One of the recurring themes when conducting life-interviews with women coaches is their confrontation with the fact that their physique does not correspond to the body-frame considered to be ideal in their respective sports disciplines. Since they can preserve their athletic identity only with the help of their physique, the course of their careers depends on the solution they find to this problem. The study presents this decision-making process using Luhmann's systems theory: as an environmental interaction between a neurophysiological (the body), a psychological (the identity of women coaches) and a social (sports) system. It looks upon this situation as a communication between female athletes and competitive sport as a social system, in which observation is accorded an outstanding role. Assuming the role of an observer, female athletes see the series of movements and solutions that their coach does not recognize. Instead of physical perfection, they develop the individual perfection of movement execution.
Research has shown that the popularity of extreme sports is on the rise in Hungary just as in developed countries. While we cannot question the influence of the press, it is very likely that shifts and changes in the value orientation of a society also play an important role in fostering the process. In the first stage of the present study, the value orientation of a group of Hungarian people involved in action sports is mapped where the values are arranged into a latent structure using principal component analysis. In the second stage of research, it is checked whether the examined group is a homogenous community regarding their value orientations, and researchers examine if two variables - age and gender - significantly influence the value orientations of the respondents. Our conclusion is that there is little difference between group members regarding their high preferences for community values and the low preferences for traditional values, but age and gender significantly influence respondents’ attitudes to post-materialist values and partially those to materialist values. Younger participants report higher preferences for both materialist and postmaterialist values, while females attribute higher importance to post-materialist values.
This study examined the motives for taking part in recreational exercise/sporting activities based on a sample of Turkish young people. Secondly, gender and age group differences with motivational dimensions were investigated. A total of 298 members of 6 Youth Centers voluntarily participated in this study. The Recreational Exercise Motivation Measure (REMM) was administered to all participants. Two × two MANOVA revealed significant main effect for gender (p < 0.03) and age group (p < 0.01). Univariate follow-up tests revealed that the significant main effect for gender was attributable to health subscale, and age group differences were correlated with health, body/appearance, social/enjoyment, and skill development subscales (p < 0.01). It can be concluded that health motives were more important for females than males, and motives relating to health, appearance, and social/enjoyment were more important for young adults.
Elite athletes are eager to perform to the best of their ability, regardless of different warm-up stretching techniques used before training or competition which actually help or hinder specific performance variables. The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of static or ballistic stretching on flexibility and leg power characteristics of fencing performance in fencers of both genders. Ten male and ten female international level fencers participated in this study. Each subject performed static or ballistic stretching (3 sets of 20 sec) on three muscles of the lower limbs on separate days. Flexibility, squat jump, countermovement jump, drop jump, time and power of lunge and shuttle run test were measured before and after different stretching interventions. Neither static nor ballistic stretching exercises affected flexibility, jumping ability and leg functional fencing performance tests. Moreover, stretching conditions did not affect differently. The results of this study suggest that static or ballistic stretching in the later stages of a general warm-up normally used before training or competition does not hinder specific performance in fencing. Consequently, fencers can continue performing any type of stretching before training or competition at their preference.
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of gender on the adaptive locomotion in the clearance of obstacles. Specifically, it was evaluated if there are differences in the space-temporal parameters between male and female in the clearance of and dynamic obstacles moving at both slow and fast speeds. Basic procedures. Five young male adults and five young female adults took part in this study. The task was performed in three conditions: static obstacle and dynamic obstacle - clearance perpendicular to the participant's trajectory at slow speed (1.07 m/s) and at fast speed (1.71 m/s). The trials were recorded by two digital cameras and spatial-temporal information was obtained. Main findings. The dynamic obstacle conditions required more visual inspection. The results showed different adaptive locomotion between the sexes. The distinct gait patterns were evidenced for the spatial and temporal variables and cadence in the three conditions. Conclusions. The women presented a more conservative behavior, which was evidenced by the increase of the length in the penultimate step and in the toe clearance.
Background: The aim of this article is to check whether gender inequalities occur in Polish sports organisations and what the scale of those inequalities is in comparison to international organisations. Other aims relate to verification whether there exists a policy to align these inequalities: provisions prohibiting discrimination due to gender, rules and regulations providing women with a specified number of seats in the crucial positions of the organisation and activity of women’s sports committees. Material/Methods: The study used methods characteristic of sociology, especially methods of examining official documents: on the one hand, information generated by other empirical data from official documents of the organisation; on the other hand, the content analysis of official documents of the organisation. The sample consists of six Polish and six international sports organisations. Results: The results of research showed that in Polish sports organisations fewer women work than in international organisations; there are also fewer women in committees and fewer women committees (if they have been established). The content analysis of official documents indicates that international organisations place more pressure on preventing discrimination by using appropriate provisions in the statutes, reserving places for women in committees or paying attention to the language used in documents. Conclusions: The findings revealed that Polish sports organisations do not implement the strategy to reduce the degree of discrimination due to gender. They remain blind to issues connected with gender and its influence on the functioning of women in sport and in sports organisations.
Background Atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) is the most common paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. The relatively ineffective antiarrhythmic drugs and the predominant young age makes the catheter ablation the therapy of choice in many patients. This results in predominance of this arrhythmia in electrophysiological labs. The aim of the study was to analyze the gender-related differences among patients undergoing the radiofrequency catheter ablation of slow pathway entrance to the atrioventricular node. Material and methods The study group comprised of 147 consecutive patients with diagnosed atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia, who underwent the radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of slow pathway. Patients have been divided into 2 groups, based on sex. Results The overall 97.3% of effectiveness of RFCA was observed. Women were significantly younger than men (53.7+/-17.2 vs 57.7+/-9.8 years) with lower radiation dose (2383.5+/-1993.2 vs 2891.6+/-2377.1 cGyxcm2). Conclusions Younger age of women in comparison to men during RFCA of AVNRT reflects earlier onset of symptoms in women. Gender does not affect the time of fluoroscopy, but the higher rate of inducible tachycardia after RFCA in women may suggest the existence of anatomical difficulties or the operator’s apprehensions. Sex-related difference in radiation dose that we have observed may result from the greater volume of the men’s chest
The purpose of this study was to examine the physical activity levels of the young adults in Turkey, selected as an example of an economically developing country.A total of 1027 university students voluntarily participated in this study. The sport and household activity indexes of the Physical Activity Assessment Questionnaire (PAAQ) were administered to the subjects.Student t-test showed gender differences in the intensity of the sport activities index (p<0.001). The results of 2 (gender) × 2 (intensity of sport activities) univariate ANOVA revealed significant gender, intensity differences and significant gender × intensity interaction on participation duration in the sports activities. This finding showed that males spent more time in both vigorous and non-vigorous sport activities than females. In terms of the type of engagement in sport activity, the majority of males primarily played soccer, while females had primarily walked. The Student t test revealed gender differences in both the duration of housework and sitting in the house.To conclude, males participated in sport activities with a higher intensity and spent more time on these activities than females. On the other hand, females spent much more time on housework activities and sitting in the house than males.
The study was projected in order to identify to what extend sex and sex-role orientation are connected with the readiness for aggression. Three different mechanisms of aggression were considered: emotional-impulsive (EIR), habitual-cognitive (H-CR) and personality-immanent (P-IR). According to gender schema theory people can internalize various gender depending on the extent to which they perceive themselves as possessing stereotypically underline masculine and feminine traits. The data from 464 respondents were collected. Patterns of readiness for aggression were measured by the Readiness for Interpersonal Aggression Inventory whereas the Psychological Gender Inventory was applied to asses gender identity. The results show that the masculine compared with the feminine individuals manifested higher level of H-CR and P-IR while the reversed pattern was observed in case of E-IR. These results reflect sex differences: E-IR higher among females and H-CR and P-IR higher in males.
Background: To effectively realise professional tasks, physical education (PE) teachers, physiotherapists and personal trainers should be convinced as to the fact that health depends on their behaviour and actions. The aim of the research was to investigate possible differences in health locus of control (HLC) between faculties, gender and type of physical activity. Material/Methods: The subjects were 241 undergraduates (111 female and 130 male ones) from the faculty of physical education (n = 96), tourism and recreation (n = 74) and physiotherapy (n = 71), who practiced sports (n = 101) or were involved in recreational physical activity (n = 140). The Polish version of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (MHLC; Wallston & DeVellis) was applied. Data on physical activity and academic status were collected with a survey prepared by the authors. Results: Results show that Polish undergraduates presented a moderate level of a belief in personal control over their health. MHLC scores were only slightly dependent on students’ gender, faculty and type of physical activity. Conclusions: Comparisons with earlier research data show that greater differences in HLC appear among undergraduates of the same faculties but from different universities than among students from various faculties within one university.
Background: Atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) is the most common paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. The relatively ineffective antiarrhythmic drugs and the predominant young age makes the catheter ablation the therapy of choice in many patients. This results in predominance of this arrhythmia in electrophysiological labs. The aim of the study was to analyze the gender-related differences among patients undergoing the radiofrequency catheter ablation of slow pathway entrance to the atrioventricular node. Material and methods: The study group comprised of 147 consecutive patients with diagnosed atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia, who underwent the radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of slow pathway. Patients have been divided into 2 groups, based on sex. Results: The overall 97.3% of effectiveness of RFCA was observed. Women were significantly younger than men (53.7+/-17.2 vs 57.7+/-9.8 years) with lower radiation dose (2383.5+/-1993.2 vs 2891.6+/-2377.1 cGyxcm2). Conclusions: Younger age of women in comparison to men during RFCA of AVNRT reflects earlier onset of symptoms in women. Gender does not affect the time of fluoroscopy, but the higher rate of inducible tachycardia after RFCA in women may suggest the existence of anatomical difficulties or the operator’s apprehensions. Sex-related difference in radiation dose that we have observed may result from the greater volume of the men’s chest.
The current investigation was conducted to determine whether sex differences in skeletal accelerations and shock attenuation were evident during running. Twelve male and twelve female recreational runners ran at 4.0 m.s-1. Axial accelerations were measured at 1,000 Hz using accelerometers mounted at the tibia and sacrum. Peak tibial and sacrum axial accelerations were obtained and utilized to calculate the extent of shock attenuation. The results showed that peak sacrum accelerations were significantly larger in female runners (5.16 ±0.64 g) compared to males (4.37 ±0.75 g). It was also shown that shock attenuation (31.90 ±19.85%) was significantly lower in female runners in relation to males (47.89 ±11.46%). The findings from the current investigation indicate that female runners experience greater skeletal accelerations which may place greater stress on the musculoskeletal structures required attenuate transients forces which can be detrimental to passive tissues.
Recreational running is an activity with multiple reported health benefits for both sexes, however, chronic injuries caused by excessive and/or repetitive loading of the Achilles tendon are common. Males have been identified as being at an increased risk of suffering an injury to the Achilles tendon and as such, knowledge of differences in loading between the sexes may provide further information to better understand why this is the case. The aim of the current investigation was to determine whether gender differences in the Achilles tendon load exist in recreational runners. Fifteen male (age 26.74 ± 5.52 years, body height 1.80 ± 0.11 m and body mass 74.22 ± 7.27 kg) and fifteen female (age 25.13 ± 6.39 years, body height 1.68 ± 0.12 m and body mass 67.12 ± 9.11 kg) recreational runners volunteered to take part in the current investigation. Participants completed 10 trials running at 4.0 m·s-1 ±5% striking a force platform (1000 Hz) with their right foot. Ankle joint kinematics were synchronously recorded (250 Hz) using an optoelectric motion capture system. Ankle joint kinetics were computed using Newton-Euler inverse-dynamics. Net external ankle joint moments were then calculated. To estimate Achilles tendon kinetics the plantarflexion moment calculated was divided by an estimated Achilles tendon moment arm of 0.05 m. Differences in Achilles tendon kinetics were examined using independent sample t-tests (p<0.05). The results indicate that males were associated with significantly (p<0.05) greater Achilles tendon loads than females. The findings from this study support the notion that male recreational runners may be at greater risk of Achilles tendon pathology.
Społecznie konstruowane ciało jest w polskiej socjologii nadal zagadnieniem postrzeganym jako peryferyjne w stosunku do głównych obszarów socjologii - szczególnie jeśli jest analizowane z uwzględnieniem takiej zmiennej, jak płeć oraz ujmowane w kontekście teorii gender. Artykuł jest próbą ponownego przemyślenia istniejących kategorii takich, jak: ciało, płeć, praktyki cielesne, przede wszystkim w kontekście myśli konstruktywistycznej oraz feministycznej. Jest również próbą podważenia potocznego rozumienia tychże kategorii, które wywodzą się z dyskursu medialnego i medycznego. Społeczno-kulturowe analizy praktyk cielesnych (oraz problemów takich, jak: reżim szczupłości i dyscyplinowania ciała), w których osadzony jest ten referat, kwestionują ustalone znaczenia i symbolikę kobiecego ciała, kobiecości i ról związanych z płcią społeczno-kulturową. Tak ukierunkowane badania starają się naświetlić paradoksy współczesnych norm kulturowych, które produkują i reprodukują standardy, w jakie powinny wpisywać się męskie i kobiece ciała. Takie paradoksy zwane są, przez liczne badaczki tej problematyki, jak: Hilde Bruch, Susan Bordo, Jowitę Wycisk, "pułapką podwójnego wiązania".
EN
Socially constructed body is still in polish socjology precieved as an issue peripheral to the central concerns of socjology - especially when cobmined with gender and analised from the feminist standpoitn. The article is an effort to rethink existing categories such as body, sex, gender, bodily practices - described form a constructionist and feminists perspective; and also an effort do undermine common sense of those categories derived from media and medical discurses. Socio-cultural analysis of bodily practices (specifically: slenderness regime and the discipline of the body), in which this paper is embeded, question fixed meaning of female bodie, femininity and gender roles and try to bring to light the paradoxes of modern cultural norms which produce and reproduce the standards of male and female bodies - paradoxes named by feminist rechearches such as Hilde Bruch, Susan Bordo, Jowita Wycisk ‘the trap of double bind’.
The purpose of this paper was to assess the evolution of sports coverage regarding gender in online newspapers in two western societies Spain and the United States, in a period of ten years (2004 vs. 2014). A total of 2,951 articles with athletic content from the online newspapers usatoday.com and elmundo.es were analyzed. The variables registered were gender, placement in the newspaper, word count, inclusion of photographs, and the sports disciplines. The results show a significant reduction in sports articles in the two online newspapers for both genders. This reduction resulted in a decrease in the variability of sports articles. Further, there was a significant imbalance in sports news between the two genders. There was a significant reduction in the proportion of sports articles in both online newspapers for women, significantly reducing the accessibility of articles about women’s sports. The gender imbalance was higher in the Spanish newspaper than in the U.S. newspaper. The gender imbalance was higher in the Spanish newspaper than in the U.S. newspaper. Both online newspapers showed an image of sport that is male-orientated, focused on elite-level sport and with an overall low number of sport disciplines.
The present study has been conducted to investigate the visuospatial constructive cognition and memory among healthy students, as measured by the Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT). We have compared the data used to draw the figures with the hypothesis that gender and physiological measurements have an impact on neuropsychological skills. One hundred twenty-five students (43 male, 82 female; age 18–32 years) participated in this study with a computerized numerical recording of the digital plot of the RCFT and a set of socio-demographic variables. Results revealed that visual perception and working memory were impacted by social and health determinants. Additionally, this study presents evidence supporting the implication of resting heart rate (RHR) and organizational strategy in working memory performance. Gender effect seems to be significant in physical and physiological differences. Regression analyses revealed a relevant contribution of study institution and sleep time on RCFT Copy score; RCFT Memory predicted by drawing from memory strategy, RHR, periodic medication use and marital status.
Historically the notion about the understanding of women has been patriarchal in nature. The postmodern world has an inclination to redefine social mores. The prevailing thought in the 20th and 21st centuries supports the same thesis. The transformation of attitudes appears to be a regular phenomenon in the understanding of the issue at hand, thereby enlivening the motif of unity between the two. Gender, transgender, sexuality, etc., are in a state of transformation, so that to interpret and reinterpret a state of understanding and re-understanding of the issue of participation in sports has multiple significations. Sport in the 21st century constructs inimitable challenges for trans-athletes. A broad spectrum of identities is included under the umbrella of transgender identity. Transsexual or transitioned athletes may pose the greatest challenge to equity in sex-segregated sport competition. The subject under deliberation has a large number of interpretations, all of which center on a need to ‘deconstruct’ the present structuration of acceptance of sex and gender terminology. There is certainly a need to think and contemplate in broader terms about the meanings that assess the well-defined boundaries between disciplines of research. The present thesis highlights a deconstructive stance.
The aim of this study was to compute and validate trunk transverse surface area (TTSA) estimation equations to be used assessing the swimmer's drag force according to competitive level by gender. One group of 130 swimmers (54 females and 76 males) was used to compute the TTSA estimation equations and another group of 132 swimmers (56 females and 76 males) were used for its validations. Swimmers were photographed in the transverse plane from above, on land, in the upright and hydrodynamic position. The TTSA was measured from the swimmer's photo with specific software. It was also measured the height, body mass, biacromial diameter, chest sagital diameter (CSD) and the chest perimeter (CP). With the first group of swimmers it was computed the TTSA estimation equations based on stepwise multiple regression models from the selected anthropometrical variables. The TTSA prediction equations were significant and with a prediction level qualitatively considered as moderate. All equations included only the CP and the CSD in the final models. In all prediction models there were no significant differences between assessed and estimated mean TTSA. Coefficients of determination for the linear regression models between assessed and estimated TTSA were moderate and significant. More than 80% of the plots were within the 95% interval confidence for the Bland-Altman analysis in both genders. So, TTSA estimation equations that are easy to be computed by coached and researchers were developed. All equations accomplished the validation criteria adopted.
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