Lithuanian Sports University e-Journals
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Examining the Healthy Living Behaviors and Health Anxiety Level of Elite Female Volleyball Players During the Covid-19 Process
Get PDFBackground. The results of the effects of the physiological and psychological effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on volleyball players at elite level are needed. Therefore, such a study was planned.
Methods. A total of 144 female volleyball players, whose average age is 28.5 ± 5.1 years and who play in the Turkish Volleyball Women’s Super League teams, voluntarily participated in the study. The data in the study were obtained by applying the Healthy Living Behavior scale and the Health Anxiety scale by filling in an online questionnaire. Data were evaluated in SPSS.
Results. As a result of the analysis; The mean scores of the sub-dimensions of the Healthy Life Behavior Scale of the participants were respectively: Health responsibility average 21.2±3.6; Physical activity average 21.2±4.4; Nutrition average 24.4±5.6; Spiritual Development average 26.5±4.4; Interpersonal Relations average 25.6±. The mean of Stress Management was found to be 4.4 and 20.8±3.5. In the Health Anxiety Scale, the mean total anxiety score was found to be 32.3±6.4. It was determined that the sub-dimensions of the Healthy Living Behavior Scale differed significantly among the participants according to monthly income and education level, while the Health Anxiety Scale did not create a significant difference in both variables.
Conclusions. According to the study findings, since the findings of the scale are positive, it may be possible to leave more reliable information for future studies if similar study findings are increased and compared.
Keywords: volleyball, Covid-19, health, anxiety
Effects of Acute Noxious Heat Exposure on The Attention Required by Tasks of Three Levels of Difficulty in Young Healthy Men
Get PDFBackground: This article discusses the current knowledge on the effects of heat stress on cognitive abilities. Whole-body hyperthermia (WBH) has a negative effect on mental performance. In this study, we investigated whether short-term whole-body immersion in water at 45°C (HWI-45°C), which induces a strong neurotransmitter and temperature flux without inducing whole-body hyperthermia, would impair mental performance in humans.
Methods: Fourteen men (aged 25±6 years) were enrolled in this study and participated in three experiments: (i) a brief (5-min) immersion of the whole body in 37°C water (WI-37°C); (ii) a brief (5-min) immersion of the whole body in 45°C water (HWI-45°C); and (iii) a control trial in a thermoneutral condition at an ambient temperature of 24°C and 60% relative humidity. Before and after immersion, cognitive performance was tested. All tests were performed in a quiet and semi-darkened laboratory.
Results: Baseline simple, 2-choice and procedural reaction time and percentage of correct answers did not differ significantly across all trials. 2-choice reaction time was reduced (i.e. faster reaction) only after immersion to 37°C water. Interestingly, only whole-body immersion to 45°C was a sufficient trigger to reduce procedural reaction time.
Conclusion: young healthy men do not deteriorate in response to whole-body hot water immersion for a short duration. By contrast, we here show faster reaction time in procedural reaction task, which was the most difficult of the three to perform.
Keywords: Heat stress, hot water immersion, cognitive performance
Comparison of Glucose Administration Routes to Determine Glucose Tolerance in Old and Young Mice
Get PDFBackground: It has been observed that old mice have a better tolerance to glucose than young after an intraperitoneal injection of glucose. We hypothesized that an intraperitoneal injection of glucose overestimates glucose tolerance in old mice.
Methods: We assessed differences in glucose tolerance outcomes in 2- (young, n=23) and 23- to 27-month-old (old, n=23) male C57BL/6J mice after an intraperitoneal (IP) or intravenous (IV) injection, or oral gavage (OG) of glucose.
Results: The area under the curve (AUC) of the changes of blood glucose concentration over 2 hours after glucose administration was lower in old than young animals (p<0.001). The AUC was higher after IV than either IP or OG (p<0.001). However, normalized to peak glucose concentration, the time course was similar in young and old animals, and was – except for an earlier peak in IV than OG (p=0.013) – independent of route of administration.
Conclusion: We suggest that 1) to determine glucose tolerance the time course of changes in glucose concentration rather than the AUC, which is significantly affected by excursion magnitude, is preferable; 2) glucose tolerance can be measured equally well with IP, IV and OG; 3) there is no significant age-related difference in glucose tolerance in mice.
Keywords: glucose tolerance test, glucose uptake, aging, glucose intolerance, mice, diabetes
Sports Infographics: Analysis of their Titles and Subtitles
Get PDFBackground: Nowadays, infographics have become a very popular visual communication format in diverse sectors, including sports. Their use ranges from very formal sports data presentations (e.g., the introduction of the results from worldwide studies) to less formal occasions (e.g., promotion of any physical activity on social media sites). While the graphical design of sports infographics might be greatly facilitated by modern infographic tools, the formulation of captivating textual information, especially in titles and subtitles, remains a complicated task for their designers. Therefore, the study aims to analyze the most common tactics and practices applied when formulating titles and subtitles in sports infographics.
Methods: 50 sports infographics targeting the areas of fitness, running and training were chosen for the current study. The content of their titles and subtitles was analyzed using MAXQDA Analytics Pro 2020 software.
Results. The results revealed that the most frequent words used in titles and subtitles of sports infographics were training, performance, results, running, endurance, fitness and strength. While the average length of titles was 8 words, the subtitles were made of 2 words on average. Most commonly, the main titles of sports infographics displayed a combination of tactics and were made of two parts separated by a colon. The subtitles were usually formulated with the use of lists, examples, facts, explanations, opinions, teasers or the technique of 5Ws.
Conclusion. The results of this study might facilitate the creation of infographics in the sports sector and thus help to increase awareness of sports-related topics among the general audience.
Keywords: infographics, design of infographics, sports infographics, titles of sports infographics, subtitles of sports infographics
Determining Partnering Effects in the “Rise and Fall” Motion of Competitive Waltz by the Use of Statistical Parametric Mapping
Get PDFBackground. Competitive dance, also known as “DanceSport,” is a competitive style of ballroom dance. The waltz features a particular movement in which the dancer lifts and lowers his/her body while dancing. In ballroom dance terms, this movement is known as the “rise and fall.” The purpose of this research was to examine partnering effects in relation to the vertical component of dancers’ center of mass when performing the competitive waltz.
Methods. This investigation was conducted through statistical parametric mapping of the movements of 13 national level competitive dance couples and a world champion couple as they danced both solo and in pairs. The Xsens MVN system was used to record their movements, using a capture rate of 240 Hz.
Results. We consequently found that, in the pair condition, the vertical component of the center of mass was smaller for the male dancers and larger for the champion male dancer when compared to their respective solo conditions. However, for the female dancers and the champion female dancer, unlike the males, no significant partner effects were found.
Conclusion. Therefore, in terms of partner effects, the “rise and fall.” motion was smaller for the male dancers and larger for the champion male dancer.
Keywords: DanceSport, ballroom, kinematics, partnering, statistical parametric mapping
Effects of Covid-19 Quarantine on Physical Activity and Psycho-Emotional Health
Get PDFIntroduction. Quarantine is a complex definition that consists of administrative and sanitary measures designed to prevent the spread of communicable diseases to both humans and animals. Bans and restrictions that have been introduced, have significantly changed people’s lifestyles – individuals have become less physically active and were forced to spend most of their time at home. The aim of the study was to reveal the dominant factors contributing to students’ psycho-emotional health and physical activity during the quarantine period.
Methods. This survey was conducted in April 2020 with 304 participating students. The anonymous survey collected demographic data and two standardized questionnaires were used: The International Physical Activity Questionnaire and General Health Questionnaire. Data were processed by SPSS Statistics 23 program.
Results. Respondents’ level of physical activity during quarantine was as follows: high level – 42%, medium level – 41%; low level – 17 %. A negative correlation was found – with increasing physical activity, the sum of psycho-emotional state assessment score decreased (r = - .2702, p < .01), and with increasing age of respondents, their total level of physical activity also increased (r = .1364, p < .05).
Conclusion. Low intensity of physical activity predominated at all levels of physical activity, for which the main reason was the remote learning during quarantine and recommendations to leave home only for essential matters. Regular physical activity and exercise may be a simple, inexpensive, and effective therapy during the quarantine, and physical activity is significant in treating student depression, stress, and/or increased anxiety.
Keywords: depression, youth, stress, sedentary lifestyle.
 
Athlete Brand Development in Social Media: Analysis of Students’ Attitudes
Get PDFBackground. Athlete brand image management is one of the most popular topics of discussion in sport management right now. As professional sport has become a commercialised industry segment with more athletes involved, athletes are becoming promotional faces. Most professional athletes are involved in the use of social networks. There athletes actively demonstrate their personal lives, professional accents and advertise products. It is important to understand and analyse the impact of social networks on an athlete’s brand and ways to properly position themselves in social media. Using social networks, athletes are closer to fans and consumers than ever before. Based on and applying the Athlete Brand model developed by Arai (2010), this study aimed to investigate students’ attitudes towards athletes’ self-positioning on social networks.
Methods. The study involved 367 students (151 men and 216 women) from three Lithuanian universities. The Arai (2010) questionnaire was used for the study. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using SPSS 26.0.
Results. It has been found that athletes’ sports performance is statistically significant in the development of a professional athlete’s brand, it is the fundamental aspect that creates the initial status of athlete’s brand. Results showed that the strongest direct causal link was found between an athlete’s athletic performance and lifestyle. It was also found that very strong links, in the opinion of the respondents, were between the athletes’ communication and behaviours.
Conclusions. When building an athlete’s brand, it is important to pay attention to three key components: athletic performance, attractive appearance, and marketable lifestyle. These three uses of an athlete’s brand can be explained by specific aspects of sports competitions or components of personal life. However, one of the most important factors in shaping a positive image of an athlete is athletic achievements.
Practical implications. This study can provide a consistent consumer approach to key aspects, focusing on consumer attention in athlete positioning. This can help the athlete and marketers develop an appropriate personal branding and positioning strategy in social media, which will then broaden the circle of fans and strengthen the opinion of loyal fans. Athlete’s brand is a set of closely interrelated and fan-centred physical, functional, aesthetic, and emotional elements that sets athlete’s brand apart from competitors and creates financial benefits for the athlete. The brand creates benefits not only for the athlete, but also for the market participants around him/her (consumer/fan, commercial brand), which can be called the functions of the brand.
Keywords: Athlete’s image, social network, brand relationship.
 
Interaction between Pre-School Children’s Physical Activity and Physical Fitness and Their Parents’ Physical Activity
Get PDFBackground. Pre-school age is the period of especially fast growth and physical development, characterized by an intensive growth and development of a child’s organism, great changes in the activity of the functional systems, which is affected by increasing physical activeness and fitness (Grinienė & Vaitkevičius, 2009; Howells & Sääkslahti, 2019). Previous studies have identified parental influence as a factor that can shape a child’s physical self–perception and act as a stimulus for physical activity and fitness (Eddolls, McNarry, Stratton, & Mackintosh, 2016). The aim of this study was to indicate physical activity of 5–6-year-old children and to determine the interaction between parents’ physical activity and physical fitness data.
Methods. The study involved pre-school age children (n = 59) from 5 to 6 years old: 31 girls and 21 boys; also, their parents (n = 101) were involved: 57 mothers and 44 fathers. Physical activity was measured objectively using the ActiGraph GT3X model. The children performed five physical fitness tests (PFT) according to the Eurofit methodology. Also, parents were asked to fill in questionnaires about their own and their children’s physical activity, and also subjective physical fitness.
Results. It turned out that there was a significant difference in the time spent in moderate and moderate to vigorous (MVPA) physical activity between 5 to 6-year-old children (p < .05). Comparing pre-school children’s physical fitness by gender we found that boys were more physically fit than girls when performing long jumps, but girls were more physically fit than boys when performing a sit and reach test (p < .05). Subjectively measured PA identified that 72.6% of parents (of both genders) were sufficiently physically active and 27.4% were inadequate physically active.
Conclusion. The results revealed that 6-year-old children spent more time in sedentary time than 5-year-olds, who accumulated more time in moderate and total MVPA physical activity per day. No significant relation was found between parents’ and children’s physical activity and fitness.
Keywords: physical activity, physical fitness, pre-school child, health, parents
The Relationship Between Students’ Physical Activity and Academic Stress
Get PDFBackground. Stress and physical inactivity are one of the most common risk factors among students. Problems of stress, experienced by students, and physical activity and impact on health are extremely important in order to improve students’ quality of life and prevent health problems.
Methods. Academic stress was measured using the Konduri academic life stress questionnaire. Physical activity was evaluated by the Godin leisure time physical activity questionnaire. Distress was evaluated by the Reeder stress inventory. Study participants were 448 Lithuanian full-time first and third year bachelor’s students, with ages ranging from 18 to 39 years; average age 20.06 ± 18.04. 38 percent (173) of people under investigation were women, and 62 percent (275) were men. 60 percent (268) of people under investigation were first-year students, 40 percent (180) were third-year students.
Results. Physically more active students experience less academic stress than less physically active students. Intense physical activity has the greatest impact on academic stress. Students who engage in intensive physical activity more often, experience less academic stress related to social support, motivation to achieve, training program and training mode, and self-confidence, compared with students who engage in intensive physical activity less often. It was found that women experience more academic stress, related to training program, academic aspirations, and career, compared with men. First-year students experience more academic stress, related to support, motivation to achieve, academic aspirations, self-confidence, and exam anxiety, compared with third-year students.
Conclusions. Half of all students go in for sports three or more times a week, a third of students go in for sports less than three times a week, almost one-fifth of students never go in for sports. Increased physical activity is among men, first-year students, compared with women and third-year students. A fifth of students experience stress, almost half of students experience nervous tension; one-third of students do not experience tension and stress. Higher stress, both general and related to academic activities, is felt by women and first-year students, compared with men and third-year students.
Keywords: students, physical activity, academic stress, stress
The Peculiarities of Health-Related Quality of Life in Recreational and Competitive Athletes
Get PDFBackground. The scientific literature focuses on the evaluation of quality of life (QL) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) among recreational and competitive athletes. Research suggests that the QL and HRQL levels of competitive athletes can be negatively affected in that they spend most of their lives in training, preparing for and recovering from competitions and tournaments; however, they neither learn most of the essential life skills (Ohlert & Ott, 2017), nor allot time to their leisure activities and recreation. There are also contradictory studies indicating that competitive athletes evaluate HRQL better than recreational ones do (Lorcan & Allen, 2018; Pacesova, Smela, & Antala, 2019). However, little is known about the impact of how different levels of sports activities affect HRQL in this pandemic period.
Methods. HRQL was evaluated applying the SF-36 questionnaire (Short Form 36 Medical Outcomes Study questionnaire). The questionnaire was adapted in Lithuania (Staniūtė, 2007).
Results. Statistically significant differences were found in the evaluation of quality of life in the following areas: social function, pain, and activity limitation due to emotional disorders. It was found that competitive athletes limited their activities more than recreational athletes due to emotional difficulties (U = 1165, p = .05) and experienced more pain (U = 1036, p = .01). It was also found that recreational athletes valued their social relations more favourably than competitive ones (U = 1066, p = .02). Statistically significant differences were found in the evaluation of HRQL by gender. Men value their social relations better (U = 992.5, p = .00) and have fewer activity limitations due to emotional difficulties (U = 1063, p = .02) than women. The HRQL evaluation by gender and sport level shows that in recreational sports men evaluated their social relationships better than women and had fewer activity limitations due to emotional difficulties than women. Analysis of HRQL of competitive athletes showed no statistically significant relationship between women and men groups.
Conclusion. In conclusion, it can be stated that athletes best valued areas of physical activity and social relations. The findings show that competitive athletes more than recreational ones limited their activities due to emotional difficulties, and experienced more pain. Meanwhile, recreational athletes rated their social relations more favourably than competitive athletes. It was found that male athletes valued their social relations and emotional state better than female athletes. Men also had fewer activity limitations due to emotional difficulties than women.
Keywords: quality of life, young adults, recreational athletes, competitive athletes