Physical therapists employ several exercises to alleviate low back pain (LBP). Electromyography (EMG) examination of exercises can monitor muscle activation to help clinicians determine the exercise’s effect on stabilisation, endurance, or strength. This study evaluated surface EMG activity comparison for Flying Squirrel Exercise (FSE) and the novel 3-Point Quadripod Exercise (3-PQE) to find the most effective exercise for stimulating the lumbar multifidus (LM) muscle. The study recruited 64 healthy young females (19–24 years). Raw data were normalized and are expressed as the percentage of maximum voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC). The test–retest reliability of the EMG recordings was estimated using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC3,1). One-way ANOVA was used to statistically analyse and compare the EMG amplitudes during the two exercises. The ICCs for 3-PQE and FSE were 0.94 (SEM, 21.7% MVIC) and 0.87 (SEM, 19.05% MVIC), respectively. The 3-PQE (69 ± 26% MVIC) demonstrated significantly higher activity than did FSE (30 ± 18% MVIC) (F = 15.573, p = 0.001). Thus, 3-PQE might be a feasible strategy for the prevention and rehabilitation of LBP in females.

The study aimed to investigate differences in anthropometry, body composition (BC), and somatotype in young football players of the same chronological age according to the maturity stage. Overall, 64 elite players (age: 14.28 ± 0.46 years) were evaluated for standing and sitting body height, girth measures, and BC using the bioelectric impedance scale and skinfold thickness. In total, two-thirds (73.44%, n = 47) of football players were classified as on-time maturers, 12.50% (n = 8) were early maturing, and 14.06% (n = 9) were late maturing. Standing and sitting height, leg length, fat-free mass, and muscle mass were significantly different (p < 0.001) across maturity groups. A significant decrease (p < 0.05) with maturity progression was seen for subscapular and suprailiac skinfolds along with a girth increase at all sites (p < 0.05). Early maturers were balanced ectomorphs, while on-time and late maturers featured mesomorph–ectomorph characteristics. The obtained results suggested that mature players have better BC presented as a lower fat percentage along with higher muscle mass, advantages in circumferences, and longitudinal dimensions of the body with highlighted mesomorph features. Maturity can have a substantial influence on body measures, thereby affecting sport-specific performance. Early maturers can use their anthropometric advantages and compensate for a lack of talent, consequently preventing even participation of physically undeveloped players in training. A better understanding of maturity, BC, and somatotypes can help in the selection of young talented players.

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Background: The combination of physical and cognitive training effectively enhances the physical function of the elderly by preventing and reducing the incidence of falls as well as increasing independence in daily activities. However, the optimal combination of strategies to achieve the best physical performance and functional capacity in healthy elderly is still being explored. Objective: This study aimed to explore effective combinations to improve physical function. Methods: A comprehensive database search was done through Web of Science, Medline, Embase and PubMed, and was supplemented with Google scholar since September 2022. Titles and abstracts were used to search for keywords, and data were extracted using the Participants; Interventions; Comparisons, and Outcomes (PICO). Results: The 23 included studies recruited subjects aged 65 and older, comprising 872 females and 497 males, while some research did not identify the gender of 216 participants. Among the included studies, 16 were of high quality while 7 were of low quality. Ten studies showed a significant improvement in gait among older adults who underwent combined physical-cognitive training, while two studies found no positive effect on dual-task gait performance. All five studies showed a significant improvement in strength. Out of the four studies conducted, only one showed no improvement in endurance. All five studies showed improved mobility, while only one study found no effect on agility. However, eight out of the eleven papers showed a significant improvement in balance for older adults who underwent combined cognitive and physical training. The three papers that effectively reduced the fear of falling were also significant. Two studies showed that those who received combined training exhibited a significantly better quality of life compared to those who did not. Conclusion: Combined motor-cognitive training is an advanced, feasible and effective method that can promote the improvement of gait, balance and overall health in the elderly. This type of training has a more significant impact on the elderly’s fall response compared to general physical or cognitive training. Additionally, it contributes to promoting functional independence.

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