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Volume 18, Issue 2, 2026

Online ISSN: 2406-1379

ISSN: 1821-3480

Volume 18 , Issue 2, (2026)

Published: 20.09.2026.

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Contents

15.12.2019.

Original scientific paper

Isokinetic performance of shoulder external and internal rotators in judo and karate female elite athletes

The aim of this study was to determine the isokinetic profile of shoulder internal and external rotators in judo and karate female elite athletes.; Methods: Study sample consisted of senior 13 female karate athletes (21.23 ± 2.83 years) and 13 female judokas (21.00 ± 2.51 years). For testing the isokinetic muscle strength of the external and internal rotation of the shoulder joint, the HUMAN NORM isokinetic dynamometer has been used. Testing the maximum muscle strength of subjects was carried out at an angular speed of 60º / sec and 180 º / sec; Results: Judo female athletes had higher isokinetic peak torque for right and left shoulder internal rotators than karate athletes at 60º/s and 180º/s, with a large effect size, Cohen’s d = 0.89, 1.02, 0.97, 0.95, respectively. Also, large differences were observed between the judo and karate subjects in peak muscle torques of the right shoulder external shoulder rotator muscles of both limbs were greater in judokas than karate athletes. Isokinetic testing should be an integral part of training process in combat sports because in order to decrease the number of injuries and improve performance.

Miodrag Drapšin, Nebojša Trajković, Dragan Atanasov, Danilo Radanović, Milka Imbronjev, Roberto Roklicer, Dejan Madić, Nebojša Maksimović, Vuk Raonić, Tatjana Trivić, Patrik Drid

15.12.2019.

Original scientific paper

Physical activity and screen time among children and adolescents in Kazakhstan

Evidence is lacking that describe the status of physical activity (PA) behaviours among adolescents in Kazakhstan. The aims of the study are to examine the associations between PA and screen time behaviours (STB) among children and young adolescents in Kazakhstan. Data were pooled from the 2015/16 Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) study (N=4932, 49.8% girls, mean (age)=8.77 SD (age) =0.68) and the 2017/18 Health Behaviour in Schoolaged Children (HBSC) study (N=4153, 49.3% girls, Mean(age)=12.93 SD (age)=1.64). Both studies carried out a two-stage cluster sample to determine a national representative sample. Parental reported their children’s PA levels and weekday STB time in the COSI study. In the HBSC study, young adolescents self-reported their PA levels in the past week and the amount of STB hours including TV viewing during weekdays. Data were analysed through DOI: 10.31382/eqol.191202  The number of children and young adolescents who met the PA recommendations reduced among children aged 9y (68.1%), to young adolescents aged 11y (35%), 13y (37%) and 15y (31%). Similarly, there was a reduction in the proportion of adolescents who met the STB recommendations between the ages of 9y (75%), 11y (60%), 13y (53%), and 15y (47%).  Despite some limitations in the methodologies between the COSI and HBSC surveys, and reporting of behaviours, there is a clear pattern that health promoting activities lowers as children transition into young adolescents.

Kwok Ng, Shynar Abdrakhmanova, Assel Adayeva

15.12.2019.

Review scientific paper

E-sports: Definition and social implications

The development of video games can be traced back to the 80s of the last century. The final phase of the gaming industry’s development brought with it another phenomenon — e-sport. “Electronic sport” presupposes playing video games in a competitive setting, with emphasis on increased “institutionalization” of gaming activity through the organization of e-sports teams and official international competitions. In order to define esports, it’s important to note that not every activity of playing video games can be described as e-sport, but every e-sport is essentially playing video games. The interest for the phenomenon of electronic sport has increased over the past several years in all social sciences, including sociology. This paper aims to present several dimensions of the “electronic sport” phenomenon, review the existing research in this field, compare various aspects of e-sports and “traditional” sports, and discuss the formation of new subcultural group gathered around video games. The key task of this paper is to examine the distance between e-sports and “traditional” sport and frame the socio-economic scale of the phenomenon.

Marko Marelić, Dino Vukušić

24.06.2019.

Review scientific paper

Lifestyle components of the global oldest old assessed as effective nonpharmacologic strategies to maintain lifelong cognitive and functional health

Longevity and high quality of life are amongst the most desired traits of humanity. However, the incidences of non-communicable diseases are rising, while sedentary lifestyles and malnutrition are more common than ever, and in general both functional and cognitive health is declining. Besides the concurrent costs to provide healthcare for such an aging population are dramatically increasing and depend on pharmacological treatment. There is an urgent need to raise awareness for cost-saving healthier customs and to adjust lifestyles. From specific geographic areas around the globe, where its citizens tend to grow (very) old, that is over 100 years of age (indicated as ‘oldest old’), without the obvious health-deficits, the so-called blue zones, lifestyle factors have been identified, or will be proposed, and taken as candidate for nonpharmacologic approaches to improve general health. This paper will summarize scientific studies focussing on cardiovascular and cognitive health benefits induced by: Physical activity through exercise, light to moderate intensity, and nonexercise outdoors activities; Nutrition through the Mediterranean diet and the incidence of neurodegeneration; Cognitive engagement through cognitive-motor exercises, language usage, and meditation; and finally: Sleep. The identified denominators are reviewed through various scientific studies regarding substantiated healthinducing effects. Adherence to such nonpharmacologic lifestyles is eventually a personal choice, and for governments to take notice of, and to include in policies.

Cécil J.W. Meulenberg

24.06.2019.

Original scientific paper

The effects of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) on cognitive skills in young soccer players

TThe aim of this study was to examine the effect of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy training on mental skills of young soccer players. For this purpose, 30 soccer players were assigned to an experimental group of 15 players (intervention based on Mindfulness) and control group of 15 players that participations’ age ranged from 17 to 20 years old in provincial competitions in the year 2017-18. Athletes in the experimental group participated in MBCT course over eight weekly sessions of 2 h each. The control group did not receive any intervention. Before and after interventions Ottawa mental skills assessment tool questionnaire (Omsat-3) were used to collect data. The results of MANOVA showed that significant improvement in all sub-scales scores; Focusing (P=0.001), Refocusing (P=0.001), Imagery (P=0.001), Mental practice (P=0.001), and Competition planning (P=0.001) in the experimental group than control group. According to these findings, we concluded that Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy training is appropriate to improve the level of cognitive skills of soccer players.

Seyed Mohammad Zadkhosh, Hassan Gharayagh Zandi, Majid Ghorbannejad

24.06.2019.

Original scientific paper

Optimization of movement activity and the mental state of students by dance aerobics

To test the effectiveness of dance aerobics to optimize the motor activity and the psychophysical state of female students. Medical and biological: body weight (kg), BPM and BPD (mmHg), ChSS in a state of rest and the Stange test. All the data obtained by the study were processed by the procedures of descriptive and comparative statistical methods. From the area of the descriptive statistics the following parameters were defined: representative central and dispersive parameters: arithmetic average; standard deviation; initial and final measuring. Unpaired test, applied in comparative statistics, was performed in order to compare the arithmetic means of two independent data sets (experimental and control groups). Statistical analysis was performed by applying SPSS statistical software. Comparative analysis of data confirmed the effectiveness of dance aerobics tools not only in the absence of negative changes during the examination session, but also improvement of the psychophysical state (state of health by the method of WAM in KG – 3.8 points, EG1 – 4.3 points, EG2 – 4.5 points, ЕG3 – 4.8 points) and the level of somatic health of students (in KG 0.23 ± 0.04 points, ЕG1 8.78 ± 0.50 points, ЕG2 8.77 ± 0.61 points, ЕG3 11, 65 ± 0.55 points). During the studying, and especially the examination time, students experience strong psycho-emotional stress and the physical state becomes worse. The use of dance aerobics has a positive influence on the psychophysical state of female students and the optimization of their physical activity.

Natalia Chuprun, Sergey Zakopaylo, Mykola Shulga, Alexander Gordienko

24.06.2019.

Original scientific paper

Small-sided games are more effective than instructional training for improving vertical jump performance and passing in young volleyball players

The aim of our research was to determine the effects of small-sided games on explosive strength in young volleyball players. The authors hypothesized that this program might significantly improve explosive strength in adolescent volleyball players. Thirty-eight adolescent volleyball players participated in this study (12.26±1.01). They were tested for lower body explosive power and passing accuracy. Players were randomly allocated into a small-sided games group (n = 20) and instructional training group (n = 18). Each player participated in a 12-week training program that included 3 organized court training sessions per week. Both groups made significant increases in block jump (p < 0.05) after 12 weeks of training, with significant interaction effect between the groups. There were no significant interaction effects between the groups (p>0.05) for spike jump. In SJ and CMJ results revealed a statistically significant difference between groups pre- to post- training (p < 0.05). Both groups made significant increases in passing accuracy with significant interaction effect between the groups. Small-sided games appears to be an effective way of improving explosive power and passing skills in young volleyball players. The results of this study indicate that game-based training method was more effective for lower body explosive power than traditional instructional programme.

Damir Pekas, Draženka Mačak, Anja Kostić Zobenica

15.06.2018.

Original scientific paper

Long-term outcomes of sports on health status: A mini review

This article represents a review of the existing literature on possible long-term effects of sport participation at high-level on health. Search of databases was performed through Web of Science and Science Direct including following keywords: metabolic risk factor/syndrome, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular health. Former athletes tend to adopt healthier lifestyles, which may give them an advantage in relation to risk factors taking into account metabolic risk factor/syndrome, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular health. Health benefits of physical activities, moreover, depends of engagement at recommended levels, even in subjects who have never been athletes. 

Sunčica Poček, Tatjana Trivić, Roberto Roklicer, Sergej Ostojić, Patrik Drid

15.12.2018.

Original scientific paper

Fitness- and Healthcenter evaluation by resigned members

The aim of the study is to examine if and to what extent the evaluations of fitness studios by persons who have recently resigned from their membership are related to general studio conditions such as studio atmosphere, facilities, trainer’s competence and other features. In other words, the question is whether there are typical prioritizations on positive or negative evaluations by dropouts from fitness sport. In the survey a total of 225 people, who had quitted their membership in the past, were questioned in a telephone inquiry. The study was conducted in a health-oriented fitness center in a major city in Germany. At the time of the study the fitness facility had up to 1.151 memberships. Among them, 59% of the members were women and 41% were men. The average age of the respondents was 43.5 years. The average duration of membership added up to 4.4 years. Overall, the various aspects of the studio offer and its surroundings were mostly rated as “good”.  The respondents appreciated particularly the coaches (friendliness, helpfulness, competence), followed by opening hours, trial training and the first impression.  The membership costs and individual aspects such as space, music and ventilation are assessed more critically, if not really badly. The data show that the various evaluation aspects were clearly assessed differently by the respondents, and that there was apparently little generalized information on the studio evaluation. 

Georgios Zarotis

15.12.2018.

Original scientific paper

Prediction of mental health among cadet football players based on the emotional intelligence and perfectionism

The aim of this research was to examine in which way the constructs of emotional intelligence and perfectionism predict mental health of adolescent football layers. The sample consisted of 164 participants (average age 16.63 (± 10,21) years). The research was conducted in April 2018 and it included the cadet football players from KolubaraMacva league in Serbia. Test of Emotional Management (TUE; Babić-Čikeš i Buško, 2014), Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (MPS; Frost et al. 1990) and Mental Health Inventory (MHI-38; Veit & Ware, 1983) were used to generalize data. During the process of data analysis, metric characteristics of the measuring instruments were first tested using the method of internal consistency which was based on Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The empirical findings of the correlation analysis revealed that there is no link between emotional intelligence and mental health of football players, meaning that managing emotions is only linked to adaptive dimensions of perfectionism (p ≤ 0,01). The obtained coefficient of multiple determination (R = 0.27) indicated that the group of predictors accounted for 27% of the variance of mental health, meaning that the perception of non-adaptive traits of perfectionism: (a) worry about mistakes, (b) dilemmas regarding one’s own actions and (c) parental criticism contribute the higher number of mental health problems. In addition, it showed that the adaptive trait of perfectionism (organizational skills) directly contributes better mental health of cadet football player. The results of this study suggest that the variables of emotional intelligence and perfectionism have significant role in prediction mental health among adolescent football players. 

Miroljub Ivanović, Uglješa Ivanović