The frequency and nature of sports injuries depend primarily on the specific sport that an individual play. In this article we review systematic reviews to identify and highlight the most prevalent injuries in basketball, football, volleyball, ice hockey, rugby, and handball. We collected data on the prevalence rates of the most common injuries across these sports, revealing that the most common injuries are lateral ankle sprains, concussions, hamstring strains, quadriceps strains, and various internal knee derangements. Notably, the majority of these injuries affect the lower extremities, which are under the most stress during athletic activities. We also provide insights into preventive measures for the three most common injuries. This compilation of data from different sports will prove valuable to kinesiologists, coaches, and sports professionals, helping them to develop comprehensive training programs aimed at preventing injury and improving overall athletic performance.

Although sedentary behavior (SB) is still an under-researched area, some studies have shown a significant association between prolonged sitting and an increased risk of mortality, due to various causes, independent of physical activity. Despite the health risks, there are currently no specific guidelines for individuals to self-assess their SB. A pilot observational study was conducted as part of the »Knowledge for Health« event. A short online quiz “Sedentary meter” was developed, consisting of a pictorial scale to help event participants assess their daily sedentary time and to promote a better understanding of the associated health risks. The quiz questions were formulated based on the WHO definition of SB. The participants’ task was to subjectively estimate the amount of sedentary time in various types of SB on a typical day. The results obtained for SB could then be immediately compared with the figurative scale based on the WHO guidelines. The analysis confirmed SB (533.0±224.7 min/day) in all age groups, although possible differences according to the type of SB were noted. Despite statistically non-significant differences, those between age groups may indicate the extent to which SB can be individualized. The differences between age groups may indicate the importance of considering SB which can be targeted based on each age group's daily routine. The simple tool for accessing SB raised awareness of which specific type of SB accounts for the majority of participants' daily sedentary time. The self-critical acceptance of the “poor results” across all age groups shows the effectiveness of the initiative in raising awareness of SB issues.

The purpose of the present study was to compare game-related statistics between men's and women's under-17 (U-17) basketball teams and to identify game-related statistics that discriminate between winning and losing teams for both sexes. Games with a final score difference greater than 30 points were excluded from the analysis, so the final sample consisted of 196 games (109 men's and 87 women's games) from the 2022/2023 season of the Triglav Cadet League of Serbia. The following game-related statistics were gathered from the official box scores of the Basketball Federation of Serbia: 2- and 3-point field-goals (successful and unsuccessful), free throws (successful and unsuccessful), defensive and offensive rebounds, assists, steals, turnovers, blocks (committed and received), and fouls (committed and received). Men's teams had significantly better values than women's teams in successful and unsuccessful 2-point field-goals, successful 3-point field-goals, successful and unsuccessful free throws, assists, and turnovers. Women's teams had statistically better values than men's teams in unsuccessful 3-point field-goals, offensive rebounds, steals, and committed fouls. The discriminant factors between winning and losing teams in close games, were successful 2-point field-goals, defensive rebounds and assists for both sexes, and offensive rebounds for men's teams. In balanced games, discriminant factors were assists for both sexes and successful 2-point field-goals for women's teams. In unbalanced games, discriminant factors were assists for both sexes, defensive rebounds for men's teams, and successful 2-point field-goals for women's teams. These findings suggest that there are notable differences in game-related statistics for U-17 men's and women's basketball teams.

This systematic review aims to analyze the validity (invasive and noninvasive protocols) of aerobic endurance evaluation methods established in the late 20th century and their practical application in creating training series in different sports events. The PRISMA system was used for systematic review. It was identified that high number of studies support the concept of the evaluation of aerobic endurance, i.e., aerobic threshold (AnT), in terms of its significance for the determination of training series and training intensity aimed at aerobic endurance improvement. During the protocol of testing and construction of the lactate curve (La – work capacity), the method based on sampling and measurement of lactate concentration in blood is given priority as a more valid instrument for AnT determination than the method based on ventilatory parameters and heart frequency. Authors note that the parameters based on which AnT is determined are expressed in different units of measure (m/min, km/h, ml/kg/min) so that AnT, as such, does not only represent the measure of aerobic endurance but also the measure of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and mechanical efficiency. The results of the study indicate that terms related to AnT should be removed from official use. More precisely, researchers and coaches focus on a method related to the interpretation of the lactate curve (at a certain %VO2max) to determine whether there has been an improvement (or not) in aerobic endurance based on its displacement (to the right or to the left).

This qualitative review of systematic reviews consolidates current knowledge on stress fractures among endurance athletes and sprinters, including epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment strategies. A search across PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, limiting results to articles published within the last year, yielded 90 relevant articles. Initial search results were narrowed down to 56 articles following abstract screening, with an additional article obtained through direct author correspondence. Stress fractures, a subset of bone stress injuries, result from persistent mechanical pressure surpassing bone regeneration capacity. They predominantly affect lower extremities, notably the tibia and metatarsals in endurance runners, and the toe phalanx in sprinters. Various risk factors contribute to stress fracture susceptibility, including gender, nutritional deficiencies, biomechanical factors, and psychological aspects like perfectionism and fear of failure. Diagnosis involves detailed patient history, clinical examination, and imaging modalities such as MRI, which remains the gold standard. Treatment emphasizes rest, gradual return to activity, and addressing underlying risk factors. Surgical intervention is reserved for high-risk fractures or cases of non-union. Preventive measures encompass nutritional optimization, biomechanical assessment, appropriate footwear, and psychological support. Notably, strategies targeting the Female Athlete Triad and ensuring adequate energy availability are crucial in both endurance and sprinting athletes. While more research directly comparing distance runners to sprinters is warranted, along with more sprinting-related research in general, this review provides a comprehensive understanding of stress fractures in endurance athletes and sprinters, aiding clinicians in diagnosis, management, and prevention strategies to optimize athlete health and performance.

Rotator cuff calcific tendinitis (RCCT) is an acute or chronic painful condition due to the presence of calcific deposits inside or around the tendons of the rotator cuff. Effective treatment of RCCT is crucial for restoring shoulder function, alleviating pain, and enhancing the patient’s quality of life. The treatment of RCCT is mainly divided into surgical and non-surgical treatment. Conservative treatment has been regarded as the first-line therapy, but the effectiveness of these treatments is still not well-established. When conservative treatment fails, invasive treatment, either minimally invasive or surgical, is usually indicated. Nowadays, low-dose radiotherapy has been used for the treatment of various benign conditions, including calcific tendinitis. We presented a 56-year-old female patient with intense pain and limited mobility of her left shoulder. X-rays and ultrasound of the left shoulder showed a massive oval calcification along the greater part of the m. supraspinatus measuring 41x8mm. The patient was first treated with diclopram, peranton gel, and rest. After that, it was decided to try low-dose radiotherapy. It was performed on the Vitalbeam radiotherapy platform with a conformal technique in doses of Gy 8 and 10 fractions. After the last fraction, the pain gradually disappeared and mobility was regained. The ultrasonography control 2 months after the last session showed the total disappearance of the calcification. The use of low-dose radiotherapy for benign conditions is a topic of ongoing debate in the medical community. In this case, low-dose radiotherapy proved to be an adequate method of choice without accompanying side effects, resulting in complete healing and improvement of quality of life.

The EMMETT technique, developed in Australia, is a manual therapy method gaining recognition for its non-invasive approach and reported effectiveness. This study aims to determine the impact of the EMMETT technique on iliotibial band (ITB) flexibility in young male football athletes. A total of 43 athletes (age 17.21 ± 1.99 years) were randomly assigned to either a control group (n=22) or an experimental group (n=21). The experimental group received the EMMETT technique, while the control group remained in a side-lying position for one minute. ITB flexibility was measured using the EasyAngle® goniometer through the Ober test before and after the intervention. The results showed a significant increase in ITB flexibility in the experimental group compared to the control group. Despite the positive findings, the study has limitations, including a small sample size, focus on a specific demographic (young male football players), and short-term assessment. Future research should include larger, more diverse populations and long-term follow-up to validate these results and explore the broader applications of the EMMETT technique. This study supports the potential of the EMMETT technique as an effective manual therapy for improving ITB flexibility.

Different types of aerobic exercise can cause different disorders of homeostasis. This cross-over experiment aimed to determine the muscle fatigue and the antioxidative protection of female basketball players following a load caused by three different aerobic-type exercises (low-intensity continuous, high-intensity continuous, and high-intensity interval training). Twelve female basketball players (age 17.7±4.3 years; weight 67.3±9.8 kg; height 178.0±7.4 cm) voluntarily participated in the study. A wash-out period of 7 days between single sessions of different training was provided. Venous blood was drawn right before and immediately after each exercise session. The parameters that were analyzed are markers of muscle damage and enzymes of antioxidant protection. As a marker of muscle damage, myoglobin (F=2.884; p=0.065) and lactates (F=5.254; p=0.008) have higher values and statistically significant differences between training types. Creatinine shows higher values after each training session (F=4.053; p=0.022). Results of enzyme activity for oxidative protection show statistically significant differences between groups for catalase (F=5.811; p=0.005) with different types of training intervention. At the beginning of the preparatory period, parameters of acute muscle damage values are high. During the season, in response to different types of training, those parameters decrease in response to the body's adaptation to exercise-induced stress. Training leads to maintenance of physiological balance in the body and oxidative stress is not a necessary phenomenon of high aerobic training load. The inclusion of antioxidant protection enzymes decreases as the body adapts to a certain type of exercise.

The aim of the study was to determine the type and localization of sports injuries in people with disabilities who play sports professionally or recreationally and to examine whether there was a difference in sports injuries between these two categories of para-athletes. The research sample consisted of 30 men with an average age of 40.96 years. The sample had two subsamples. The first group consisted of 13 respondents who participated in para-sports professionally. The second group comprised of 17 respondents who take part in para-sports recreationally. The respondents trained individual and team para-sports (parashooting, parataekwondo, paraswimming, paracycling, para-athletics, para-table tennis, sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball). A questionnaire was created to gather overall demographic data, and a part of the Musculoskeletal Discomfort Form was used to localize musculoskeletal complaints. Descriptive statistics, measures of central tendency, the Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient were applied. The results showed that 76.6% of all para-athletes have suffered at least one injury, with most injuries occurring during training (63.3%). Shoulder trauma and soft tissue injuries were the most common. Both subsamples reported that they had experienced the most problems in the form of pain, discomfort and numbness in the neck and lower back. As far as people with disabilities are concerned, participation in para-sports carries inseparable and associated risks. Therefore, the data achieved in this study can be used in order to understand the risk factors leading to injury which are specific to para-athletes (disability-sport) and to develop injury prevention programs.

Monitoring the prevalence of obesity is of great importance for assessing lifestyle interventions aimed at preventing or reducing the health and economic burden of obesity. A sedentary Westerntype lifestyle results in an increase in the incidence of normal-weight (e.g., thin fat) obesity. In the present cross-sectional study, the regional body composition status (using a multifrequency, medically approved electrical bioimpedance monitor) of 844 Slovene adults was examined. The primary aim was to compare the leg fat percentage to total body fat percentage (LEGFAT%-toTOTFAT%) and to trunk fat percentage (TRUFAT%) (LEGFAT%-to-TRUFAT%) ratios of participants in the normal and obese body mass index (BMI) and categories according to the BMI and obesity classifications of the World Health Organization. In addition, examined how correlated with, sex, and age, according to obesity classification cut-offs. Results showed, for the whole sample, that increases by an average of 0.13% each year (ceteris paribus). However, females in the normal BMI and TOTFAT% categories, but not males, had significantly higher LEGFAT%-to-TOTFAT% and LEGFAT%-to-TRUFAT% ratios than those in the obese category. Furthermore, adjusted R2 (linear regression) showed that 82.5% of the variation in LEGFAT% was explained by variations in TOTFAT%, sex, and age. The present results indicated the increasing importance of studying the regional body composition status, especially of TRUFAT% and LEGFAT% compared with TOTFAT% (beyond the known sex differences). The clinical relevance of the increasing disproportionality in the regional body composition status of females with normal BMI and TOTFAT% needs to be further clarified.