Background: Stroke induced neuromuscular deficits, especially in core muscle strength, impair balance and gait, whereas Pilates exercises known to improve strength and postural control remain insufficiently studied in neurological stroke populations. Objective: Evaluated the effects of a 3-week Pilates program on balance control, muscle strength, and walking ability in patients with chronic stroke. Methods: Single-blind, randomized controlled trial included 20 participants with chronic stroke who aged 45–65 years. Participants were randomly assigned into the experimental or the control groups receiving standard physical therapy. The experimental group, Pilates exercise program, comprised warm-up, 15 mat-based poses emphasizing controlled breathing and muscle engagement, followed by cool-down stretches and walking training, supervised by a physiotherapist for 60 min per day, 3 days per week, for 3 weeks. Time up and go test (TUGT), five time sit to stand (FTSST), and 10-meter walk test (10MWT) were conducted at baseline and after 3 weeks. Results: All participants in the Pilates exercise program were able to perform all exercise positions safely and statistically significant improved in balance, muscular strength, and walking ability compared to the control group (P < 0.001). Particularly, the TUGT showed a mean difference of 2.23 s (P < 0.001). In addition, improving in FTSST and 10MWT with a mean difference of 1.72 s and 0.15 m/s (P < 0.001) respectively. Conclusions: The integration of Pilates methodologies within stroke rehabilitation protocols may functional ability as a safe, efficacious, and readily available complement to conventional therapeutic approaches, thereby facilitating functional rehabilitation.

Background: In present-day society, interactive mobile devices are being more frequently used to bolster the memory capacities of senior individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, there is a lack of cognitive training mobile game applications that utilize image processing technologies to assess player behaviors concerning cognitive abilities such as executive functioning, memory retention, discrimination and decision-making, and processing speed.Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a mobile gaming app and investigate whether cognitive-motor training mobile game applications that use image processing to recognize player actions in relation to cognitive abilities like executive functioning, memory, discrimination, and decision making would improve cognitive performances in older adults with MCI.Methods: We performed a randomized controlled trial of a mobile game app cognitive training group and control group in 42 older adults with mild MCI. The intervention group (n = 21) spent 30 min/day, 2 days/week for 4 weeks, using the mobile app’s cognitive training game. The control group (n = 21) did not receive any training. All the participants were assessed with the neuropsychological tests before and after training.Results: Following the training, the Training group exhibited significantly greater improvements in Stroop test performance, including increased correct responses (p = 0.02, Cohen’s d = 0.71) and reduced uncorrected errors (p = 0.04, Cohen’s d = −0.67). Moreover, auditory reaction time was significantly enhanced (p = 0.03, Cohen’s d = −0.34) compared with the control group, indicating moderate effect sizes and suggesting clinically meaningful benefits of the intervention.Conclusion: A newly developed mobile gaming application is a potential tool for training executive function in older adults with MCI.

Functional decline in older adults can limit mobility, independence, and participation in daily activities. Nine square dance (NSD) is a simple exercise that may improve functional performance; however, the influence of the supporting surface remains unclear. This assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial compared the effects of NSD performed on a soft surface or nine square dance on soft surface (NSD-S) versus a hard surface or nine square dance on hard surface (NSD-H) in 114 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 years. Participants were randomly allocated to NSD-S or NSD-H and completed 45-min exercise sessions three days per week for three weeks, which were followed by a one-month self-directed exercise period. The primary outcome was the Timed Up and Go test (TUG). Secondary outcomes were the Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test (FTSST), 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), and mean arterial pressure (MAP). Linear mixed-effects models demonstrated significant group × time interactions for TUG, the FTSST, the 10MWT, and the 6MWT (all p < 0.001). At week 3, immediately after the supervised intervention, the between-group difference in TUG changes favored NSD-S by −1.58 s (95% CI −2.22 to −0.95; p < 0.001). For MAP, a significant within-group reduction from baseline was observed in the NSD-S group at the one-month follow-up. However, the overall pattern of MAP change did not differ significantly between groups (group × time interaction, p = 0.850). These findings indicate that NSD performed on a soft surface produced greater short-term improvements in functional mobility, lower limb functional performance, walking speed, and walking endurance than the same supervised exercise performed on a hard surface, whereas no differential effect on MAP was demonstrated.

Background: Prolonged obesity in children can lead to a gradual decline in postural stability due to changes in biomechanics, musculoskeletal function, and neuromuscular control. Early interventions may help address these issues. This exploratory study examined the potential influence of Thai massage on postural stability in children with overweight and obesity. Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental, comparative design and was conducted at the Pa Tueng Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, Chiang Rai, Thailand. A total of 58 children meeting the criteria for overweight or obesity were systematically assigned to either the Thai massage group or the control group based on the order in which they were recruited. The Thai massage group received 45 min full-body Thai massage sessions combined with stretching exercises twice a week for six weeks (a total of 12 sessions), while the control group was advised to perform daily stretching exercises at home. Postural stability was assessed by measuring sway path length and sway velocity during double-leg and single-leg stances with eyes closed, both before and after the intervention. Results: While no statistically significant differences were found between the groups, the Thai massage group exhibited a non-significant trend toward reduced sway path length and sway velocity, whereas the control group showed a significant increase in both measures (p < 0.05), indicating a decline in postural stability over time. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Thai massage showed a potential trend toward stabilizing postural stability in children with overweight and obesity; however, the between-group differences were not statistically significant. As an exploratory study, further research with longer intervention durations and follow-up assessments is needed to determine whether clinically meaningful effects can be established.