Exercise Experience Research Articles

Examining mindfulness as a strategy to improve the exercise experience

ABSTRACT Mounting evidence shows that positive affective responses to exercise can facilitate continued engagement. Numerous strategies (e.g., mindfulness, music) have been proposed to improve how people feel during exercise. Mindfulness research has primarily occurred in laboratory settings, and the present study sought to examine the effects of listening to a mindfulness recording during a self-paced walk outdoors. It was hypothesized that the mindfulness condition would elicit more positive affective responses during and after exercise and lead to greater associative attentional focus compared to a control condition. Thirty-four participants (M age = 26.62, SD = 3.28 years), divided into two groups (mindfulness recording vs. control), individually completed a self-paced 1.5 mile walk through a park. Participants in the experimental condition listened to a mindfulness recording via headphones during the walk. Feeling Scale scores during exercise indicated greater pleasure (p < .001, ηp 2 = .36), and Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale scores revealed greater enjoyment in the mindfulness group (p < .001, d = 1.50); there were no differences in attentional focus between groups (p = .120, ηp 2 = .07). Both conditions were considered pleasant, and results support the use of mindfulness to further enhance pleasure and enjoyment during a low-to-moderate intensity outdoor walk.

Knowledge of pelvic floor muscles in community-dwelling women aged over 60: its relationship with urinary incontinence.

To investigate the awareness of the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) and PFM exercises (PFME) knowledge, training and experience in community-dwelling women aged 60 and over and its relationship with urinary incontinence (UI). This is a questionnaire based study which was carried out in 9 Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Centers, including a total of 500 women aged 60 and over and living in the community. The questionnaire included questions about awareness of PFMs, UI complaints and PFME knowledge, training and experience. Knowledge and awareness of PFMs and PFME knowledge, training and experience were compared in subgroups with or without urinary incontinence. The mean age of the women included in the study was 67.8 ± 6.1 (60-88). Knowledge and awareness of PFMs and PFME knowledge, training and experience were low in the study population. Knowledge and awareness of PFMs were significantly low in the subgroup with urinary incontinence (p < 0.05). Kegel exercise training and experience were significantly low in the subgroup without urinary incontinence (p = 0.01, p < 0.01). Knowledge and awareness of PFMs and PFME knowledge, training and experience are low in community-dwelling women aged 60 and over and training programs should be organized to teach the function of the PFMs and to perform PFME correctly in this population.

Insights from older adults' lived experience of physical activity and exercise during the COVID-19 lockdown in England.

This study investigated older adults' emotional and social experiences of physical activity and exercise during the first Covid-19 lockdown in England. Participants were 24 older adults (M = 74 years, SD = 5.0) either physically active or inactive before lockdown. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at the start of the pandemic in England, and when restrictions were lifted eight weeks later. Template analysis revealed three main themes: a Sense of Purpose for Being Physically Active, Routes for Engagement, and Inactive by Force? with different sub-themes for active and inactive participants. The lockdown restrictions emphasised the need to keep physically active in both active and inactive participants, but they perceived barriers differently. Both active and inactive participants found a renewed sense of purpose in walking outdoors for exercise when restrictions eased, enhancing their physical and mental well-being. To reduce barriers and emphasise that exercise is for all ages and all levels of mobility, multi-modal recommendations are presented for educating, promoting, supporting, and enabling older adults to engage in physical activity and exercise.

Effect of BOTELI practice frequency and hand grip strength on rally groundstroke forehand tennis skills in sports students: A two-way ANOVA analysis

Introduction. BOTELI is intended to train beginner tennis players in rally groundstrokes. BOTELI is different from a ball-throwing machine Study Aims. 1) To determine the effect of BOTELI practice frequency on rally groundstroke forehand tennis skills. 2) To evaluate the effect of BOTELI training and hand grip strength on rally groundstroke forehand tennis skill. 3) To examine the interaction effect between BOTELI practice frequency and hand grip strength on rally groundstroke forehand tennis skill. Materials and Methods. The research used an experimental method. The study sample was 48 sports students from Sebelas Maret University in 2024. The data collection involved using the Kem-Vincent rally tests to assess rally skills and a hand dynamometer to measure hand grip strength. The data analysis technique used a 2×2 factorial two-way ANOVA with a significance level of α = 0.05, using SPSS version 26 software for Windows. Results. The results showed that BOTELI practice frequency could improve forehand tennis rally groundstroke skills, with a value of (0.000 &lt; α 0.05) and (F-count = 128.004 &gt; F-table 4.06). Hand grip strength can improve rally groundstroke forehand tennis skills, with a value (0.000 &lt; α 0.05) and (F-count = 83.505 &gt; F-table 4.06). There was an interaction between BOTELI training frequency and hand grip strength in improving rally groundstroke forehand tennis skills, with a value of (0.000 &lt; α 0.05) and (F-count = 9.278 &gt; F-table 4.06). So, improving rally groundstroke forehand Tennis skills was influenced by the BOTELI frequency training and hand grip strength. Conclusions. This study showed that for beginner tennis players, the improvement of rally groundstroke forehand tennis skill can be effectively achieved using the BOTELI method. This method has been proven to be valid and reliable in rapidly improving rally groundstroke forehand tennis skill while providing an efficient, effective, and enjoyable exercise experience.

Qualitative Study on Active Exercise Experience in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease after PCI Surgery

Objective: To explore the positive exercise experience of patients with coronary heart disease after PCI surgery. Methods: purposive sampling was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with 15 patients with coronary heart disease after PCI in a tertiary hospital in Baise City from March to May 2024. The data was analyzed using the Colaizzi seven step method. Results: Three themes were extracted as a result. Knowledge is the foundation of active movement, including the transmission of external advantageous resources and actively absorbing new information; Belief is the driving force behind sports, including stimulating enthusiasm for sports, promoting sports consciousness, and enhancing sports confidence; Behavior is the foundation of exercise, including personalized formulation of exercise prescriptions, improvement of exercise compliance, and positive incentives for exercise experience. Conclusion: Patients with coronary heart disease after PCI can form positive emotional experiences during exercise, internalize internal and external advantageous resources into exercise beliefs, and stimulate exercise behavior. Nurses should be guided by the knowledge, belief, and action model to improve patients' mastery of motor knowledge, perceive positive incentives for exercise, and form sustained exercise behavior.

The Effects of Competition on Exercise Intensity and the User Experience of Exercise during Virtual Reality Bicycling for Young Adults.

Regular moderate-vigorous intensity exercise is recommended for adults as it can improve longevity and reduce health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle. However, there are barriers to achieving intense exercise that may be addressed using virtual reality (VR) as a tool to promote exercise intensity and adherence, particularly through visual feedback and competition. The purpose of this work is to compare visual feedback and competition within fully immersive VR to enhance exercise intensity and user experience of exercise for young adults; and to describe and compare visual attention during each of the conditions. Young adults (21-34 years old) bicycled in three 5 min VR conditions (visual feedback, self-competition, and competition against others). Exercise intensity (cycling cadence and % of maximum heart rate) and visual attention (derived from a wearable eye tracking sensor) were measured continuously. User experience was measured by an intrinsic motivation questionnaire, perceived effort, and participant preference. A repeated-measures ANOVA with paired t-test post hoc tests was conducted to detect differences between conditions. Participants exercised at a higher intensity and had higher intrinsic motivation in the two competitive conditions compared to visual feedback. Further, participants preferred the competitive conditions and only reached a vigorous exercise intensity during self-competition. Visual exploration was higher in visual feedback compared to self-competition. For young adults bicycling in VR, competition promoted higher exercise intensity and motivation compared to visual feedback.

Body, belief, and postpartum recovery: perceptions of exercise, body image, and postpartum wellbeing amongst ultra-Orthodox women

ABSTRACT Exercise during the postpartum period positively influences mothers’ mental health, including body image, which is critical for a successful postpartum experience. Ultra-Orthodox women, subject to strict religious laws governing their bodies, strongly adhere to the commandment to procreate, resulting in a higher birth rate compared to the general population. These unique characteristics may find expression in the way religion shapes their postpartum body image and exercise experience. This study aims to explore these elements, addressing the scarcity of research on this population, to better understand unique cultural sensitivities during this critical period of mothers’ health. Semi-structured interviews with ultra-Orthodox postpartum women following 12 weeks of exercise, revealed: (1) The perception of the body among postpartum ultra-Orthodox women, including the body (1.1) perceived as a means, not a goal, (1.2) disrupted by pregnancy, and (1.3) healing through exercise. The second theme found (2) Exercise raises cultural conflicts, and participants (2.1) provided justification for exercise and (2.2) hiding participation. The discussion focuses on the interplay between religious beliefs, the postpartum female body, and internal conflicts arising in relation to the postpartum exercise experience. This qualitative study highlights the ways that these cultural nuances may advance or hinder postpartum wellbeing of ultra-Orthodox women.

Validation of the CRAVE-C scale in Chinese adults: a four-study examination of competing motivations for physical activity versus rest.

The study aimed to validate the Cravings for Rest and Volitional Energy Expenditure (CRAVE) scale among Chinese adults with different health conditions (healthy control, chronic illnesses, and psychiatric disorders) and skill levels (athletes vs. non-athletes). In Study 1, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using the Maximum Likelihood Method (MLM) was performed on a Chinese sample of emerging adults (N = 481) to evaluate the structural validity of the Cravings for Rest and Volitional Energy Expenditure-Chinese version (CRAVE-C). In Study 2, differences in "Move" and "Rest" desires were examined among patients with psychiatric disorders, patients with chronic illnesses, and healthy controls. In study 3, investigated the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and exercise motivation using the CRAVE-C (N = 83). In Study 4, the changes in "Move" desire from baseline to post-training were compared between athletes and non-athletes. Results from Study 1 indicated that the 10-item CRAVE-C showed good fit indices ( Chi2 (34) = 118.769, CFI = 0.95, TLI = 0.934, SRMR = 0.053, RMSEA = 0.072). "Move" positively correlated with various factors of the Affective Exercise Experiences Questionnaire-Chinese and the Physical Effort Scale-Chinese, while "Rest" correlated negatively. In Study 2, Patients with psychiatric disorders had a significantly higher "Move" desire than healthy controls. Patients with chronic illnesses had a significantly higher "Rest" desire than healthy controls. In Study 3, higher cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with a slight increase in "Move" desire (3.26% ± 37.35%) and a decrease in "Rest" desire (18.94% ± 66.99%). Lower fitness was linked to a significant decline in "Move" desire (-54.61% ± 111.33%) and an increase in "Rest" desire (43.62% ± 63.64%). In Study 4, the athlete group demonstrated a significant increase in "Move" desire from baseline to post-training, whereas the non-athlete group reported a significant decrease in "Move" desire from baseline to post-training. The 10-item CRAVE-C has good reliability and validity in the Chinese cultural context and can be used among Chinese adults with different health conditions and skill levels.

Psychometric evaluation and validation of the Hungarian version of the Physical Activity Affect Scale (PAAS-H)

Background: Feelings and emotions during sports and exercise determine commitment, adherence, and enjoyment of the activity. The Physical Activity Affect Scale (PAAS) combined two earlier instruments, the Exercise-Induced Feelings Inventory and the Subjective Exercise Experiences Scale, to investigate affective states generally characterizing post-exercise feelings based on the circumplex model of affect. Therefore, the PAAS measures positive affect, negative affect, fatigue, and tranquility on a five-point Likert scale having only 12 items. Aim: Its ease of administration and interpretation renders the PAAS a valuable tool in both research and practice, but it is unavailable to Hungarian scholars and sports and exercise professionals due to the lack of adaptation. Hence, this work aimed to develop and validate the Hungarian version of the PAAS. Methods: Three hundred sixty-two recreational exercisers (64.1% women), aged from 18 to 62 (mean of age: 27.0 [SD = 10.0]) years completed the questionnaires before and during their exercise (briefly interrupting activity). Measures: PAAS was used to measure positive affect, negative affect, fatigue and tranquility aspects of internal affective experience. Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) was utilized to assess the actual mood state, consisting of positive affect and negative affect subscales. Arousal was measured with Felt Arousal Scale (FAS), while the pleasure–displeasure affective valence was assessed with the Feeling Scale (FS). Results: A confirmatory factor analysis indicated good fit of the four-factor model. The results also revealed configural, metric, and scalar measurement invariance between sexes. The internal reliabilities of the scales varied between (Cronbach’s α) .73 and .85 before and during exercise. PAAS scales largely showed the expected associations with other measures of positive and negative affect and activation. The lowest association was between Tranquility (PAAS) and Felt arousal (r = .14), followed by Tranquility and Feeling (r = .27). Feeling and Felt arousal correlated negatively with Fatigue (PAAS, r = –.42 and r = –.44), as well as with the Negative affect (PAAS, r = –.61 and r = –.40). Positive affect from PAAS (PAAS PA) had a positive correlation with Feeling and Felt arousal (r = .64, r = .54). PAAS PA and Positive affect from PANAS (PANAS PA) correlated strongly (r = .77), similar to the Negative affect from both inventories (r = .78; p &lt; .01 for all cases). Conclusion: Therefore, the Hungarian PAAS could assess exercise-induced affect in a reliable and valid way in recreational exercisers. However, its validity in competitive sports remains to be tested.

Tendencies and characteristics of public fitness behavior in the digital era: an Internet ethnography study based on the K Community in China.

The deep integration of media technologies into fitness activities in the era of digital intelligence has created a new and evolving landscape for public fitness. This transformation significantly impacts the practices and experiences of fitness. This study employs Internet ethnography as a qualitative research methodology, focusing on the daily activities of participants in a digital fitness community known as the K-community. Through immersive observation and analysis, the research seeks to uncover the evolving patterns and characteristics of fitness practices in China during the digital era. As media technology and network culture advance, participants in digital fitness increasingly display fragmented, digitized, entertaining, ritualized, and highly socialized behaviors. These traits reflect the community's desire for varied and complex exercise experiences within the context of modern technology. The evolution of fitness behavior not only reflects the operational principles of contemporary media technologies but also encapsulates the essence of popular culture in the digital age. This study enhances our comprehension of fitness practices in digital environments and their wider cultural ramifications.

Evaluation of a cross-border field simulation exercise on the response to outbreaks of infectious diseases in Namanga, Kenya and Tanzania.

Travel and trade, whilst playing a critical role in economic development, contribute to the spread of infectious diseases, including novel or emerging diseases, which can threaten health security locally, regionally and globally. The World Health Organization mandates preparedness through field simulation exercises to address infectious disease outbreaks, as highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study assessed the impact of the 2019 Namanga field simulation exercise, conducted in the border town shared by Kenya and Tanzania, on improving cross-border outbreak preparedness and response. It focused on participants' knowledge, skills acquisition and real-world application. An anonymous online survey was administered to participants 37 months post-field simulation exercise. In addition, key informant interviews and a focus group discussion with the Joint Border Management Committee in Namanga were conducted. The June 2019 field simulation exercise enhanced the skills, knowledge, and confidence of participants, including members of the border community, in preparing for and responding to outbreaks including COVID-19. The skills and knowledge gained were deemed valuable, relevant, and effective for use in future response activities. The analysis is limited by potential response bias, as only participants with positive experiences of the field simulation exercise may have responded more favourably. Addressing the limitations of design and implementation of the field simulation exercise and the challenges of cross-border response identified in this study are critical to optimising future responses.

“To exercise sustainably” – Patients’ experiences of compulsive exercise in eating disorders and the Compulsive Exercise Activity Therapy (LEAP) as a treatment: a qualitative interview study

BackgroundCompulsive exercise is common in eating disorders (EDs), but a systematic treatment model is lacking. The CompuLsive Exercise Activity TheraPy (LEAP) is a cognitive behavioral therapy treatment for compulsive exercise in EDs, delivered by trained therapists in groups over four consecutive weeks (8 groupsessions and 1 individual session), aiming to promote healthy physical activity. LEAP is currently evaluated in a randomized efficacy trial. In parallel, it is crucial to learn more about how it is perceived by qualitatively investigating participants’ subjective experiences.MethodsNine patients with various EDs participating in the LEAP trial were interviewed about their experiences of taking part in LEAP and about compulsive exercise as an ED symptom using a semi-structured interview guide. The interview transcripts were analyzed according to thematic analysis.ResultsThe informants expressed that compulsive exercise had not been addressed in their standard ED treatment and that LEAP as such provided an important complement, spurring reflection, awareness, and changed feelings and behaviors in relation to compulsive exercise. Initially, increased PA was triggered for some, but this side effect was transitory. A wish for more treatment time, in terms of longer or additional sessions, was expressed.ConclusionsOverall, LEAP seemed to fill an important treatment need and seemed both acceptable and feasible to patients. However, treatment time and the initial increase in PA may need further investigation and attention in order to optimize this treatment.Trial registrationThe trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry (registration date 20200325), trial ID ISRCTN80711391.

Affective experiences from exercise. Youth-adult differences and prediction of exercise behavior

Affective exercise experiences are summative, valenced memories that represent the history of associations between past instances of exercise in an individual's life and pleasant or unpleasant reactions. We used the recently developed Affective Exercise Experiences (AFFEXX) questionnaire to address two important questions in exercise psychology, namely the nature of affective exercise experiences during the childhood-adulthood transition and the relationship between affect and exercise behavior. The first study compared data from 949 adults and 607 children and adolescents, and showed that core affective exercise experiences were associated with different antecedent appraisals in the two groups. Being watched during exercise and perceptions of competence appeared to influence core affective experiences more in children and adolescents than in adults. The second study, using data from a subsample of 94 adults, showed that exercise behavior over 14 days can be predicted by pleasant core affective exercise experiences when they are congruent with strong attraction to exercise. These data highlight the value of theoretically informed research to understand the multifarious affective experiences individuals derive from exercise.

Affective experiences from school physical education in children and adolescents

Affective exercise experiences comprise a spectrum of memories, capturing both unpleasant and pleasant episodes. These can be assessed using the Affective Exercise Experience Questionnaire (AFFEXX, Ekkekakis et al., 2021), which examines three separate aspects: 1) antecedent cognitive appraisals (e.g., “incompetence vs. competence”), 2) core affective exercise experiences (e.g., “displeasure vs. pleasure”), and 3) the hedonistic motivation (“antipathy vs. attraction”) to engage in exercise. A German version, AFFEXX-PEG, designed to assess the affective exercise experiences from physical education (PE) in school-aged students, was used to investigate the correlations with PE school grades (as reported by the participants) and extracurricular sports participation (self-reported as the number of days per week spent engaging in at least 60 minutes of sports activities). This study analysed data from 569 individuals (Mage = 14.62, SD ± 1.84; 52% female) across grades 5 to 13. Nearly one-third (29%) of students reported unpleasant core affective experiences from PE in school, and negative experiences correlated with lower PE grades, r(517) = .52, p &lt; 0.001, 95% CI [.45, .58]. Less attraction or antipathy toward PE was associated with fewer days of sports outside of school, r(559) = .38, p &lt; 0.001, 95% CI [.31, .45]. Multiple regression analysis with negative core affective experiences from PE as the criterion and the six cognitive appraisals as predictors, showed that these experiences were primarily influenced by students’ perceived incompetence (b = .49, p &lt; 0.001; R² = .84, F(6, 500) = 436.52, p &lt; 0.001) in PE. Given the empirical evidence on the correlation between affective experiences and exercise behaviours in adults (Rhodes &amp; Kates, 2015), these findings highlight the potential role of fostering positive affective PE experiences. Such experiences may influence lifelong exercise behaviours, and early intervention may prevent the onset of an inactive lifestyle. A new study focuses on children’s (8-12 years) affective experiences from exercise and parent-child interactions, examining the influences of socioeconomic status, parental exercise involvement, and children’s self-perceived body esteem. Elementary school children will report their affective experiences on another, simplified version of the AFFEXX, while their parents will complete a survey on, for example, socioeconomic status and parental involvement in physical activity. By matching data from both surveys, the analysis will explore the relationships between household factors and children’s affective exercise experiences. The goal is to understand early negative affective exercise experiences, assess the impact of family structures, and offer strategies to promote exercise beyond regular school programs.

Precarious Bodies and Masculinities: The Experience of Exercise During Hormonal Treatment for Prostate Cancer

This study focuses on ageing men treated for prostate cancer receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) linked to a spectrum of side effects, sometimes understood as emasculating. To understand the consequences of ADT and how to counteract side effects related to masculinity, interviews were conducted with treated men participating in an exercise programme. The aim was to analyse how participants experienced and embodied the exercise programme in relation to ageing, illness and masculinity. Findings show that the men experience their bodies as changing, loosing habituated abilities. The beginning of the programme evoked feelings of precarious bodies, whereas further along these feelings evolved into those of bodily remedy. Participation was seen as opportunity to meet other men in the same situation and created a sense of fellowship.

Transforming Sedentary Lifestyles: The impact of remote VR and flat-screen interventions on affective attitudes towards physical exertion, guided by avatar or human trainers

This study advances understanding of the impact of flat-screen and virtual reality (VR) remote exercise environments in a home setting on affective attitudes towards physical exertion, with either a human or an avatar trainer.Employing a two-by-two factorial design, we manipulated both the medium (flat screen vs. VR) and the type of trainer (human vs. avatar). A total of 108 participants engaged in the study using a custom VR application for the Oculus Quest 2 headset or training videos, both prepared specifically for this study. The participants underwent a 15-min high-intensity interval training (HIIT) regimen, completing six workouts in their homes within fourteen days. Data on their exercise experiences and their affective attitudes towards exercise were collected using the CAWI technique. These were next analysed using a model that presumes that exercise experiences can increase motivation to exercise. We also studied the roles of spatial presence and trainer relatedness.Our results show that VR physical training shifted affective attitudes towards exercise positively, in contrast to the flat-screen groups. Moreover, using a digital avatar as a trainer had no negative effect on this favourable change in attitude. The change in affective attitude was influenced primarily by baseline levels and the wellbeing experienced during training. The factors we added to the original model—relatedness to the trainer and spatial presence—also contributed significantly to wellbeing. Perception of competence was a critical determinant of wellbeing, while perceived exertion was largely irrelevant. The HIIT protocol in the study was suitable for VR exercise.

Seasonal differences in participation and time spent in physical activity in Russia: The Know Your Heart survey.

This study aimed to assess the levels and investigate socioeconomic, demographic, and health-related predictors of winter and summer physical activity (PA) in Russia using the data from the Know Your Heart population survey conducted in Novosibirsk and Arkhangelsk (2015-2018; n=5068; aged 35-69years). Employing a series of probit, Tobit, and the Cragg models, we separated the predictors of the probability of participating in leisure-time PA from the predictors of time spent in PA. Our study showed that financial constraints limited males' participation in winter PA (probability of participation decreased by 12 percentage points) and females' engagement in winter and summer PA (decrease in the number of hours of practicing PA by approximately 1h a week). Education, self-reported health, smoking, and cues to action had different impacts on both probability and time spent in PA in winter and summer. We also found significant gender differences in participation and time spent in PA across seasons. Older age, poor health, and smoking were greater obstacles to PA for males compared to females both in winter and summer. However, males were more likely to follow physician's advice to lose weight and take up physical exercise. Information campaigns that promote physical activities, including those that are free of charge, are needed to help limit barriers to PA for people with low socioeconomic status and individuals with little or no exercise experience. Also, making sports more accessible to citizens by providing free and low-cost sports facilities can increase their participation and time spent in PA, improving individual health and productivity.

Predictors of post-exercise affect: A self-determination theory approach considering physical, social, and psychological factors.

Studies have shown increases in affect after acute exercise. However, the specific aspects of an exercise experience that predict or contribute to post-exercise affect remain relatively unknown. This study aimed to determine which physical (i.e., duration and intensity), contextual (i.e., social context and time of day), and psychological factors (i.e., motivation and need satisfaction) predicted post-exercise affect. In 2021, 296 gym users self-reported affect before and immediately after exercising at a gym facility. Participants also reported situational motivation towards exercise, need satisfaction (i.e., autonomy, competence, and relatedness), who they exercised with (social interaction), and the duration and perceived intensity of their exercise session. We first conducted a paired samples t-test to identify whether affect significantly increased from before to after exercise, and then a hierarchical regression model to determine which factors predicted post-exercise affect. Affect significantly increased from before to after exercise (t[291] = 8.116, p < .001). Autonomous motivation (β = .23, p = <.001), autonomy satisfaction (β = .15, p = <.05), and relatedness satisfaction (β = .19, p = <.01) significantly predicted post-exercise affect, whereas duration, perceived intensity, social interaction, and time of day did not. People should be encouraged to engage in activities that satisfy their need for autonomy and relatedness during leisure-time (i.e., not during the workday). SO WHAT?: This approach to physical activity promotion may lead to better affective outcomes and increased adherence compared to focusing on how long, how intense, or with whom people exercise.

Comparing Physical Activity and Exercise Experiences, Values, and Beliefs of Latino, Latina, and/or Latine People and Non-Latino, Non-Latina, and/or Non-Latine People With Parkinson Disease: A Qualitative Study.

The objective of this study was to examine and compare the beliefs, values, experiences, and barriers to and facilitators of exercise in Latino/a/e (Latino, Latina, and/or Latine) people and non-Latino/a/e (non-Latino, non-Latina, and/or non-Latine) people with Parkinson disease (PD). This study involved a qualitative research design with data collection via focus groups of Latino/a/e and non-Latino/a/e people with PD. A semistructured interview protocol was used, and a theoretical (social ecological model) thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Twenty-five individuals (15 non-Latino/a/e and 10 Latino/a/e) participated across 5 focus groups. While there were several common themes among both groups, 7 themes related to exercise in the management of PD were unique to Latino/a/e participants: generalized versus specific knowledge of exercise components; family can have both facilitating and impeding roles; finances influence access to exercise and physical therapy; prior emotional experiences related to exercise and PD affect the future use of exercise; group exercise can have both facilitating and impeding roles; availability and access to a variety of modes and stratification of exercise classes for people with PD facilitate exercise; and cultural beliefs and expectations can impede the use of exercise at the population level. Latino/a/e people with PD have overlapping and unique themes related to the use of exercise. Distinctive factors must be addressed in physical activity interventions and during physical therapists' care of people with PD to maximize the use of exercise and ultimately improve health equity in this overburdened and underserved population. Physical therapists should provide information and education to their Latino/a/e patients with PD and family members on the frequency, intensity, type, and time of exercise and how to safely participate in physical activity in the home and community to best manage PD. Physical therapists and exercise professionals should work at the environmental level to increase access to affordable, culturally tailored, PD-specific exercise services and enhance community knowledge of PD.

Reconfigurable Robotic Exercising Companion

Regular exercise plays a crucial role in promoting overall well-being in today’s lifestyle. However, individuals often find it challenging to properly execute exercises, including maintaining correct postures and appropriate movement speeds. Robotic companions have emerged as potential solutions to assist and motivate users during exercise sessions. This research paper proposes a novel robot companion designed for exercise scenarios using a reconfigurable robot. In contrast to existing non-reconfigurable robotic companions, the use of a reconfigurable robot provides added flexibility in generating emotions. The system incorporates a module that utilizes fuzzy logic to evaluate the correctness of exercise performance based on posture variations and movement speeds. The robot generates emotions and provides feedback to users based on the exercise correctness score. The robot expresses emotions through reconfigurations, motion patterns, and variations in robot speed. This emotion-based feedback could be helpful for creating engaging and interactive exercise experiences. Apart from emotion generation, the robot utilizes vocal cues as feedback. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of the proposed system in evaluating exercise correctness and demonstrating meaningful emotion transitions. The findings of this work contribute to the development of innovative robotic companions for improving exercise adherence and overall well-being.