Fascia is an important component of connective tissue that surrounds bones, muscles, blood
vessels, nerve and organs of the body. The fibrous fascia creates a web that wraps around structures of the body, providing a continuum that unites the entire human body from head to toe without interruption. The term myofascial refers to the unit comprised of muscle and connective tissue. A myofascial meridian can be defined as a linear series of muscles units interconnected within the fascial webbing of the body. A myofascial meridian transfers tension sequentially from one
myofascial unit of the meridian to the next. Understanding the role of fascia in postural distortion
is of vital importance to movement therapists. Poor posture deforms the fascia and stress the muscles, resulting in pain and weakness. Correction is possible, but both muscles and fascia need to
be taken into account.

Physical education has an important role in students' preparation for lifelong fitness
participation. Since swimming is considered as one of the most beneficial fitness activities,
swimming competencies, including knowledge of safety routines, should be developed
through physical education classes. In order to examine swimming competencies of
elementary and secondary school students, the cross-sectional study was conducted. The
sample consisted of 143 students of both gender (71 elementary school students, 72 secondary
school students). The previously used questionnaire was modified (Moran, 2006) and the data
concerning selfevaluation of swimming skills, safety information resources and life saving
skills are presented. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. Results suggest that there are
no significant differences between elementary and secondary school students in
selfevaluations of swimming skills, but they differ in safety information resources they use.
Schools fail in their mission to educate and develop students' swimming competencies. 

Importance of physical education and its placment in the educational system are known for a
long period of time. Many resreaches have been conducted in order to determine the extent to
which physical education positively influences students. Results of some studies show that
physical education classes are unsatisfactory and inappropriate, given the circumstances- age
and individual skills of students, their needs and interests (Arunovic, 1978; Visnjic, 1983;
Krsmanovic, 1988, 1995). Main reasons for ineficinet physical education classes can be found
in the bad concept of modelling teaching syllabuses and small number of physical education
classes per week (Krsmanovic, 1995). The aim of the study is determining differences
between examinees in terms of motor skills, depending on material and technical conditions
as well as method of class organisation that is realization of the curriculum. The participants
in the study were 142 adolescents, 17 years of age (± 6 months ). In order to assess motor
skills 12 motor tests were used. Data processing was done by applying multivariate analysis
of covariance (MANCOVA), significance of difference was determined by analysis of
variance (ANOVA), while differences among examinees of the experimental and the control
group were determined by discriminant analysis. After the experimental treatment, it was
determined that there was statistically significant difference between the experimental and the
control group within the motor skills system. 

The aim of this study is to investigate the differences in parameters of bone mineral
density in elite track and field athletes and sedentary male controls, respectively non-athletes.
The research included 15 athletes who are members of the national junior track and field team
of Serbia and 15 non-athlete boys, aged 17 to 19 years. Sahara (Hologic, Inc., MA 02154,
USA) clinical sonometer was used for assessing bone density. The parameters of bone
mineral density were measured, Speed of sound (SOS), Broadband ultrasound attenuation
(BUA), Bone mineral density (BMD) and Width of the heel bone, as well. T-test for two
independent groups confirmed that there is statistically significant difference between elite
track and field athletes and non-athletes in all measured parameters (p < 0.05). The results of
this study confirm the significant effects of practicing track and field events on increasing
bone mineral density and preventing osteoporosis. 

The present study was designed to evaluate the anthropometric parameters, body composition
and anaerobic power components of elite male and female basketball players and compare
them in relation to gender and specific sport demands. The study group consisted of 43 elite
national level athletes: 22 male basketball players (aged 20.3±2.92) and 21 female players
(aged 19.5±2.96). The significant differences were noted in fat body mass, triceps and lower
body region skinfolds, wigh higher values in females, while higher values of forearm, upper
arm and waist circumference were noted in males. Comparing Wingate test parameters,
higher values of absolute anaerobic power, explosive power, and absolute anaerobic capacity
were recorded in male players, while there was no significant difference in relative anaerobic
power, and relative anaerobic capacity values between genders. Morphometric profile in elite
sport should accompany physiological profile in order to monitor improvements during
training process and sport performance.

Idiopathic scoliosis is a deformity of the spinal column and is found among healthy children. Etiology of idiopathic scoliosis is unknown. Spinal shift occurs in all three planes followed
by muscle disfunction and reduced vital capacity of the lungs. Asymmetric loading on the spine
can be listed as one of the factors of rapid progression of scoliosis, whereby large pressure is put on
the concave side of the scoliotic curvature due to the shift of standing balance of the body. Rehabilitation is based upon improvement of functionality, ability and capacity of the patient with scoliosis. The initial stage of rehabilitation rests on correct diagnosis and estimation of patient’s condition in order to commence the treatment in the best possible manner. The Schroth method has a
long-standing tradition and is primarily applied in correction of scoliosis. It is based on three-dimensional breathing, proper pelvic correction and specific exercises and education of patients in
order to continue the treatment at home.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the anthropometric parameters and cardiopulmonary functions of young handball players in different playing positions. 15 male handball players from first division (mean age: 16.06±0.63 yrs) participated in our research who were divided by their playing positions. First anthropometric parameters, body composition and pulmonary functions in rest were measured. Then physiological changes of the players were tested with Bruce protocol. We found that wings differed the most in morphological characteristics from other players. We did not find significant differences in pulmonary functions among positions. The highest values of Tidal volume in the vita maxima test were found in pivots (2.82±0.15 l) which is significantly higher than Tidal volume of goalkeepers (p=0.006). The highest mean value of maximal oxygen uptake was recorded (73.93±9.41 ml/kg/min) in wings. Altogether in our study important differences were seen in physique and in performance also among young handball players. 

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare the body structure and physical
fitness of Finnish (n=26), Hungarian (n=42) and American (n=55) adolescents (N=123). Height,
weight, skinfolds, body fat percentages, circumferences and widths were recorded to define the
somatotypological characteristics and growth type of subjects. To define adolescents’ healthrelated fitness the Eurofit Fitness Test Battery was used. Differences between the ethnic groups in
terms of body composition and motoric performance were analyzed with ANOVA. The prevalence
of overweight was 9.3 % among Hungarians, 23.07% among Finns and 38.2 % among Americans.
PLX is lower (F=10.941, P=0.002) in the Hungarian group compared to the Finnish adolescents.
Finnish adolescents have higher VO2max in both sexes (34.98±4.08; 41.03±4.06 ml/kg/min)
despite the fact that they have higher body fat than Hungarians. Comparison between the different
ethnic groups suggests that adolescents need higher amount and intensity of training to achieve the
proper physical activity level.

Hypokinesia is characterized by high expansion and indicates the necessity of physical
activity promotion. The aim of the study was to point out the positive effect of physical activity,
by examining the impact of recreational physical activity on women’s mental and physical health
and quality of life. The study included 87 healthy women, 30 in aerobics group, 30 in yoga group
and 27 in a group of physically inactive women aged 20–26 years. The level of physical activity,
health and psychological status and quality of life in women were measured by anonymous
questionnaire. The results were correlated between the three groups of participants and between
active and inactive women. Recreational physical activity proved to be a good way to improve
overall health and quality of life. Exercise reduces tension, stress, nervousness and irritability,
improves the mood and sleep quality.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of antagonist maximum voluntary
isometric contraction on the torque and the rate of torque development of the agonist muscles in
ankle joint in trained and untrained women at 0° angle joint. Twelve untrained and twelve trained
women handball player participated in the study. An isokinetic dynamometer CYBEX Norm was
used for the evaluation of torque. Initially the Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction (MVIC)
both for plantar(PF) and dorsi flexors(DF) was evaluated. Afterwards the subjects performed 3
maximal isometric contractions of plantar flexor for 1 second, with 1 minute break between trials.
After 10 minutes complete rest, 3 consecutive maximal dorsiflexion contractions and immediately
after that three maximal PF contraction were performed for the evaluation of the reversal effect
DF on PF. The following parameters were evaluated before and after DF contraction:Plantar
flexion MVIC, Maximal Rate of Torque Development (MRTD), time of MRTD and the RTD
for the period 0–30, 0–50, 0–100 and 0–200 ms after the torque onset. The statistical analysis
showed that the reversal effect was presented only for the trained group for the MRTD and RTD
0–30. These results demonstrated that the existence of the reversal effect of the antagonists is not
appeared always in untrained groups and especially for the joint angle it is affected by the training
background only for selective parameters of muscle contraction.