Introduction: Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) treats osteoarthritis in one knee compartment, while total knee arthroplasty (TKA) addresses all compartments. The debate focuses on UKA's advantages of quicker recovery and fewer complications versus TKA's lower long-term revision rates, emphasizing the need for thorough outcome evaluations. The aim of the present study is to describe and compare the pain, functional and psychological trajectories during a 6-month postoperative rehabilitation period between total and unicompartmental knee arthroplasties. Materials and Methods: 115 participants who had undergone either TKA or UKA were recruited. Outcome measurements were performed at 1, 4, 12 and 24 weeks post-surgery. Measurements included pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale), range of motion, walking speed (4 m walking test), physical performance (30-s chair stand test), health functioning (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index), pain catastrophizing (pain catastrophizing scale), fear of movement (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). A mixed-effects model was used to estimate the influence of type of surgery (either unicompartmental or total knee arthroplasty) to pain, function, and psychological trajectories. Results: Both TKA and UKA groups showed significant improvements across the six-month rehabilitation period except for anxiety symptoms in the TKA group, and fear of movement and depression in the UKA group. Between group analysis revealed that in the acute phase UKA patients showed improved range of motion and TKA patients displayed faster walking speed but higher fear of movement. Overall, the type of surgery does not significantly influence the overall rehabilitation pain, functional and psychological trajectories. Conclusions: Despite differences in the acute phase, there are no differences in pain, functional and psychological trajectories throughout the six-month rehabilitation period. These results should be acknowledged to better inform patients and to improve patient education during the perioperative period. Trial registration number: NCT03378440 (2017-12-18), retrospectively registered. Level of evidence: Level II.

Introduction Programmes for older people aimed at increasing physical activity (PA) and reducing sedentary behaviour (SB) traditionally focus on achieving functional and health improvements. Focusing on enjoyment and social inclusion could strengthen adherence and help reach older people with social disadvantages. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the Join4Joy approach in PA programmes and its assessment tools. Methods and analysis A multicentric, pragmatic, pre-post feasibility study using mixed methods will be conducted. The intervention will consist of a PA programme boosting enjoyment and social inclusion, grounded on a co-creation process. Trainers will offer twelve, 1-hour weekly sessions of structured, supervised, group-based PA. Participants will be encouraged to increase activity in daily living. 144 older people will be recruited from the community and nursing homes in Spain, Denmark, Italy, Germany, and France. Additionally, participants and trainers will be invited to join virtual communities of practice to share their experiences across settings and countries. Qualitative procedures will be used to explore the acceptability of the design via interviews and focus groups with participants and trainers. Quantitative methods will be used to assess uptake, adherence, retention, reach, satisfaction, enjoyment (PACES questionnaire), physical function (e.g., Short Physical Performance Battery), quality of life (EQ-5D-5L scale), perceived improvement (Patient Global Impression of Improvement scale-I), activities of daily living (Barthel index) and SB and PA patterns (IPAQ and accelerometry). The degree and type of participation in virtual communities of practice will also be assessed. SPSS software will be used for the analysis of quantitative variables. Qualitative data will be analysed using reflective thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke (2006). Ethics and dissemination A favourable report by the Research Ethics Committee of UVic-UCC (282/2023) was obtained on 26 June 26th, 2023. Participation and withdrawal will be voluntary. Participants’ (or their legal guardians’, when necessary) written permission will be required. Results of the study will be disseminated through publication of scientific articles, presentations at sport and health-related professional conferences and congresses, as well as through social media and via the Join4Joy website. Study registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06100835.

Background/Objectives: Sarcopenia is an age-related muscle disease that reduces strength and function in older adults. Exercise is a key intervention, but existing protocols vary widely and often lack adaptation to sarcopenia severity. The present study aims to review the effectiveness of exercise protocols developed after the EWGSOP2 consensus and evaluate their adaptation to sarcopenia severity stages. Methods: This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines. PubMed and Scopus were searched for studies published after the EWGSOP2 consensus involving participants of 65 years and over with primary sarcopenia and managed through exercise-only interventions. Risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool, and quality and transparency of exercise intervention were assessed with the Consensus on Exercise Reporting Template. Results: Ten studies met the inclusion criteria, with a total of 558 participants. Most interventions included resistance training, often within multicomponent programs. Statistically significant improvements were reported in muscle strength, mass, and physical performance. Additional benefits included enhancements in sleep quality, respiratory function, and specific biomarkers. However, only two studies classified sarcopenia severity, and reporting quality varied considerably. Conclusions: Exercise interventions, especially multicomponent and individualized protocols, are effective at improving outcomes related to sarcopenia in older adults. However, better alignment with diagnostic classifications and standardized reporting are needed to improve clinical translation and program replication.

Physiotherapy (PT) education must foster both clinical competencies and non-technical skills such as communication, empathy, and self-efficacy to prepare students for professional practice. Simulation-Based Learning (SBL) offers a structured and safe environment to develop these skills. While the benefits of SBL have been documented in nursing and medical education, evidence in PT programs, particularly across different academic years, remains limited. This study examined changes in perceived self-efficacy, academic engagement, and empathy following SBL participation, and to explore differences between second-, third-, and fourth-year PT students. A prospective quasi-experimental study was conducted between December 2023 and June 2024 involving second-, third-, and fourth-year undergraduate PT students from a single Spanish university (corresponding to the fourth, sixth, and eighth semesters, respectively). Students participated in SBL sessions designed according to international standards and adapted to their academic level. Outcomes were assessed pre- and post-SBL through validated questionnaires: the Academic Situation-Specific Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students, and the Jefferson Scale of Empathy. All instruments demonstrated adequate internal consistency in the study sample (Chronbach's α ≥ 0.80). Post-SBL perceptions were further assessed using the Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Questionnaire and the Educational Practices Questionnaire-Spanish Version. Out of 451 eligible students, 409 participated in the baseline assessment and 378 completed post-SBL assessments. Statistically significant improvements were found in self-efficacy (p = 0.001), academic engagement (vigor, absorption, and total score; p = 0.008; p = 0.007, and p = 0.023, respectively), and empathy (compassionate care and total score; p < 0.001, and p = 0.007, respectively) across the full sample. When results were examined by academic year, patterns of change differed, with third- and fourth-year students showing consistent improvements across most dimensions, while second-year students exhibited more variable responses, including small decreases in selected engagement and empathy subscales. Post-SBL evaluations indicated high levels of satisfaction and self-confidence in learning, with large effect sizes observed in the more advanced academic years. Students' perceptions indicated strong endorsement of SBL practices, especially in high expectations and learning diversity. SBL was associated with improvements in key learning-related competencies, particularly among students in more advanced academic years. Differences across cohorts highlight the need to tailor SBL design to students' developmental stage, especially during early exposure. Future studies should incorporate control groups, qualitative data, and follow-up assessments to better understand the sustainability and contextual factors influencing SBL outcomes. NCT06852482 (registered on 28 February 2025).