Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of joint mobilization (JM) combined with acupuncture (AC) for treatment pain, physical function and depression in poststroke patients. Methods: A total of 69 poststroke patients were randomly assigned to the JM+AC group (n = 23), the JM group (n = 23), and the control group (n = 23). Patients in the JM+AC group and the JM group received JM for 30 minutes, twice a week for 12 weeks, and the JM+AC group received AC for 30 minutes separately once a week. The control group did not receive JM or AC. Pain (visual analog scale, shoulder pain and disability index, Western Ontario and McMaster universities osteoarthritis index), physical function (range of motion, 10-m walking speed test, functional gait assessment, manual function test, activities of daily living scale, instrumental activities of daily living scale), and depression (center for epidemiologic studies depression scale, Beck depression inventory) were assessed for each patient before and after the 12 weeks of intervention. Results: Pain and physical function were improved significantly in the JM+AC group compared with the JM and control groups. Physical function and depression were improved significantly in the JM+AC and JM groups compared with the control group. Conclusion: The treatment of JM combined with AC improved pain, depression, and physical function of poststroke patients with chronic neuropathic pain in this study. This valuable finding provides empirical evidence for the designing therapeutic interventions and identifying potential therapeutic targets.

In dementia, cognitive abilities like language, memory, and judgement are compromised, making it challenging to carry out daily tasks. In contrast, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a pre-dementia stage, is charac-

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the effects of weight-bearing exercise on health-related physical fitness and sleep index in pre- and postmenopausal women.METHODS: Twenty middle-aged women were randomly assigned to premenopausal women (PRW; n=11) and postmenopausal women (POW; n=9) groups. All subjects engaged in weight-bearing exercises for 50 minute twice a week for 8 weeks. All participants underwent weight, body mass index (BMI), muscle mass (MM), body fat mass, body fat percentage, waist to hip ratio, bench press (BP), leg press (LP), 3-minute step test (3 MST), sit and reach test (SRT), air squat (AS), push up (PU), curl up (CU), grip strength (GS), and the Korean version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (K-PSQI) measurements before and 4 and 8 weeks after the weight-bearing exercise program.RESULTS: AS and PU improved significantly in the PRW versus POW group (<i>p</i><.05). BP, LP, 3MST, SRT, AS, PU, CU, GS, and K-PSQI improved significantly in the PRW and POW groups (<i>p</i><.05).CONCLUSIONS: Weight-bearing exercise improved health-related fitness and sleep indicators in pre- and postmenopausal women. In particular, weight-bearing exercises more effectively improved the muscle endurance of pre- versus postmenopausal women. This significant finding suggests that the fitness level and sleep quality of premenopausal women may benefit from regular weight-bearing exercise.