Background: The purpose of the present study was to compare the influence of an acute bout of high-intensity functional training (HIFT) with an acute bout of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) on measures of cognitive function. Methods: Sixty-nine young adults (Mean ± SD: age = 21.01 ± 2.79 yrs; body mass = 69.65 ± 6.62 kg; height = 1.74 ± 0.05 m; Body Mass Index = 22.8 ± 1.41) gave informed consent and were randomly divided into three groups. The HIFT group, with 27 participants, performed a high-intensity (>85% Max. HR) circuit of functional exercises for 30 min. The MICT group, with 28 participants, performed moderate-intensity (70–80% Max. HR) continuous training on a cyclo-ergometer. The control group did not perform any activity. The Stroop Test, Word Recall and N-Back Test were completed to assess during the familiarization period, immediately before and immediately after the training’s bouts. Results: The repeated measures ANOVA did not show significant mean differences for any group. However, the T-Test for the paired samples demonstrated very significant differences in the Stroop Test, in terms of fastest response time (FRT; mean difference (MD) = −1.14, p < 0.01, d = 0.9), mean response time (MRT; MD = −2.16, p < 0.01, d = 0.66) and the number of correct answers (NCA; MD = 1.08, p < 0.05, d = 0.5) in the HIFT group and in the MICT group (FRT; MD = −1.79, p < 0.01, d = 0.9), (MRT; MD = −3.07, p < 0.01, d = 0.9) (NCA; MD = 1.54, p < 0.05, d = 0.5). Conclusions: There were no differences in the control group. HIFT and MICT may elicit specific influences on cognitive function, mainly in executive function and selective attention.

(1) Background: Fear of falling has become a significant health problem in older adults and is already considered as important as falling because of its long-term detrimental effects on older adults’ physical and psychosocial functioning. The aim of this study was to analyze the associations between both upper and lower limb strength, gait parameters and cognitive impairment with fear of falling in older adults. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 115 older-adult participants was used to assess the impact of both upper (Handgrip dynamometer, TKK 5401 Grip-D, Takey, Tokyo, Japan) and lower limb strength (Chair stand test), gait parameters (OptoGait-System Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy) and cognitive impairment (COWAT word association test) with fear of falling in older adults (Falls Efficacy Scale-International FES-I). (3) Results: Multivariate linear regression analysis showed several independent associations with the fear of falling. A higher time to perform the Chair Stand test was associated with higher scores in FES-I (R² = 0.231), while a lower score in both Semantic Fluency (S COWA) and Phonologic Fluency (P COWA) was associated with a decreased score in FES-I (R² = 0.052 and 0.035). (4) Conclusions: Both higher step and stride length (OptoGait), lower body strength (Chair test) and both poorer semantic (S COWA) and phonologic (P COWA) fluency were all associated with fear of falling.

Background: The health issues presented by the aging population can result in reduced muscle mass, poorer physical function, and cognitive impairment. The goal of this study was to determine how nutritional status and physical fitness relate to cognitive impairment in older adults. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study involving 100 participants was carried out to analyze the impact of nutritional status and physical fitness on cognitive impairment. Nutritional status was assessed with the Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10) and The Mini Nutritional Assessment—Short Form (MNA-SF); physical fitness via the implementation of manual grip evaluation, the 4-m walking test (4-MWT), and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test; and cognitive impairment evaluation was conducted using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Boston Naming Test (BNT) and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT). Results: Data analysis revealed that higher malnutrition status was associated with fewer correct responses in the COWAT (R² = 0.421), while a correlation between higher MMSE and BNT scores, faster completion times for the 4-m walking and TUG tests, and an increase in handgrip strength load was also observed. Conclusion: The analysis of the data revealed that those individuals with superior nutritional status and greater levels of physical fitness outperformed others on the cognitive evaluation.

Background: Foot morphology in children is a crucial factor influencing multiple aspects of their physical development. Between the ages of 5 and 10 years, the critical period of child development is when the movement and stability patterns are consolidated that can affect their long-term physical performance and quality of life. The aim of this study is to analyze how the type of foot influences different physical characteristics, laxity, strength, motor tests, and baropodometric variables in children aged 5 to 10 years. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 196 children was conducted. Different physical characteristics, laxity, strength, motor tests, and baropodometric variables of the sample were analyzed for age and Foot Posture Index (FPI). Results: Differences in all variables were examined by age and FPI. Statistical analysis showed a moderate to high correlation (r > 0.6, p < 0.01) between FPI and the relaxed calcaneal stance position (RCSP) test. Some significant differences were also found in variables related to foot pronation and supination. These results provide valuable information for understanding differences in motor and functional development during childhood and pre-adolescence. Conclusions: The findings highlight the variability in physical and functional development between age and foot type groups, highlighting the importance of considering these differences in the assessment and management of foot-related conditions and biomechanics in childhood. Foot type significantly influences children’s growth and development.

The first objective of this study is to examine the relationship between different levels of physical activity (PA) and the health status of long-term breast cancer survivors (LTBCSs) who have survived ≥5 years beyond diagnosis. The second aim is to identify potential predictors of long-term PA levels in this population. An 80-participant cross-sectional study categorized LTBCSs by PA levels: insufficiently active (very low ≤3 metabolic equivalent task (MET), low 3.1-7.4 MET) and sufficiently active (≥7.5 MET). Variables assessed included PA, pain, self-perceived physical fitness, cancer-related fatigue (CRF), comorbidities, mood, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U, and Chi-square tests were performed, along with Spearman's correlation and multiple regression analysis. Cohen's d and Cramér's V were used to calculate effect sizes. 66.25% of LTBCSs were insufficiently active, with 17.25% classified as sedentary (≤1.5 MET). In the first objective, and compared to sufficiently active survivors, insufficiently active LTBCSs reported higher levels of pain, breast symptoms, dyspnea, moderate-to-severe CRF, sadness/depression, and anger, along with lower levels of happiness, general fitness, speed/agility, role functioning, and HRQoL (p < 0.05). In the second objective, the regression analysis found "future perspective" (β = 0.314; p < 0.01) and "insomnia" (β = -0.288; p = 0.02) to be significant predictors of higher PA levels (r² = 0.224). Insufficiently active LTBCSs had higher pain, symptoms, CRF, and mood disturbances, with decreased happiness, self-perceived physical fitness, and HRQoL. Future research should focus on interventions that target improving PA levels and managing factors such as "future perspective" and "insomnia," as they are significant predictors of PA adherence. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating PA into rehabilitation programs to enhance overall well-being and HRQoL in LTBCSs.

Purpose: This study investigated the relationship between different pain levels in the affected arm and health status in long-term breast cancer survivors (LTBCSs) and identified predictors of pain at this stage of long-term survivorship. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 80 participants categorized LTBCSs by pain levels in the affected arm into three groups: no pain (0–0.99), mild pain (1–3.99), and moderate to severe pain (4–10). Variables assessed at least 5 years since diagnosis include pain in the non-affected arm, pain interference, cancer-related fatigue (CRF), physical activity (PA) level, fitness condition, mood state, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Results: A total of 36.25% of LTBCSs have no pain, 30% have mild pain, and 33.75% have moderate to severe pain. Furthermore, pain presence was associated with increased pain in the non-affected arm, pain interference, CRF, mood disturbances, and physical inactivity, as well as a decreased HRQoL (all p < 0.05). Regression analysis found “upset by hair loss”, CRF “affective domain”, “dyspnea”, and “alcohol consumption” as significant predictors of higher levels of pain in the affected arm (r² adjusted = 0.646). Conclusions: A total of 63.75% of LTBCSs continue to experience mild to moderate to severe pain in the affected arm, negatively impacting their physical, mental, and emotional health status, with increased pain severity ≥5 years beyond cancer diagnosis. “Upset by hair loss”, CRF “affective domain”, “dyspnea”, and alcohol consumption collectively explain 64.6% of the affected-arm pain level in LTBCSs.