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.

Background/Objectives: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) are reported to have lower rates of participation in community and home tasks than typically developing children. Little is known about the participation levels of children with CP and the environmental factors influencing their participation in the community within the Saudi context. This study aimed to determine the degree of participation in community and home tasks in children with CP in Saudi Arabia, as well as the level of support received, and the obstacles faced by children in this context. Methods: Parents of 5–16-year-old children with CP (n = 50) completed the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth (PEM-CY), and their scores were compared with those of typically developing children of the same ages (n = 50). This study was conducted in a hospital setting. Analyses were performed using multivariate logistic regression analyses, controlling for potential confounders. Results: Participation in community activities as well as home activities was reported to be significantly lower in children with CP compared to their typically developing peers in multiple domains (p < 0.05). Additionally, physical, cognitive, and social demands were identified as factors that made community participation more difficult for children with CP (p = 0.002, p = 0.017, and p = 0.029 for physical, cognitive, and social demands, respectively). The availability of personal transportation, programs, services, and financial support were identified by parents as the factors that lowered community participation levels in children with CP (p > 0.005). Conclusions: Physical, cognitive, and social demands are the main obstacles to participation for children with CP. A lack of home supplies and financial support lowered the participation of children with CP. Recognizing environmental barriers as well as providing individualized practical solutions in collaboration with the families of children with CP can assist in developing meaningful participation in community and home activities for children with CP.

Falls are commonly associated with knee osteoarthritis and represent a significant financial burden on the healthcare system. Therefore, the discovery of physical therapists’ attitudes and practices regarding fall screening and prevention among patients with osteoarthritis should be investigated. Moreover, this study aimed to identify barriers that might limit its implementation among this population. A cross-sectional study design was used to collect the data. The electronic survey targeted licensed physical therapy professionals who currently work in clinical or academic settings in Saudi Arabia. The data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially using chi-square. Two hundred and six licensed physical therapists completed the survey, 119 females (57.8%) and 87 males (42.2%). The results of the structural equation modelling analysis showed that intention to use fall screening and management strategies was positively associated with the history of falls, identifying risk factors of falls, and documentation of risk factors of falls (p ≤ 0.0001). The most reported barriers to implement fall screening and prevention were lack of knowledge (n = 92, 45%), lack of training/skills (n = 84, 41%), and time constraints (n = 57, 45%), followed by patient compliance with 38% of the responses. The findings highlighted the importance of identifying the key opportunities for knowledge translation in clinical practices to enhance the sufficient implementation of fall screening and management in osteoarthritis care.

Background: This study aimed to explore current practices adopted by frontline healthcare providers for the early detection of developmental delays in infants and toddlers in Saudi Arabia, with a specific focus on motor and speech delays and caregivers’ perceptions of early detection of developmental delays and their awareness of well-child visits. Methods: Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted and distributed. The first survey was performed among healthcare providers who worked directly with infants and toddlers in the first 3 years of life, and the second survey was performed among caregivers of infants and toddlers who received healthcare services. Participants were recruited via online groups, social media platforms, and clinics. Results: Overall, 60% of the healthcare providers played a role in identifying medical conditions that could be associated with delays and disabilities. However, they did not consistently check for normal development or developmental delays. Furthermore, the healthcare providers reported low frequencies of documenting developmental growth. The caregivers’ survey results showed that 67% were familiar with the concept of “well-child visits”, and the most frequently discussed topic by the healthcare providers was motor development. Conclusions: Well-defined, government-supported standards are needed to encourage regular well-child visits and implement efficient practices for the early detection of developmental delays.

Introduction: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are a significant occupational health concern worldwide, particularly among healthcare professionals such as laboratory technicians. MSDs lead to chronic pain, decreased productivity, and reduced quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of MSDs and associated ergonomics risk factors among Saudi clinical laboratory technicians. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 167 clinical laboratory technicians in Taif city, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through an online self-administered questionnaire, distributed via Google Forms. The questionnaire collected demographics information, assessed the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), and evaluated ergonomics risk factors using the Dutch Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (DMQ). Results: In total, 77.3% of the sample exhibited musculoskeletal issues in the last 12 months, with lower back (52.1%), neck (48.5%), and shoulders (40.7%) being the most frequent muscular complaints among laboratory technicians. Experience and nationality showed significant associations with MSDs (p ≤ 0.05). Lower back and neck complaints were commonly recorded with multiple laboratory tasks, including sustained sitting and standing and repetitive movement, whereas lower back and shoulder pain were notably prevalent with pipetting work. Conclusions: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders were highly apparent in laboratory practice. Periodic ergonomic training is mandated among laboratory personnel to limit occupational disability.

Aims: This study explored parents' successes, challenges, and recommendations in relation to the application of home activities in early intervention.Methods: An electronic survey was prepared with Qualtrics software and distributed to parents of children with motor delays. Three open-ended questions were included at the end of the survey. Participants were the child's primary caregiver or guardian and their child must be currently receiving early intervention services or have received early intervention services from a physical or an occupational therapist in the United States in the past 5 years. Two coders used content analysis to analyze parents' responses to open-ended questions.Results: A total of 252 participants responded to at least one of the open-ended questions that were included in the survey. Responses were grouped into codes and categories that lead to the emergence of four themes. The themes indicated parent-reported challenges, successes, and recommendations in relation to team collaboration, individualization of activities, developmental gains, and parental support.Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that more focus should be directed toward parent-therapist partnership, multidisciplinary collaboration, and personalization of activities in early intervention. Parents-reported experiences and recommendation could assist early intervention personnel in advancing services provided for children with motor delays.