Lithuanian Sports University e-Journals
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Relationships Between Lower Limb Biomechanics, Gluteal and Thigh Muscle Strength and Non-Specific Low Back Pain
Full text linkPurpose: This study aimed to investigate relationships between lower limb biomechanics, gluteal and thigh muscle strength, and the presence of non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) in young adults.
Methods: A cross-sectional study included 34 participants divided into two groups: NSLBP (n = 17) and control (n = 17), based on self-reported pain using the Visual Analogue Scale. Goniometry was used for hip and knee joint range of motion (ROM) measurement. Biomechanical function, dynamic balance was assessed using the Y-Balance Test and the Drop Jump Test. Gluteal and thigh muscle strength were measured with the DIERS Myoline Professional system. IBM SPSS Statistics software was used for data analysis.
Results: NSLBP was not associated with differences in hip or knee ROM, nor dynamic balance.
Participants without NSLBP had significantly stronger hip adductor muscles compared to those with NSLBP (169.87 ± 64.22 N/kg vs 131.76 ± 26.8 N/kg, p = 0.01).
In both groups, hip abductors were weaker than adductors, and hamstrings were weaker than quadricepses. In the control group, hamstring strength was 28.82% of quadriceps strength, while in the NSLBP group it was 36.6% (p < 0.05). Hip abductor strength was 77.51% of adductor strength in the control group and 86.26% in the NSLBP group (p < 0.05).
Functional knee instability during the Drop Jump Test was more prevalent among individuals with NSLBP. In the control group, 41% maintained knee stability and only 11% failed to do so. In contrast, in the NSLBP group, 38% demonstrated knee valgus mechanism during landing, and only 9% maintained stable knees (p < 0.01).
Conclusion: Subjects with NSLBP had weaker hip adductors and more frequent knee valgus during landing task. Hip abductors and hamstrings were consistently weaker relative to their antagonists in both groups. These results suggest the importance of addressing muscle imbalances and functional knee stability in the prevention and management of NSLBP. Incorporating strength training of hip abductors and adductors, along with neuromuscular control exercises, into health-enhancing physical activity programmes could reduce NSLBP risk in young adults.
Support/Funding Source: No external funding was received
The Adventure Campaign, a National Initiative to Promote Physical Activity and Healthy Lifestyles Among Finnish Families Through Early Childhood Education and Related Services
Full text linkPurpose: The Finnish Government’s “Get Moving” programme aims to ensure physically active lifestyles for all ages and is supported by the national “On the Move” programme family, which is funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The “Joy in Motion” programme, launched in 2015, aims to ensure daily exercise for every child, with about 71% of Finnish early childhood education units participating. The “Families on the Move” programme, since 2020, uses a multisectoral approach to support professionals promoting active lifestyles for families. Educational institutions’ operational culture significantly impacts physical activity, as does active family time, which strongly influences lifelong physical activity habits. Active commuting, environmental exploration, and time in nature/built environments are important for early childhood development.
Project Description: The Adventure Campaign encourages families to be physically active during everyday trips, on the way from home to early childhood education, by going out to explore the immediate surroundings of the home or even on a trip to the store. Free materials are available online (available in English), yearly updated campaign posters and adventure bingo cards for activities and task cards for organising yard events. Campaign provides tools for early childhood education units to collaborate with families in accordance with the early childhood education plan and recommendations for physical activity in the early years. The campaign is also promoted on social media.
Conclusion: In 2024, the campaign reached 43% of Finnish early childhood education units, 107 other organisations from 225 municipalities, and 100,000 families. Feedback has been collected from families who participated in the Adventure Campaign over the years. Based on the responses, the campaign has brought joy to families and encouraged them to exercise more together. Families enjoy outdoor activities together in the local nature. Feedback from early childhood educators shows that the Adventure Campaign and its materials have been received with joy and actively used in kindergartens and family daycare centres, even though the primary target group of the campaign is families. Early childhood educators felt that the campaign especially increased everyday physical activity and children’s participation in early childhood education
S04-2: Back to a Healthy Society (BASE): The Co-Creation Process and Structure of the Peer-To-Peer Change Agent Approach of BASE
Full text linkDuring COVID-19, older adults faced a higher risk of severe illness and were advised to strictly isolate, which led to increased physical inactivity and social isolation. The pandemic intensified experiences of social exclusion, contributing to both physical and psycho-social challenges. This significantly affected the quality of life of older people across Europe. Against this background, the Back to a Healthy Society initiative saw a need for developing innovative mitigation approaches to (re)connect older people to society so that they could enjoy a healthier lifestyle.
To reach this goal, we exploited a two-step activation process: We developed an innovative peer-to-peer change agent approach that engages already active older people in the development of their local communities. They were trained as Active Neighbourhood Buddies to inspire, engage, and empower their peers who are not yet active and have difficulties to (re)connect. We trained our older change agents about a holistic concept of healthy lifestyle, and we helped them to understand basic methods to trigger behavioural change and to activate their peers. In addition, we provided them with support from experienced mentors who form part of the local community ecosystem as professionals. The mentors were trained to exploit a local community of practice approach to support developing an active neighbourhood setting. They assisted the Neighbourhood Buddies in co-creating applicable healthy lifestyle initiatives and to anchor them with local community stakeholders across sectors.
For it, our capacity building approach aimed at an active and open learning environment, and it exploited a flexible but interconnected mentoring and learning systematic. It means that our mentoring was adaptable in its implementation approach and tailored towards specific context in practice and individual learning needs. This alternative design for personal capacity building provided the advantage to design change agent programmes that are highly learner-centred and reflective. It ensured to yield at relevant, innovative, and implementable solutions rooted in practice and adapted to the local context of the older persons.
As a result, our older change agents became true anchor points in the local communities. They were enabled to find creative ways to help their peers to enjoy a healthier lifestyle.
Acknowledgement: The Erasmus+ BASE project was co-funded by the European Union.
Keywords: Older adults, healthy lifestyle, healthy living, peer-to-peer, community-based social chang
S11-1: The Effectiveness of a Whole System Approach to Improve Physical Activity of Children Aged 5 to 11 Years Living in Multi-Ethnic and Socio-Economically Deprived Communities
Full text linkPurpose: Whole system approaches to public health challenges such as low physical activity levels have the potential to create sustained behaviour change at a population level and tackle health inequalities. However, there is currently little evidence of the nature or effectiveness of adopting whole system approaches. This study evaluated whether a whole system physical activity intervention (JU:MP) was effective at improving physical activity in five- to eleven-year-olds.
Methods: A before and after controlled study with two-arms (JU:MP intervention and control), was conducted in Bradford, United Kingdom with data collected at baseline and 24-months follow-up. Habitual physical activity was measured via accelerometry. The primary outcome was difference in moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) between groups at 24-months. Secondary outcomes included: sedentary time (ST), counts per minute (CPM), BMI z-score, waist circumference, social, emotional, and behavioural health, and quality-of-life. An exploratory analysis compared intervention effects between sub-groups.
Results: 1,453 children were recruited. 330 children with valid wear-time at baseline and 24-months (JU:MP group n = 175, control group n = 155) were included in the final analysis of physical activity outcomes. The JU:MP group improved levels of MVPA (+4.99 minutes/day, confidence interval (CI) = 1.01, 8.96, standardised mean difference (SMD) = 0.29), ST (–8.69 minutes/day, CI = –16.76, –0.61, SMD = –0.20), and CPM (+32.72, CI = 5.93, 59.53, SMD = 0.28) compared to controls. There were minor differences between groups in all secondary outcomes, favouring the JU:MP group. Exploratory sub-group analysis revealed that MVPA improved for boys (+7.34 minutes/day, CI = 0.70, 13.99, SMD = 0.36) and South Asian heritage children (+7.20 minutes/day, CI = 1.67, 12.72, SMD = 0.52) in the JU:MP group compared to the control group.
Conclusions: Whole system approaches hold considerable promise for addressing children’s levels of physical activity at scale, whilst also tackling inequalities.
Support/Funding Source: This study was supported by Sport England’s Local Delivery Pilot – Bradford; weblink: https://www.sportengland.org/campaigns-and-our-work/local-delivery. Sport England is a non-departmental public body under the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Keywords: Physical activity, whole system, children, inequalities, before and after tria
S12-1: An Online Tool to Stimulate Physical Activity for Older People With Dementia – Evaluation and Further Development
Full text linkPurpose: Due to an increase in life expectancy, the number of elderly people with dementia is increasing rapidly. This group largely lives at home, does not have much physical activity (PA), and therefore becomes dependent earlier and requires assistance and care for activities of daily living. In the Netherlands, there are no interventions at a national level for this group.
Earlier, an online tool was developed in collaboration with researchers, containing background information, videos, and manuals for use by formal and informal care providers. The tool has been implemented via our broad network of organisations that focus on care and support for the elderly and is widely used since implementation.
Project Description: The content and use of the tool has recently been evaluated by means of standardised interviews with professionals from healthcare, welfare, and sports, and with other national organisations that focus on people with dementia. Partly based on these conversations, the tool is being expanded so that it provides a broader picture of aspects that are important, such as more scientific evidence, tools for dealing with dementia, and examples of exercise outside the healthcare sector. The tool is now also suitable for the PA sector and for better use by local policy. The responsibility lies with the latter to enable all elderly people to live at home longer with as little support as possible.
The renewed tool is being distributed via the original network of national organisations, now expanded to include stakeholders from municipal policy and the welfare and sports sector.
Conclusion: The online tool meets the needs of stakeholders to enable people with dementia living at home to have more PA, thereby promoting physical and mental health and self-reliance.
Keywords: Dementia, physical activity, older persons, online too
S15-1: The Effects of Functional Impairments on Physical Performance in Schools for Children With Disabilities in Latvia
Full text linkEvidence-based research indicates that functional impairments significantly affect the physical performance of school-aged children with disabilities. These impairments can lead to limitations in motor skills, mobility, and participation in daily activities (Manojvolic et al., 2023). This study aimed to investigate the impact of functional impairments on physical fitness (EUROFIT) outcomes in school age children with different disabilities in Latvia. Results are based on the fitness measurement data of 241 children with disability (116 with moderate and severe intellectual disability (ID), 15 with visual impairment (VI), 18 with physical disability (PD), 22 with hearing disability (HD), average age: 14.02, standard deviation (SD) = 2.07 years) compared to 70 control group (CG) participants with average age 13.89 (SD = 1.92). Based on the results, children with ID, VI, and HD demonstrated similar scores to CG in six out of nine tests, while children with PD only in one. The lowest scores for all participants were in upper body muscular endurance test. When analysing the effect of functional impairment on physical performance, a statistically significant large effect was found in balance test (np2 = .249), upper body speed test (np2 = .192), lower body strength (np2 = .215), grip strength (np2 = .161 (R), np2 = .170 (L)) and 10 × 5 m shuttle run (np2 = .370), 20 m shuttle run (np2 = .168), all p <.001.
Conclusions: Children with PD had the lowest fitness results. The most significant differences were found in upper body speed and strength test across the four groups. However, there are several factors (e.g., gender, age, severity of functional impairment) that might affect results and will be analysed in more detail during the presentation. Compared to few studies investigating physical fitness of children with disability, participants in this study had higher scores in upper body strength and agility tests (Kalbli et al., 2021).
Support/Funding Source: “Innovations, methodologies and recommendations for the development and management of the sports sector in Latvia”, VPP-IZM-Sports-2023/1-0001
S19-4: How Does Active Mobility to the Stadium Relate to Perceived Environmental Corporate Social Responsibility? A Survey Among Fans of a Professional Football Club
Full text linkBackground: Professional sports clubs increasingly need to pay attention to, and are evaluated on, their corporate social responsibility (CSR). CSR refers to an organisation’s commitment to operate in an ethical and sustainable manner to contribute positively to society, beyond profit-making and success on the field. A crucial dimension of CSR refers to the environmental impact of the clubs’ activities. One way in which sports clubs can reduce their negative ecological effects is to motivate their fans to come to the games in a physically active way (e.g. by walking or cycling to the venue).
Methods: In preparation of the interventions to promote active mobility to the stadium, we surveyed 899 fans of OH Leuven, a professional football team in the Belgium first-division, located in a small-sized university city. The main research aim was to explore the relations between fans’ mobility behaviours and their perceived importance and evaluation of environmental CSR.
Results: The results revealed that about half of the fans reported coming to the stadium by means of active mobility: 42.3% by bike and 8.0% on foot (vs. 10.6% by public transportation, 35.8% by car, 3.3% by other means). Overall, fans agreed with the statement that it was important that their club acted in a pro-environmental way (mean (M) = 4.00, standard deviation (SD) = 0.82) on a 5-point Likert scale) and that their club was currently sufficiently acting in a pro-environmental way (M = 3.86, SD = 0.71). Interestingly, active and passive mobility fans did not differ in terms of their perceived importance of environmental CSR. However, active mobility fans were slightly less satisfied with the current environmental actions of their club.
Conclusions: The findings further indicated that the active mobility behaviour of fans was mainly determined by more pragmatic reasons (e.g. distance of home to the stadium: M = 4.73 km for the active mobility fans vs. 15.87 km for the passive mobility fans). Interestingly, more than 33% of car-using fans lived less than 10 km from the stadium (14% even 5 km or less), suggesting that interventions to promote cycling should target these fans.
 
S21-1: “I Feel Like It Was a Springboard for Certain Changes in My Life”. A Qualitative Analysis of Health Sciences Students’ Experiences of Lifestyle Medicine Education
Full text linkPurpose: Medical school and health professions education can be stressful for students, leading them to neglect their personal wellbeing and adopt unhealthy lifestyle behaviours. The RCSI Certificate in Lifestyle Medicine was developed to provide evidence-based knowledge on six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine, and outline strategies to help students adopt healthy lifestyle behaviours which they can apply to their personal and professional lives. The aim of this study was to examine students’ perceptions of their lifestyle behaviours and preparation for clinical practice following course completion.
Methods: Undergraduate and postgraduate medicine, pharmacy, physiotherapy, physician associates and research students enrolled in the online RCSI Certificate in Lifestyle Medicine between 2020 and 2022 provided survey feedback via open-ended questions on the impact of the course on their own health behaviours and professional skills, and their satisfaction with course content, delivery, and methods of assessment. Findings were analysed using reflexive inductive thematic analysis.
Results: Data from 98 student evaluations were analysed. Eighty percent of students attempted to make a lifestyle change during course completion. Four themes were identified: 1) opportunity for self-reflection on own health behaviours; 2) planning a Lifestyle Medicine approach to clinical practice; 3) facilitation of self-directed learning; and 4) recommendations for enhanced delivery of educational content. Students recognised the importance of Lifestyle Medicine in their own lives and those of their patients. It was perceived as a core component of medicine and health sciences curricula and recommended to be mandatory for health care professionals.
Conclusions: Findings indicate that Lifestyle Medicine education had a positive impact on student knowledge of lifestyle behaviours and prompted them to make healthier changes to their existing habits. Students recognised the importance of treating chronic disease using a Lifestyle Medicine approach and felt more confident in educating their future patients on strategies to enhance their personal health and wellbeing. Students identified that a more holistic approach to chronic disease management through Lifestyle Medicine education will assist them as future healthcare professionals.
Support/Funding Source: Funded via RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Keywords: Education, health behaviours, lifestyle medicin
S21-3: The Global-To-Local Development and Implementation of a Physical Activity Training Programme for Healthcare Providers
Full text linkPurpose: Few healthcare provider (HCP) training programmes provide consistent and dedicated time in their curricula for physical activity (PA) training. Thus, continuing education efforts are needed to provide current HCPs with guidance and support in promoting PA with their patients. While there are numerous PA training programmes (PATP) offered globally, many are offered in-person and there is little standardisation of this training. This presentation will describe the development of a standardised, globally-offered PA training programme (PATP) and its virtual adaptation for offer at local levels by health departments.
Methods: In 2016, leaders from around the world met to discuss standardising a PATP curricula to be offered across the Exercise is Medicine global network. These discussions led to the integration of best practices from the various trainings around six key topics into one standardised PATP. The new PATP was disseminated back to global partners for widespread use in 2018. In 2019, the PATP was adapted to an online format for use in the US, followed shortly thereafter by a similar adaptation into Spanish in Latin America.
Results: The updated 2018 PATP was adopted and implemented into practice by partners around the world, particularly in Asia (Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan), Europe (Italy, Spain) and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia). In Singapore, a textbook was developed to supplement the PATP training course, which was subsequently adopted by the Army and Singaporean medical schools. The original PATP was translated into Spanish and offered in a virtual format across Central and South America, reaching >1,500 HCPs between 2018–22. In 2019, a year-long process was taken to transfer the PATP into an online format for the Tennessee Department of Health and rolled out in 2022 as a part of a new statewide continuing education programme for HCPs.
Conclusions: Core concepts for PATPs are consistent and can be standardised for coordinated dissemination around the world, while being tailored to fit local needs. Over time, there is a natural ‘drift’ away from the standardised PATP, requiring periodic updating and ongoing collaboration.
Support/Funding Source: None.
Keywords: Continuing education, medicine, nursing, physical activity, trainin
S22-3: System Mapping to Explore Determinants of Physical Activity and Evaluate the Wales-Wide 60+ Active Leisure Scheme
Full text linkPurpose: System mapping has primarily been used to develop theories, design interventions, and understand complex systems. Its use in evaluating leisure schemes or physical activity interventions has only been demonstrated in a few cases. This study used an innovative approach to capture the lived experiences and opinions of older adults across Wales involved in the 60+ Active Leisure Scheme (ALS). As part of the project, system mapping was conducted to better understand the current system and how the 60+ ALS is situated within Wales.
Methods: Ten participatory workshops and five semi-structured interviews were held across the regional partnership areas where the 60+ ALS has been implemented. These involved a total of 82 adults aged 60 years or over, along with stakeholders. The workshops and interviews aimed to gather area-specific information on participants’ barriers and facilitators to participating in structured leisure activities, as well as their experiences of additional support from peer volunteers and service providers. Deductive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, informed by the socio-ecological model. Systems maps were developed to illustrate factors associated with participation in the 60+ ALS. Social network analysis was used to visually represent the position of the 60+ ALS in the wider context and its connectedness to other organisations that regularly signpost or refer participants to leisure activities within the scheme.
Results: System maps highlighted physical activity as the main outcome and illustrated how key motivators, barriers, and stakeholder views influence participation in active leisure through the 60+ ALS. The scheme fostered a sense of community and a supportive environment, complementing rather than duplicating existing services. However, greater efforts are needed to engage adults with mobility issues and those in deprived or rural areas.
Conclusions: Employing system mapping in the evaluation of a nationwide active leisure scheme proved to be a useful tool and helped identify new approaches to address gaps in delivery. The findings led to development of approaches to refine the delivery and connectedness of the 60+ ALS, as well as the development of strategies to enhance participation among inactive and socially disadvantaged older adults.
Support/Funding Source: Nationwide Funding Source: The 60+ Active Voices project was funded by Sport Wales.
Keywords: Systems mapping, active leisure, social network analysi