Background: Dysmenorrhea affects many women of reproductive age. Physical exercise has been used as an effective intervention for pain reduction and to improve well-being. Physiotherapy, involving movement and exercise, can be effective in relieving menstrual pain and provide additional benefits. The aim is to identify therapeutic physical exercise program and exercise protocols used to reduce pain among these women. Methods: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute’s methodology, using the PCC acronym. Articles were sourced from: PubMed, Cochrane Library, PEDro and ScienceDirect, covering studies published between 1 January 2013 and 30 April 2023, representing the period we considered most appropriate at the time the study was initiated. Qualitative studies, books, book chapters, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and review articles were excluded. Studies were analyzed according to the PRISMA-ScR framework. Results: 3325 studies were identified, but only 9 were included. Considerable variation was observed in the types and parameters of the exercise program across studies, including differences in duration, intensity, number of repetitions and series. Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight that aerobic training, particularly among women in their 20s, emerged as the most frequently utilized form of therapeutic physical exercise for alleviating menstrual pain in the studies reviewed. This suggests that aerobic exercise may hold significant promise as a non-pharmacological intervention for managing dysmenorrhea.

Background: Home-based virtual reality technology may become an alternative to cardiac rehabilitation. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of a specific, home-based exercise program, performed either through a virtual reality (Kinect) or a conventional format (booklet) in the maintenance stage of cardiac rehabilitation for six months on functional muscle strength of the lower limbs, physical activity and exercise tolerance. Methodology: This is a randomized clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT02753829) with individuals with coronary artery disease from a hospital in Porto, [...] Abstract Background: Home-based virtual reality technology may become an alternative to cardiac rehabilitation. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of a specific, home-based exercise program, performed either through a virtual reality (Kinect) or a conventional format (booklet) in the maintenance stage of cardiac rehabilitation for six months on functional muscle strength of the lower limbs, physical activity and exercise tolerance. Methodology: This is a randomized clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT02753829) with individuals with coronary artery disease from a hospital in Porto,

Background/Objectives: Urinary incontinence (UI) is common among women practicing sports, particularly those involving heavy lifting or high-impact movements that increase intra-abdominal pressure. UI can negatively affect social life, self-confidence, and motivation to remain active. This study aimed to examine the associations of sociodemographic, training-related, obstetric, and surgical factors with UI in female weightlifters. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 84 French women who regularly practiced weightlifting. Participants completed a structured questionnaire collecting sociodemographic and gynecological information, as well as the Urinary Symptom Profile (USP). Data were analyzed using appropriate inferential statistical tests, including the Mann–Whitney U test, Student’s t-test, chi-square test, and Fisher’s exact test, as applicable. A 95% confidence level was adopted for all analyses. Results: Among participants (aged 15–49 years), 51 (60.7%) reported involuntary urine leakage, and 31 (36.9%) scored 1–3 on the USP stress incontinence subscale. Most participants were non-smokers (73.8%), with a median of 3.5 years of weightlifting experience, four weekly training sessions, and six–seven competitions per year. No significant associations were found between UI and sociodemographic factors, obstetric history, previous surgeries, or training characteristics. Maximal lifts in Clean & Jerk and Snatch exercises were also similar between participants with and without UI. Slight trends suggested a higher UI prevalence among women with vaginal deliveries, episiotomies, or vaginal lacerations. Regarding athletes with and without UI, no differences were found (p > 0.05) with respect to weightlifting belt use or the breathing phase during load lifting. Conclusions: UI is common among female weightlifters, but in this study, was not associated with sociodemographic factors or weightlifting practices. These findings indicate that UI prevalence cannot be explained by the variables studied and highlight the need for further research into other potential contributing factors.

Background/Objectives: Urinary incontinence (UI) is increasingly reported among young nulliparous women, especially those engaged in high-impact sports. This may increase the risk of developing stress urinary incontinence (SUI) later in life. This scoping review aims to synthesise current evidence on UI in gymnasts, identify the gymnastics modalities with the highest prevalence of UI, and examine the outcomes measures and interventions considered for UI. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane, Science Direct, Scielo, EBSCO, PEDro, and NIH. Studies published in English or Portuguese between January 2012 and May 2023 were included. Review articles, qualitative studies, and conferences abstracts were excluded. Studies were analysed according to the PRISMA-ScR framework. Results: Out of 169 identified studies, 4 were included. SUI emerged as the most prevalent type of UI, particularly in artistic and trampoline modalities. All the studies used the ICIQ-UI-SF to assess UI. Reported outcomes included prevalence of UI and SUI, impact on quality of life and athletic performance, as well as knowledge about UI and pelvic floor. No studies investigated treatments for UI. Conclusions: The prevalence of SUI is high among gymnasts (70%), especially in artistic and trampoline disciplines. Although there is outcome heterogeneity across studies, all used the ICIQ-UI-SF. There is a critical gap regarding interventions for UI in this population.

Background/Objectives: Bruxism is a parafunctional habit characterized by clenching or grinding of the teeth. Anxiety, stress, and depression contribute to its etiology, and physiotherapists play an important role in its multidisciplinary management. This study aimed to analyze the association between bruxism and symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression in university students, and to assess students’ knowledge of bruxism and of the physiotherapist’s role in its management. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 219 students, who completed an online questionnaire with three Oral Behaviors Checklist items (DC/TMD Axis II) and the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Results: The median age was 22 years, and most participants were female (76.7%). The prevalence of possible bruxism was 60.3%. Stress was the predominant psychological profile (56.6%), followed by anxiety (24.3%). Possible bruxism was significantly associated with anxiety (p = 0.043) and stress (p = 0.018), but not with depression, lifestyle habits, or gender. Knowledge was associated with field and year of study (p < 0.05), being highest among dental medicine and physiotherapy students and senior students. Conclusions: Possible bruxism was highly prevalent in this student sample and was associated with anxiety and stress. These findings support early attention to psychological symptoms in this population.

Background/Objectives: Urinary incontinence (UI) is increasingly reported among young nulliparous women, especially those engaged in high-impact sports. This may increase the risk of developing stress urinary incontinence (SUI) later in life. This scoping review aims to synthesize current evidence on UI in gymnasts, identify the gymnastics modalities with the highest prevalence of UI, and examine the outcomes measures and interventions considered for UI. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane, Science Direct, Scielo, EBSCO, PEDro and NIH. Studies published in English or Portuguese between January 2012 and May 2023 were included. Review articles, qualitative studies and conferences abstracts were excluded. Results: Out of 169 identified studies, 4 were included. SUI emerged as the most prevalent type of UI, particularly in artistic and trampoline modalities. All the studies used the ICIQ-UI-SF to assess UI. Reported outcomes UI and SUI prevalence of, impact on quality of life and athletic performance, as well as knowledge about UI and pelvic floor. No studies investigated interventions for UI. Conclusions: The prevalence of SUI is high among gymnasts, especially in artistic and trampoline disciplines. Although there is outcome heterogeneity across studies, all used the ICIQ-UI-SF. There is a critical gap regarding interventions for UI in this population.