Physical Activity Experiences Research Articles

Relationship Between Physical Activity and Subjective Well-Being Among College Students: The Mediating Role of Social Support.

Subjective well-being is a key concept in positive psychology and is associated with a variety of physical and mental health outcomes. Physical activity (PA) is a modifiable health behavior that has been identified as a potential correlate of subjective well-being. However, the underlying mechanisms that connect PA to subjective well-being are not well-understood. This study aimed to examine the association between the PA and various components of subjective well-being in college students, and to determine if social support mediated this association. A total of 1158 college students (46.3% female, mean age = 19.75years) voluntarily completed a set of questionnaires measuring PA, life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect, and social support in a single-wave assessment. Three sets of mediation analyses were conducted (employing bootstrapping techniques with 10,000 samples), with life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect serving as the dependent variables, PA as the independent variable, and social support as the mediator. The findings revealed that the relationships between PA, subjective well-being, and social support differ by the component of subjective well-being. While no association was detected between PA and negative affect, increased PA led to enhanced social support, which in turn contributed to higher levels of life satisfaction and positive affect. As social support was found to mediate the relationship between PA and subjective well-being, future interventions are suggested to foster supportive social environments and develop effective strategies to modify the social experience of PA to maximize their benefits in enhancing subjective well-being.

Experience of physical activity in patients with stroke: A qualitative meta-synthesis.

Inadequate physical activity (PA) is increasingly common among stroke patients, we aim to comprehensively analyze the experience of stroke patients delivering physical activity, understand the obstacles and promoting factors of physical activity, and summarize clinical management strategies. An electronic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, SinoMed, CNKI, and WanFang Database was conducted for qualitative studies on the experience of PA in stroke patients. The review was appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, the subsequent findings were synthesized via the Thomas and Harden approach and the credibility of the research results was evaluated by the CERqual tool. Six thousand five hundred forty-nine findings were yielded through the search, ultimately 11 studies were included through screening, a total of 194 stroke patients participated in the study, and 3 synthesized themes that emerged were identified: barriers to PA, facilitators to PA, and strategies to improve compliance with physical activity in stroke patients. All selected articles were of medium quality and all themes were of medium or high quality. The experience of PA among stroke patients should be given more attention. Healthcare professionals should provide physical activity-related knowledge education, social support, personalized care, improved environments, and create more opportunities for PA. In the future, more tailored interventions should be carried out to develop PA habits and improve compliance.

Yearning for care: an examination of South Asian women’s experiences of physical activity in gymnasiums on the Gold Coast, Australia

ABSTRACT This article considers the ways in which South Asian women negotiate care through fitness cultures in gymnasiums. Drawing on contemporary literature at the intersections of geographies of care, cultures of fitness focussed on gymnasiums and intersectional feminist thinking, we examine the ways in which South Asian women engage in physical activities in gymnasiums in hyper-sexualized tourist cities such as the Gold Coast, in Southeast Queensland in Australia. In doing so, the article explores the affective dimensions of engaging in physical activities for South Asian women and how these can be reimagined through momentary experiences of ‘care’. Using a post-humanist feminist lens, we employ in-depth interviews and observational research in exploring how race and gender are inter-implicated in South Asian women’s experiences in gymnasiums.

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.

A look into the cancer continuum for the development of a physical activity intervention: qualitative investigation of the physical activity experiences and preferences of female cancer survivors.

Clinical guidelines recommend cancer survivors (i.e., people with a cancer diagnosis) engage in regular physical activity (PA) during and post treatment, yet most do not. Additionally, PA promotion for cancer survivors has primarily focused on post treatment, calling for an understanding of PA promotion during treatment. This study explores the PA experiences and preferences of both in-treatment and post-treatment breast and gynecologic cancer survivors (BGCS) to inform the design of a PA intervention. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with postmenopausal women aged ≥ 50years, diagnosed with breast or gynecological cancer (stages 1-3), who were undergoing, or recently completed (12 to 24months) chemotherapy and/or primary treatment. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used to explore themes. Participants (N = 26; Mage: 63.9years) had a breast (92.3%) and gynecologic (7.7%) cancer diagnosis and 46.2% (n = 12) were in treatment whereas 53.8% (n = 14) were post treatment. BGCS experienced several side effects of cancer treatment and both groups felt PA was an important goal. In-treatment BGCS focused on managing side effects (e.g., fatigue) and recognized energy fluctuated around treatments, making those periods less ideal for PA. In-treatment BGCS strongly endorsed a flexible, at-home intervention. Post-treatment BGCS emphasized recovery and relapse prevention, also favoring at-home, flexible interventions but showing greater interest towards support groups to aid with their recovery journey. Preferred activities included walking, dancing, and muscle-strengthening. Findings highlight the unique challenges postmenopausal BGCS face in participating in PA, especially in-treatment, emphasizing the importance of a tailored PA intervention.

Relationship Between Musculoskeletal Disorders on Job Performance

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) have identified musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) as a rising epidemic within the workforce. These injuries account for 33% of all occupational injuries and 40% of medical costs. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of MSDs on the job performance of operating room employees. Methods: This descriptive and analytical study was conducted on 100 participants. Job performance was assessed using the Patterson Job Performance Questionnaire (JPQ), and MSDs were evaluated using the NORDIC Questionnaire. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 16, employing Mann-Whitney, chi-square, and binary logistic regression tests. Results: Among the participants, 43% were women, and 67% were men, with an average age of 27.37 ± 6.45. Sixty-two percent of participants did not have acceptable job performance. Additionally, 83% reported at least one musculoskeletal injury, 64% had at least two injuries, and 62% had three or more injuries across different body parts. The results indicated a significant relationship between job performance and variables such as hip, knee, lower back, upper back injuries, age, gender, literacy level, physical activity, and work experience. However, no significant relationship was found between neck injuries and marital status with job performance (P < 0.05). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that MSDs can negatively impact employee job performance. Given the influence of various occupational factors on performance, it is recommended that future studies simultaneously examine the effects of other occupational hazards.

Using Qualitative Geospatial Methods to Explore Physical Activity in Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Feasibility Study

Children with developmental disabilities (DDs) experience barriers to physical activity (PA) participation. Greater contextual information regarding their PA behaviors is needed for effective PA promotion. We investigated the feasibility of using activity trackers and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) devices with follow-up interviews to explore PA behaviors in children with DDs. Fifteen children with DDs (aged 10 ± 2 years) wore an activity tracker and GPS device for 7 days. Data were time-aligned to measure PA and identify PA locations. Maps were created to guide follow-up semi-structured interviews with the children and their parents/guardians to understand PA contexts and perceptions of daily PA. The children took 8680 ± 4267 steps/day across 6 ± 1 days. The children provided preferences for PA locations and the parents/guardians gave context by expressing how DDs affect PA and identifying environmental factors in PA locations. The children with DDs who lived near parks, participated in PA that leveraged the strengths of their individual skillsets, and had parents/guardians who provided social support had more positive PA experiences. Combining activity tracking and GPS data with follow-up map-based interviews is feasible to explore PA behaviors and the experiences of children with DDs. This methodology may provide novel insight into daily PA in children with DDs, which can inform how future interventions can support them to be more active and have positive experiences while being active.

Facilitators and barriers to perform physical activity in patients post-heart transplantation: a qualitative study.

Most patients experience barriers for becoming physical active post-heart transplantation. Therefore, identifying barriers and facilitators can help healthcare professionals in developing physical activity programs. This study aimed to explore the physical activity experiences, perceived barriers, and facilitators to perform physical activity of patients' post-heart transplantation. A qualitative study was carried out using in-depth semi-structured interviews on 24 patients post-heart transplantation from October to December 2022. The data were analyzed using an inductive strategy for finding emerging themes. NVivo 12.0 software was used to analyze the data. The physical activity experiences included that (1) patients felt that they had to adapt to a new situation after the heart transplantation, (2) walking was a popular physical activity preferably outdoors, (3) participants preferred to perform physical activity regularly with others, and (4) they felt better since they perform physical activity. The facilitators were: (1) Desire to live; (2) Experiencing physical benefits; (3) Being physically active with others; (4) Use of mobility assistive devices resources. The barriers were: (1) Feeling not being able to perform former physical activity; (2) Complications and experiencing symptoms post-heart transplantation; (3) Unfavourable climate. Patients post-heart transplantation have various facilitators influencing their post-transplant experience to perform physical activity. Key facilitators include the desire to live, physical benefits, social activity, and external support. Yet, they also face barriers like lost abilities, post-transplant complications, and environmental challenges.

"Take a minute (or 60) to focus on yourself": Using autophotography to explore postpartum physical activity experiences and associated psychological constructs.

The demands of motherhood have been shown to negatively impact physical activity (PA) engagement. Participants in a larger PA-based study in British Columbia, Canada were invited to participate in this sub study. Forty-eight photos and descriptions were provided by 9 participants with infants 3-7 months of age. Photos depicted challenges with PA, PA self-efficacy, body image and self-compassion in motherhood. We noted four themes that reflected the complex and gendered nature of postpartum PA engagement. First, gendered expectations of motherhood placed demands on time and space for PA engagement. Second, how mothers felt about their bodies both positively and negatively impacted their sense of self and PA engagement. Third, moments of self-compassion illustrated how navigating feelings of self-compassion about PA was messy. Fourth, PA self-efficacy was essential and required reimagining PA within the constraints of motherhood. In conclusion, PA postpartum is complex and impacted by broader concepts related to the expected duties of motherhood.

Experimental substantiation of the methodology for the development of physical qualities women of mature age (45-55 years)

This article deals with issues aimed at the development of middle-aged women who are able to stimulate the endurance of the abdominal press, the flexibility of the hamstrings, and the muscular endurance of the upper body after 12 weeks of physical exercises for two sessions of 60 minutes per week. Squats and push-ups increase strength and muscular endurance. A woman's physical condition is also largely tied to the phases of the menstrual cycle. At the same time, the manifestation of changes in the body of women during this period is very diverse. Menstrual health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not just the absence of diseases or ailments associated with the menstrual cycle. This is the process of preparing the body for pregnancy. Menstrual health has a huge impact on society, from the impact on careers and opportunities to health issues. Menstruation greatly affects the physical performance of athletes due to symptoms such as cramps, back pain, headache and bloating. In addition, statistics claim that 75% of women who engage in any type of physical activity experience negative side effects due to their menstrual cycle. During menstruation, women suffer from several physical, psychological, and behavioral symptoms that often result from premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Approximately 75% of women suffer from PMS and may experience headaches, abdominal cramps, bloating, fatigue, anxiety, high stress levels, or a combination of these symptoms. These symptoms range from mild to so severe that some women take days off work. While this is difficult for women to deal with in general, it affects athletes even more, who often have to go through rigorous training and physical exertion on a daily basis.

Fear of mistakes: Physical education and activity experiences of autistic teenagers

Fear of mistakes: Physical education and activity experiences of autistic teenagers

Older Métis Adults’ Experiences of Physical Activity and Implications to Health Providers

Physical activity supports health and wellness, and specifically supports healthy aging. Little is known about the experiences of older Métis adults with physical activity through their lifespan and how this has impacted wellness. This study was co-constructed with 12 older Métis adults in Sakitawak (Île-à-la-Crosse) Saskatchewan using a participatory action approach, two-eyed seeing and the ontology of Breath of Life Theory, as described by Cindy Blackstock. Older Métis adults described physical activity within three themes, Wahkotowin (Related to Everything), Ahkameyimowin (Never Give up), and E ti Meyo Matshohot (Becoming/Living a Better Life). The results of this study have implications for health care professions which are founded within biomedical and biopsychosocial models. We consider the context and experiences of physical activity among Indigenous populations in Canada to better address the gaps and identify practices that aim to support population health.

Rethinking Cultural Ecosystem Services in Urban Forest Parks: An Analysis of Citizens’ Physical Activities Based on Social Media Data

Urban forest parks play a vital role in promoting physical activities (PAs) and providing cultural ecosystem services (CESs) that enhance citizens’ well-being. This study aims to reevaluate CESs by focusing on the physical activity experiences of park visitors to optimize park management and enhance citizen satisfaction. This study utilized social media data and employed natural language processing techniques and text analysis tools to examine experiences related to physical activities in Beijing Olympic Forest Park, Xishan Forest Park, and Beigong Forest Park. A specialized sports activity dictionary was developed to filter and analyze comments related to PA, emphasizing the impact of natural environments on enjoyment and participation in PA. The importance–performance analysis (IPA) method was used to assess the service characteristics of each park. The findings reveal that urban forest parks are highly valued by citizens, particularly for their natural landscapes, leisure activities, and the emotional fulfillment derived from PA, with 82.58% of comments expressing positive sentiments. Notably, appreciation for natural landscapes was exceptionally high, as evidenced by the frequent mentions of key terms such as ‘scenery’ (mentioned 2871 times), ‘autumn’ (mentioned 2314 times), and ‘forest’ (mentioned 1439 times), which significantly influence park usage. However, 17.11% of the reviews highlighted dissatisfaction, primarily with the management of facilities and services during sports and cultural activities. These insights underscore the need for performance improvements in ecological environments and sports facilities. This study provides a novel perspective on assessing and optimizing urban forest parks’ functions, particularly in supporting active physical engagement. The rich CESs offered by these parks enhance physical activity experiences and overall satisfaction. The findings offer strategic insights for park managers to better meet citizens’ needs and improve park functionality.

Economic status as a predictor of motivational and affective experiences in physical education and physical activity intentions: a cross-sectional study in six European countries

ABSTRACT Lower economic status (ES) is associated with a less adaptive experience of school and physical activity. However, empirical evidence supporting the detrimental association of lower ES on the affective and motivational experience in Physical Education (PE) remains scarce. Using a large sample (N = 10,392) of adolescents from six countries (i.e., Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, England, Turkey), this cross-sectional study tested whether students’ family ES was associated with the satisfaction of their basic psychological needs in PE, and in turn with motivational and affective outcomes in PE and their out-of-school physical activity intention. Our secondary objective was to test whether these potential associations differed between countries. We further explored whether gender moderated the abovementioned relationship. Multigroup structural equation modelling showed that, in five of six countries (i.e., Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, England), a lower ES was associated with lower basic needs satisfaction with a small effect size (β = .10, p < .001), which in turn was associated with lower enjoyment (β = .75, p < .001), lower autonomous motivation (β = .83, p < .001), weaker out-of-school physical activity intention (p < .001, β = .36), higher displeasure (β = −.51, p < .001), higher controlled motivation (β = −19, p < .001) and stronger amotivation in PE (β = −.28, p < .001). Additional analyses indicate that basic psychological needs mediated the relationship between ES and motivational and affective experiences. Exploratory analyses suggested that the relationship between lower ES and the less adaptative motivational and affective outcomes was amplified among girls. This study provides new insights into how family lower ES and gender might interact to predict less adaptative motivational and affective experiences and outcomes in PE.

Supporting Students’ Physical Activity Self-Efficacy within High School Physical Education

Research examining physical activity (PA) is significant because of the known benefits of PA. Studying high school (HS) students is particularly important due to the consistent decline in PA as students age. One strategy to increase PA is to increase someone’s self-efficacy (confidence) to be physically active which is commonly positively associated with PA. Most of the research on how to support physical activity self-efficacy (PASE) comes from outside-of-school interventions with minimal literature on how to support students’ PASE within HS physical education (PE). This study attempted to identify and share practices that current HS PE teachers were implementing to support students’ PASE and further develop previous recommendations to support PASE. The study participants were 14 current HS PE teachers that participated in one individual semi-structured interview that lasted approximately 50-60 minutes. Interview questions were designed to ask participants about their daily in-person class routines and how they support PASE based on the four sources of self-efficacy. The results include three themes to assist in supporting HS students’ PASE which include: (a) Maximizing initial success, (b) Redefining success, and (c) Increasing PA awareness and monitoring. All themes and examples coincide with previous recommendations on how best to support PASE. PE teachers have the opportunity to design PA experiences that maximize the chances of students interpreting their experiences as successful and allow students to manage their PA participation. Implementing these types of strategies can hopefully increase students’ overall participation in PA by supporting their PASE.

186 Youth-Physical Activity Towards Health in Northern Ireland (Y-PATH NI) Study: Attitudes towards and experiences of physical activity and physical education

186 Youth-Physical Activity Towards Health in Northern Ireland (Y-PATH NI) Study: Attitudes towards and experiences of physical activity and physical education

S09 Exploring the sport and physical activity experiences of people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland: Breaking down barriers, building new relationships

S09 Exploring the sport and physical activity experiences of people with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland: Breaking down barriers, building new relationships

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.

Exploring physical activity experiences of community-dwelling oldest-old adults with chronic multimorbidity: A qualitative study.

To explore the physical activity experiences of community-dwelling oldest-old adults with chronic multimorbidity. Descriptive qualitative study. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews with 19 community-dwelling oldest-old adults with chronic multimorbidity. The study was conducted between December 2022 and May 2023. ATLAS.ti software was used for data analysis. Three main themes with their respective sub-themes and units of meaning were developed from the data analysis: (1) motivational factors for engaging in physical activity; (2) fear of getting hurt during physical activity and (3) confidence in being physically active. Motivation, kinesiophobia and confidence are three core elements that influence the experience of physical activity in oldest-old adults with chronic multimorbidity. Interventions tailored to meet the needs of the oldest-old adults are important for promotion and development of active ageing. Nurses and other healthcare professionals should design, implement and evaluate interventions that aim to increase oldest-old adults' motivation and confidence, while decreasing their fear to engage in physical activity. This study provides insights into the way community-dwelling oldest-old adults with chronic multimorbidity experience physical activity in their daily lives. Our findings suggest that motivation, kinesiophobia and confidence are key factors for oldest-old adults to engage in physical activity. These findings could contribute to the design and implementation of interventions that specifically aim at raising the physical activity levels of community-dwelling oldest-old adults with chronic multimorbidity. The study findings are reported according to the COREQ guidelines. No patient or public contribution.

The Benefits of Physical Activity for Patients with Cystic Fibrosis: A Literature Review

Introduction Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a complex and progressive genetic disorder that significantly impacts multiple organ systems, particularly the lungs and digestive tract. Despite advances in treatment and improved life expectancy, CF remains incurable, necessitating ongoing research and comprehensive management strategies. One of the key components in managing CF is the incorporation of physical activity (PA). Aim of the study The aim of the study is to investigate the role of physical activity in in the management of cystic fibrosis. Materials and methods This study underscores the critical role of physical activity (PA) in the management and overall well-being of individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF). It provides a comprehensive review of the multifaceted benefits of PA for CF patients, highlighting its positive impact on exercise tolerance, pulmonary function, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and quality of life. PubMed and Google Scholar database was searched for articles written in English. The search included the keywords. Results The data suggest that while CF patients face unique challenges, including muscle weakness and exercise intolerance, regular PA can mitigate these effects and improve overall health outcomes. Supervised exercise programs have demonstrated significant improvements in exercise tolerance and respiratory muscle endurance without adverse effects, indicating their feasibility and safety for CF patients. Studies have shown that patients with CF who engage in regular PA experience slower declines in lung function, fewer hospitalizations, and better nutritional status. Specific types of exercise, such as anaerobic training, have been particularly effective in increasing muscle strength and body weight.