Literature indicates that injured athletes face both physical and psychological distress after they have been injured. In this study, a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) was utilised as an intervention for use during the period of recovery with injured athletes and, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using MBSR as an intervention for this purpose. Objective: The aim of this research was to investigate the role of MBSR practise in reducing the perception of pain and decreasing anxiety/stress, as well as increasing pain tolerance and mindfulness. An additional aim was to increase positive mood and decrease negative mood in injured athletes. Methods: The participants comprised of twenty athletes (male = 14; female = 6; age range = 21–36 years) who had severe injuries, preventing their participation in sport for more than 3 months. Prior to their injury, the participants had trained regularly with their University teams and participated in official university championships. Both groups followed their normal physiotherapy treatment, but in addition, the intervention group practised mindfulness meditation for 8 weeks (one 90-min session/week). A Cold Pressor Test (CPT) was used to assess pain tolerance. In contrast, the perception of pain was measured using a Visual Analogue Scale. Other measurements used were the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), and Profile of Mood States (POMS). Results: Our results demonstrated an increase in pain tolerance for the intervention group and an increase in mindful awareness for injured athletes. Moreover, our findings observed a promising change in positive mood for both groups. Regarding the Stress/Anxiety scores, our findings showed a notable decrease across sessions; however, no significant changes were observed in other main and interaction effects in both groups. Conclusion: Injured athletes can benefit from using mindfulness as part of the sport rehabilitation process to increase their pain tolerance and awareness. Further research is required to assess whether increasing pain tolerance could help in the therapeutic process.

Objectives: The main aim of this study was to explore whether mindfulness increases therapists’ (physiotherapists and sport therapists) body-awareness and if it can have an effect on reducing their burnout in the workplace. Additionally, it was intended to gather evidence about which of the methods of delivery of the mindfulness meditation programmes (MMP) (face-to-face groups with an instructor (FFGs) and self-directed group (SDG)) were more effective with therapists. Methods: Online tools such as the creation of a website, as well as skype and online surveys were used with participants as a part of the methodology. Seven measurements were used to assess the effect of mindfulness meditation on therapists after 4 weeks of formal and informal practise. Results: Our results showed that attention regulation, self-regulation and trusting in FFGs had a significant improvement in pre- and post-meditation practise. Findings showed significant differences between groups for the FFGs. Particularly, our findings indicated a clear improvement in the acting with awareness, a positive effect of mindfulness, emotional awareness and a reduction in burnout. However, no changes were observed in stress. Conclusions: This study offers evidence that mindfulness meditation benefited therapists in terms of improving their body-awareness and by reducing their level of burnout at workplace. The benefits of the mindfulness programme were more significant when delivered in a face-to-face programme rather than in a self-directed way.

There is a lack of studies comparing PE teachers’ reflections on the role of sport in different regions. Using Kirk’s conceptualization of the role of sport, this qualitative comparative study aimed to explore and compare fifth-grade physical education (PE) teachers’ perceptions and experiences related to PE teaching in Finland and in the Kurdistan region of Iraq (KRI). In-depth interviews were conducted with eight Finnish and six KRI teachers, and the data were analyzed using the NVivo qualitative analysis program. The results showed that the Finnish teachers’ reflections were classified into four themes: joy and competence rather than sport, sport and curriculum, the status of sport in society and prerequisites for physical activities and sport. The KRI teachers’ reflections were also classified into four themes: sport as an aim in PE, the teacher as a model and leader of the sport, sport raising one’s status and PE being not only about sport. The role of sport in PE was recognized by teachers from both regions, although from different perspectives. The Finnish teachers made a clear distinction between PE and sport. The KRI teachers perceived PE and sport almost as one, in the belief that PE primarily teaches pupils about sport and that sport itself is a central goal. Both groups of teachers aimed to enhance their pupils’ well-being and encourage a physically active lifestyle through PE. The KRI teachers believed that engaging students in sports would promote these aims, whereas Finnish teachers saw sport as just one of many components needed to achieve these objectives. The Finnish teachers emphasized the national PE curriculum guiding their work, while the KRI teachers had no standardized PE curriculum in primary school. This comparative study highlights the importance of implementing a well-structured PE curriculum in primary schools in the KRI. Further studies should examine how the implementation of such a curriculum will affect KRI teachers’ teaching and the role of sport in PE.

This study explores the influence of PE teachers on enhancing PE lessons and motivation among high school students. The research aims to understand how teachers' attitudes and methodologies impact student engagement in physical education (PE). The study involved 30 male physical education teachers, all graduates of the College of Physical Education, each with over five years of experience. The informants showed their voluntary participation by giving consent either by email or verbally. Using a semi-structured interview method, data were collected and analysed through a constructive grounded theory approach, focusing on coding and thematic development. Our results indicate that teachers' individual attitudes significantly affect student motivation and participation in physical education classes. Key themes identified include the role of teacher demeanour, the importance of social engagement, and the impact of integrating physical education with other subjects. Positive teacher-student interactions and a supportive environment were found to enhance students' enjoyment and creativity during PE sessions. Discussion and conclusion, it is clearly that, the effective PE instruction, supported by adequate resources and facilities, aligns with the educational goals of the Ministry of Education, Kurdistan region of Iraq. Implementing these findings can help shape policies and practices that prioritize physical education as a vital component of student well-being and development.

Objective: The study sought to gather the perceptions and experiences of a group of physiotherapists who took part in mindfulness-based stress reduction program (MBSR). Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight physiotherapists who took part in a four-week formal and self-directed mindfulness meditation program. The data collected were analysed by implementing a thematic analysis. Results: Themes were identified in relation to perceived health benefits (stress reduction and increased attentiveness), the perceived impact of the MBSR on their professional practice and the perceived difficulties in practicing mindfulness. Conclusion: The data from this study offer qualitative evidence that mindfulness practise can become an important element in a physiotherapists' stress reduction toolkit, by helping them deal with the challenges of their professional practise. The main difficulties encountered with the program were related to the feelings of sleepiness that MBSR induced in them in the beginning. The participants also reported that the long duration of the sessions was another obstacle, suggesting that a brief form of meditation would be preferable and more convenient.

The primary objective of this study is to discern the inherent disposition of sports activity among students in the preparatory stage. Additionally, the study endeavors to ascertain the statistical importance of disparities in these attitudes based on gender (male and female), academic focus (scientific and literary), and academic year (tenth and eleventh). The investigation adopts a comparative descriptive methodology, and the study sample comprises a randomly selected cohort of 1435 students encompassing both genders. Rigorous assessment of the scale's validity and reliability was undertaken, and subsequently, the amassed data underwent statistical analysis using the SPSS software. The outcomes of the analysis disclose that students exhibit a favorable outlook on physical activity in a general context. Intriguingly, the analysis further indicates the absence of statistically significant differentiation in students' attitudes towards physical activity concerning the variables of gender, academic specialization, and grade. In light of these findings, it is recommended that concerted endeavors are channeled towards provisioning the requisite material and human resources to augment the landscape of scholastic sports. Moreover, a focused emphasis on physical education curriculum is encouraged, with the intent to enhance student awareness and foster more positive attitudes towards active engagement in sports.