Narcis Julien Herlo

The multiple aspects related to the importance of selection in the sports field are one of the fundamental requirements and, at the same time, the premises for successful results in the long term. The objectives of this study were to achieve a rigorous selection, adapted to the specifics of athletic events, considering a variety of parameters that, integrated, outline the general sports profile of the children included in the research. The methods used included the initial and final testing of the students remaining in the study group, in order to obtain a more objective and precise assessment of the individual motor skills. Before deciding on the inclusion of children in the specialized training process, it is recommended that they follow a unitary basic training program, lasting between 1 and 3 months, to balance the initial level of motor development. The results obtained highlight significant differences between the two analysed groups. The final mean values support the hypothesis that the students in group A (experimental), who benefited from an additional assisted sports training program, structured according to a SWOT analysis, obtained superior results compared to the control group. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed intervention and the relevance of a well-founded selection, followed by a period of preparation adapted to the specific needs of each child.

Purpose: The study aims to compare the effectiveness of the Heavy Duty training method with the classical method in the development of muscle strength and hypertrophy, focusing on the biceps brachii and triceps surae muscle groups. Methods: The research was conducted over a period of 6 months at Panoramic Gym in Arad, involving a sample of 45 volunteers randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group (E.G.) and a control group (C.G.). The E.G. followed the Heavy Duty training method, while the C.G. followed the classical method. Strength tests (pull-ups and calf raises) and anthropometric measurements (arm and calf circumference) were used. Data were analyzed using arithmetic mean and standard deviation. Results: The E.G. recorded a 19.9% increase in pull-ups and 9.7% in calf raises, while the C.G. showed increases of 16.5% and 4.9%, respectively. Arm circumference increased by 3.3% in the E.G. and 2.7% in the C.G., and calf circumference by 1.9% vs. 1.5%. Conclusions: The Heavy Duty method generated superior progress in muscle strength and hypertrophy compared to the classical method, demonstrating greater efficiency in stimulating physiological adaptations through short and intense workouts, suitable for advanced athletes.

Flatfoot is considered a structural condition that can occur in either one foot (unilaterally) or both feet (bilaterally), manifested by the collapse of the medial plantar arch of the foot, rearfoot pronation, and forefoot abduction. The purpose of the study was to investigate the impact of flatfoot on postural alignment of the primary school students regarding early detection and prevention of postural deviation. Using a pre-test design, foot posture was assessed using Foot Posture Index-6 and postural alignment using Global Postural System 400. The study's findings showed that there are statistically significant correlations between flatfoot and postural alignment. Specifically, significant correlations were found both: between the left flatfoot and the frontal alignment of the pelvis on the left side (r = -.504, p < .014) and between the midfoot and the frontal alignment of the ipsilateral pelvis (r = -.754, p < .001). In addition, strong correlations were identified between the alignment of the pelvic girdle on the side of the pronated and hyperpronated foot and the shoulder girdle in the frontal plane (r = .617, p < .002; r = .600, p < .002). The findings of the study underscore the relevance of early detection and implementation of intervention strategies in school, considering the impact of flatfoot on primary school students' posture.

The modern age offers many challenges in terms of health related physical condition, such as new technologies, fast and stressful lifestyle, unhealthy diets, alarming statistics on physical activity, etc. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic accentuated the existing problems, being necessary to answer the following questions: what is the fitness level of the population? and how important are physical exercises in human life? The purpose of this paper is to monitor the fitness level of a group of students, with the help of a new fitness test system, providing individualized feedback, guidance, or motivation to the subjects. Thus, we applied the new EFB system (European Fitness Badge), that evaluates certain components of physical condition in relation to health (endurance, strength, coordination, flexibility), on a group of 180 students, 78 male (43.3%) and 102 female (56.7%), with the average age m = 23.59 ± 7.38 years, from different specializations within the U.A.V. Arad. The subjects were divided into two groups: beginners - TP1 (N-93) and advanced - TP2 (N-87). The results showed significant differences in most components of overall fitness depending on the test profile (basic or advanced), demografic factors (sex and age), and student’s major (sport, economics, psychology, etc.), a stronger association between ABSI and overall fitness than BMI, and that test profile acts as mediator between demografic factors (sex and age) and fitness abilities. In conclusion this study evidenced tendencies toward differences between the groups of subjects based on the test profile. Also the advanced profile participant scores were higher than those of the basic profile participants. The results reflect as well a lower BMI and ABSI indexes for the advanced profile participants.

Considering the rising prevalence of smartphone usage among adolescents with intellectual disabilities and their frequent motor challenges, understanding its impact on their physical well-being is important. This study aims to investigate the impact of smartphone activities on postural balance in adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Two groups of adolescents participated in the study: an intellectual disability group (IDG) (n = 16) and atypical development group (TDG) (n = 12). Static postural balance, using a stabilometric platform on firm and foam surfaces, and dynamic balance, using the Timed Up-and-Go Test (TUGT), were performed under various conditions, such as playing a game, watching videos, video calls, and listening to music. The center of pressure (CoP) values significantly increased (p < 0.05) during all smartphone activities (except listening to music) compared to the control condition in both groups, with the IDG demonstrated a more pronounced increase (p < 0.05) during playing video games and video calls on the firm surface. TUGT scores significantly increased (p < 0.05) during smartphone activities, with greater changes observed in the IDG (p < 0.05), and significantly decreased (p < 0.01) during listening to music in both groups. Our study suggests that adolescents with intellectual disabilities need special tools and guidance to ensure their safety and well-being when using smartphones.

Currently, an extensive variety of toothpastes are available on the market, containing basic components that are ubiquitous in all toothpastes, in addition to unique constituents that bestow characteristic traits, and it is crucial to acknowledge that certain components found in toothpastes are not recommended for ingestion due to their potentially negative impact on overall wellbeing, especially in children. This study aims to highlight the role of natural components as a substitute for toothpaste in achieving good oral hygiene and to focus on natural compounds that do not injure the body, especially considering the current trend towards the use of natural substances. Thus, the objective of this paper is to emphasize the advantages of using organic products. In Romania, due to the socio-economic conditions in rural areas, the use of these ingredients, which are available to everyone, could lead to an improvement in oral health. The study shows that a majority of 63% of the participants who used a toothpaste composed of natural constituents achieved an ISL bacterial plaque index equivalent of zero. This is noteworthy as the presence of the plaque index was detected in a mere minority of 13% of the subjects at the commencement of the study. To evaluate the effectiveness of the mentioned compounds in plaque removal, all participants in the study were instructed to use the same brushing technique known as the Bass method, which is recognized as one of the most effective techniques. The study concludes that mastery and application of the correct brushing technique, combined with toothpaste obtained from natural compounds, is successful in removing plaque.

In the field of school sports, emphasis has been placed on the use of general physical development exercises, due to their high degree of accessibility and the relative simplicity with which they can be transmitted to the student by the teacher, and mobility and local strength exercises, in order to prevent, or at least slowness, deterioration of students' physical abilities. Our study is intended to make a statistical analysis of the results obtained by the students of the Sagu-Fiscut juetul Arad Middle School in two standing long jump tests, before and after the interruption of the face-to-face didactic activity. 94 rural students between the ages of 8 and 14 participated in the tests between 2020 and 2021. The goal is that practicing any kind of physical training, whether in person or online, will result in less change of the performance in a sports test than stopping any physical training. The final conclusion is that at present, the transition to an education system via the Internet is not a reliable approach.