Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of increased daily walking steps on the 6-month incidence of neck pain among office workers. Methods: Healthy office workers with high risk of neck pain were recruited into a 6-month prospective cluster-randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned at the cluster level, into either intervention (n = 50) or control (n = 41) groups. Participants in the intervention group were instructed to increase their daily walking steps to a designated level for a duration of 6 months. Participants in the control group received no intervention. The outcome measures included the 6-month incidence of neck pain as well as its pain intensity and disability level. Analyses were performed using multivariable logistic regression model. Results: Of the participants in the intervention and control groups, 22% and 34% reported a 6-month incidence of neck pain, respectively. After adjusting for confounders, a significant preventive effect of walking intervention was found (adjusted odd ratio 0.22, 95% confidence interval 0.06-0.75). No significant difference in pain intensity and disability level was found between those in the intervention and control groups. Conclusion: An intervention to increase daily walking steps reduced onset neck pain in high-risk office workers. However, the walking interventions did not decrease pain intensity and disability in those increasing the number of daily walking steps compared to the control group.

Objectives: Falls are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among older adults, often resulting in severe injuries and a loss of independence. Dual-task training, which integrates cognitive and motor exercises, has emerged as a promising intervention for fall prevention. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a structured cognitive and motor dual-task training program on fall risk, balance, and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults.Methods: Seventy-two participants aged 60 years or older were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (IG, n=36) or a control group (CG, n=36). The IG underwent 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks (totaling 24 sessions) that incorporated simultaneous cognitive and motor exercises, while the CG continued their usual total body stretching exercise. Assessments were conducted at baseline, week 4, and week 8, and included gait speed (10-meter walk test), functional performance (Timed Up and Go test), cognitive function (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), and quality of life (World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment).Results: Participants in the IG demonstrated significant improvements in functional performance (p<0.05) and enhanced cognitive function compared to the CG after both 4 weeks and 8 weeks of training. Functional performance and cognitive function significantly improved after 8 weeks of training (p<0.01). However, the intervention did not produce changes in gait speed or quality of life.Conclusions: Integrating cognitive and motor dual-task training into fall prevention programs may enhance functional stability and cognitive resilience in older adults. Future studies should investigate long-term adherence and determine the optimal training intensity.

Inadequate health literacy (HL) is a critical factor contributing to fall risk among older adults. However, evidence on how HL relates to home environment and fall prevention behaviors in Asian community settings remains limited. This study aimed to assess HL levels and examine their associations with sociodemographic characteristics, home environment, and fall prevention behaviors. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 177 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 to 79 years. Data were collected through structured questionnaires assessing sociodemographic characteristics, home environment, fall prevention behaviors, and HL using the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47), which cover three subdomains: healthcare, disease prevention, and health promotion. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to examine the associations between sociodemographic factors, home environment, fall prevention behaviors, and HL. The HL score among older adults was 34.50 ± 7.50 (54.2% limited HL). A total HL score was positively associated with regular exercise (β = 2.73, 95% CI: 0.71, 4.74) and a sitting toilet (β = 6.38; 95% CI: 3.83, 8.92) and marginally associated with wearing properly fitting shoes (β = 2.54; 95% CI: 0.22, 4.86). Therefore, the health promotion aimed at improving HL in this population may benefit from concurrently promoting regular exercise, home safety modifications, and safe footwear practices.