Oliver Radenković

Background: Sagittal spinal alignment is an important indicator of musculoskeletal health during childhood. Although sports gymnastics has been suggested as a potentially beneficial form of physical activity for postural development, evidence from short-term school-based interventions remains limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of an additional sports gymnastics training program on sagittal spinal alignment in fifth-grade primary school students. Methods: A total of 139 fifth-grade students (11.0 ± 0.5 years) participated in this quasi-experimental longitudinal study and were allocated to an experimental group (n = 74) and a control group (n = 65). The intervention lasted six weeks and consisted of one additional sports gymnastics session per week (60 min) in addition to regular physical education classes. Sagittal spinal alignment was assessed using the Spinal Mouse device by measuring thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis. Baseline-adjusted between-group differences were evaluated using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results: Small descriptive reductions in thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis were observed in the experimental group; however, these within-group changes did not reach statistical significance. After adjustment for baseline values, ANCOVA demonstrated a statistically significant between-group difference for thoracic kyphosis (F = 5.05, p = 0.026, partial η² = 0.038). Nevertheless, because the adjusted mean value was lower in the control group than in the experimental group, this finding should be interpreted with caution. No significant between-group difference was observed for lumbar lordosis (F = 2.24, p = 0.137, partial η² = 0.017). An increase in the proportion of participants classified as having physiological sagittal spinal alignment was observed in both groups, with a descriptively greater increase in the experimental group (14.9% to 45.9%) than in the control group (7.7% to 35.4%). Conclusions: The findings provide preliminary evidence that a short-term additional sports gymnastics program may be associated with changes in sagittal spinal alignment among school-aged children. However, because of the quasi-experimental design, the low intervention dose, and the short duration of the program, the results should be considered exploratory. Further randomized controlled studies with longer intervention periods are needed to clarify the effects of sports gymnastics on sagittal spinal alignment in children.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a twelve-week Zumba aerobics program on the anthropometric characteristics of young women. The study was conducted on a sample of 53 participants, divided into two groups. The experimental group sub-sample consisted of 27 participants (aged 20±0.7), who exercised three times a week through the Zumba aerobics program, accompanied by music, while the control group sub-sample consisted of 26 participants (aged 20±0.5), who were not involved in any exercise programs. The following measures were used: body weight, waist circumference, skinfolds at the abdomen, back, upper arm, and thigh. After the implementation of the Zumba aerobics program, there was a reduction in body weight by -5.08% and waist circumference by -4.30%. For skinfolds, there was a statistically significant reduction (p<0.05) in the final measurement compared to the initial measurement: abdomen -21.96%, thigh -13.75%, back -23.18%, and upper arm -21.69%. Based on the percentage changes, it is clear that the Zumba aerobics program had a significant effect on the reduction of body weight and subcutaneous fat in the participants of the experimental group, while no significant changes occurred in the control group.

Physical activity plays a crucial role in the regulation of type 1 diabetes in youth, especially when performed in environments with increased oxygen concentration. This study examines the impact of sports gymnastics and natural factors on glycemic control in individuals with type 1 diabetes. A case study method was employed over a seven-day experimental treatment, monitoring glycemic levels in insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent individuals at various time intervals. The planned physical activity included moderate walking and indoor gymnastics, with glucose levels measured before and after the activities. The results indicate that outdoor physical activity can contribute to the stabilization of glycemic levels in individuals with type 1 diabetes but cannot replace insulin therapy. Regular physical activity was observed to reduce daily glycemic fluctuations, with the greatest benefits noted in planned moderate-intensity activities. These findings may contribute to the development of guidelines for optimal planning of physical activity in individuals with type 1 diabetes and improve the education of physical education teachers and sports trainers in adapting exercises for this population.

Objectives: Physical fitness is vital to sustaining the health of each individual and represents the level of readiness that allows them to perform everyday activities with sufficient energy. The aim of this research was to assess the physical fitness index and to determine its relationship with body composition. Methods: This research included 121 students of the State University of Novi Pazar, Serbia. The modified Harvard step test was used to assess physical fitness, and the body mass index was used to assess body composition. Results: Statistical analysis indicated that the physical fitness of students was not significantly satisfactory, given the large percentage of students with low-average and poor levels of physical fitness. A strong negative correlation between physical fitness index and body mass index was shown by Pearson (−0.720) and Spearman (−0.659) correlation coefficients with a p-value < 0.001. The results of the chi-square test (χ²(3) = 88.94, p < 0.001) also confirm this correlation. Conclusions: This study indicates widespread poor physical fitness among students and highlights the importance of regular exercise as a key factor for improving physical abilities. Given the relatively high prevalence of suboptimal prevalence of suboptimal physical fitness among university students, our findings represent a critical wake-up call for public health authorities, underscoring the urgent need for targeted interventions to reverse this trend and safeguard the health potential of the next generation.

Artistic gymnastics is one of the most physically demanding sports, characterized by a high incidence of both acute and chronic injuries. Although previous research has primarily focused on biomechanical and training-related factors, the multifactorial etiology of injuries—including molecular and genetic aspects—remains insufficiently explored. This systematic review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the causes, mechanisms, and prevention of injuries in artistic gymnastics, with particular emphasis on biomechanical, molecular, and genetic determinants of injury risk and athletic performance. The review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines and was registered in the PROSPERO database (Registration No: CRD420251167521). Electronic databases (PubMed, KoBSON, and Google Scholar) were searched for studies published between 2015 and 2025 using the keywords “gymnastics injuries,” “overuse injuries,” “injury prevention,” “biomechanics,” “IL-6,” “TNF-α,” and “miRNA biomarkers.” Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed based on injury incidence, localization, mechanisms, and molecular and genetic associations. The majority of injuries were localized in the joints of both upper and lower extremities, particularly during puberty and at higher competitive levels. Repetitive loading, improper technique, and insufficient recovery were identified as the main etiological factors. Molecular biomarkers such as IL-6, TNF-α, and miRNAs (miR-155, miR-146a) were found to play key roles in inflammatory responses, while genetic polymorphisms including ACTN3 R577X, ESR1 rs2234693, and CYP19A1 rs936306 were associated with flexibility, explosive strength, and susceptibility to injury. Injury prevention in artistic gymnastics requires a personalized and multidisciplinary approach that integrates biomechanical, clinical, molecular, and genetic data. Incorporating molecular and genetic profiling into training and rehabilitation programs may enhance early detection of overuse conditions and optimize both health and performance outcomes in gymnasts.

Sports injuries were prevalent across various sports and resulted in temporary or permanent limitations in an athlete’s competitive performance. This research aimed to compile and analyze studies on sports injuries among basketball, handball, and volleyball players, with a particular focus on their frequency, nature, and variations based on gender and player position. A systematic search was conducted using digital databases, including PubMed, MEDLINE, ERIC, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect, covering the period from 2015 to 2025. The search strategy involved relevant keywords and their combinations related to injuries and athletes, selecting studies that explored injury types, locations, and preventive measures. The findings indicated that lower limb injuries were the most prevalent in all three sports. Basketball players frequently experienced knee and ankle injuries, and handball players were prone to knee injuries, while volleyball players most commonly sustained knee and foot injuries. Additionally, specific risk factors contributing to these injuries were identified. Preventive interventions, such as neuromuscular training and plyometric exercises, were found to effectively reduce injury rates across these sports. The majority of studies suggested that female athletes had a higher injury incidence compared to their male counterparts. This may be attributed to several factors, including hormonal differences (such as the effect of estrogen on ligament laxity), anatomical factors (e.g., a larger Q-angle in women), and differences in training practices that could predispose female athletes to higher injury rates. Furthermore, regardless of the sport, injuries occurred more frequently during competition and tended to increase with the physical demands of the game.

Sports gymnastics requires strong muscles, endurance, flexibility and coordination. By practicing sports gymnastics, children can develop a better ability to control their movements, which can improve their balance and coordination, encourage the development of flexibility, which can be useful for all aspects of everyday life. The following methods were used in this systematic overview research: selection method, descriptive method, systematization method, analysis and synthesis method, and comparison method. The search is limited to works in the period from 2015 to 2023, and 10 works that meet the narrower search criteria have been singled out. By analyzing the presented research, it can be concluded that sports gymnastics training gives the best effects if the choice of exercises is adequate.

Motoričke sposobnosti imaju značajan uticaj na uspešnost u sprinterskom trčanju, jer omogućavaju optimalno razvijanje brzine i efikasnosti pokreta. Istraživanja pokazuju da postoji pozitivna korelacija između razvijenih motoričkih veština i boljih rezultata u sprinterskim disciplinama. Cilj ovog istraživanja je da se utvrde statistički značajne veze između motoričkih sposobnosti i pojedinačnih kriterijumskih varijabli sprinterske brzine kod srednjoškolaca uzrasta. U eksperimentu je učestvovalo 68 učenika srednjih škola u Novom Pazaru, uzrasta 15 i 16. Na osnovu rezultata istraživanja, utvrđeno je da najveću korelaciju imaju motorički testovi koordinacija sa palicom (MKOR) i okretnost na tlu (MONT). Ovi nalazi ukazuju na to da su koordinacija i okretnost međusobno povezane komponente motorike, koje zajedno značajno doprinose ukupnim sportskim performansama učenika srednjih škola. Bilo bi korisno dalje istražiti kako specifični programi treninga usmereni na poboljšanje koordinacije i okretnosti mogu uticati na sprinterske performanse kod srednjoškolaca, s obzirom na to da su motorički testovi koordinacije sa palicom i okretnosti na tlu pokazali najveću korelaciju sa uspehom u sprinterskom trčanju.

The subject of the work is the previous research on the uneven bars. The goal is to systematize the collected research in this discipline, with an analysis of what has been achieved in the scientific and professional part. 30 papers from electronic databases or unpublished publications were collected. Of these, 24 papers were commented with the aim of explaining the subject and goal of the research, and the other 6 papers were classified according to the subject of the research. In this work, the collected researches are systematized into two groups according to the subject of the research, and they are presented with a comment. Other systematization of works was done according to the frequency of publication in magazines, the method of movement analysis and based on the sample of respondents. The systematization of the research concluded that a small number of collected and published papers investigating exercises on uneven bars in women compared to research that was published with exercises on the height bar and the parallel bar in men. Although the research is more recent, a small percentage of exercises on uneven bars was investigated (7.83 %) in order to improve the performance technique or training methodology of the exercises, further research is needed, because very few works cover the number of exercises performed in the discipline uneven bars.

The goal of this research was to determine whether there are statistically significant differences in the level of motor abilities and body composition between athletes of different sports (basketball and football). The research included 45 athletes who participated in this survey based on the two groups including 23 soccer players (17±0.30) and 22 basketball players (17±0.50). The research involved measuring motor abilities (S10m and VS) and body composition (BMI, FAT% and MM). By analyzing the obtained results whilst applying Levene's test for equality of variances, it indicates that there are no significant differences in the values of the variables for respondents who play basketball compared to those who play football for any variable (p>0.05), except for MM (p<0.05) where the difference in values is statistically significant.