Journal of Applied Sports Sciences

10-18

Authors: Nikola Toplica Stojanović, Zvezdan Savić, Miloš Paunović, Dragomir Dumbelović

Introduction: The aim of this study is to determine if there are certain relations between maximal isometric strength and competition performance of young kayakers. Methods: This study was conducted with a sample of 25 male young kayakers from the kayak clubs of Serbia and Macedonia, aged 11 ± 1.5 years. Kayakers were divided into two separate groups, group of pioneers aged 11,36 (±1,54), and group of kadets aged 15(±1,58). Kayakers performed three isometric strength tests: hand grip, knee extensor, and lower back extensor. Testing was performed half an hour before the copmetition due to maximal performance, and more importantly test procedures did not have any negative effect on the final performance. Subjects were adviced to produce maximal effort as fast as they can. Correlation analysis was used to process obtained results in STATISTICA 8 for Windows. Results: The overall analysis showed that there was a moderate correlation between all of maximal ismometric strength test results and competition performance among pioneer kayakers, and there was no statistical significant correlation between all of maximal ismometric strength test results and competition performance among kadet kayakers. Discussion and Conclusion: The general objective of this study was to highlight the importance of maximal isometric force production as the contributor of competition performance. But this data should be considered with caution, because the paddeling techniques and anticipation during the race are often the most important parameters of success. However, strength developement should not be ignored while planning the training process.

31-41

Authors: Galina Domuschieva-Rogleva, Tatiana Iancheva, Aleksander Shopov

The ХХV Bulgarian Antarctic expedition on the Livingston isles, which included scientists and alpinists, began in November 2016. The participants’ activities are highly dependent on the extreme conditions they are in. The aim of the present researchis to studydynamics ofanxiety and perceived stress and to find a relation with the participants’preferred strategies for coping with stress in highly risky activities in an extreme climatic and social environment. Subject of the study were 21 participants in the ХХV Bulgarian Antarctic expedition, mean age 27 and 70. We have used Bulgarian adaptation of: Spielberger‘s Anxiety Inventory (STAI); Questionnaire for perceived stress (PS-1) and Coping Orientations to Problems Expe-rienced scale - COPE 1. The first two tests were applied before the departure for Antarctica and before the return to Bulgaria. The level of perceived stress in the beginning of the expedition issignificantly higher compared to the resultsobtained in the end of the expedition.Similar results were observed in terms of situational anxiety, which refers to the dynamic mental states.The cognitive engage-ment coping strategies are the main ones, whereas cognitive and emotional disengagement strategies are the least used.The results from the regression analysis show that the high levels of perceived stress has the biggest impact on the levels of anxiety in participants studied. The present study adds to the understanding the role of anxietyand perceived stressin difficult and challenging missions in extreme conditions in highly risky activities.

50-62

Authors: Dorothea Stefanova, Borislava Petrova

Exercise is known to cause considerable changes in leucocyte counts and functions. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of exercise on leukocyte counts in athletes of different sporting codes during the competition time of the season. Forty-two university athletes voluntarily participated in the study, rugby players, male soccer players, female soccer players and female netball players. Blood samples were collected and analysis for whole blood count was done in Lancet laboratory, Richards Bay, RSA. Data were analyzed using unpaired t-test for treatment independent samples. It is noteworthy to point out the higher levels of leucocytes in the netball players than in female soccer players (6.8 ± 1.24 X 109/L and 6.11 ± 1.28 X 109/L respectively). The lymphocyte levels were also higher in the netball players than in female soccer players (2.60 ± 0.58 X109/L and 2.16 ± 0.49 X109/L respectively). There were also higher levels of leucocytes in the male soccer players compared to the male rugby players (6.26 ± 1.97X109/L and 5.46 ± 0.99 X109/L respectively). The lymphocyte levels were higher in the soccer players than in the rugby players (2.17 ± 0.36 X109/L and 1.85 ± 0.32 X109/L respectively), but the differences were not significant at p< 0.05. The changes in leucocytes could be a result (among other things) of the removal of dead cells related to exercise stress and trauma. It was expected, considering the levels of physical contact, that the leucocyte counts and the lymphocytes in particular were going to be higher among female netball players and male soccer players. The athletes’ results for the measured blood parameters were within the health norms. These findings could be related to the less intensive training protocols and lower levels of physical contact and stress in players from the students teams compared to the professional players.

68-75

Authors: Evgeniya Dimitrova, Dimitar Nikolov

Spinal deformities are a major demographic health issue among the adult population all over the world. Surgeons are often very conservative in the treatment of adult scoliosis because of the complication rates associated with the surgeries. A prerequisite to surgical interventions is usually failure of all appropriate conservative care. There is currently a lack of consensus on the most efficient conservative treatments for adult scoliosis. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of two different methods of exercise-based therapies on the treatment of adult idiopathic scoliosis. The research was done among 62 patients with scoliosis (10.93°Cobb) and back pain. They were randomly divided into two groups, depending on the physiotherapy (PT) protocol. To evaluate the effect of physiotherapy we used the posture assessment, visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, muscle strength test and Functional Rating Index (FRI). The control group - CG (n=37) performed a conventional physiotherapy program, including symmetrical exercises for the trunk muscles, lower and upper limbs, while the experimental group - EG (n=25) performed PT program, additionally including spinal mobilization, muscle energy technique, and postural therapy. The results after 6 months of treatment revealed a statistically significant improvement in the following parameters in the EG: the posture correction, pain index (according to VAS), muscle strength hand quality of live (p < 0.01). In the control group these results did not improve significantly. Conclusion: The combined use of spinal mobilization and postural therapy applied in the EG appears more effective than the conventional physiotherapy program used in the treatment of adult scoliosis.