Besta Hazal Gumuscu, Eylul Pinar Kisa, Begum Kara Kaya, and Rasmi Muammer. Korean J Pain -0001;0:. https://doi.org/10.3344/kjp.22371

Motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) are considered effective tools to improve performance in athletes. This systematic review aims to investigate the existing literature on the effects of MI, AO, and the combined use of both methods on sport performance in healthy athletes. This study was conducted following the PRISMA guideline statement. Electronic databases were originally searched. The randomized controlled studies that were published (from January 2000 to May 2024) in the PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases were checked. Eligible studies were independently reviewed by 2 reviewers. Quality assessment was made using the PEDro scale and Cochrane Risk-of-Bias Tool for Randomized Trials. Nine studies (a total of 339 participants) were selected for the analysis. Four studies combined MI and AO methods, while five studies implemented MI training alone. Sport performance parameters including speed, reaction time, sport-specific performance, strength, power performance, and maximum oxygen consumption were evaluated through studies. Eight studies reported significant improvements in various performance parameters, while a study applying one session of MI reported no change in oxygen consumption. The findings indicate that MI, AO, and their combined use may offer significant benefits for sports performance parameters such as speed, reaction time, and strength. While the combination of MI and AO shows promising potential, further research is needed to establish its efficacy. However, no conclusive evidence currently identifies the optimal protocol for maximizing their effectiveness in enhancing sports performance.

Aerobic exercises (AE) have been found to have short-term positive effects on certain aspects of cognitive functioning. Pilates exercises (PE) may have similar benefits. In this randomized controlled study, we compared the effectiveness of PE and AE on participants’ cognitive functions. We randomly assigned 52 physically inactive young adult volunteers into either a PE group (Mage = 20.85, SD = 2.11 years; 18 females and 8 males) or an AE group (Mage = 19.88, SD = 0.91 years; 18 females and 8 males). In both groups, participants engaged in a moderately intense exercise program three days a week for four weeks. We tested participants on cognitive measures of selective attention and inhibitory control (Stroop test), verbal fluency (verbal fluency tests (letter and category); VFTs), and speed of movement (Nelson’s Speed of Movement Test; NSMT). There were no group differences on the Stroop and the VFTs (p>0.05). However, there was a significant pre- to post-exercise difference for participants in both groups with a medium-large effect size (ES) on Stroop sections 1, 3, 4, and 5, respectively (PE: p < 0.001, ES = 0.58, p = 0.001, ES = 0.54, p < 0.001, ES = 0.88, p = 0.001, ES = 0.60; AE: p < 0.001, ES = 0.70, p < 0.001, ES = 0.89, p < 0.001, ES = 0.86, p = 0.006, ES = 0.65). There was a large effect size pre- to post-exercise detected for VFT sections labeled letter (PE: p < 0.001, ES = 1.45; AE: p < 0.001, ES = 1.11), and category (PE: p < 0.001, ES = 1.11; AE: p < 0.001, ES = 0.83), and there was a large ES for NSMT in the PE group (p < 0.001, ES = 1.07). Both PE and AE may lead to short-term improvements in selective attention, verbal fluency, and executive control in inactive young adults, and PE may benefit speed of movement.

Giriş ve Amaç: Sedanter Davranış Anketi’nin (SDA), 18-64 yaş arası sağlıklı bireylerde Türkçe kültürel adaptasyonunu ve güvenirlik çalışmasını yapmaktır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışmaya 220 (136 kadın, 84 erkek, yaş ort. 30,86±11,01 yıl) sağlıklı gönüllü dahil edildi. Hafta içi (Hİ) ve sonu (HS) olmak üzere toplamda 22 maddeden oluşan SDA’nın Türkçeye adaptasyonu 5 aşamada gerçekleştirildi: 1)İki kişi tarafından İngilizceden Türkçeye çeviri, 2)Ön çevirilerin karşılaştırılması ve düzenlenmesi, 3)Düzenlenen anketin Türkçeden İngilizceye çevrilmesi, 4)Çevirinin orijinal anketle karşılaştırılması, anketlerin harmonizasyonu, 5)Beş kişiye pilot uygulama ile anketin nihai hale getirilmesi. Benzer ölçek olan Uluslararası Fiziksel Aktivite Anketi kısa formu (UFAA-KF) oturma bölümüyle SDA arasında Pearson korelasyon bakılarak, anketin yapısal geçerliliği test edildi. Yedi gün arayla doldurulan SDA’nın güvenirliği, %95 güven aralığında (CI) test-retest ve iç tutarlılık katsayıları (ICC) ile değerlendirildi. Verilerin analizinde SPSS 24.0 kullanıldı. Bulgular: Yapısal geçerlik değerlendirildiğinde SDA-Hİ, HS ve toplam süreler ile UFAA-KF oturma süresi arasındaki korelasyon sırasıyla, r=0,254, p

Background and Objectives: Long COVID-19 syndrome may cause difficulties in functionality during daily life in young people. Our objective was to investigate the respiratory and functional sequelae in young adults with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 compared with healthy peers 3–6 months and 6–12 months after COVID-19 infection. Materials and Methods: Participants aged 18–25 who had COVID-19 within the last 3–6 months (Post-COVID Group 1, n = 25) and 6–12 months (Post-COVID Group 2, n = 25) and age–gender-matched healthy controls (n = 25) were included in this study. Respiratory functions and muscle strength were measured. Physical function was assessed with 6 min walking test (6MWT) and an Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT). The 1 min sit-to-stand test (1-MSTST) and hand grip strength (HGS) were used to assess muscle performance. Fatigue and dyspnea severity were questioned. Results: The FVC%pred (p = 0.023) and MEP (p = 0.034) were higher, and 1-MSTST repetitions were lower in Post-COVID Group-1 compared to Post-COVID Group-2 (p = 0.029). The PEF%pred (p = 0.025), MEP (p = 0.001), and ISWT distance were lower in Post-COVID Group-2 compared to healthy controls. The number of 1-MSTST repetitions and 6MWT distance were lower in Post-COVID Group-1 (p = 0.003, p = 0.001) and Post-COVID Group-2 (p = 0.003, p = 0.017) than in healthy controls. Exercise-induced blood lactate change during the ISWT, HGS, fatigue, and dyspnea were not significantly different between post-COVID groups and healthy controls. Conclusions: Young adults who pass asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection exhibit a decline in FVC%pred, PEF%pred, lower extremity muscle performance, and physical function within 3–6 months. In addition, the deterioration in respiratory and physical functions becomes apparent within 6–12 months.