Research in preschool children that investigates the impact of different exercise interventions on physical fitness is limited. This pre–post study was aimed at determining if participation in a nine-month structured multisport program (MSG; n = 38) could enhance physical fitness components compared to a formal exercise program (control group (CG); n = 36) among preschool children. Physical fitness was assessed using standardized tests (the standing long jump, sit and reach, 20 m sprint, sit-ups for 30 s, bent-arm hang, medicine ball throw (MBT), grip strength, 4 × 10 m shuttle run, and 20 m shuttle run tests). The structured multisport program involved fundamental/gross and fine motor skills and ball game-based exercises twice a week. The control group was free of any programmed exercise except for the obligatory program in kindergartens. A mixed ANOVA demonstrated significant group-by-time interaction effects for the 4 × 10 m shuttle run, standing long jump, sit-ups, bent-arm hang, grip strength, and sit and reach tests (p < 0.05). There was no significant group-by-time interaction effect for the 20 m sprint test (p = 0.794) or for the 20 m shuttle run test (p = 0.549). Moreover, the MSG and CG performance in the MBT and 20 m shuttle run tests improved to a similar extent from pre- to post-test. Our results indicate that compared to the formal plan, the structured multisport program led to a sustained improvement in physical fitness in healthy 5-to-6-year old children.

(1) Background: The main aim of this study was to examine the effect of an intervention of 12 weeks in three groups on anthropometric measurement and heart rate (HR) variables, fitness index, and maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂max) in older women. (2) Methods: In total, 166 Serbian adult women, aged 50 to 69 years old, participated in this study, comprising a control group (60 participants, μ_age = 57.8 + 6.6), Nordic-walking (NW) group (53 participants, μ_age = 57.5 + 6.8), and recreational-walking (RW) group (53 participants, μ_age = 57.8 + 6.6) in a physical fitness programme for 12 weeks. (3) Results: Anthropometric measurement variables were measured using a stadiometer and an electronic scale. The data showed differences in walking heart rate (bt/min) (p < 0.001; η² = 0.088) between control, NW, and RW groups in the pretest analysis. Moreover, there were significant differences in walking heart rate (bt/min) (η² = 0.155), heart rate at the end of the test (bt/min) (η² = 0.093), total time of fitness index test (min) (η² = 0.097), fitness index (η² = 0.130), and VO₂max (η² = 0.111) (all, p < 0.001) between control, NW, and RW groups in the posttest analysis. (4) Conclusions: NW group training resulted in slightly greater benefits than RW group training. The present study demonstrated that both groups could act as modalities to improve the functionality and quality of life of people during the ageing process, reflected mainly in HR variables; UKK test measurements, and VO₂max. It also contributes to the extant research on older women during exercise and opens interesting avenues for future research.

The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the validity and accuracy of wearable technologies used for monitoring physiological metrics in team-sport athletes. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus databases, with additional studies identified through supplementary searching. Studies published between 2015 and 2025 were included if they assessed wearable devices in team-sport populations and compared their measurements with gold-standard methods. A total of eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings indicate that heart rate monitoring demonstrates consistently high validity across different wearable devices, particularly in controlled laboratory conditions. In contrast, energy expenditure estimation shows substantial variability and systematic underestimation, especially during high-intensity and intermittent activities typical of team sports. VO₂max estimation presents mixed validity depending on device type and testing protocol, while respiratory frequency measurement demonstrates high agreement with gold-standard methods when assessed using specialized devices. Overall, wearable technologies provide valuable insights into athlete monitoring; however, their accuracy varies considerably depending on the physiological parameter and testing environment. These findings highlight the need for improved validation protocols and caution in the application of wearable-derived data in high-performance team-sport settings.

Background: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is associated with impaired trunk muscle function and reduced spinal stability. Core-related exercise interventions are widely used in the rehabilitation of individuals with CLBP, but their effects across different clinical outcomes remain to be synthesized. Objective: This systematic review aimed to synthesize the evidence on the effects of core-related exercise interventions on pain, functional disability, physical function, core/trunk strength or stability, and quality of life in adults with chronic non-specific low back pain. Methods: The review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A systematic search of Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus identified randomized controlled trials published between 2016 and 2026. Eligible studies included adults with chronic non-specific low back pain. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 (RoB 2) tool, and findings were synthesized narratively due to substantial clinical and methodological heterogeneity. Results: Twenty-two randomized controlled trials involving 1151 participants were included. Core-related interventions, including stabilization and motor control exercises, were generally associated with reductions in pain intensity and disability and improvements in physical function. Additional benefits were reported for lumbar stability, postural control, and activation of deep trunk muscles, particularly the transversus abdominis and multifidus. Improvements in quality of life and selected psychosocial outcomes were also reported. Comparative findings were mixed, with no intervention demonstrating consistent superiority. Conclusion: Core-related exercise interventions appear to improve pain and functional outcomes in adults with chronic non-specific low back pain. However, substantial heterogeneity across interventions, outcome measures, and study protocols limits direct comparisons between specific exercise approaches.

Introduction. One of the risk factors for the occurrence of arteriosclerosis and coronary heart diseases is physical inactivity. Together with hypokinesia, excessive feeding, age and other factors, make a multifactorial cause of cardiovascular disease. Positive effects of physical activities have been proved in the primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of coronary heart diseases. Material and Methods. This study included 119 women from 20 to 76 years of age. All subjects were nonsmokers who did not have a cardiovascular disease, and were divided into five different age groups. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was measured by the digital blood pressure measuring device with cuff OMRON M4-1. The evaluation of blood pressure was performed at the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education in Novi Sad. The data processing was done by the statistical package SPSS 20.0. Results. According to the obtained data it can be concluded that there are statistically significant differences in both individual and general system of the observed variables in different age groups. In addition, there are statistically significant differences between pairs of groups, which were observed when comparing with the oldest age group. Conclusion. The programmes of prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases should decrease the influence of risk factors and improve diagnostics and therapy of cardiovascular diseases.