Percentile values of the standing broad jump in children and adolescents aged 6-18 years old.

The standing broad jump (SBJ) is a valid, reliable and feasible field-based test, which can evaluate explosive strength of the lower limbs and physical fitness. This study aimed to provide normative data for the SBJ for male and female children and adolescents and describe differences in performance between age groups and genders. A total number of 2140 children and adolescents, sampled in seven European nations have been included for analysis. The SBJ was performed to derive percentile values for gender and each age group. In general, males have greater jumping performance compared to females. Data demonstrate a linear increase in the jumping distance for both males and females until adolescence. However, such increase is evident in males up to 16-17 years old, whereas in females a plateau value is met at 12-13 years old, with a subsequent decrease in the jumping performance. No differences were present in jumping performance between male and female children, however differences between male and female adolescents were evinced. The study has provided percentile values useful to monitor the physical fitness status of children and adolescents.

Adductor Muscles Strength and Strength Asymmetry as Risk Factors for Groin Injuries among Professional Soccer Players: A Prospective Study.

The aim of this study was to prospectively examine the association between isometric hip adductor strength and between-limb strength asymmetry to groin injuries in male professional soccer players. Isometric hip adductor strength and between-limb strength asymmetry of 45 professional outfield soccer players from three First Division teams were tested during the 2017/2018 preseason. Players were then monitored throughout the 2017/2018 season for groin injuries. Ten groin injuries were recorded. When compared with uninjured players, players who sustained groin injury had significantly lower strength of respective muscle groups and significantly higher between-limb strength asymmetries (all p < 0.05; ES = 1.16 and 0.88; mean % difference = 26% and 51%). Isometric hip adductor strength had a significant inverse relationship with the incidence of occurring groin injuries (p = 0.016). No significant relationship between hip adductor strength asymmetry and the incidence of future groin injury was observed (p = 0.09). Finally, players' age and previous groin injury were not significantly associated with the incidence of future groin injuries (all p > 0.05). These results generally suggest that isometric adductor strength is a significant predictor of future groin injuries in men's professional football; however, due to the relatively low sample size, further studies are required.

Types of body posture and their characteristics in boys 10 to 13 years of age.

The main goal of the study was to determine the types of body posture of boys (n = 273), 10 to 13 years of age, by means of the body posture assessment method based on the software Posture Image Analyzer. The results should enable better understanding of postural issues, as well as timely and more precise selection of kinesitherapeutic procedures. Values of 5 front view and 4 sagittal view indicators of standing body posture were measured by means of subjects' photographs and software Image Posture Analyzer Cluster analysis (K-means method) revealed three types of body posture in both the anterior and sagittal plane. Their characteristics were determined with discriminant analysis. In sagittal indicators three posture types are recognizable: (a) correct sagittal body posture (29.3%), (b) mild impaired sagittal body posture (41.8%), (c) marked impaired sagittal body posture (28.9%). In anterior indicators also three posture types are recognizable: (a) correct anterior body posture (19.4%), (b) mild scoliotic body posture in the lumbar region (47.6%), (c) mild scoliotic body posture with double curvature (33%).

Reliability of a photographic method for assessing standing posture of elementary school students.

OBJECTIVE: A high prevalence of poor standing posture among elementary schoolchildren indicates the need for the introduction of school-based interventions for improvement of postural alignments. For assessing the effect of intervention programs, reliable quantitative measures of standing posture should be used. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of a photographic method for assessment of standing posture among elementary schoolchildren. METHODS: The study was conducted on a convenience sample of 273 male students between 10 and 13 years old. Each subject was photographed in habitual standing posture, 3 times in a front view and 3 times in a side view. Deviations from ideal postural alignment were calculated with Posture Image Analyzer software and UTHSCSA ImageTool software. Interitem reliability was estimated using intraclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Intraclass correlation coefficients for posture deviations assessed with Posture Image Analyzer ranged from 0.81 for knee joints deviation and ankle joints deviation in the coronal plane to 0.92 for trunk deviation and knee joints deviation in the sagittal plane. Intraclass correlation coefficients for posture deviations assessed with UTHSCSA ImageTool ranged from 0.80 for knee joints deviation in the coronal plane to 0.91 for trunk deviation and knee joints deviation in the sagittal plane. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed a satisfactory interitem reliability of a photographic method for the assessment of standing posture among elementary schoolchildren.

Relations of the morphological characteristic latent structure and body posture indicators in children aged seven to nine years.

With the aim of determining the connection between the indicators of body posture and latent structure of morphological variables in children aged 7 and 8 years, first and second grade of primary school, a set of 17 morphological measures and 12 body posture indicators were longitudinally applied to a sample of 110 boys and 114 girls. The latent structure of morphological variables in both sexes was defined by three factors but at a different order of significance: in boys, the order was longitudinal dimensionality, voluminosity, mass and subcutaneous fat tissue and transverse dimensionality, whereas in girls the order was voluminosity, mass and subcutaneous fat tissue, longitudinal dimensionality and transverse dimensionality. The latent structure of torax body posture indicator was defined by two factors, the status of body posture of the rear part of the thorax, and status of the body posture of the front part of the thorax. The results obtained by canonical correlation analysis between predictive variables, morphological latent structure and criterion variables, latent structure of thorax body posture indicators with two posture indicators of the chest and one of the foot status, showed two important pairs of canonical roots on each measurement, suggesting a significant association between these two sets of parameters.