Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Amaçları

  • MakaleAçık Erişim2026
    Neuromuscular and Kinetic Adaptations to Symmetric and Asymmetric Load Carriage During Walking in Individuals with Chronic Low Back Pain

    Tajik, Raheleh; Dhahbi, Wissem; Mimar, Raghad; Khaleghi Tazji, Mehdi; Ceylan, Halil İbrahim; Bayrakdaroğlu, Serdar; Stefanica, Valentina; Hammami, Nadhir

    Aim: This study examined how load size and symmetry affect trunk muscle activation patterns, vertical ground reaction forces, and estimated lumbar spine compression during overground walking in individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP) and those without symptoms. Methods: Thirty male participants (15 with CLBP, 15 controls; ages 23–28 years) performed walking tests under four load conditions: symmetric and asymmetric carriage at 10% and 20% of body weight. Bilateral surface electromyography measured activation from seven trunk muscles (rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, latissimus dorsi, lumbar erector spinae, multifidus) and the thoracolumbar fascia region, normalized to maximum voluntary isometric contractions (%MVIC). Force plates recorded vertical ground reaction forces synchronized with heel-strike events. A repeated-measures ANOVA with Bonferroni corrections was used to analyze the effects of load configuration and magnitude. Results: Asymmetric loading at 20% body weight caused significantly higher peak vertical ground reaction forces compared to symmetric loading (mean difference = 47.3 N, p < 0.001), with a significant interaction between load magnitude and configuration (p = 0.004, ηp2 = 0.26). Participants with CLBP showed consistently higher trunk muscle activation throughout the gait cycle (peak: 37% MVIC vs. 30% MVIC in controls; p < 0.001, d = 1.68), with maximum recruitment at shorter muscle lengths and 24% less activation at optimal length (95% CI: 18.2–29.8%). The lumbar erector spinae and multifidus muscles exhibited the highest activation during asymmetric 20% loading in CLBP participants (0.282 and 0.263%MVIC, respectively), indicating compensatory neuromuscular strategies. Conclusion: Asymmetric load carriage creates disproportionately high mechanical and neuromuscular demands, effects that are greatly amplified in individuals with CLBP. These findings support rehabilitation strategies that improve load distribution and restore motor control, thereby reducing compensatory strain and enhancing trunk stability.

    • SDG 3 · Sağlık ve Kaliteli Yaşam
  • MakaleAçık Erişim2026
    YOLOv8 computer vision for automated offside detection in professional football validated through supervised learning

    Abdel-Fattah, Abdul-Rahman; Belhaouari, Samir Brahim; Ceylan, Halil Ibrahim; Bayrakdaroglu, Serdar; Muntean, Raul Ioan; Dhahbi, Wissem; Dergaa, Ismail; Omri, Abdelfatteh El

    Offside calls are integral to maintaining fairness and competitive integrity in football, yet current officiating processes are constrained by limitations in accuracy despite technological advancements. This investigation developed and validated an automated offside detection system using YOLOv8 object detection architecture to address documented limitations of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) systems in offside decision accuracy. Supervised learning validation employed 400 annotated instances from professional match footage. The YOLOv8 medium variant was configured for four-class detection, with a focus on extreme player positions, reducing computational complexity by approximately 70% relative to comprehensive player tracking while accepting accuracy trade-offs in marginal scenarios. The system was optimized for computational efficiency through highly accurate tracking of player positions. Data were partitioned into 40% (n = 160) for training and 60% (n = 240) for testing, with 5-fold cross-validation. The automated system achieved robust performance metrics across 240 test instances: overall accuracy of 83.0%, precision of 85.0%, recall of 87.0%, and F1-score of 86.0%. Confusion matrix analysis revealed true positives (n = 130), true negatives (n = 70), false positives (n = 22), and false negatives (n = 18). Individual case analysis demonstrated 80% agreement with ground truth classifications. System performance significantly exceeded the random classification baseline (p < 0.001). The strategic extreme player tracking approach achieved substantial computational efficiency while maintaining decision accuracy across diverse match scenarios. A YOLOv8-based offside detection system demonstrates proof-of-concept feasibility for decision-support applications in football officiating. Performance (83% accuracy, 95% CI: 79-87%) on 240 test instances remains below professional benchmarks (> 93%), with single-camera constraints and limited dataset size restricting generalizability to proof-of-concept validation rather than operational deployment.

  • MakaleAçık Erişim2026
    Multi-joint isokinetic strength profiling as a predictor of vertical jump performance in elite freestyle wrestlers A cross-sectional principal component analysis

    Sever, Ozan; Ceylan, Halil Ibrahim; Dhahbi, Wissem; Yilmaz, Hasan Huseyin; Özdemir, Kubra; Yazici, Ahmet Gokhan; Jalalov, Ferhad; Günay, Ahmet Rahmi; Bayrakdaroglu, Serdar; Stefanica, Valentina

    Wrestling requires coordinated lower-limb strength for explosive techniques. While isokinetic testing isolates joint-specific strength and countermovement jumps assess functional power, comprehensive multi-joint assessments with advanced factor analysis remain unexplored in elite wrestlers. Twenty-one national-level male freestyle wrestlers (22.3 +/- 2.8 years; 76.2 +/- 14.7 kg) completed cross-sectional neuromuscular assessments. Isokinetic concentric strength testing at 60 degrees/s evaluated hip, knee, and ankle joint functions bilaterally using an Isomed 2000 dynamometer. Vertical jump power was assessed through countermovement jumps under bilateral and unilateral conditions using the Optojump system. All strength and power variables were normalized to fat-free mass determined via air displacement plethysmography. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlations with Benjamini-Hochberg correction, stepwise multiple regression, and principal component analysis. Bilateral jump performance correlated strongly with knee extension (R = 0.798, P <.001) and hip extension strength (R = 0.664, P =.001), with combined predictors explaining 68.8% of variance (F-2,F-18 = 19.8, P <.001). Principal component analysis identified a primary extensor factor (hip and knee extension, 52.6% variance) and an auxiliary factor (ankle plantar flexion and hip adduction, 19.0% variance). Unilateral jump models demonstrated lower explanatory power (dominant: 39.8%, non-dominant: 25.7%). Multi-joint isokinetic strength assessment, particularly hip and knee extension capacity, provides a robust prediction of vertical jump performance in elite wrestlers. The identified primary extensor strength factor represents a fundamental neuromuscular capacity underlying explosive lower-limb function, supporting targeted strength development strategies for wrestling-specific performance enhancement.

    • SDG 3 · Sağlık ve Kaliteli Yaşam
  • MakaleAçık Erişim2025
    Casein Supplementation Timing and Exercise Performance in Soccer Players: Pre-Sleep vs. Post-Exercise Intake—A Randomized Controlled Trial

    Bayrakdaroğlu, Serdar; Ateş, Zeynep Hazal; Ceylan, Halil İbrahim; Kul, Murat; Muntean, Raul Ioan; Dhahbi, Wissem

    Background: Nutrient timing strategies may influence recovery and performance in athletes; however, the effects of ingesting casein protein before sleep versus immediately after exercise remain unclear. This study compared the acute effects of pre-sleep and post-exercise ingestion of casein on high-intensity anaerobic performance in highly trained soccer players. Methods: Twenty-four highly trained male soccer players (mean age: 20.6 ± 1.8 years) were randomly assigned to three groups: post-exercise casein ingestion group (PECIG; n = 8), pre-sleep casein ingestion group (PSCIG; n = 8), and control group (CG; n = 8). Following a standardized high-intensity resistance training protocol, participants consumed 30 g of micellar casein dissolved in 300 mL of water either immediately after exercise or 30–60 min before bedtime. Performance was assessed using the Countermovement Jump (CMJ), the Illinois Agility Test (IAT), and the Running-based Anaerobic Sprint Test (RAST), which were conducted both before and 24 h after the training session. Results: Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed significant group-by-time effects for CMJ (F = 8.21, p = 0.002, η2p = 0.36) and RAST performance variables, including peak power (F = 6.94, p = 0.003, η2p = 0.32), mean power (F = 7.42, p = 0.002, η2p = 0.34), and fatigue index (F = 5.87, p = 0.008, η2p = 0.28). Post hoc analyses showed that PSCIG significantly improved CMJ (Δ = +1.45 cm; p < 0.001, d = 2.04) and RAST mean power (Δ = +125.14 W; p = 0.002, d = 1.55) compared with the control condition. PECIG significantly enhanced RAST peak power (Δ = +205.79 W; p = 0.001, d = 1.64), mean power (Δ = +128.43 W; p = 0.013, d = 1.24), and fatigue index (Δ = +4.12 W/s; p = 0.010, d = 1.29) relative to CG. No performance differences were observed between PSCIG and PECIG timing conditions (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Both pre-sleep and post-exercise casein ingestion enhanced anaerobic performance in highly trained soccer players, with each timing method favoring different performance outcomes. However, neither strategy demonstrated superiority over the other, suggesting that casein timing may be flexibly applied according to athletes’ preferences and training contexts.

    • SDG 3 · Sağlık ve Kaliteli Yaşam