Kinematic traits of an elite paralympic karateka: a case report.

Karate is a martial art that includes striking, kicking and punching techniques, and requires high levels of functional skills. Karate counts millions of practitioners worldwide and it is also spreading in Paralympic competitions: there is a need for accurate categories definition for disabled athletes. The aim of the current study was to present kinematic data of an elite Paralympic karateka, in comparison with able-bodied athletes, to promote a better classification within the discipline, based on objective evaluations of physical impairments.

Influence of energy cost and physical fitness on the preferred walking speed and gait variability in elderly women.

Typically gait speed decreases and gait variability increases in elderly. The aim of this study was to define the influence of energy cost of walking on gait speed and of health-related physical fitness on gait variability. Thirty healthy young and older women were recruited in the study.

Energy Cost of Continuous Shuttle Running: Comparison of 4 Measurement Methods.

Ciprandi, D, Lovecchio, N, Piacenza, M, Limonta, E, Esposito, F, Sforza, C, Zago, M. Energy cost of continuous shuttle running: Comparison of 4 measurement methods. J Strength Cond Res 32(8): 2265-2272, 2018-Assessing runs with frequent turns (shuttle run) is a viable option to evaluate the energy cost associated with sport-specific high-intensity intermittent activities.

Reanimation of the paralyzed lids by cross-face nerve graft and platysma transfer.

Alterations of facial muscles may critically humper patients' quality of life. One of the worst conditions is the reduction or abolition of eye blinking. To prevent these adverse effects, surgical rehabilitation of eyelid function is the current treatment choice.

Study of the association between gait variability and physical activity.

Background: Gait variability can be considered an indirect measure of gait stability, in particular regarding temporal or spatial variability assessment. Physical activity, such as walking, is advised for the elderly and can be improved by gait stability. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between gait stability and physical activity in women of different age ranges.

Gait analysis of young male patients diagnosed with primary bladder neck obstruction.

Primary bladder neck obstruction (PBNO) represents an inappropriate or inadequate relaxation of the bladder neck during micturition. Based on the observation of an increased rate of postural imbalances in male patients with PBNO, we hypothesized a possible role of an unbalanced biomechanics of the pelvis on urethral sphincters activity. Our aim was to identify kinematic imbalances, usually disregarded in PBNO patients, and which could eventually be involved in the etiopathogenesis of the disease.

Primary bladder neck obstruction may be determined by postural imbalances.

Primary bladder neck obstruction (PBNO) is a frequent under-investigated urological condition in which the bladder neck fails to open adequately during voiding. In the majority of cases no known etiological factor can be found. In this study we propose a new hypothesis to explain the origin of the disease in young male patients with no neurological disorders.

Dynamic balance in elite karateka.

In karate, balance control represents a key performance determinant. With the hypothesis that high-level athletes display advanced balance abilities, the purpose of the current study was to quantitatively investigate the motor strategies adopted by elite and non-elite karateka to maintain balance control in competition. The execution of traditional karate techniques (kihon) in two groups of elite Masters (n = 6, 31 ± 19 years) and non-elite Practitioners (n = 4, 25 ± 9 years) was compared assessing body center of mass (CoM) kinematics and other relevant parameters like step width and angular joint behavior.

Dribbling determinants in sub-elite youth soccer players.

Dribbling speed in soccer is considered critical to the outcome of the game and can assist in the talent identification process. However, little is known about the biomechanics of this skill. By means of a motion capture system, we aimed to quantitatively investigate the determinants of effective dribbling skill in a group of 10 Under-13 sub-elite players, divided by the median-split technique according to their dribbling test time (faster and slower groups).