A spinal cord injury (SCI) usually results in a significant limitation in the functional outcomes, implying a challenge to the performance of activities of daily living. The main aim of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of virtual reality to improve functional performance in patients with SCI. The search was performed between October and December 2019 in Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated through the PEDro scale, and the risk of bias was evaluated with the Cochrane collaboration’s tool. Seven articles were included in this systematic review, and five of them in the meta-analysis. Statistical analysis showed favorable results for functional performance in control group performing conventional therapy, measured by the functional independence measure (standardized mean difference (SMD)= −0.70; 95% confidence interval: −1.25 to −0.15). Results were inconclusive for other outcomes. Most studies have not shown beneficial effects on functional performance compared with conventional physical therapy. The results obtained showed that virtual reality may not be more effective than conventional physical therapy in improving functional performance in patients with SCI.

Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging tool used in the neurological rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), focused on recovering balance, mobility, and motor function, among other functional outcomes. The main objective of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of VR systems to recover balance in patients with SCI. The literature search was performed between October and December 2019 in the following databases: Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus, Medline, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), PubMed, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The methodological quality of each study was assessed using the Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Evidence (SCIRE) system and the PEDro scale, while the risk of bias was analyzed by the Cochrane Collaboration’s tool. A total of 12 studies, involving 188 participants, were included in the systematic review, of which two were included in the meta-analysis. Statistical analysis showed favorable results for balance measured by the modified Functional Reach Test (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 3.42; 95% confidence interval: 2.54 to 4.29) and by the t-shirt test (SMD= −2.29; 95% confidence interval: −3.00 to −1.59). The results showed that VR interventions provided potential benefits, in addition to conventional physical therapy, to recover balance in patients with SCI.

The hypothesis posed was whether being part of a football/soccer team influenced the quality of life (QL) of the people who participated in it since their perception of themselves is enhanced by factors, such as self-determination, social inclusion, emotional well-being, physical well-being, material well-being, rights, personal development, and internal relationships. The objective was to evaluate the QL of people with Down Syndrome (DS) using their self-perception (n = 39) and the perception of the informants (family members, teachers) (n = 39). The KidsLife-Down Scale, with a few modifications, was used. In general, differences of opinion between the subgroups of participants with DS and informants showed that results were higher in terms of perception for participants in the DS subgroup. Scores for all variables were higher for those participants with DS who said they did engage in practicing competitive football/soccer. Although the perception of informants provides a great deal of information regarding the QL of participants with DS, participants with DS should also be involved in the evaluation process and their self-perceptions taken into account. It is not participating in a football team that causes the conclusions of the study, but training (which includes the friendly matches that are played), the cause correlated with the improvements detected in the athlete’s DS.

In equine reproduction, accurate and timely detection of the moment of ovulation is of great importance. Power Doppler ultrasound technology is a non-invasive method that enables to assess the morpho-echogenic features and blood flow changes during the estral cycle in mares. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of age on ultrasonographic parameters (follicular diameter, follicular blood flow—FBF, corpus luteum (CL) area and corpus luteum blood flow—CLBF) and blood plasma progesterone concentrations in cycling Spanish Purebred mares (15 less than 8 years old and 15 equal o higher than 8 years old). The ultrasound images obtained were analyzed with the Image Colour Summarizer software, which allows the quantification of the pixels of each image. Young mares had significantly higher FBF, CLBF and plasma progesterone levels. Moreover, linear regression analysis showed that blood progesterone levels could be predicted in both groups from CLBF with moderate precision and accuracy. In conclusion, Power Doppler was useful to assess ovarian hemodynamics. Our results support that age is a factor that significantly influences FBF and CLBF as well as blood progesterone concentration in mares. More studies would be needed to develop high precision and accuracy predictive models of blood progesterone concentration from CLBF measured by Power Doppler.

Stretching is commonly recommended to improve flexibility and reduce injury risk; however, its practical implementation among recreational snowboarders and alpine skiers remains inconsistent. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted during the 2024–2025 winter season. Of 403 collected responses, 391 valid questionnaires were included after data screening. The survey assessed sociodemographic characteristics, stretching perceptions, practices, perceived barriers, information sources, and supervision. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to explore associations between sport modality and generational cohorts. Although 91.3% of participants considered stretching necessary, only 39.7% reported performing stretching exercises in the previous six months. The most frequently reported barriers were lack of time (76.1%) and low motivation (54.2%). Alpine skiers attributed greater importance to stretching than snowboarders. Significant generational differences were observed in sport modality, practice volume, and information-seeking behaviour (p < 0.05), but not in stretching frequency or duration; therefore, Hypothesis 1 was not supported. Only 22.7% of participants reported receiving professional supervision. In recreational winter sports, stretching is widely valued but inconsistently practiced. Behaviour appears to be driven more by motivational and contextual factors than by generational differences in practice frequency, highlighting the need for targeted educational strategies and evidence-informed guidance.

The main purpose of this study is to present objective data on the differences in anthropometrics and fitness variables between adult athletes and non-athletes with Down Syndrome (DS) members of the “Down Cordoba Association” (DCA), after adjusting for confounders. Twenty-seven adults, 7 athletes and 20 non-athletes with DS, participated in this study. Health-related fitness variables were measured with tests validated for this population. First, the characteristics of the subjects according to sex and sports practice are presented. Athletes present significantly higher values for height (p = 0.010) and waist-to-hip ratio (p = 0.005). Furthermore, male athletes compared to male non-athletes have lower values in % of body fat (p = 0.030), and in waist (p = 0.031) and hip (p = 0.041) circumferences. Furthermore, athletes have better values in tests of strength, cardiovascular endurance (66.60 ± 47.66 vs. 32.31 ± 24.49 (s); p = 0.037), and agility, but not in flexibility. Significant differences were only found in cardiovascular endurance. As a conclusion, the practice of sports among the users of the “Down Córdoba Association” in general leads to better health-related fitness values. Therefore, we encourage the guardians of people with DS in this association to motivate them to practice sports because this practice will more likely improve their overall health.