The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to examine dynamic balance changes (reach distance) in middle-aged adults using the Y Balance Test (YBT) following 8 weeks of home-based exercise program adapted from the Otago Exercise Program (OEP). Fifty-two healthy middle-aged adults with mean age of 54.4±5.4 years and body mass index of 27.7±5.7 kg/m² were randomly assigned into either the exercise group (a modification of the Otago Exercise Program, that consisted of home-based balance and strength exercises) or the non-exercise group (continuation of usual lifestyle) by having the participants select a paper from a sealed envelope. The YBT was used to measure participants’ dynamic balance in the right and left anterior (RA, LA), posteromedial (RPM, LPM), and posterolateral (RPL, LPL) directions. The outcome in this trial was reach distance (cm). There was a significant group by time interaction in terms of reach distance for all directions (p<0.05, η² ranged from 0.06 to 0.20). In the exercise group, results of the repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant improvements in the reach distance in all the directions (p<0.001). In contrast, the non-exercise group had significant difference only in the left posterolateral direction (p = 0.009). Participants in the exercise group achieved significantly greater reach distance (cm) (95% confidence interval (CI)) for RA[(2.8, 0.4 to 5.2), p = 0.023]; LA[(3.2, 0.9 to 5.6), p = 0.008]; RPM[(4.0, 1.0 to 7.9), p = 0.046]; LPM[(5.8,1.3 to 10.3), p = 0.013]; RPL[(7.6, 2.6 to 12.6), p = 0.003]; and LPL[(4.2, 0.3 to 8.2), p = 0.035]. The modified version of OEP appears to be effective in improving parameters of dynamic balance in the middle-aged adult population. The improvements in YBT reach distance in the exercise group are indicative of the significance of performing balance and strength exercises regularly for this population.

This research aims to investigate the learning experiences and anxiety levels of students attending the College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (CHRS) at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (PNU), Saudi Arabia, during the sudden shift to virtual learning in response to COVID-19. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among CHRS students ( N = 254). Data was collected using an online questionnaire. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to investigate the relationships between student perceptions of responsibility and independence in their learning during emergency remote teaching (ERT), the impact of ERT on learning goal achievement, and student anxiety levels. Results showed that 66.5% of participants scored moderate in their perceptions of independence and responsibility in their learning experiences. In addition, 54.3% of the students achieved their learning goals. Moreover, 20.9% of students reported that they had not experienced anxiety, while 24.4% had experienced severe anxiety. There was a significant negative correlation between student anxiety levels during ERT and their perceptions of responsibility and independence in learning ( r = -0.30, p < 0.001). In conclusion, student anxiety levels during the sudden shift to ERT moderately influenced student perceptions of independence and responsibility in their learning as well as learning goal achievement. Further studies are needed to explore the types of assistance to provide to students to improve the learning process during the current COVID-19 pandemic and similar circumstances where ERT is imposed. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.8.17

Background and Objectives: Physical activity is essential for adolescents to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of an 8-week exercise program and motivation on physical activity levels, self-motivation, and mental well-being of adolescents in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the impact of virtual coaching on physical, emotional, and mental health after an eight-week exercise program was examined. Materials and Methods: Twenty-seven participants, 18 females (67%) and 9 males (33%), with a mean age of 14 ± 2.38 years, were enrolled in eight weeks of pre- and post-intervention between June and August of 2021. The physical activity scale, situational motivation scale, mental health continuum short form, and baseline assessments were completed before and after the eight-week program. The program recommended that adolescents practice aerobic, resistance, and weight-bearing exercises for 60 min daily. Paired mean t-tests were used to compare pre-and post-test results. Results: Participants showed an acceptable physical activity level (5.5 ± 1.4) on a 10-point scale with a significant improvement after the eight-week program (7 ± 1.5; p = 0.013). The situational motivation scale improved from 38.1 ± 16 to 26 ± 19.6 (p = 0.042). The mental health continuum (social and psychological well-being) also significantly improved. Participants who received weekly phone calls showed similar improvement patterns but were not significantly different from those who did not receive calls. Conclusions: A virtually delivered 8-week exercise program for adolescents improved their physical, motivational, and mental health. Providing additional weekly phone calls does not provide additional improvement. Providing adolescents with the needed supervision and motivation enhances their physical activity and mental health.

This is a cross-sectional study which assessed the readiness to shift to e-learning in correlation with perceived effectiveness and satisfaction following the sudden shift caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among students and instructors. The study compared perspectives between instructors (n = 47) and students (n = 254) at the College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (CHRS) at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (PNU; Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). Data were collected using an online questionnaire using convenient sampling method. The results showed a high level of readiness to shift to e-learning among instructors and students, as well as a positive correlation between perceived effectiveness and satisfaction. However, instructors showed a higher satisfaction level and perceived this shift to be effective more than students. This experience offers a reasonable foundation for any future plans to implement e-learning in health professions education and maximise its benefits without compromising the practical and clinical training provided via face-to-face learning. Further studies are needed to explore e-learning experiences a year after this shift, when educational institutions are expected to have clearer plans and have better prepared for e-learning. In addition, effect of e-learning shift on clinical training outcomes for different health professions is also recommended.

BACKGROUND: Poststroke fatigue affects half of global patients with stroke, causing early exhaustion, weariness, and dependence. Physiotherapy interventions like exercise and aerobic training are recommended to alleviate symptoms, but their effectiveness is not well supported. This review evaluates physiotherapy’s effectiveness in treating poststroke fatigue in adults. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review using a comprehensive search across multiple databases, including ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, PEDro, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and WHO ICTRP. We searched for English-language articles using various keywords, without any restrictions on date, document type, or publication status, and included only randomized controlled trials. After removing duplicates through EndNote X7, 2 independent reviewers screened and reviewed the remaining articles. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool was applied to assess the quality of included studies. RESULTS: A total of 712 articles were reviewed, and after removing duplicates, 450 articles were left, then only 34 articles passed the title screening and 29 were excluded due to various reasons. Therefore, only 4 randomized controlled trials were found relevant after screening out 416 irrelevant ones. The average percentage of participants across all 4 randomized controlled trials was 44.65% men and 55.35% women, with an average age of 59.1 years. The review assessed a range of physiotherapy treatments, such as caregiver-mediated exercise with e-health support, graded activity training with cognitive therapy, and circuit training exercises. Graded activity training with cognitive therapy approach has effectively reduced poststroke fatigue ( P <0.001) and improved endurance levels (η _p ² =0.20; P <0.001). On the contrary, circuit training is not effective. Caregiver-mediated exercises and e-health supported exercises have been shown to impact functional recovery positively. CONCLUSIONS: Among all the studies evaluated, only 1 intervention, the graded activity training with cognitive therapy, significantly reduced fatigue after stroke. However, more research is needed to study the effect of physiotherapy interventions. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ ; Unique identifier: CRD42017075196.