Background: Due to the pain caused by knee injuries, low-load resistance training with blood flow restriction (L-BFR) may be a potential adjuvant therapeutic tool in the rehabilitation of knee injuries. This review aimed to analyze the effectiveness of L-BFR training modality in knee rehabilitation. Design: A meta-analysis was conducted to determine the potential impact of blood flow restriction on patients with knee injuries. PubMed, EBSCO, and Web of Science databases were searched for eligible studies from January 2000 until January 2020. The mean differences of the data were analyzed using Revman 5.3 software with a 95% confidence interval. Results: Nine studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. These studies involved 179 patients who received L-BFR, 96 patients who underwent high-load resistance training, and another 94 patients who underwent low-load resistance training. The analysis of pooled data showed that patients in both the L-BFR (standardized mean difference, 0.83 [0.53, 1.14], P < 0.01) and high-load resistance training (standardized mean difference, −0.09 [−0.43, 0.24], P = 0.58) groups experienced an increase in muscle strength after the training. In addition, pain score was significantly reduced in the L-BFR group compared with the other two groups (standardized mean difference, −0.61 [−1.19, −0.03], P = 0.04). Conclusions: Muscle strength increased after L-BFR and high-load resistance training compared with low-load resistance training. Furthermore, pain score was significantly reduced after L-BFR. Hence, L-BFR is a potential intervention to be applied in rehabilitation of knee injuries.

Background: Fundamental physical functions such as postural control and balance are vital in preserving everyday life, affecting an individual’s quality of life. Dance is a physical activity that offers health advantages across various life stages. Nevertheless, the effects of dance interventions on physical function, postural control, and quality of life among older adults have remained underexplored. The review aimed to examine the strength of evidence for dance interventions on physical function and quality of life among middle-aged and older adults. Methods: A systematic review was conducted across four databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Medline), focusing on studies involving more than four weeks of dance interventions. MeSH terms [dance or dance intervention or dance rehabilitation or dance movement] and [motor function or functional capacity or postural control or functional mobility or mobility or postural balance or balance or flexibility or gait] and [well-being or quality of life or life satisfaction] were utilized in the search. This review was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42023422857). Included studies were assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias. Results: The search revealed 885 studies, and 16 met the inclusion criteria. The effects of various dance genres on physical functions and quality of life were compared. Most studies showed that dance intervention improved physical function, balance, postural control and quality of life. Dance intervention showed a high level of adherence compared to physiotherapy, self-care, conventional therapy, and aerobic and resistance exercise. Conclusion: In terms of improving physical function and quality of life, structured dance is a safe and relatively effective alternative to exercise. Note the effect of movement selection and intensity in the dance interventions. Dance with music may increase participants’ interest, encouraging more physical activity among middle-aged and older adults.

Background: A range of non-contact injuries such as anterior cruciate ligament tear, and patellofemoral pain syndrome are caused by disordered knee joint loading from excessive dynamic knee valgus (DKV). Previous systematic reviews showed that DKV could be modified through the influence of hip strength and ankle range of motion. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review was to examine the effects of exercise intervention which involved either top-down or bottom-up kinetic chains on minimizing DKV in male and female adults and adolescents, with and without existing knee pain. Methodology: Electronic searches were conducted in SAGE, Science Direct, SCOPUS, and Pubmed. The search strategy consisted of medical subject headings and free-text search keywords, synonyms and variations of ‘exercise intervention,’ ‘knee alignment,’ ‘dynamic knee valgus’, ‘knee abduction’ that were merged via the Boolean operator ‘AND’ and ‘OR’. The search was conducted on full-text journals that documented the impact of the exercise intervention program involving either the bottom-up or top-down DKV mechanism on the knee kinematics. Furthermore, exercise intervention in this review should last at least one week which included two or three sessions per week. This review also considered both men and women of all ages with a healthy or symptomatic knee problem. The risk of bias of the included studies was assessed by Cochrane risk assessment tool. The protocol of this review was registered at PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42021219121). Results: Ten studies with a total of 423 participants (male = 22.7%, female = 77.3%; adults = 249, adolescents = 123; pre-adolescent = 51) met the inclusion criteria of this review. Seven studies showed the significant effects of the exercise intervention program (range from two weeks to ten weeks) on reducing DKV. The exercise training in these seven studies focused on muscle groups directly attached to the knee joint such as hamstrings and gastrocnemius. The remaining three studies did not show significant improvement in DKV after the exercise intervention (range between eight weeks to twelve weeks) probably because they focused on trunk and back muscles instead of muscles crossing the knee joint. Conclusion: Exercises targeting specific knee-joint muscles, either from top-down or bottom-up kinetic chain, are likely to reduce DKV formation. These results may assist athletes and coaches to develop effective exercise program that could minimize DKV and ultimately prevent lower limb injuries.

The systematic review aimed to analyze the effects of resistance training in knee osteoarthritis (OA) rehabilitation from a biomechanical perspective. A meta-analysis was performed to determine the potential benefits of resistance training on patients with knee OA. Relevant studies based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected from CENTRAL, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases inception to August 2020. Outcome measures included gait velocity and knee adduction moment (KAM). The mean differences of the data with a 95% confidence interval were analyzed using STATA 15.1 software The search identified eight studies that satisfied all the inclusion criteria, in which 164 patients were involved in gait velocity studies and another 122 patients were part of KAM studies. Analysis of the pooled data showed that resistance training significantly improved the gait velocity in patients with knee OA (p < 0.01, z = 2.73), ES (95% CI) = 0.03 (0.01, 0.06) m/s. However, resistance training had no significant effect on improving KAM in patients with knee OA (p = 0.98, z = 0.03), ES (95% CI) = 0.00 (− 0.16, 0.16) percentage of body weight × height (%BW × Ht). Therefore, resistance training may enhance gait velocity but not KAM in knee OA patients. The protocol was registered at PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42020204897).

This meta-analysis assesses the impact of plyometric training on lower limb strength, power, agility, and body composition in athletically trained adults to inform its athletic applications. A systematic search of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus databases on the effects of plyometrics training on physical fitness in athletically trained adults. Searches were conducted up to May 2025 using the PICOS framework. Methodological quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool (ROB-2), and statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager (RevMan 5.4.1). Publication bias was assessed through funnel plot asymmetry and Egger’s regression test. The certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. 70 studies were incorporated in the analysis, involving 1703 conditioned adults, from the inception of the database up to May 2025. The results indicated that plyometric training significantly outperformed the control group in the following performance tests: 1RM squat (SMD = 0.53, 95% CI [0.23, 0.84], p < 0.05), sprint performance (10 m: SMD = − 0.50, 95% CI [− 0.86, − 0.14], p < 0.05; 20 m: SMD = − 0.53, 95% CI [− 0.90, − 0.17], p < 0.05; 30 m: SMD = − 0.57, 95% CI [− 0.93, − 0.20], p < 0.05), vertical jump tests (CMJ: SMD = 0.69, 95% CI [0.48, 0.89], p < 0.05; SJ: SMD = 0.47, 95% CI [0.22, 0.71], p < 0.05; CMJ-A: SMD = 0.83, 95% CI [0.50, 1.15], p < 0.05), reactive strength index (SMD = 0.80, 95% CI [0.49, 1.10], p < 0.05), standing long jump (SMD = 1.34, 95% CI [0.79, 1.90], p < 0.05), Illinois test: (SMD = − 0.64, 95% CI [− 1.18, − 0.10], p < 0.05), T-test: (SMD = − 0.41, 95% CI [− 0.76, − 0.07], p < 0.05) and reduced body fat percentage (SMD = − 0.71, 95% CI [− 1.09, − 0.32], p < 0.05). Plyometric training significantly improves lower-limb strength, jump height, sprint speed, agility, and body composition in athletically trained adults. These findings support its targeted application in explosive sports such as football, basketball, and sprinting to enhance key performance parameters.