type CP. More clear methods and relevant outcome measures should be used in future studies. Further studies with randomized controlled trials are required to determine massage type, massage applier, and oil for this population and to investigate immediate and long-term effects of massage on all ICF's domains.