Background: Frailty and sarcopenia are geriatric syndromes of increasing concern and are associated with adverse health outcomes. They are more prevalent among long-term care facility (LTCF) users than among community dwellers. Exercise, especially multicomponent and progressive resistance training, is essential for managing these conditions. However, LTCFs, particularly in rural areas, face challenges in implementing structured exercise programs due to health care professional shortages. Moreover, older adults often become bored with repetitive exercise training and may lose interest over time. The Nintendo Switch Ring Fit Adventure (RFA) exergame is a novel exergame that combines resistance, aerobic, and balance exercises and offers a potential solution by boosting motivation in an immersive manner and reducing staff intervention needs. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of an exergame-based exercise training program delivered via RFA (exergame-RFA) in improving muscle mass and functional performance among older adult LTCF users. Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial conducted from August 2022 to September 2023 and involved older adult LTCF users (aged ≥60 y) in rural southern Taiwan. Participants were randomized into an intervention group (exergame-RFA plus standard care) or a control group (standard care alone). The intervention, conducted seated with arm fit skills and trunk control exercises using the RFA, lasted 30 minutes twice weekly over 12 weeks. The primary outcomes measured were the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures index (serving as an indicator of frailty status) and the diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia (appendicular skeletal muscle mass index, handgrip strength, and gait speed). The secondary outcomes included functional performance (box and block test as well as maximum voluntary isometric contraction of the dominant upper extremity), muscle condition (muscle thickness measured using ultrasonography), activities of daily living (Kihon checklist), health-related quality of life (Short Form Health Survey-36), and cognitive function (brain health test). We used an intention-to-treat analysis, incorporating a simple imputation technique in statistical analysis. A mixed ANOVA, with time as a within-participant factor and intervention as a between-participant factor, was used to compare the training effects on outcomes. Results: We recruited 96 individuals, of whom 60 (62%) underwent randomization. Of these 60 participants, 55 (92%) completed the study. Significant group×time interactions were observed in the intervention group in all primary outcomes (all P<.001, except P=.01 for handgrip strength) and most secondary outcomes, including maximum voluntary isometric contraction of the biceps (P=.004) and triceps brachii (P<.001) muscles, biceps muscle thickness measured using ultrasonography (P<.001), box and block test (P<.001), Kihon checklist (physical function: P=.01, mood status: P=.003, and total: P=.003), and brain health test (P<.001). Conclusions: The exergame-RFA intervention significantly improved muscle mass, strength, and functional performance among older adult users of rural LTCFs, offering a novel approach to addressing frailty and sarcopenia. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05360667; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05360667 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR2-10.3389/fmed.2022.1071409

Prolonged sitting combined with an awkward posture might contribute to the increased risks of developing spinal pain. Maintaining an upright sitting posture is thus often suggested, especially nowadays when people spend longer periods in the sitting posture for occupational or leisure activities. Many types of assistive devices are commercially available to help computer users maintain an upright sitting posture. As the technology advances, wearable sensors that use microelectromechanical technology are designed to provide real-time biofeedback and promote adjusting posture actively. However, whether such wearable biofeedback sensors could assist adjusting sitting posture in computer users during prolonged typing remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a wearable biofeedback sensor on maintaining an upright sitting posture. Twenty-one healthy young adults were recruited and performed a 1-h computer typing task twice, with and without using the active biofeedback device. The sagittal spinal posture during computer typing was measured using a three-dimensional motion analysis system. Using the wearable biofeedback sensor significantly decreased the neck flexion (p < 0.001), thoracic kyphotic (p = 0.033), and pelvic plane (p = 0.021) angles compared with not using the sensor. Computer users and sedentary workers may benefit from using wearable biofeedback sensors to actively maintain an upright sitting posture during prolonged deskwork.

Cervical stabilization exercises are frequently used to reduce pain, maximize function, and improve physical impairments for people with nonspecific neck pain. We conducted a single arm study to evaluate the effects of a home-based cervical stabilization exercise program for university violin players with nonspecific neck pain who frequently assume an asymmetrical neck posture and activate their superficial cervical flexors to stabilize the violin. Twenty violin players with nonspecific neck pain from university symphony orchestras participated in this study. All participants received assessments twice before the intervention and once immediately after a 6-week cervical stabilization exercise program. No significant differences were found between the two pretests before the intervention. After the intervention, the Numeric Rating Scale, the Neck Disability Index, the craniocervical flexion test, muscle endurance tests, cervical range of motion (all directions except flexion) tests, and cervicocephalic relocation tests (flexion and left rotation) showed improvements. The forward head posture indicated by the craniovertebral angle also slightly improved. The results of this single arm study suggest that cervical stabilization exercise is feasible and has the potential to improve physical health for collegiate violin players with nonspecific neck pain.

Diagnosis and progress monitoring of frozen shoulder rely on correct measurement of active and passive range of motion (ROM) of shoulder. This paper studied the feasibility of a wearable inertial sensor network (WISN) and its associated shoulder ROM estimation algorithm for shoulder ROM assessment. The WISN composed of three inertial modules were placed on the trunk, upper arm, and forearm of human for assessment of shoulder ROM in real time. Each inertial module consists of an ARM-based 32-bit microcontroller, a triaxial accelerometer, a triaxial gyroscope, a triaxial magnetometer, and a controller area network (CAN) transceiver. The measured accelerations, angular velocities, and magnetic signals generated by the human shoulder movements are transmitted to a personal computer via a Bluetooth wireless transmission module. The proposed shoulder ROM estimation algorithm includes the procedures of data collection, signal preprocessing, quaternion-based orientation estimation, and shoulder joint compensation. In order to evaluate shoulder ROM accurately, accelerations, angular velocities, and magnetic signals are integrated into a quaternion-based complementary nonlinear filter for minimizing the cumulative errors caused by the drift of the inertial sensors. Experimental results demonstrate that the WISN with the designed shoulder ROM estimation algorithm, compared to an optical motion analysis system (Vicon), have the average root mean square (RMS) angle errors ranging from 2.53° to 3.56°. In addition, the intra-tester reliability for each shoulder ROM measurement is excellent. The proposed WISN is a valid and reliable tool and can be used anywhere without any external reference device for convenient evaluation of shoulder ROM.

Footwork is the most fundamental skill in badminton, involving the ability of acceleration or deceleration and changing directions on the court, which is related to accurate shots and better game performance. The footwork performance in-field is commonly assessed using the total finished time, but does not provide any information in each direction. With the higher usage of the smartphones, utilizing their built-in inertial sensors to assess footwork performance in-field might be possible by providing information about body acceleration in each direction. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a smartphone-based measurement system on badminton six-point footwork. The body acceleration during the six-point footwork was recorded using a smartphone fixed at the belly button and a self-developed application in thirty badminton players. The mean and maximum of the acceleration resultant for each direction of the footwork were calculated. The participants were classified into either the faster or slower group based on the finished duration of footwork. Badminton players who finished the footwork faster demonstrated a greater mean and maximum acceleration compared to those who finished slower in most directions except for the frontcourt directions. The current study found that using a smartphone’s built-in accelerometer to evaluate badminton footwork is feasible.