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This study aimed to analyze both thoracic and lumbar erector spinae muscle activations during three different types of 3-dimensional elongation exercises in individuals with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Participants included 24 adolescents with AIS with a double curve (S type scoliosis), meeting specific criteria, such as a Cobb angle between 10° and 20° and not having undergone surgical or brace treatments. Electromyography (EMG) data were collected to evaluate muscle activation. Three-dimensional scoliosis-specific exercises were applied as 3 different exercise types with TheraBand resistance, manual stimulation, and breathing inducement from convex side to concave side until a symmetric position was maintained with self-correction. Different exercise types significantly affected muscle activity, with the highest activations in TheraBand resistance, followed by manual and just breathing inducement conditions for the convex and concave sides of the thoracic and lumbar regions. This suggests that exercise type significantly impacts muscle engagement in AIS patients, providing valuable insights for targeted exercise program design. Specially, the muscle activation of TheraBand resistive exercise can be an alternative with more muscle activation and motivational effects during a 3D scoliosis-specific exercise program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare balance, coordination, and lower limb performance values between Muay Thai (MT) and bodybuilders (BB) training groups. A total of 35 (17 MT group and 18 BB group) participants were included in the study. MT and BB training programs were performed three sessions per week for 24 weeks. Lower limb performance, coordination static and dynamic balance were determined. There was no significant difference between the groups in any components of dynamic balance (p= .336-.989). The groups were similar for both their dominant and non-dominant lower extremities in terms of static balance (p=.319-.483). The participants in the MT group completed the Hexagon Test in a shorter time compared to the BB group, while the effect size was large (d=0.907; p=.011). While the jump distance on the dominant leg was similar in both groups (p= .66), the jump distance on the nondominant leg was longer in the MT group and the effect size was large (d=0.738; p =.038). The study concludes that compared to the BB group, MT group had higher levels of coordination and nondominant lower extremity functional performance. Yet, there was no difference between the groups in terms of static and dynamic balance and dominant leg performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to compare physical characteristics and performance values between different playing positions in professional female team handball. Twenty-nine female handball players were categorized as centers (n=6), pivots (n=9), wings (n=8) or goalkeepers (n=16). Measurement of physical characteristics including body height and mass, body mass index; knee muscle strength, scores on the lower limb vertical power (vPower), lower and upper limb performance and trunk extension endurance were determined and compared across playing positions. The goalkeepers had higher knee strength as compared to pivots, wings, and centers (p<.001, ηp2>.20). Pivot players achieved higher vPower than wings, centers, and goalkeepers (p=.011, ηp2=.759). In addition, goalkeepers and wings achieved higher vPower than centers (p<.001, ηp2=.759). No significant differences were observed in trunk extension endurance and upper limb performance results according to playing positions (p>.05, ηp2<.20). The pivots and wings had better lower limb performance than goalkeepers and centers (p<.001, ηp2=.682-.701). The present study concludes that depending on their play positions, there are differences in terms of physical characteristics, knee muscle strength, vertical power, and lower extremity performance in elite female handball players. These results could help improve coaches' knowledge of elite female teams in the particular in the country where the study was conducted and in others of similar characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]