: Regular training causes the human body to adapt to the load, and specific changes occur in the soft tissues affecting the body composition. In this study, we analyzed differences in body composition, segmental muscle mass and isometric strength in soccer players, basketball players, handball players and volleyball players. : Height and weight were measured in 96 men aged 20.7 ± 1.88 years training in academic sports clubs in Wrocław (Poland): football ( = 24, age: 20.3 ± 1.08 years), basketball ( = 24, age: 20.9 ± 1.83 years), handball ( = 24, age: 21.2 ± 1.90 years) and volleyball ( = 24, age: 20.3 ± 1.06 years). Body composition was assessed using BIA and SBIA. Motor tests were conducted to assess grip strength and back strength. : It occurred that soccer players are characterized by significantly lower height. Handball players have higher body cell mass and better results in strength tests. Additionally, they have a less muscular torso and more strongly muscled legs. Basketball players, handball players and volleyball players are characterized by a more muscular right side of the torso. Football players are distinguished by greater muscularity of the right lower limb. Among volleyball players, greater muscularity of the right upper limb was noted. In football, handball and basketball players, significantly greater right hand strength was observed. : It can be concluded that training load in team games shapes specific differences in body composition and isometric strength. Team game players also tend to develop directional asymmetries in the musculature of body segments and grip strength.

: Exoskeleton robots are becoming increasingly popular due to improved robotic technologies and the positive perception of users. Lower limb exoskeletons are the most widely used as assistive devices for people with disabilities. The aim of the study was to determine the magnitude of forces necessary to induce the fall of a person using the Polish prototype of the exoskeleton robot. : Sixteen volunteers used DreamMotion prototype designed to perform medical tasks was tested. Measurements of the fall-inducing forces were performed in compliance with safety standards. Assessed were fall-inducing forces acting in various directions in 3 static, vertical body positions. In each test position, 10 trials were completed resulting in the effective measurement. : In the 2-leg standing with posterior vector direction, the lowest value of fall-inducing force was recorded (mean 1.50 kG). Also, in 1-leg standing position, the lowest value of the fall-inducing force was recorded with posterior vector direction (1.66 kG). In the step position, the highest fall-inducing forces were recorded with the posterior (8.58 kG) and anterior (6.37 kG) vector directions, the lowest - with the lateral vector direction towards the stepping limb (3.26 kG). : The forces required to induce a fall in a person wearing the exoskeleton robot are relatively low, with relative forces ranging from 1.45% to 8.30% of the subject-ER setup weight. In both the 2-leg and 1-leg standing positions, the lowest fall-inducing forces were recorded when the force vector was directed posteriorly. The exoskeleton robot's design will likely need to be modified to enhance safety in this particular direction.

: The purpose of the current study was to compare the protective performance of helmet designs with different sizes and cushion materials for skull and brain injuries in children. : A 6-year-old child head finite element (FE) model with high biofidelity was used to conduct impact simulations under the protection of helmets with different sizes (small, medium and large) and cushion materials (EPS-expanded polystyrene, PU-polyurethane and airbag) according to the testing conditions specified by the standard. Then, the protective performance of different helmet designs was evaluated by assessing skull and brain injury risk calculated based on the kinematic and biomechanical response of the child head model. : The skull fracture risk of children under the protection of airbag helmets is lower than that of EPS and PU helmets by more than 50%. Large-sized helmets, with thicker padding, show better protective capability for skull injury compared to small-sized helmets. The risk of brain injury under airbag helmet protection is significantly lower than EPS and PU helmet under 4.8 m/s sharp anvil impact test condition, and small sized helmet could generally reduce brain injury risk under the 6.2 m/s flat anvil impact test condition. However, no obvious effect has been found of helmet size and material to brain injury risk in the impact scenarios at 6.2 m/s. : The size and cushion material of the helmet have a significant influence on its skull injury protection performance, but their effect pattern on brain injury protection capability is not obvious. The use of airbag helmets with larger buffering stroke can effectively reduce both the risk of skull and brain injuries under relatively low impact loads.

: The objective of this research was to show a potential use of computational fluid dynamics tools in supporting the medical personnel by offering objective data regarding the hemodynamic changes in the aneurysm caused by implanting different models of the stent. : The authors reconstructed patient-specific model of the cerebral arteries with diagnosed aneurysm. Then, four virtual models of the Flow Diverter stent (with varied nominal diameters) were prepared. During the numerical analyses, the Immersed Solid Method was used to model the presence of the stent wirebraid. After performing steady state and transient simulations of non-Newtonian blood flow in pre- and post-treatment models, changes in numerous hemodynamic parameters were analysed. : The results confirmed that stent porosity influences hemodynamic changes inside the aneurysm (for presented case studies). The less porous the stent, the more it promotes the possible intrasaccular thrombosis. This could be concluded by observing larger regions of stagnant blood with higher viscosity. Additionally, the denser the stent, the lower and more uniform the stress exerted on the aneurysm wall. : Numerical simulations can provide valuable insight into phenomena occurring inside the blood flow after implanting the stent. This can support selecting optimal stent configuration for the particular patient and, consequently, can help in planning the endovascular procedure.

: The aim of this study was to determine how solid ankle-foot orthoses (AFO) influence the symmetrization of free standing posture in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP). : In the analysis, we examined the body posture of children ( = 43, mean age of 7 years) who did not wear any orthopedic equipment on a daily basis (Group 1). We also studied those who used unilateral (Group 2) or bilateral AFOs (Group 3). The BTS SMART D-140 6 TVC optoelectronic system was implemented in the research. : There were no significant differences between the study groups in terms of obliqueness, rotation or pelvic inclination in standing position, or in hip joint angle on the (un)affected sides with and without AFOs. However, differences could be observed in obliqueness and rotation after applying AFOs (0.1 > > 0.05). In all study groups, knee flexion angle on the affected side was greater. After putting on the orthoses (Groups 2 and 3), knee joint flexion decreased. Analysis of measurements without orthoses showed significantly less dorsiflexion and greater external rotation of the ankle joint on the affected side ( < 0.05). After putting on the orthoses (Groups 2 and 3), the differences in dorsiflexion noted in the ankle joints of both feet did not exceed 1°. In such conditions, the rotation in these joints also became equal. : The results of the study made it possible to indicate that the use of AFOs in children with hemiplegic CP demonstrates a beneficial effect on the joint to which they are directly applied. They also aid other joints of the lower limbs and pelvis. The use of bilateral AFOs provides greater positive changes in standing symmetry compared to unilateral AFO implementation.

: This study investigated the effects of stroboscopic disruption (SD) on postural control strategies in elderly individuals by comparing center of pressure (CoP) variables between young and elderly individuals during bipedal standing tasks, with and without SD. : Thirty-five participants, 15 young and 20 elderly, completed 60-second bipedal quiet standing trials on a force plate. Excluding the initial and final 10-second preparation and recovery phases, the central 40 seconds of CoP trajectory were quantified using timedomain and frequency-domain parameters across the medial-lateral (ML), anterior-posterior (AP), and resultant spatial (RS) directions. Rambling (RM) and trembling (TR) components were also extracted. Statistical analysis was performed using a linear mixed-effect regression (LMER). : SD significantly affected CoP control, with the elderly exhibiting greater changes in most variables than the younger group. During the transition from transparent to SD conditions, time-domain parameters showed a significant increase in mean movement distance and root mean square in the RS direction for both traditional and RM components among the elderly. Additionally, the 95% confidence circle and ellipse areas were larger in the elderly group. In the frequency-domain parameters, such as 80% power frequency, frequency dispersion, and concentrated frequency decreased in the AP and RS directions for both traditional and RM components in the elderly group. : The reduction in visual inputs caused by SD leads to decreased flexibility and automaticity in the postural control of elderly individuals, making it more difficult for them to control CoP sway and adapt to changes in visual input compared to younger individuals.

: Monitoring performance of material inside the human body is still an open problem. X-ray imaging is an easy and noninvasive method of visualization, however, many biomaterials, such as polymers are radiolucent. Potential solution of this problem is to combine selected polymer with a compound which can act as a marker. Thus, this study aimed to obtain radiopaque polymeric fibers of polycaprolactone (PCL) by electrospinning. : As radiopaque marker barium sulfate (BaSO) powder was used. The obtained composite nonwovens were subjected to physicochemical properties (wettability, surface free energy), mechanical (uniaxial tensile test), stability in acidic environment and biocompatibility tests. : Barium sulfate (diameter of 0.03-1.3 μm for non-grinded, 0.8-90 μm for grinded) was encapsulated inside the PCL fibers (average diameter 0.91 μm), proved by scanning electron microscopy observations and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Addition of barium sulfate to the fibers in caused them to become thicker and changed diameter distribution from bimodal to unimodal. All materials were hydrophobic, with contact angle for water over 120° with no statistically significant difference and their surface free energy consisted mainly of disperse component (around 1:10 P/D ratio). Mechanical properties such as the maximum tensile force and tensile strength decreased by 50-60% after addition of barium sulfate. After three and seven days of cell culture with BJ fibroblasts, obtained materials proved to be biocompatible. : The results presented in this work allow to state that fibrous composite material composed of PCL and barium sulfate has potential as biomaterial that can be visualized and monitored after implantation using RTG imaging.

: The objective of this study was to numerically reconstruct a collision between a minivan and a pedestrian, and to reproduce the injury conditions of the pedestrian's head, chest, and lower extremities. This research aimed to provide a reference for the numerical reconstruction studies of traffic collisions based on human body models. : The walking posture of the Chinese 50th percentile male pedestrian model AC-HUMs (Advanced China Human body Models) was transformed, after which an analysis model was established for simulation based on the simplified model of the minivan vehicle and the collision information. Subsequently, the injury conditions of the model's lower extremities, chest and head were extracted, and compared with the information of the injured person. : The findings reveal that the pedestrian model exhibits tibia-fibula fractures in the lower limbs, six rib fractures in the chest and a head injury classified as AIS5 (Abbreviated Injury Scale), suggesting a potential risk of concussion. While the injuries to the lower limbs and chest are predicted with considerable accuracy, the head injuries in the model are more severe. : In the reconstruction of a minivan-pedestrian collision using the AC-HUMs model, AC-HUMs showed good injury prediction capabilities for the pedestrian's lower limbs and chest, and while the head injury prediction based on intracranial pressure was more severe, that, based on brain strain, was consistent with the actual situation, reflecting the model's satisfactory performance. This research provides valuable insights for studying injury patterns among Chinese pedestrians through numerical reconstruction.

: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between anthropometric indices and kinematic underwater undulatory swimming (UUS) variables among young female swimmers. : The following parameters were determined in 34 participants (age 16.74 ± 0.70 years, World Aquatics score 561 ± 64): body height (), mass () and fat percentage ( ), BMI, lengths of the lower limb ( ), thigh ( ), and calf ( ), circumferences of thigh ( ), maximum calf ( ) and distal lower leg ( ), skinfolds on the thigh ( ) and calf ( ), as well as foot length ( ) and width ( ), based on which an estimated foot surface area was calculated ( ). Using the kinematic analysis of UUS recordings, the following were determined: velocity (), frequency ( ), distance per cycle (DPC), amplitude of toe () and product of × ( ). Pearson r correlation analysis was performed. : A relationship was observed between v and: ( = 0.48), ( = 0.39) and ( = 0.35). was correlated with: ( = 0.40), ( = 0.39) and ( = 0.35). A relationship was observed between and ( = 0.45) and ( = 0.42), as well as DPC with (0.40) and (0.37). : The results indicate that the somatic structure has a small effect on the effectiveness and kinematic indices of UUS among young female swimmers.

: This study investigated the effect of anteromedial (AM) and central anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions on the patellofemoral joint (PFJ) contact mechanics during walking and running. : Six knee models were established under a musculoskeletal multibody dynamic framework. The ACL attachment points and muscle volume of the quadriceps femoris and hamstrings were modified to simulate ACL reconstructions and post-operative muscle atrophy. Walking and running simulations were performed to quantify ACL graft force and PFJ contact force. A single stance phase of the motion cycle was divided into eleven time points (periods 0.0-1.0). The computational results were statistically tested at each time point. : The results showed that central ACL reconstruction reduced graft force at contralateral toe-off and toe-off phases under walking conditions and the entire cycle under running conditions, with maximal reductions were 10.96 ± 7.42% and 29.00 ± 10.41%, respectively. Compared to AM reconstruction, central reconstruction increased the mean PFJ contact force by up to 2.12 ± 1.17% of body weight during periods 0.4-0.9 of the walking cycle and exhibited a complex pattern during the running cycle. : Central ACL reconstruction provided a significantly higher PFJ load compared to AM reconstruction during walking after surgery. No consistent conclusions were reached between the two surgical protocols on PFJ contact force during running. These findings provide clinicians with a better understanding of the PFJ mechanics after ACL reconstruction.

: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to treat pain, but they have side effects, including the inhibition of bone healing. Diclofenac (DF), a member of the NSAID group, affects bone health adversely. One potential approach to protect bones from the effects of NSAIDs involves the administration of short nucleic acids, such as microRNAs (miRNAs). This study aimed to determine whether two specific miRNAs, miR-15b and miR-365, could mitigate the effects of DF on bone. : We used the C57BL/6J mouse strain and the MC3T3-E1 preosteoblast cell line derived from this mouse strain. Female C57BL/6J mice were treated with DF and miR-15b or miR-365 mimics. After euthanising the mice, we analysed their femurs using micro-computed tomography (μCT) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). In addition, we performed experiments in cultured MC3T3-E1 cells, which were transfected with either miR- 15b or miR-365. We assessed the relative mRNA levels of osteoblast differentiation markers using real-time PCR. : Our findings indicated that miR-15b and miR-365 were effective in reversing the detrimental effects of DF on bone mineral density. DF decreased the bone's storage modulus ('), while miR-15b and miR-365 ameliorated this effect. In the preosteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells, DF did not significantly regulate marker genes; however, the administration of miR-15b and miR-365 reduced the gene expression of , , and . : In summary, the impact of DF on the structural and mechanical properties of bone was not mediated by gene regulation in osteoblasts. However, osteoblasts were responsive to the administration of miR-15b and miR-365.

: The present study aimed to assess physical performance and its relationship with age and BMI in young male football players with Down syndrome and mild intellectual disability compared to their untrained peers. : The study included 60 boys with Down syndrome and mild intellectual disability aged 11-13 years, assigned to the study group (trained football at the Futbol+ Sports Academy) and the control group (untrained peers). Research tools was the Eurofit Special test. The data were analyzed based on the using chi-squared test, Student's -test for independent variables, or Mann-Whitney -test, Pearson's linear correlation or Spearman's rank correlation. : Young male football players with Down syndrome scored better for Standing Long Jump ( < 0.001), Bent Knee Sit-ups in 30 seconds ( < 0.001), 2 kg Medicine Ball Forward Push with one hand ( < 0.001), and Walking on a Gymnastic Bench in the Upright Position ( = 0.001), while for 25 m Run from a High Start, boys from the control group achieved better results ( < 0.001). There were no statistically significant relationships of Eurofit Special test results with age and BMI. : Football training improves physical performance of boys with Down syndrome and mild intellectual disability, especially dynamic balance, muscle strength of the lower limbs, upper limbs and abdomen. It can therefore be assumed that these characteristics are the most important indicators of the effectiveness of football training in these individuals. Age and BMI should not be considered as determinants of motor fitness in children and adolescents with Down syndrome and associated mental retardation.

: Plantar pressure distribution is a crucial indicator in gait analysis, with significant value in clinical diagnoses and sports optimization. Traditional measurement methods, however, are often limited by expensive equipment and laboratory settings. This study aimed to develop an accurate, portable and cost-effective method using a deep learning model based on data from wearable Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) to predict comprehensive plantar pressure distributions. : We proposed a hybrid model combining a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and a Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) network. The CNN extracts local features from IMU data; the BiLSTM captures temporal dependencies; a temporal attention mechanism optimizes the prediction of key time steps; and body weight information is integrated to accommodate individual differences. : Experimental results show that in 10-fold cross-validation, the model achieves a Mean Squared Error of 0.98 and a Structural Similarity Index of 0.89, demonstrating excellent prediction accuracy and distribution similarity. : This study provides a cost-effective method for plantar pressure analysis, which is expected to be integrated into wearable devices for real -time gait monitoring, with applications in rehabilitation and sports optimization.

: The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of a conservative therapeutic intervention on functional changes in the motor system assessed qualitatively with FMS motion patterns in people with femoroacetabular impingement practising long-distance recreational running. : The study involved 44 men, regularly practising recreational long-distance running. Two runs of tests were conducted in the Laboratory of Biokinetics of the AWF in Cracow. The first measurements were carried out in January 2020, and the second ones - after a 6-month therapeutic intervention in July 2020. A qualitative assessment of movement patterns was made using five tests of the Functional Movement Screen (FMS). : The highest statistically significant gains in FMS scores were obtained in the total of the FMS score (FMST) and in the active straight-leg raise, FMS5. The greatest improvement was noted in the experimental group in the measurement for the affected lower limb. After the intervention, the results obtained in the tests of deep squat (FMS1) and in-line lunge (FMS3) improved significantly only in the experimental group and were approaching the values observed in the control group. : Observations made in this work, documented by the results of the conducted analyses, allow for practical use of the proposed proprietary, 6-month rehabilitation protocol and of a comprehensive, objective protocol for functional changes monitoring by means of qualitative assessment of FMS movement patterns in the conservative treatment of people with femoroacetabular impingement.

Basketball requires high lower limb performance. Assessing jump biomechanics is vital for enhancing performance and injury prevention. Marker-based (MB) systems are common but limited. In recent years, Markerless (ML) motion capture systems have gradually become emerging tools in sports biomechanics research due to their characteristic of not requiring physical marker points. However, their specific application and verification in basketball events are still relatively limited. : In this study, lower limb kinematics and kinetics estimated by MB and ML motion capture systems during jumps were compared. : Twelve subjects performed the standing vertical jump (SVJ), standing long jump (SLJ) and running vertical jump (RVJ) tests. Data was collected using 10 infrared cameras, 6 high-resolution cameras and two force platforms via Vicon Nexus software. Markerless motion capture calculated sagittal plane angles, torque and power of the Hip, Knee and Ankle joints via Theia3D software, with these parameters also collected by the marker-based Vicon system. Both systems' '64ata were then processed in Visual3D. We analyzed the correlation coefficient (), root mean square difference (RMSD), and maximum/minimum errors, as well as using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) to compare temporal patterns between groups and determine specific moments where significant differences occurred. : SLJ capture was slightly inferior in both systems. SPM analysis of the sagittal plane showed significant differences only at the hip joint. Joint angle RMSD was < 8.2°, torque RMSD < 0.41 N·M/kg, and power RMSD < 1.76 W/kg. : The ML system accurately captures knee and ankle joints in the sagittal plane but shows significant differences in hip measurement and certain movements, requiring further validation.

: Magnetic hyperthermia is a medical procedure for treating cancerous tumors that are medically unsuitable for resection or other treatments. It involves injecting magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) into the cancerous tissue and applying an external alternating magnetic field (AMF) to induce heat in the target tissue. Under the influence of an AMF at radiofrequency range, eddy currents are generated, and MNPs are heated in the tumor's volume, resulting in apoptosis or necrosis. The purpose of this study is to numerically analyze the power losses generated by MNPs, such as specific loss power (SLP) and intrinsic loss power (ILP), as well as the temperature distribution during magnetic hyperthermia concerning a tumor placed in an anatomical model of the female breast. : The AMF source was a helical induction coil with an excitation current surrounding the female breast phantom. Numerical analysis was based on the solving the Helmholtz equation for the magnetic vector potential coupled with the modified Pennes equation, using the finite element method (FEM). The numerical model under consideration included the power dissipation generated by MNPs based on the linear response theory, proposed by Rosensweig, and the Joule heating generated by eddy currents. : Comparison of the effects of MNPs concentrations on the outcome thermal profiles of irregularly shaped breast tumors is presented. Additionally, tumor temperature profiles and SLP/ILP parameters are determined in the case of mobilized and immobilized MNPs. : MNPs immobilization within the tumor microenvironment significantly diminishes magnetic losses, with a corresponding reduction of approximately 30% in specific SLP/ILP parameter values.

: The study of the neuronal structure of the nervous system is difficult due to the complexity and the occurrence of interactions between structures at different levels of hierarchy. The aim of the present research was to develop a mathematical model of signal transmission by a neuron, taking into account the structure of neurons, and to analyse the sensitivity of model parameters in the scope of interaction of mechanical, biochemical and electrochemical phenomena in the context of disturbances of nerve signals caused by overloads. : To modelling of the potential action then Hodgkin and Huxley (HH) model was used. The model consists of four coupled differential equations: one partial differential equation, which describes the temporal and spatial variation of the membrane potential, and three ordinary differential equations, which represent the dynamics of voltage-gated ion channels. The HH model consists of four coupled differential equations: one partial differential equation, which describes the temporal and spatial variation of the membrane potential, and three ordinary differential equations, which represent the dynamics of voltage-gated ion channels. This model was solved numerically by the finite difference method. : The results indicate on change of the action potential for a nerve cell activated by a continuous electrical stimulus, assuming high conductivity of the Na and K channels. According to the presented model the ion channels respond to pressure, what modulate the permeability of the neuronal membrane for ions. : The results of the analyses suggest that pressure above 1.4 kPa can disrupt the normal functioning of nerve cells, leading to serious health consequences. In addition, a load of nerve cells, less than 1%, can cause disorders in the functioning of the nervous system. As a result, this mechanism leads to damage to nerve cells, disorders in the conduction of nerve impulses and affects the functioning of synapses.

: The mechanical environment of the extracellular matrix strongly influences how cells behave - affecting their adhesion, migration, growth, and differentiation. While stiffness has been widely studied, recent research highlights the importance of viscoelasticity, especially the stress relaxation timescale, in how cells sense and respond to their surroundings. According to the widely accepted motor-clutch model, optimal cell spreading occurs when the stress relaxation timescale is similar to the timescale of molecular clutch binding. : Polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogels, due to their tunable mechanical properties and bioinert nature, are commonly used as model substrates in mechanobiology. In this study, we investigated how changing the concentrations of crosslinker (N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide) and initiator (ammonium persulfate) affects the viscoelastic behavior of PAAm hydrogels. Using creep-recovery tests and fitting the data to the Standard Linear Solid model, we extracted mechanical parameters and calculated the stress relaxation timescale. : We found that the relaxation timescale increases with crosslinker concentration up to 0.05%, then decreases - suggesting an optimal crosslinking density. At a fixed 0.05% crosslinker, increasing initiator concentration reduced the relaxation timescale, likely due to faster gelation and less organized network formation. : These findings demonstrate how simple adjustments in polymerization parameters can tune hydrogel relaxation behavior for mechanobiological applications.

: This study investigates cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow dynamics to enhance the understanding of brain biomechanics and the importance of CSF during high-impact loading. : Comparative analyses were conducted using the benchmark model with smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH), without cerebrospinal fluid, and with an additional element - the arachnoid trabeculae - which functions as rigid connections between the brain and skull. The numerical modelling of cerebrospinal fluid and the derived conclusions were validated and calibrated through experiments performed in the additional research phase. : The research emphasises the challenges of accurately modelling cerebrospinal fluid dynamics and brain biomechanics. The results were unexpected in several ways. Initially, a rigid cortex-skull connection was anticipated to yield results nearly identical to those observed in Hardy's experiments. Even more surprising were the results for the models with cerebrospinal fluid modelled as smoothed particle hydrodynamics and the model without cerebrospinal fluid, which showed almost identical results in comparison to each other. The novel physical experiment with a gelatine insert subjected to controlled loading and numerical model simulations revealed that SPH models exhibited closely resembling fluid displacement, while tetrahedral elements imposed unrealistic rigidity. : The simulations and the novel experiment provide key insights into cerebrospinal fluid dynamics during traumatic brain injury. The findings suggest that the protective function of CSF might be less pronounced under extreme conditions than previously assumed. The smoothed particle hydrodynamics method demonstrates clear advantages over tetrahedral finite element approaches by offering superior brain-in-skull flexibility and avoiding the excessive rigidity inherent to traditional finite element models. We concluded that mechanism of brain protection by CSF is performed rather by hydraulic damping than the brain immersion in vast volume of CSF.

: The objective of this study is to ascertain how specific somatic traits and kinematic indices influence the force of a punch, contingent on the type of kick (i.e., turning kick and side kick). : One hundred kicks were performed by five female elite ITF taekwon-do (International Taekwon-do Federation) athletes (aged 27.0 ± 4.8 years, body mass 64.2 ± 5.8 kg, height 163.0 ± 6.5 cm). To record the force of the impact, a strain gauge platform padded with a training disc was used as a target to protect the participants from direct impact on a force plate mounted on a stable structure. : The study demonstrated that the side kicks of female taek- won-do athletes achieved, on average, a higher peak pressure force (1770 N) than the turning kick (1379 N) ( < 0.01). Conversely, the lower limb segments demonstrate an inverse trend in terms of average peak acceleration values. The effective mass values recorded in this study expressed as a percentage of the athletes' total body mass, were approximately 18% for the turning kick and 85% for the side kick. : The findings of these studies demonstrate that pressure force evidently increases with rising effective mass. However, no correlation was observed between the acceleration of the foot and the other segments of the lower limb. The calculated * factor indicates that there are no lateralisation differences in pressure force between kicks performed with the right and left leg.

: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterised by multifocal and damage disseminated in time to the central nervous system. This causes various clinical symptoms, including spastically increased muscle tone and balance disorders, which already occur in the early stages of the disease, increasing the frequency of falls, which negatively affects the mobility and independence of patients. Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) is used in the rehabilitation of MS patients, however, there are no reports on the effect of WBC without subsequent kinesiotherapy on body balance in patients with MS. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of a series of 10 and 20 WBC without kinesiotherapy on the degree of disability assessed by the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), muscle spasticity evaluated using the Modified Ashworth scale (MAS) and body balance in patients with multiple sclerosis. : The study was completed by 51 patients, aged 23 to 65 years, with a disability grade of 3.5-6.5 on the EDSS scale and spasticity 0-3.0 assessed by the MAS. Patients were randomly assigned to the control group ( = 18) or the experimental group participating in 20 WBC sessions ( = 33). Balance assessment consisted of performing two, 30-second static tests on stabilometric platform, the first test with eyes open and the second one with eyes closed. During these tests, the centre of foot pressure displacement was monitored and analysed in real time. : A series of 20 daily WBC resulted in an improvement in the functional status of patients with multiple sclerosis in the form of a significant reduction in EDSS values and spasticity, both on the side with greater and less spasticity. Under the effect of whole-body cryotherapy treatments, there was slight improvement in the stability in patients with multiple sclerosis. : Based on the obtained results, it can be concluded that WBC, without subsequent targeted kinesiotherapy, are not sufficient to obtain clear and measurable benefits in the rehabilitation of patients with multiple sclerosis.