Purpose: Post-stroke fatigue (PSF) is a debilitating condition that negatively impacts the quality of life of stroke survivors. The rehabilitation of stroke survivors is important for their quality of life, and rehabilitation programs that cater to the needs of these patients are required. However, there is very little published information on their needs, especially in the Middle East. Therefore, this study aimed to explore stroke survivors’ perceptions and experiences of PSF and its causes, its impact on their daily life, their coping strategies, and support from physicians and caregivers in the context of Saudi Arabia. Patients and Methods: This qualitative interview study was conducted with eight post-stroke survivors from two tertiary stroke centers in Saudi Arabia. Results: The responses in the interviews showed high heterogeneity. From the responses, five main themes and several subthemes were generated: (1) description of PSF as both a physical and psychological experience; (2) perceived causes of PSF (physical causes, psychological causes, and stroke-related causes); (3) impact of PSF on daily life (activities of daily living and social interactions); (4) coping strategies for PSF (pacing, self-motivation, and social participation); and (5) perspectives about support from caregivers and healthcare practitioners (lack of support, provision of information about PSF and its management, physiotherapy interventions, encouragement, and overprotectiveness). Conclusion: Stroke survivors have variable physical and psychological experiences of PSF and variable perceptions of its causes and impact. High heterogeneity was also noted in the perception of support provided by healthcare providers and families or caregivers—ranging from lack of support to overprotection. Similarly, patients’ perceptions of the role of physiotherapy and their attitude towards physiotherapy were also variable. Despite this, the findings do highlight the need for more individualized understanding of PSF and the development of treatment strategies that consider biological, psychological, and social factors.

BACKGROUND: Poststroke fatigue affects half of global patients with stroke, causing early exhaustion, weariness, and dependence. Physiotherapy interventions like exercise and aerobic training are recommended to alleviate symptoms, but their effectiveness is not well supported. This review evaluates physiotherapy’s effectiveness in treating poststroke fatigue in adults. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review using a comprehensive search across multiple databases, including ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, PEDro, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and WHO ICTRP. We searched for English-language articles using various keywords, without any restrictions on date, document type, or publication status, and included only randomized controlled trials. After removing duplicates through EndNote X7, 2 independent reviewers screened and reviewed the remaining articles. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool was applied to assess the quality of included studies. RESULTS: A total of 712 articles were reviewed, and after removing duplicates, 450 articles were left, then only 34 articles passed the title screening and 29 were excluded due to various reasons. Therefore, only 4 randomized controlled trials were found relevant after screening out 416 irrelevant ones. The average percentage of participants across all 4 randomized controlled trials was 44.65% men and 55.35% women, with an average age of 59.1 years. The review assessed a range of physiotherapy treatments, such as caregiver-mediated exercise with e-health support, graded activity training with cognitive therapy, and circuit training exercises. Graded activity training with cognitive therapy approach has effectively reduced poststroke fatigue ( P <0.001) and improved endurance levels (η _p ² =0.20; P <0.001). On the contrary, circuit training is not effective. Caregiver-mediated exercises and e-health supported exercises have been shown to impact functional recovery positively. CONCLUSIONS: Among all the studies evaluated, only 1 intervention, the graded activity training with cognitive therapy, significantly reduced fatigue after stroke. However, more research is needed to study the effect of physiotherapy interventions. REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ ; Unique identifier: CRD42017075196.

Background and Objectives: Post-Stroke Fatigue (PSF) is a complex, multidimensional, debilitating condition that affects almost half of all stroke survivors. This study explored the perceptions of physiatrists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists about PSF and their experiences in managing patients with PSF in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from three different groups: eight physiotherapists (PTs), eight occupational therapists (OTs), and eight physiatrists (DRs). Using purposive sampling, participants with at least one year of experience in the field of PSF management were invited to take part. The data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Twenty-four health care participants (eight PTs, eight OTs, eight DRs) were recruited. Five overarching themes encompassing various subthemes and sub-subthemes were generated: ‘knowledge about post-stroke fatigue’, ‘diagnosing post-stroke fatigue’, ‘treatment approach’, ‘lack of awareness about post-stroke fatigue’, and ‘domains to improve’. The data indicated that participants used various strategies to manage PSF, including dietary changes, sleep hygiene, exercise, and energy conservation. Conclusions: Participants acknowledged that they lacked PSF-related management skills, despite possessing adequate knowledge about the management of stroke. Their openness to participating in activities that would improve their ability to diagnose and manage PSF was particularly striking.

Background: Low back pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint among postpartum women due to physical changes that occur during pregnancy and delivery, which can lead to different disability levels. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the disability levels and associated factors of postpartum women within the first year after childbirth. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to gather data from post-partum women between 6 weeks and 12 months after childbirth using an online self-administered questionnaire. This questionnaire included demographic variables, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Symptoms Questionnaire, the Pain Intensity Numeric Rating Scale, and a back disability questionnaire. Results: Among 400 postpartum mothers, 71% reported low back pain, with 51.1% experiencing mild disability. Logistic regression showed significant predictors of disability, including cesarean delivery (6.49 times higher likelihood), having 4–5 children (1.98 times), and more than six children (3.45 times). Breastfeeding increased disability risk (2.44 times), while mixed feeding reduced it (0.52 times). The model explained 49.8% of disability variance (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Disability is a common problem among postpartum women, highlighting the importance of healthcare providers addressing these challenges.

Purpose: Musculoskeletal (MSK) discomfort is a common concern among gamers globally, with prevalence estimates of 60– 80%. Risk factors include prolonged sitting, awkward postures, repetitive hand use, and inadequate hardware setups. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and association of MSK pain with game genre, device type, and gaming duration among gamers in Saudi Arabia, with a focus on comparing professional and non-professional gamers. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 593 Saudi gamers aged 18 years and older was conducted from February to April 2024 using the Extended Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Demographic and gaming-related variables were analyzed using chi-square tests and logistic regression to examine associations with MSK pain. Results: MSK pain was reported by 78.2% (neck 49.4%, lower back 40.0%). Pain was associated with gender, age, and genre. Females had higher odds of neck (OR 2.08) and shoulder pain (OR 2.43); puzzle with shoulder pain (OR 2.46); VR with lower neck odds (OR 0.36). Longer duration increased discomfort. Non-professionals more often reported neck/shoulder/lower-back pain; professionals more wrist/hand pain. Conclusion: MSK pain is highly prevalent among Saudi gamers and is associated with personal factors (eg, gender, age) as well as gaming genre. Competitive status may be associated with specific pain patterns, but ergonomic risk factors appear to be appear broadly relevant. Implementing targeted interventions that focus on posture, education, and proper gaming ergonomics may be warranted to help alleviate the MSK burden in this population.

Background and objectives: Academic performance is shaped by various behavioral and psychological factors. However, the effects of physical activity, depressive symptoms, and disordered eating on academic success, particularly among university students in Saudi Arabia, remain underexplored. This study investigates the individual and combined associations of these factors on GPA among Saudi university students. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from December 2024 to June 2025 involving a non-probability convenience sample of 400 students from various Saudi universities. Data were collected using validated instruments, including the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ-SF), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for assessing depression, and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire–Short Form (EDE-QS). Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multiple linear regression analyses were utilized to identify associations and predictors of academic performance. Results: The majority of participants were female (79.8%) with a median age of 21. More than half (53%) reported low levels of physical activity, and 50.7% exhibited clinically significant depressive symptoms. Elevated behavioral symptoms of disordered eating, assessed using the behavioral subscale of the EDE-QS, were commonly observed among participants. Regression analysis showed that adherence to WHO-recommended physical activity levels, enrolment in medical disciplines, and lower behavioral symptoms of eating disorders were associated with higher GPA. In contrast, depression and cognitive eating concerns were not meaningfully associated with academic performance. Conclusion: Physical activity and disordered eating behaviors play a crucial role in influencing academic performance among Saudi university students, while depression, despite its high prevalence, did not serve as an independent predictor of GPA. These findings highlight the necessity of implementing integrated health promotion strategies within academic institutions that address both mental health and lifestyle behaviors to enhance student success.