Occupational health is a major problem in modern work environments. Physical activity breaks (PABs), short exercise periods delivered during working hours, incorporating exergames or outdoor activities, have emerged as a novel approach that could be used to improve work efficiency and workplace wellbeing. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of PABs on attention levels and executive functions in healthcare workers. A total of 27 healthcare workers (M = 14, W = 13; 49.55 ± 12.46 years), after 4 h of work, randomly performed one of three 10 min conditions weekly in a counterbalanced order: No Physical Activity Break (NPAB); Outdoor Physical Activity Break (OPAB); Physical Activity Break with Exergame (PABEx). After the conditions, executive functions and selective attention were assessed by the Stroop Color and Word Test (SCWT), and the Trail Making A,B test (TMT A,B), respectively. Significant differences between OPAB and NPAB as well as between PABEx and NPAB in the TMT-A test χ2(2) = 44.66 (p < 0.001) and TMT-B test χ2(2) = 48.67 (p < 0.001) were found, respectively. TMT-A and SCWT interference/time scores of the PABEx and OPAB conditions were significantly lower than those of NPAB (p < 0.001). In the SCWT interference/error score, no significant difference was found between the PABEx and NPAB (p > 0.05), but the score was statistically lower in the OPAB condition than PABEx (p = 0.001) and PABEx condition compared to OPAB for TMT-A (p = 0.001). Findings showed that the OPAB and PABEx conditions are effective in improving selective attention and executive functions in healthcare workers. Employers can foster a healthier and more productive workforce by promoting a culture of movement and prioritizing employee health, which in turn can enhance patient care outcomes.

Background: Despite the benefits of physical activity (PA), Italy ranks low in leisure-time PA among European countries. Integrating virtual (VR)/enhanced (ER) reality with exercise equipment could boost PA engagement. Limited studies have explored how VR/ER-integrated cycling activity, compared to outdoor settings, influences PA among university students. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the acute effects of a brief cycling session outdoors and indoors on psychological and physiological outcomes, and secondly, investigate the potential of VR/ER-mediated nature experiences as a tool to promote green exercise. Methods: In February 2024, thirty-one subjects (20 M and 11 F; age 24.3 ± 3.2 years; BMI 23.5 ± 3.6 kg/m²) were involved in this randomized crossover-controlled trial, where they were assigned to three different conditions: ER cycling (ERC), VR cycling (VRC), and outdoor cycling (OUTC). Heart rate (HR), Physical Activity Enjoyment (PACE), Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI), and Intention to Perform Green Exercise (INT-GE) were assessed at the end of each condition. Results: The OUTC condition showed significantly greater PACE, IMI, and INT-GE than ERC/VRC (p < 0.001), lower HR_mean than ERC/VRC (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively), and lower HRmax than ERC (p < 0.05). Conclusions: VRC and ERC enhanced engagement and physiological responses during indoor cycling, but outdoor cycling offered superior benefits in motivation, enjoyment, and future engagement intentions. No significant differences were found between VRC and ERC in promoting intentions for outdoor activities, suggesting both technologies could be equally effective.

Background: Cancer survivors who do not engage in regular physical activity often experience persistent psychological distress and fatigue, which can significantly impact their quality of life. While handgrip strength (HGS) is recognized as an indicator of overall health and physical resilience, the combined role of HGS and physical inactivity in predicting psychological distress and fatigue in this population remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the relationships between self-reported physical inactivity, HGS, and psychological distress, specifically depressive symptoms, anxiety, and cancer-related fatigue (CRF), in physically inactive cancer survivors. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 42 physically inactive cancer survivors (mean age = 63.2 years, SD = 8.96) recruited from the Cancer Institute (IRCCS) in Bari, Italy. Physical inactivity was quantified based on self-reported weekly physical activity minutes, with all participants engaging in less than 150 min per week. The participants underwent HGS assessment and completed validated psychological measures, including the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y1 and STAI-Y2), and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Results: Bivariate correlations were examined via Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of psychological distress and fatigue, adjusting for covariates such as age, sex, cancer type, and time since treatment completion. Both lower HGS and greater physical inactivity were significantly correlated with greater depressive symptoms (HGS: ρ = −0.524, p < 0.001; physical inactivity: ρ = −0.662, p < 0.001), greater fatigue severity (HGS: ρ = −0.599, p < 0.001; physical inactivity: ρ = −0.662, p < 0.001), and increased trait anxiety (HGS: ρ = −0.532, p < 0.001; physical inactivity: ρ = −0.701, p < 0.001). No significant associations were found between physical inactivity or HGS and state anxiety (p > 0.05). Multiple regression analyses confirmed that both HGS and physical inactivity independently predicted depressive symptoms (HGS: β = −0.435, p = 0.009; physical inactivity: β = −0.518, p = 0.002), trait anxiety (HGS: β = −0.313, p = 0.038; physical inactivity: β = −0.549, p < 0.001), and fatigue (HGS: β = −0.324, p = 0.033; physical inactivity: β = −0.565, p < 0.001), even after adjusting for covariates. Low physical activity and reduced muscle strength independently predict psychological distress and fatigue in cancer survivors. Conclusions: These findings highlight the potential exacerbating role of physical inactivity in both physical and psychological vulnerability, underscoring the need for interventions promoting regular exercise. Integrating strength assessments and structured physical activity programs may be key strategies in survivorship care to improve mental well-being and overall quality of life.

Background: Work-related stress among healthcare employees can lead to burnout, worsened mood, and job dissatisfaction. Although physical activity is known to enhance mood and mental health, its impact on job satisfaction and emotional well-being in healthcare workers is under-researched. This study aimed to explore the associations between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), job satisfaction, and emotional state and to investigate the mediating role of job satisfaction in the effect of LTPA on the emotional state of healthcare workers. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire, including items on LTPA, job satisfaction, and the emotional state, was distributed to 98 healthcare workers affiliated with the Bari Polyclinic Hospital (Mean age = 46.3; SD = 15.4 years). Composite measures of global job satisfaction and emotional state were extracted by Factor Analysis using the principal components method. The relationship between LTPA, job satisfaction, and the emotional state was investigated through General Linear Model (GLM) mediation models. Results: There was no significant direct effect of LTPA on negative emotional states (β = −0.08, p = 0.37). However, job satisfaction significantly mediated this relationship (β = −0.09, p = 0.04), indicating that engaging in LTPA increased job satisfaction, which in turn reduced negative emotional states. Similarly, LTPA did not have a significant direct effect on positive emotional states (β = 0.06, p = 0.48), but it indirectly resulted in increased positive emotional states through its positive impact on job satisfaction (β = 0.12, p = 0.03). Conclusions: The findings indicate that LTPA indirectly influences both negative and positive emotional states through job satisfaction. Engaging in LTPA enhances job satisfaction, which subsequently leads to reductions in negative emotional states and increases in positive emotional states among healthcare workers. These results underscore the importance of promoting physical activity as a strategy to improve job satisfaction (JS) and the emotional well-being of healthcare workers.

Background: Adolescence is characterized by rapid physical growth and neuromuscular reorganization, which may influence the development of postural control. Gender-specific differences in pubertal timing suggest that girls may achieve postural stability earlier than boys, but evidence remains inconsistent. This cross-sectional pilot study aimed to examine gender differences in static postural control among adolescents. Material and methods: A total of 59 students (28 females, 31 males; mean age 13.49 ± 0.97 years) from two schools in Bari, Italy, participated. Postural stability was assessed during bipedal and single-leg stance tasks under eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions using an inertial sensor placed at the lumbosacral region. The primary outcomes were sway path length and oscillation ellipse area. Results: Females demonstrated significantly shorter path length in eyes-open bipedal stance (p = 0.027, d = −0.51), as well as reduced ellipse area (p = 0.047, d = −0.44) and path length (p = 0.010, d = −0.62) in eyes-closed bipedal stance. No significant gender differences were observed in single-leg stance. Conclusions: These findings support the hypothesis that adolescent girls exhibit superior postural stability compared to boys, particularly under challenging sensory conditions. Such differences may reflect earlier maturational processes and suggest possible implications for motor development, injury prevention, and sports training.

Background: Prolonged sitting during lecture-based academic activities may be accompanied by sustained attentional engagement and cognitive fatigue, with potential consequences for cognitive efficiency and broader psychological functioning. Physical activity breaks (PABs) represent a feasible strategy to interrupt sitting time within university timetables, yet evidence in higher-education settings remains limited, particularly regarding modality-specific effects. This randomized crossover study examined the acute effects of a 10 min PAB on attentional and executive functioning in undergraduate students and compared an outdoor physical activity break (OPAB) with an exergame-based PAB (PABEx) versus a no-break control (NPAB). Methods: Forty-two undergraduate students (26 males, 16 females; mean age = 22.78 ± 5.84 years) completed three weekly conditions in randomized order following two consecutive hours of seated lectures: NPAB (seated rest), OPAB (2 min warm-up, 6 min light-to-moderate walking, 2 min cool-down), and PABEx (2 min warm-up, 6 min Fruit Ninja Kinect, 2 min cool-down). Cognitive performance was assessed immediately after each condition using the Trail Making Test A-B (TMT A-B) and the Stroop Color-Word Test (SCWT). Results: Significant condition effects were found for TMT-A (χ² = 53.976, p < 0.001), TMT-B (χ² = 44.635, p < 0.001), TMT B-A (χ² = 10.841, p = 0.004), SCWT interference time (χ² = 44.714, p < 0.001), and SCWT interference errors (χ² = 23.211, p < 0.001). Post-hoc tests showed that both OPAB and PABEx were associated with better performance on TMT-A, TMT-B, and SCWT interference time versus NPAB (all Benjamini–Hochberg-adjusted p < 0.001); PABEx was associated with better TMT-A performance than OPAB (Benjamini–Hochberg-adjusted p = 0.047). TMT B-A decreased only for OPAB versus NPAB (Benjamini–Hochberg-adjusted p = 0.009). SCWT interference errors were lower for OPAB versus NPAB (Benjamini–Hochberg-adjusted p < 0.001) and for PABEx versus NPAB (Benjamini–Hochberg-adjusted p = 0.012). Conclusions: A 10 min PAB implemented immediately after a lecture-based academic activity was associated with more favorable post-condition attentional and executive performance in undergraduate students compared with a passive no-break condition. OPAB and PABEx yielded broadly comparable benefits across executive outcomes, whereas PABEx showed an additional advantage for TMT-A, suggesting a possible modality-specific effect on processing speed and visuoperceptual tracking. These findings support the integration of brief active breaks into university schedules as a pragmatic strategy to promote post-lecture cognitive efficiency during academically demanding periods. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT07624084; retrospectively registered on 28 May 2026.