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: This study looks at how a kinematic chain exercise regimen that targets the lower, core, and upper body affects university shot put participants’ shoulder muscle strength and throwing efficiency. This study fills an apparent research void on shot put training approaches by presenting a comprehensive kinematic chain workout program. It was anticipated that this method would improve performance the most, considering the complex biomechanical requirements of the sport. Methods: Eighty athletes aged (19.87 ± 1.31 years), were assigned into two groups at random: experimental (n = 40) and control (n = 40). While the control group carried on with their usual training, the experimental group participated in an 8-week kinematic chain training program. Pre- and post-training evaluations were carried out to evaluate shot put-throwing ability, shoulder muscle strength, and participant satisfaction with the exercise regimen. Results: The analyses were performed to evaluate the between- and within-group effects in the 10-week intervention period using a two-way ANOVA. This study demonstrated that, when compared to the control group, the athletes in the kinematic chain program had significantly increased throwing distance (p = 0.01) and shoulder muscle strength (p = 0.01). Furthermore, there was a significant increase (p = 0.005) in the athletes’ satisfaction levels with the workout program among those in the experimental group. Conclusions: In shot put athletes, this study suggests that a kinematic chain-focused strategy can improve throwing performance and shoulder muscle strength. The findings suggest that incorporating kinematic chain workouts into shot put training programs could be beneficial. However, conclusions should be drawn with caution, and further research is necessary to confirm the effectiveness of kinematic chain-based approaches across various sports and to understand their broader implications in sports science.

Background: Climate change, global warming, and environmental degradation are major threats to 21st-century health and civilization. Addressing these issues among healthcare workers is vital for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Objectives: This study explored the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of environmental sustainability in healthcare among physical therapists in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the importance of addressing climate change and environmental challenges to support 21st-century health and achieve the SDGs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Riyadh from 2023 to 2024, involving licensed physical therapists. A 22-item questionnaire was distributed using Google Forms and Qualtrics. Participants were required to be Saudi citizens, licensed by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS), and to complete the entire questionnaire. Results: Out of 354 physical therapists, 178 were males (50.3%). The most common subspecialty was orthopedics (24.3%), and the most common work setting was government hospitals/clinics (42.1%). Only 29.9% of participants were familiar with environmental sustainability in healthcare, highlighting a significant knowledge gap, and 21.8% were aware of all SDGs. Many agreed that physical therapy professionals should advocate for environmental sustainability (43.2%). Over a third practiced reducing non-biodegradable materials (34.2%). Females had more knowledge about the three Rs of waste management (86.9% vs. 74.7%, P = 0.004). Conclusions: Knowledge of environmental sustainability in healthcare is moderate to poor among physical therapists in Saudi Arabia, highlighting a critical gap in awareness. These findings underscore the need for targeted educational interventions and policy reforms to integrate sustainability into healthcare practices in Saudi Arabia. However, the study’s cross-sectional design, reliance on self-reported data, and focus on a single professional group may limit generalizability and introduce bias, warranting cautious interpretation and further investigation.

Aim: In the general population, where 6 to 20% of individuals experience anxiety disorders, children also experience a higher burden of anxiety. We undertook a systematic review In order to examine and summarize the results from studies that estimated the prevalence of anxiety and/or its associated risk factors in the pediatric populations of Arab nations, primarily the gulf countries. Methods: Any study that focused on the pediatric population and completed in Arab nations to determine the incidence of anxiety and/or its risk factors among children under the age of 18. The review had 13 articles were included. Results: The results of the systematic review found that there was a wide variation in the prevalence of anxiety among children. At least 30.2% of the children were found to suffer from anxiety and the prevalence could go up to 60% in some countries with a higher prevalence among girls than boys. Associated factors of anxiety were diverse including exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, parenting style, living with parents suffering from mental disorders, school type, and being female. Conclusion: The findings of the review demonstrate the higher prevalence of anxiety among children as almost at least one-third of children suffer from anxiety in the Gulf countries. The program managers and the respective government of these Arab countries need to devise some strategies and interventions that not only focus on the children but also their environment.

Background: Upper extremity deficits in unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP) severely restrict daily autonomy. Although movement-based priming is known to stimulate neuroplasticity, the distal transfer of lower extremity (LE) training to augment paretic upper limb (UL) function remains largely uninvestigated. This randomized controlled trial evaluated whether a 6-week LE cross-training (CT) priming regimen enhances UL functional restoration in pediatric UCP. Methods: Thirty-six children (6–8 years) were randomized to a conventional physical therapy cohort (n = 18) or an experimental CT cohort (n = 18). The CT group performed high-resistance contractions utilizing the non-paretic LE immediately preceding standard therapy. Blinded evaluations quantified Handgrip Strength (HGS) via dynamometry, grasping proficiency via the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales (PDMS-2), and gross dexterity via the Box and Block Test (BBT) pre and post intervention. Results: Analysis indicated a robust, near-significant between-group effect (Wilks’ Λ = 0.775, p = 0.057). While both cohorts achieved substantial internal improvements, the CT participants displayed superior developmental trajectories across all domains, notably in grasping age equivalence (34.28 ± 6.33 vs. 25.78 ± 3.26 months) and HGS (3.89 ± 0.79 vs. 3.03 ± 0.53 kg). Conclusions: LE cross-training priming may be a feasible adjunct, but it did not demonstrate statistically significant additional UL benefit versus standard rehabilitation in this sample. Therefore, these results should be interpreted as exploratory and hypothesis-generating. This potential cross-segmental transfer may theoretically operate via interhemispheric facilitation, warranting further investigation in larger, adequately powered trials.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine the distribution and attributes of licensed physical therapy practitioners in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional research study was conducted. Data were retrieved from the database of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties as of January 9, 2025. Data of all the licensed physical therapy practitioners were reviewed which included demographic characteristics, geographical distribution, educational institution, and workplace setting. Descriptive analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 19.0. Results: A total of 5720 physical therapists are licensed in Saudi Arabia according to the database of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties as of January 9, 2025. Mean age of the physical therapy practitioners is 36.26 ± 8.81 years. Over half ( n = 2970, 51.9%) of the physical therapy practitioners are males, and 70.6% ( n = 4038) of the workforce is ⩽40 years. The most frequently held academic qualification is bachelor’s degree ( n = 3871, 67.7%), with 63.4% ( n = 3624) and 10.8% ( n = 617) professionals ranked as specialists and senior specialists, respectively. According to administrative regions, Riyadh has the most numbers of physical therapy practitioners ( n = 1408, 24.6%), followed by Makkah ( n = 1059, 18.5%) and Eastern province ( n = 825, 14.4%). Physical therapy practitioners are almost equally employed in public ( n = 2707, 47.3%) and private ( n = 2555, 44.7%) settings in Saudi Arabia. Conclusions: Saudi Arabia has a fairly young physical therapy healthcare workforce with professionals equally balanced between male and females. However, there is a prominent geographical disparity of licensed physical therapy practitioners across administrative regions in the Saudi Arabia.