Ballet training has been reported to positively influence balance ability. It is not entirely clear how improved balance ability manifests under standing conditions with different demands on postural control. The aim of the study was to compare balance of ballet dancers and non-dancers in a unipedal stance under different conditions. Twenty-five professional ballet dancers and twenty-five controls completed four unipedal standing balance tests: firm surface with eyes open and closed; foam mat surface with eyes open; and firm surface with eyes open immediately after performing ten 360° whole-body turns. The centre of pressure (COP) data were obtained with a force platform and the direction-specific standard deviations, velocities, and sample entropy of the COP displacement were computed. A three-way analysis of variance was used to compare groups, genders, and conditions. For standing immediately after performing ten turns, the postural sway parameters were significantly larger in the control group compared to the ballet dancers in both men and women. In this stance condition the values of postural sway and COP velocities in the control group were larger in the men compared to the women. For both genders in the control group all postural sway and COP velocity parameters were larger in standing with eyes closed and standing after performing 10 turns compared to standing with eyes open on both firm and foam surface. In the ballet dancers all COP velocity parameters were larger in standing with eyes closed compared to all other conditions. The results from the present study indicate that professional ballet dancers do not have a better general balance ability than untrained subjects.

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of climbing ability and slope inclination on vertical loading both in terms the forces involved and physiological responses. Five novice and six intermediate female climbers completed a climbing route at three slope inclinations (85°, 90°, and 98°). The vertical loading during the climb was assessed by force-time integral using a Novel Pedar-X insole and physiological responses via oxygen uptake and heart rate. The novice climbers had a significantly lower (p < 0.05) vertical loading on foot holds and higher oxygen uptake and heart rate compared to intermediate climbers. A significant negative correlation was identified between the force-time integral and oxygen uptake (R = −0.72), and with heart rate (R = −0.64), respectively. The time-force integral decreased across the ascents with increasing slope inclination (p < 0.001). The results indicate that more advanced ability climbers make greater use of foot holds, with associated lowering in physiological response (oxygen uptake and heart rate) across all slope inclinations.

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This paper aimed to present a model of natural environment management in national parks in Poland in the context of increased tourist traffic. The research area comprised Polish national parks as they are characterized by barely altered nature, little human impact, and undisturbed natural phenomena. The methods involved the observational method, literature analysis and criticism, and the in-depth interview method employed in November 2019. The respondents included national park management staff. The questions were prepared in accordance with the Berlin Declaration principles of sustainable tourism development and were extended with the authors’ own items. The questionnaire contained 17 questions, grouped in four parts: science and documentation; tourism; cooperation and education; environmental threats. The results indicate that in order for actions to prove efficient in a park, a conservation plan should be carefully developed. Its correctness requires monitoring the state of the environment, tourist traffic size and trends, and tourists’ impact on the environment. An important condition for effective tourism management in parks is to increase the competences of the administering bodies and knowledge regarding individuals’ responsibilities. Boards should be able to evaluate and modify conservation plans, spatial development plans, municipality development strategies, and projects for investments within the parks.

The aim of the publication was to assess the geotourist attractiveness of protected areas in Poland among weekend tourists based on the example of Gorczański National Park. The park location near urbanized areas makes it an attractive field for research on weekend tourism development. The tourist potential of the park is presented, starting from geological aspects and geotourist values. Then, the tourist potential was analysed, with a focus on geotourist resources, which include tourist trails and didactic routes. The tourist traffic volume was also examined. On the basis of legal documents, such as nature conservation plans, threats related to tourism development in protected areas were presented as indicated by park managers. In accordance with the Act on Nature Conservation, the threats are divided into four groups: internal existing and potential threats and external existing and potential threats. The tourists’ opinion on the geotourist attractiveness of the park was investigated with surveys conducted during selected weekends significant in the context of tourist traffic volume. Thus, a profile of people visiting the park for short stays was obtained, as well as their assessment of the tourist resources of the area, with particular emphasis on geotourist values.

The aim of the study was to assess the differences in plantar pressure distribution and in posture during slow and very slow walking on the treadmill in flat and high-heeled shoes. Methods: The Pedar-X ® (Novel, Munich, Germany) measuring insoles were used to measure the plantar pressure distribution and to assess temporal parameters during walking on the treadmill with the speed v 1 = 0.97 ms-1 and v 2 = 0.56 ms-1 in flat shoes (FS) and HH. For postural measurement, the SonoSens Monitor Analyzer (Gefremed, Chemnitz, Germany) was used. Thirty healthy females who only occasionally wear HH volunteered to participate in the study (age: 21.8 ± 2.09 years, weight: 55.7 ± 4.05 kg, height: 1.66 ± 0.03 m). For statistical analysis the ANOVA, and paired t-test were used. Results: Significant differences in walking in HH were detected in temporal and plantar pressure variables, compared to FS. The walking speed influenced the temporal variables, but not the measured dynamic parameters, in either shoes. In the sagittal plane, significant differences in all sections of the spine were identified for v 1 and v 2. While walking in HH, lordosis at lumbar spine decreased significantly as well as at cervical spine, and kyphosis increased in the thoracic spine. In HH statistically significant differences between the walking speeds were observed particularly in the thoracic spine. Conclusions: Walking in high heels caused a plantar pressure changes and curvature of the spine, and the slowing of walking speed did not prevent these changes.

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Purpose. The aim of the study is to present a new method for determining the efficiency of take-off during a 60-s bosco repeated vertical jump test. Method. The study involved 15 physical education students (age: 21.5 ± 2.4 years; height: 1.81 ± 0.08 m; mass: 76 ± 9 kg). The data were collected with the use of a pedobarographical system (Pedar-x; Novel, Munich, Germany). The statistical analysis utilized a simple linear regression model. Results. Owing to possible fatigue, flight time and flight height decreased. The average flight height was 0.260 ± 0.063 m, and the average contact time equalled 0.54 ± 0.16 s. The average anaerobic power values calculated for the 60-s work period had the mean value of 21.9 ± 6.7 W · kgbW -1 ; there was a statistically significant (p < 0.05) decrease in anaerobic power during the 60-s bosco test. Conclusions. The efficiency of mechanical work was highest at the beginning of the test, reaching values of up to 50%. The efficiency of mechanical work conversion into mechanical energy seems to be an appropriate determinant of rising fatigue during the 60-s bosco jumping test.