Brisk Walking Research Articles

Design and Rationale of a Two-Armed Randomized Controlled Trial on Yoga/Brisk Walking-Based Lifestyle Modification on Dementia Risk Reduction, and Influence of ApoE Genotypes on the Intervention.

Though considered a late-onset disease, the 2020 report of the Lancet Commission emphasizes the necessity of conducting primary prevention trials with an approach of never too early in the life course for dementia prevention. Driven by the same notion, we hereby aim to compare the dementia risk reduction potential of two potential interventions, 48 weeks (12 months) of yoga and brisk walking, in middle-aged high-risk subjects. A randomized controlled trial. Community in India. In total, 323 at-risk dementia subjects will be recruited from community settings through health awareness camps and door-to-door surveys across Delhi, India. Participants will be randomized into yoga or brisk-walking groups (1:1). The yoga intervention group will receive 60 contact yoga sessions per 60-min/day at the community parks, followed by continued tele-supervised home practice, further followed by at-home self-practice, and will be tested at 3-time points (baseline, 24-week and 48-week, post-randomization) to test the efficacy of the intervention. The control group will be asked to do brisk walking daily for 45 minutes at their convenience, followed by weekly telephone follow-ups. Applying the intention-to-treat principle, the primary endpoint will be the change from baseline at the 12th month in the Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Dementia (CAIDE) Scores. Secondary outcomes will include the composite scores derived from a comprehensive neuropsychology battery, comprising the Trail Making Test, Digit Span Test, N Back, Color Trail, Animal Fluency Test, COWA (Controlled Oral Word Association Test), and Digit Symbol Substitution. The primary outcome will be analyzed using mixed-effect models for repeated measures, adjusted for covariates as fixed effects. The study has been prospectively registered (CTRI/2023/02/049746) on February 15, 2023. The protocol was conceptualized in 2021 and approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of SVYASA. Recruitment began in February 2023 and is underway with patient enrollment. To our knowledge, this is the first controlled trial to investigate the longitudinal effects of a yoga-based intervention on dementia risk reduction using the CAIDE risk score. The findings of this trial will also provide insight into a better understanding of genotype-dependent responses to yoga intervention and open up avenues for understanding the implications of gene-intervention interactions for precision prevention using yoga.

Ab. No. 37 Exploring the Perceptions about Exercises Among Women With Infertility: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Although there is evidence to support the importance of exercise to improve the chances of conception, poor exercise adherence has been reported in this population. Understanding the perception of exercises will aid in designing exercise programs that may facilitate better adherence. Infertility is a rising global issue and women face greater stigma and consequences of infertility in developing countries. This qualitative study aimed to explore the perceptions about exercises among women with infertility. Methods: Face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted among twenty women with infertility aged between 18-45 years. Women with unstable physical or mental conditions were excluded. The primary investigator conducted in-depth face-to-face interviews using a validated interview guide. Data collection was continued until thematic saturation was attained. The data was managed using ATLAS ti software. Two steps were carried out for thematic data analysis. Relevant codes were grouped based on their similarity into code families. Result: Women often sought information about exercises from social media, doctors, and family members. Preferred types of exercises were brisk walking and yoga. Supportive family and facilities were the main facilitators and lack of awareness, lack of time, lack of motivation, and lack of family support were identified as barriers. Conclusion: Individual perception of health and fitness, the preferred mode of exercise, barriers, and facilitators to perform exercise should be considered before planning an exercise intervention for women with infertility. In our study, the perception of exercise practices among overweight/obese women with infertility remains understudied. Future research could focus on obese or overweight women with infertility (both in rural and urban settings) as it would provide unique perspectives about their perception of exercise Implications: This study warrants the necessity to implement health education and awareness programs regarding the benefits of exercise in this population.

Wearable Loop Sensors for Knee Flexion Monitoring: Dynamic Measurements on Human Subjects.

Goals: We have recently introduced a new class of wearable loop sensors for joint flexion monitoring that overcomes limitations in the state-of-the-art. Our previous studies reported a proof-of-concept on a cylindrical phantom limb, under static scenarios and with a rigid sensor. In this work, we evaluate our sensors, for the first time, on human subjects, under dynamic scenarios, using a flexible textile-based prototype tethered to a network analyzer. An untethered version is also presented and validated on phantoms, aiming towards a fully wearable design. Methods: Three dynamic activities (walking, brisk walking, and full flexion/extension, all performed in place) are used to validate the tethered sensor on ten (10) adults. The untethered sensor is validated upon a cylindrical phantom that is bent manually at random speed. A calibration mechanism is developed to derive the sensor-measured angles. These angles are then compared to gold-standard angles simultaneously captured by a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) depth camera using root mean square error (RMSE) and Pearson's correlation coefficient as metrics. Results: We find excellent correlation (≥ 0.981) to gold-standard angles. The sensor achieves an RMSE of 4.463° ± 1.266° for walking, 5.541° ± 2.082° for brisk walking, 3.657° ± 1.815° for full flexion/extension activities, and 0.670° ± 0.366° for the phantom bending test. Conclusion: The tethered sensor achieves similar to slightly higher RMSE as compared to other wearable flexion sensors on human subjects, while the untethered version achieves excellent RMSE on the phantom model. Concurrently, our sensors are reliable over time and injury-safe, and do not obstruct natural movement. Our results set the ground for future improvements in angular resolution and for realizing fully wearable designs, while maintaining the abovementioned advantages over the state-of-the-art.

Impact of Aerobic Exercise Training on Sleep Quality in Adults with Somatic Dysfunction

Introduction: It has been demonstrated that aerobic exercise improves cardiovascular health and endurance. Patients with somatic dysfunction have low quality sleep, and training in aerobic exercise is important for enhancing the quality of the patients’ sleep. Training with aerobic exercises includes cycling, running, and brisk walking. Aim: To study that aerobic exercise improves sleep quality in adults with somatic dysfunction. Materials and Methods: Databases such as PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane were explored to uncover fulltext publications authored in English and were searched to retrieve desired articles. In addition, reference list of the retrieved article were searched in the analysis process. Result: A total 278 articles are retrieved after removing duplicates articles, only 3 articles were evaluated in this literature review. Conclusion: It has been concluded that aerobic exercise training improves sleep quality in adults with somatic dysfunction. Aerobic exercise training has shown promising effects on sleep quality among adults with somatic dysfunction. Research indicates that regular aerobic activity can improve sleep duration, efficiency, and overall quality. By reducing stress and promoting relaxation, aerobic exercise contributes to better sleep patterns, potentially enhancing the well-being of individuals with somatic dysfunction. Implementation: Aerobic exercise protocols are employed to raise physical health and improve sleep quality in adults.

Moving for Better Sleep: A Narrative Review of Exercise and Sleep Quality

Objective: This narrative review aims to bridge the knowledge gap regarding the influence of exercise on sleep quality, exploring how various types, intensities, and timings of exercise impact sleep across different populations. Materials and Methods: A systematic search for relevant literature was conducted in scholarly databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, and Web of Science. The search included terms related to physical activity and sleep, focusing on studies published in English from the past 10 years (2014-2024). Studies involving human participants and employing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or observational study designs were prioritized. Results: Regular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking or cycling, significantly reduces sleep onset latency, improves sleep efficiency, and enhances subjective sleep quality across various populations. Potential mechanisms include stress hormone reduction, neurotransmitter regulation, and body temperature control. Emerging evidence suggests that resistance training can improve sleep onset latency and subjective sleep quality, particularly in older adults and individuals with chronic conditions. The benefits may be linked to muscle repair processes and stress reduction. The effects of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on sleep are mixed, with moderate-intensity programs showing potential benefits while excessive intensity or duration may disrupt sleep. Timing also plays a crucial role, with late-night HIIT potentially having negative impacts on sleep quality. Conclusion: Regular exercise, especially moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, is a powerful tool for improving sleep quality. Resistance training also holds promise, particularly for specific populations. The impact of HIIT on sleep requires further research to determine optimal training parameters. Healthcare professionals should guide patients in tailoring exercise programs to optimize sleep benefits.

Effect of Brisk Walking Exercise in Green Space on Blood Glucose Level among Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

Effect of Brisk Walking Exercise in Green Space on Blood Glucose Level among Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

The Effectiveness of Various Physical Activities on Glycemic Control in Individuals with Prediabetes Mellitus in Semarang Municipality

Currently, diabetes mellitus is a prevalence in Indonesia, with a rate of 2.1% based on relevant diagnoses or symptoms. It is estimated that by 2030, the number of individuals suffering form diabetes mellitus will reach 21.3 million. Conversely, the proportion of individuals with prediabetes is 2-4 times higher than those with diabetes. Physical activity has been identified as a preventive measure for prediabetes. Several studies have demonstrated the significant impact of physical activity on glycemic control. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of different physical activities on glycemic control in prediabetic clients residing in Semarang municipality. A randomized control trials with a pretest-posttest design was conducted on 60 prediabetic clients using different treatments, including healthy/slow walking, brisk walking, and a combination of both slow and brisk walking. The data of the study were analyzed using univariate, and bivariate analysis using repeated ANOVA. All statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS version 22. The average level of glycemic control before intervention in the healthy walking group was 5.57%, which decreased to 5.46% after intervention. The combination group decreased from 5.93% to 5.78%, and the slowly walking group decreased from 5.74% to 5.71%. However, there was no significant effect of slowly walking on glycemic control (HbA1c levels). In contrast, brisk walking and the combination of slow walking and brisk walking had a significant effect on glycemic control (p<0.05). The combination of the physical activity group demonstrated the greatest impact on glycemic control (p<0.05).

Effects of moderate physical activity on HB level and psychological well-being in females – A randomized control trial

Objective: To determine the effects of moderate physical activity on HB level, and psychological well-being in females. Methodology: A single blinded, randomized control trial was conducted on n=30 participants for a period of 6 months. The participants with the age 18-25 years were recruited through non-probability convenient sampling technique and randomly divided into two groups experimental and control group. The data was collected at the baseline after the six weeks of intervention. The outcome measures were Hb level and psychological wellbeing through perceived stress scale (PSS). Results: The mean age of study participants was 19.59±1.32 years. While mean BMI of the participants was 24.22±3.43 kg/m2. The result showed significant increase in hemoglobin concentrations in experimental group as compared to control group (p<0.001) after 6th week intervention. On the other hand, there were no significant differences between both group (p=0.63) at the end of intervention. Conclusion: Moderate physical activity group suggests that the intervention had a positive impact on this hemoglobin parameter. However, since there were no significant differences in perceived stress levels. Keywords: Key words: hemoglobin; brisk walking; psychological well-being; push-ups; sit ups; stress scale; physical fitness.

Mitochondrial DNA copy number predicts dementia risk with early mobility impairment

AbstractBackgroundMobility impairment precedes Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and dementia. Potential mechanisms may involve mitochondrial dysfunction which is a hallmark of aging and links to both mobility impairment and brain health. In this study, we aimed to determine whether mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNA‐CN), a blood‐based marker related to mitochondrial function, would predict future dementia with and without the presence of early mobility impairment.MethodIn the UK Biobank, we estimated mtDNA‐CN using fastMitoCalc from complete Whole Genome Sequencing data at study entry. Dementia diagnoses were ascertained from medical records, including AD and non‐AD dementia. Early mobility impairment was defined as having slow walking pace by self‐report at study entry. The absence of mobility impairment was defined as having steady average or brisk walking pace. In participants who were free of dementia at study entry, we examined the association between mtDNA‐CN and future dementia with and without early mobility impairment using cox proportional hazard models, adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, body mass index, apolipoprotein ε4 carrier status, assessment center, and technical covariates related to mtDNA‐CN.ResultAmong 188,706 participants (mean age = 56±8 years, 55% women, 94% White), 13,821 reported slow walking pace at study entry and 2,564 developed dementia (1,085 AD, 1,479 non‐AD dementia) over a mean follow‐up of 12.5 years. After covariate adjustment, each standard deviation higher mtDNA‐CN (i.e. 16) was marginally associated with a lower risk of any dementia (HR = 0.96, 95%CI: 0.91‐1.00, p = 0.063). Among those who reported slow walking pace at study entry, each standard deviation higher mtDNA‐CN was associated with a 12% lower risk of developing any dementia (HR = 0.88, 95%CI: 0.783‐0.991, p = 0.034). There was a trend toward significance for non‐AD dementia (HR = 0.87, 95%CI: 0.754‐1.01, p = 0.065), and not for AD dementia (HR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.727‐1.09, p = 0.245). Among those without early mobility impairment, mtDNA‐CN was not significantly associated with dementia (HR = 0.97, 95%CI: 0.92‐1.02, p = 0.176).ConclusionIn a large sample of community‐dwelling adults, higher mtDNA‐CN is associated with a lower risk of developing dementia especially accompanied by early mobility impairment. Maintaining mitochondrial function in aging may protect against dementia that is preceded by mobility impairment.

Anticipatory Heart Rate Before Moderate- and Vigorous-Intensity Exercise Among Sedentary and Physically Active Young Adult Males.

Background Anticipatory heart rate (HR) refers to an increase in HR that occurs in anticipation of a future event or activity. The anticipatory heart rate (HR) response before exercise is an important physiological indicator of exercise readiness. This study aimed to compare the anticipatory HR changes between sedentary and physically active young adult males during moderate- and vigorous-intensity exercise. Understanding these anticipatory heart rate patterns can provide insights into the physiological adaptations and cardiovascular health of individuals with varying physical activity levels. Materials and methods A total of 60 young adult males, comprising sedentary (n = 30) and physically active individuals (n = 30), participated in this study. A brisk walking for a distance of 50 m was considered moderate intensity and one minute of spot jogging at maximum effort with verbal encouragement was considered vigorous intensity exercise. The HR was recorded at baseline, just before the exercise, and on each minute up to 5 minutes after the exercise. Results The study involved 30 physically active young adult males (mean age 20.23 ± 1.43 years) and 30 sedentary adult males (mean age 20.07 ± 1.17 years). In physically active young adults, the resting HR was 76.4±10.89 bpm and just before starting moderate-intensity exercise, it was 78.83±12.98 bpm, paired t-test P = 0.22. The HR just before vigorous-intensity exercise was 80.83±11.18 bpm (paired t-test P = 0.03). In sedentary young adults, the resting HR was 82.23±12.69 bpm and just before starting moderate-intensity exercise, it was 90.13±18.69 bpm, paired t-test P = 0.0008. The HR just before vigorous-intensity exercise was 91.7±15.04 bpm (paired t-test P <0.0001). Conclusion Physically active young adults did not exhibit a significant increase in anticipatory HR before moderate-intensity exercise. However, sedentary individuals exhibit a significant anticipatory HR response. Before vigorous-intensity exercise, both exhibited significant increments in HR. The result highlights the importance of considering the anticipatory HR response as a potential marker of cardiovascular health and exercise readiness.

Pilot study testing the effects of a multicomponent intervention for increasing moderate-intensity physical exercise.

Physical inactivity has been associated with several health problems, including diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Although many of these health problems are preventable through regular exercise, a small percentage of the adult population engages in the recommended levels. Reinforcement-based interventions have been implemented successfully to promote physical activity, but studies targeting moderate or vigorous physical exercise using behavior-analytic interventions are scarce. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the feasibility of a multicomponent intervention that provided monetary incentives for increasing running, jogging, or brisk walking distance for five adults. The intervention lasted 6 weeks and comprised weekly goal setting, feedback, public posting, and group contingencies. The results of the study suggest that the intervention may be feasible and effective at increasing moderate physical activity to levels recommended by the federal guidelines, but further research is warranted.

The Effect of a Combination of Brisk Walking Exercise and Bay Leaf Decoction on Changes in Blood Sugar Levels in Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Diabetes mellitus is a clinical condition of metabolic disease characterized by an increase in blood sugar levels or called hyperglycemia due to failure of insulin secretion, insulin performance or both. Management of diabetes mellitus can be helped non-pharmacologically in the form of brisk walking exercises and boiled bay leaves. This research aims to determine the effect of a combination of brisk walking exercise and boiled bay leaves on reducing blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This type of research is quasi-experimental with pretest - posttest with control group. The instruments used were an observation sheet and a glucometer set. Sampling used probability sampling with purposive sampling consisting of 38 respondents for the intervention group and 38 respondents for the control group. The data analysis used was the Wilcoxon test and the Mann-Whitney test. The results showed a significant reduction in blood sugar levels in the intervention and control groups. However, there was a significant reduction in blood sugar levels in the intervention group with a p-value of 0.000. This study concluded that there was an effect of the combination of brisk walking exercise and boiled bay leaves on reducing blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Fast walking reduces the risk of breast cancer: evidence from a Mendelian randomisation study

ABSTRACT Breast cancer is a prevalent malignancy that poses a serious threat to women’s health. Lifestyle modifications can alter the risk of breast cancer. Walking is a common lifestyle behaviour, but its impact on breast cancer remains unclear. We conducted a Mendelian randomisation (MR) study to explore this issue. Independent genetic variants closely associated with usual walking speed were selected as instrumental variables from publicly available genome-wide association studies (GWAS) databases. Genetic data on the estrogen receptor (ER) status of breast cancer and breast cancer were obtained from a large-scale GWAS meta-analysis. Inverse variance-weighted regression analysis revealed that brisk walking speed was associated with a lower risk of breast cancer [OR = 0.69; 95%CI = (0.54, 0.88); P = 0.006] and lower risk of ER− breast cancer [OR = 0.60; 95%CI = (0.38, 0.91); P = 0.018]. However, walking speed was not associated with the risk of ER + breast cancer [OR = 0.92; 95%CI = (0.70, 1.25); P = 0.641]. MR-Egger intercept and MR-PRESSO tests did not reveal significant levels of pleiotropy or heterogeneity, respectively. Sensitivity analyses also confirmed the robustness of the results. Our study provides strong evidence that faster walking speeds may reduce the risk of breast cancer and that a more widespread adoption of moderate or high-intensity exercise may be effective in reducing women’s health risks.

Brisk Walking Exercise Sebagai Bagian dari Intervensi Holistic bagi Penderita Hipertensi di Puskesmas Setabelan

Setabelan, a neighbourhood in the Banjarsari sub-district, houses a popular healthcare centre called Puskesmas Setabelan. Recent data shows that hypertension is the second most common reason for visits to the centre, with a total of 273 visits and eight patients daily. To address this issue, educational activities were organized to increase awareness and knowledge of physical exercise, particularly brisk walking, and the control of salt consumption among individuals with hypertension. These activities included distributing leaflets, presenting material, demonstrating exercises, and engaging in question and answer sessions with prolanis participants in Taman Banjarsari, Surakarta. The programme led to a significant increase in understanding, as evidenced by the pre-test average score of 2.18 and the post-test average score of 4.48, indicating an improvement of 2.30. The hope is that this community service initiative will empower participants with hypertension to independently manage their blood pressure effectively, ensuring the sustainability of the programme.&#x0D;

Reinventing the wheel for a manual wheelchair

Purpose Standard manual wheelchairs (MWCs) are inefficient and pushrim propulsion may cause progressive damage and pain to the user’s arms. We describe a wheel for a MWC with a novel propulsion mechanism. Methods The wheel has two modes of operation called “Standard” mode and “Run” mode. In Run mode, the wheelchair is propelled forward by pushing a compliant handle forward and then pulling it back, both strokes contributing to forward propulsion. We report the propulsive force and preliminary testing on a rough outdoor circuit by three able-bodied participants. Results In Run mode, the peak applied force is reduced to 30% and the maximum force gradient is reduced to 10% of that for standard pushrim propulsion, for the same work output. The travel time for the 1.06 km outdoor circuit is about 60% of that for a brisk walk and about 40% of that for pushrim propulsion. At a propulsion speed of 1 m/s, the cardiovascular effort in Run mode is 56% of that for pushrim propulsion. Automatic hill-hold in Run mode improves safety when ascending slopes. The mechanism has three gears so that it can be used by people with widely varying strength and fitness. Folding the handle away converts the operation to Standard mode with the conventional pushrim propulsion, supplemented by three gears. Conclusions Despite the increased weight, width and friction, the bimodal geared wheels facilitate wheelchair travel on challenging paths. This may bring significant improvement to the quality of life of MWC users.

Changes in femoral neck bone mineral density and structural strength during a 12-month multicomponent exercise intervention among older adults – Does accelerometer-measured physical activity matter?

Age-related bone loss is to some extent unavoidable, but it may be decelerated with regular exercise continued into older age. Daily physical activity alongside structured exercise may be an important stimulus for maintaining bone strength, but the relationships of habitual physical activity with bone strength are sparsely investigated in older adults. Therefore, the main aim was to investigate if accelerometer-derived impact-based and intensity-minute-based measures of physical activity were associated with changes in femoral neck bone traits during a 12-month exercise intervention among community-dwelling older men and women.Data comes from the PASSWORD study (ISRCTN52388040), a year-long multicomponent exercise intervention. Participants were 299 older adults (mean age 74 ± 4 years, 58 % women), who self-reported not to meet the physical activity guidelines for older adults but did not have any contraindications for exercising. The multicomponent training program included both supervised and self-administered exercises aimed at improving muscle strength, postural balance, and aerobic endurance. Physical activity was assessed at baseline and at six months into the intervention, and femoral neck bone properties at baseline and at twelve months. Physical activity measures were accelerometer-measured mean daily osteogenic index score, low, medium, and high intensity impact counts, and sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity minutes. Femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) was measured with DXA and structural strength indicators (cross-sectional area [CSA] and section modulus) were subsequently derived from hip structural analysis. Longitudinal associations of physical activity and bone outcomes were analyzed with generalized estimating equation linear models. Sex was included as a moderating factor, and models were further adjusted by potentially confounding factors (age, height, weight, smoking status, medications, chronic disease conditions, and strength training adherence).Participants increased their physical activity by all measures and decreased their sedentary time from baseline to six months. BMD decreased from baseline to post-intervention, while CSA maintained stable and section modulus slightly increased. Osteogenic index, high impacts, and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity, measured across the first half of the study, were positively associated with changes in BMD over 12 months (time х physical activity interaction effect: ß = 0.065, 95 % CI [0.004, 0.126]; ß = 0.169, 95 % CI [0.048, 0.289]; and ß = 0.151, 95 % CI [0.016, 0.286], respectively). That is, the higher the physical activity was, the smaller was the decline in BMD. Any physical activity measure was not associated with changes in CSA or section modulus in the full study sample. Sex did not significantly moderate the longitudinal associations, except the association between sedentary time and CSA (sex х time х PA interaction effect: ß = −0.017, 95 % CI [−0.033, −0.002]). An inverse association was found between sedentary time and changes in CSA in women, but not in men.In conclusion, BMD decline was less pronounced in individuals who accumulated more accelerometer-measured daily physical activity at the intensity of very brisk walking or light lateral jumping or higher intensities in a sample of relatively healthy, previously physically inactive older adults. Our findings support that accumulating the recommended amount of 150 or more weekly minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is also beneficial for older adults' bone health when incorporated into a multicomponent exercise program.

Positive effects of brisk walking and Tai Chi on cognitive function in older adults: An fNIRS study

Exercise has shown to have beneficial effects on cognition in older adults. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cortical hemodynamic responses during the word-color Stroop test (WCST) prior and after acute walking and Tai Chi exercise by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Twenty participants (9 males, mean age 62.8 ± 5.2), first underwent a baseline WCST test, after which they took three WCST tests in a randomized order, (a) after sitting rest (control), (b) after 6 minutes performing Tai Chi Quan, and (c) after a bout of 6 minutes brisk walking. During these four WCST tests cortical hemodynamic changes in the prefrontal area were monitored with fNIRS. Both brisk walking and Tai Chi enhanced hemodynamic activity during the Stroop incongruent tasks, leading to improved cognitive performance (quicker reaction time). Brisk walking induced a greater hemodynamic activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) area, whereas Tai Chi induced a greater bilateral hemodynamic activity in the DLPFC and VLPFC areas. The present study provided empirical evidence of enhanced hemodynamic response in task- specific regions of the brain that can be achieved by a mere six minutes of brisk walking or Tai Chi in older adults.

12-week concurrent brisk walking and Taijiquan (Tai Chi) improve balance, flexibility, and muscular strength of Chinese older women.

Healthy aging is a global goal to enhance the quality of life for older persons. This study evaluated the benefits of 12-week concurrent brisk walking and Taijiquan. Healthy Chinese women aged 60 years and above were enrolled to the control (n = 26) and intervention (n = 25) groups. Participants in the intervention group engaged in three exercise sessions per week for 12 weeks, whereas control group engaged in free-living activities. Each exercise session consisted of 20-45 minutes of walking and 20-45 minutes of Yang style 24-form Taijiquan. 12-week exercise improved (p < 0.05) the sit and reach test (within-group mean difference: +5.6 cm; Hedges' g = 0.77), handgrip strength (mean difference: +3.1 kg; g = 0.89), arm curl (mean difference: +2.1 repetitions; g = 0.69), chair stand (mean difference: +2.6 repetitions; g = 0.63), and one-legged standing (mean difference: +2.2 seconds; g = 1.07). There was no improvement in the circulatory health, body composition, or life satisfaction. Therefore, this concurrent brisk walking and Taijiquan training, which targets major whole-body muscle groups, could improve aging-critical flexibility, muscular fitness, and balance in older women. The exercise meets the current WHO guideline, is safe to perform, and could be campaigned as a health promotion for older persons.

The effects of regular physical activity on functional balance skills and life quality in elderly individuals

Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the effects of physical activity level (e.g., walking, simple exercises on sports equipment, and brisk walking) on functional balance and quality of life in elderly individuals. Patients and Methods: The study included 60 individuals (28 males, 32 females) over the age of 65 years who engaged in regular physical activity (Group 1, n=30) and sedentary individuals who did not engage in physical activity (Group 2, n=30) between January 2023 and July 2023. Mini Mental State Test (MMST), Fall Efficacy Scale (FES), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), Standing on One Leg (TAFS), and World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Elderly (WHOQOL-OLD) were applied to the individuals. Results: There was no statistically significant relationship between Group 1 and Group 2 when their MMST scores were compared (p=0.125). When the relationship between Group 1 and 2 and their balance status was examined, a significant difference was obtained when the results of FES (p=0.001), BBS (p=0.003), TUGT (p=0.014), and TAFS right/left (p=0.003/.004) were analyzed. When the quality of life of Group 1 and Group 2 was evaluated and the subparameters of the WHOQOL-OLD scale used for this purpose were compared, there was a significant difference in autonomy (p=0.001), past, present, and future activities (p=0.001), social participation (p=0.005), and closeness (p=0.013) scores. Conclusion: Regular physical activity was found to be the primary means of health promotion in older adults and an effective intervention to prevent falls, maintain balance, and improve quality of life.

The Effect of Brisk Walking Exercise on Changes in ESR Levels and CRP in Old Women with Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Examination of the sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) is recommended as an initial examination in patients suspected of having symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Brisk walking is a form of moderate activity aerobic exercise using fast walking techniques for 20-30 minutes with an average speed of 4-6 km/hour. This training model is effective enough to increase the maximum capacity of the heart rate, stimulate muscle contraction, breakdown of glycogen and increase tissue oxygen. The method in this study was a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test – post-test group design without a control group. The sample in this research is 10 respondents. The data collection used was in the form of pre-test and post-test data using data analysis techniques using the independent sample t test and processed using the SPSS application version 20. The results showed 1) There was a significant effect between giving brisk walking exercise to ESR levels (mm/h) in elderly women with rheumatoid arthritis symptoms from the t-test results that the value of P &lt;0.05. 2) There is a significant effect between giving brisk walking exercises on CRP (mg/L) levels in elderly women with rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, this can be seen from the results of the t-test that the value of P &lt;0.05. 3) There is a significant effect between giving brisk walking exercise to ESR levels (mm/h) and CRP levels in elderly women with rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, this can be seen from the results of the t-test that both P &lt;0.05.