In recent decades, extensive evidence has indicated that green spaces and physical activity (PA) are associated with mental health, while limited research has explored the combined effects of supervised PA in urban green spaces. To address the research gap, this study examines whether supervised PA within green spaces improves mental health among middle-aged adults (45–65 years) through a quasi-experimental longitudinal study developed as part of the “Moving Parks” project in Bologna, Italy. Using the Italian version of the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), mental health was measured at pre- and post-assessment. A total of 340 participants (258 intervention, 82 control) were included in the study. The effects of intervention, group assignment, and their interaction on mental health scores were analysed using a two-way repeated measures ANOVA. No significant differences in mental health improvements were observed between the intervention group and control group. The results indicated significant main effects of time on total WEMWBS scores and several subscales such as optimism, usefulness, energy, and cheerfulness, but these changes were not significantly influenced by group assignment. The only significant group-by-time interaction was found in perceived usefulness. These findings do not provide conclusive support for the hypothesised benefits of the supervised PA intervention. Possible explanations include seasonal variation, baseline or ceiling effects, and the potential limitations of the WEMWBS in detecting short-term psychological changes. Future research should consider extending intervention duration, improving group comparability, and employing more sensitive assessment tools to better evaluate the mental health impact of green space–based PA programmes.

Background and Clinical Significance: The study aims to investigate the application of the Rovatti Method^® in improving Cobb angles, angle of trunk rotation (ATR), aesthetics, and quality of life in the conservative treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS); Case Presentation: The case concerns the application of the Rovatti Method^® in treating a 13-year-old girl with mild right thoracolumbar AIS. This method involves the use of elastic bands designed to guide and enhance proprioceptive and mechanical stimuli during the patient’s active self-correction exercises. The treatment lasted 7 months; a radiographic control showed an improvement in the right thoracolumbar curve, with Cobb angles decreasing from 21° to 14°, ATR from 10° to 8°, TRACE (Trunk Aesthetic Clinical Evaluation) decreasing from 8 to 4 points, and the Scoliosis Research questionnaire (SRS-22) improving from 2.27 to 3.05 points. Conclusions: Concerning this hypothesis-generating observation case, the Rovatti Method^® may represent a kinesiological approach for the treatment of AIS, potentially contributing to improvements in Cobb angles, ATR, aesthetics, and quality of life.

Background: Quality of Life (QoL) is a multidimensional construct influenced by physical, mental, and psycho-emotional factors. Holistic movement practices (HMPs) have shown potential benefits for well-being; however, empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of developed protocols remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the Bio-gymnastic® method, a mind–body exercise protocol, on health-related QoL in adults and to explore possible differences by gender and age. Methods: A pilot longitudinal study was conducted involving 171 adults (female: 151, male: 20) who completed a 10-week Bio-gymnastic program consisting of one supervised session per week. The protocol integrated self-body awareness, postural control, breathing regulation, muscle activation–relaxation, and multisensory stimulation. Quality of life was assessed before and after the intervention using the Italian version of the SF-36 Health Survey. A two-way ANCOVA was applied to evaluate pre-post changes, accounting for the interaction effects of gender and age categories. Results: Significant improvements were observed across several SF-36 domains following the intervention. Notable gains were observed in physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, and mental health, with medium to large effect sizes in the physical domains. Improvements were generally independent of gender and age, although an interaction effect between gender and age emerged for physical functioning in the oldest participants. Conclusions: The proposed method appears to be an effective, low-dose holistic exercise intervention, suggesting that it may enhance multiple dimensions of QoL in adults. These preliminary findings support the potential role of mind–body practices as accessible health-promotion strategies. Further randomised controlled studies with balanced samples and objective outcome measures are needed to confirm and extend these results.