Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex disease that causes pain, stiffness and swelling, limiting function and mobility, thus interfering with daily life and affecting personal, social, and psychological aspects of life. To evidence the role of exercise on pain reduction and the effectiveness of one type of training over another in terms of pain, functional capacity, and inflammatory biomarkers in OA. Studies retrieved from Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus databases were systematically reviewed. RCTs involving physical exercise interventions in participants with OA were included. The 3 main outcomes considered in the systematic review were pain, functional capacity and inflammatory biomarkers. The effects of different types of interventions (aerobic, resistance, combined, neuromuscular and others) were analysed for each outcome. Systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following the PRISMA Statement. 21 studies were included in the systematic review and 11 in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis was conducted on pain in training intervention subgroups, showing a larger effect size for neuromuscular training -2,26 (95 % CI -4,37 to -0,14). Functional capacity and inflammatory biomarkers were analysed only with a systematic review because it was not possible to estimate the efficacy of the different training protocols with a meta-analysis. Neuromuscular training protocols seem to be the most effective in reducing pain in OA. Direct comparison of different training treatment options on functional capacity and inflammatory biomarkers for OA is not currently feasible in practice, due to the heterogeneity of the test and the small number of studies. High-quality physical exercise intervention studies are warranted to estimate their effectiveness more accurately on pain, functional capacity, and inflammatory status in OA. CRD42023481061.

Background/Objectives: Hematological cancers encompass a collection of heterogeneous conditions. The need for repeated treatments and prolonged hospitalization leads to a decrease in health-related quality of life. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluate the effect of exercise interventions on functioning scales, global health status, and symptoms in patients with hematological cancers. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were systematically screened, and randomized controlled trials were included. The primary outcome was health-related quality of life assessed through the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaire. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model and 95% confidence intervals. Results: A total of 14 trials involving 837 patients with mixed cancer types were included. Most studies evaluated exercise interventions during hospitalization, with aerobic and resistance training at moderate intensity being the most common modalities and adherence rates ranging from 28% to 100%. Exercise programs significantly improved physical (SMD 0.23; 95% CI: 0.06 to 0.40; p = 0.008), emotional (SMD 0.19; 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.36; p = 0.020) and cognitive functioning (SMD 0.20; 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.37; p = 0.026), and global health status (SMD 0.24; 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.46; p = 0.027). Significant reductions were observed in fatigue (SMD −0.33; 95% CI: −0.52 to −0.14; p = 0.001), pain (SMD −0.34; 95% CI: −0.53 to −0.15; p = 0.000), and insomnia (SMD −0.22; 95% CI: −0.41 to −0.03; p = 0.024). Heterogeneity was minimal across most domains, suggesting consistent findings. Conclusions: Exercise interventions are effective in enhancing functioning scales and global health status and reducing symptom burden in patients receiving intensive treatments. Future research is required to explore the long-term effects of exercise and develop tailored programs for specific hematologic malignancies and treatment settings.

Although exercise is associated with improved health in many medical conditions, little is known about the possible influences of physical activity (PA) habits pre- and post- a diagnosis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) on disease activity and progression. This cross-sectional study assessed, for the first time, self-reported pre- and post-diagnostic PA levels with the aim to verify if changes in these levels were correlated with demographic/anthropometric data (e.g., weight, height, gender, age, BMI), disease duration, diagnostic/clinical parameters (e.g., skin involvement, pulmonary hemodynamic/echocardiographic data, disease activity) related to disease activity and progression, and quality of life in a population-based sample of patients with SSc. Adult participants (n = 34, age 56.6 ± 13.3 years) with SSc (limited cutaneous SSc, lcSSc, n = 20; diffuse cutaneous SSc, dcSSc, n = 9; sine scleroderma SSc, n = 5) were enrolled at the Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology of the Humanitas Research Hospital. All medical data were recorded during periodic clinical visits by a rheumatologist. Moreover, all subjects included in this study completed extensive questionnaires to evaluate their health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and others related to health-related physical activity performed before (PRE) and after (POST) the diagnosis of disease. The linear regression analysis has shown that either a high Sport_index or Leisure_index in the PRE-diagnostic period was correlated with lower disease duration in dcSSc patients. Physical load during sport activity and leisure time accounted for ~61.1% and ~52.6% of the individual variation in disease duration, respectively. In lcSSc patients, a high PRE value related to physical load during sporting activities was correlated with a low pulmonary artery systolic pressure (sPAP) and the POST value of the Work_index was positively correlated with the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and negatively with creatine kinase levels (CK). Interestingly, the univariate analysis showed that Work_index accounts for ~29.4% of the variance in LVEF. Our analysis clearly reinforces the concept that high levels of physical load may play a role in primary prevention—delaying the onset of the disease in those subjects with a family history of SSc—as well as in secondary prevention, improving SSc management through a positive impact on different clinical parameters of the disease. However, it remains a priority to identify a customized physical load in order to minimize the possible negative effects of PA.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disease that often leads to impaired postural control, pain, and reduced physical function. Exercise is considered a first-line treatment, with sensorimotor training being an effective approach for managing OA. However, the optimal method of sensorimotor training for individuals with OA has not yet been established. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of a 24-week Gyrokinesis method (GK) versus Pilates (PL) intervention on balance control, function, pain and kinesiophobia in women with knee OA. Methods: Twenty women (aged 60 ± 7 years) with grade 2 or 3 knee OA were assigned to either GK (n = 12) or PL (n = 8). Both groups trained twice weekly for 24 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included postural sway parameters (RMS, velocity, frequency), physical function tests (e.g., TUG, Sit-to-Stand), flexibility, pain (Brief Pain Inventory), kinesiophobia (Tampa Scale), and quality of life (SF-36). Results: GK resulted in significantly greater improvements than PL in postural sway mean velocity AP right (GK −53.85% vs. PL −20.17%), AP left (GK −43.48% vs. PL +13.45%), and ML left (GK −40.18% vs. PL +37.95), pain reduction (GK −82.5% vs. PL −33.3%), and physical function (Sit-to-Stand: GK +75.9% vs. PL +3.7%; TUG: GK −16.4% vs. PL −13.8%; Step Test right: GK +34.2% vs. PL +19.9%; Step Test left: GK +41.4% vs. PL +18.1%) (all, p < 0.05). No significant between-group differences were observed for kinesiophobia or SF-36 scores (both, p > 0.05). Conclusions: Gyrokinesis method may be more effective than Pilates in enhancing balance, reducing pain, and improving physical function in women with knee OA. These findings support the use of the Gyrokinesis method in rehabilitation programs for individuals with OA.

The goal of the following work was to identify the effects, positive or negative, of performing group-based physical activity (GBPA) in the workplace. In addition, the scope of the present research was to investigate some social and relational aspects of medical origin associated with the Happy Bones project. The sample consisted of 28 women between 47 and 67 years old, employees of the University of Rome “Foro Italico”, in menopause, and inactive. The explorative nature of the investigation and the multidimensional aspect of the variables suggested the adoption of a qualitative method. Even though the survey did not fulfil the minimum standards of representativeness, interview analysis showed a positive trend in joining physical activity in the workplace, as shown by the good compliance of the participants with the proposed workplace training protocol. Personal motivation linked to the project itself or to the corresponding activity existed albeit to a secondary extent; the unifying element of the group existed regardless of the project and was due to the home institution, hence to the workplace.