A Discussion on Different Approaches for Prescribing Physical Interventions – Four Roads Lead to Rome, but Which One Should We Choose?

Abstract

It is well recognized that regular physical exercise has positive effects on physical and mental health. To use the beneficial health effects of physical exercise, there are worldwide movements encouraging health care providers to include physical exercise in their care and treatments strategies. However, a crucial point in administering the “exercise polypill” is the dosing and, in turn, the prescription of the physical intervention (PI). In this perspective article, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to prescribe PI. In this context, we also highlight outstanding questions and potential areas of opportunity for further investigations.

Effects of Online Bodyweight High-Intensity Interval Training Intervention and Health Education on the Mental Health and Cognition of Sedentary Young Females

“…Similarly, a six-month light-intensity PA intervention program provided a modest improvement in cognition among older adults with subjective cognitive impairment, but the positive effects disappeared over an 18-month follow-up period [ 47 ]. Possible explanations for these inconsistencies might include the following: (1) the intensity and modality of a physical activity intervention influences the changes in global or domain-specific cognitive function produced, although the intensity threshold is not clear [ 60 , 61 , 62 ]; (2) sensitivity to PA may vary among different groups, and young adults’ cognitive functions might be more sensitive to increased PA [ 59 ]; (3) PA interventions may only work in the short term, probably because the cortex might gradually adapt to PA over time, and the cognitive benefits of PA may attenuate and eventually vanish [ 59 , 63 ]. Despite this, in this study, it was interesting to discover that the online “bodyweight HIIT + health education” modality increased moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and improved cognitive functioning more effectively than the “health education only” intervention.…”

Brain Structure, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Executive Control Changes after a 9-Week Exercise Intervention in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Such important psychological variables should be considered in future investigations [ 61 , 62 ]. Thirdly, based on the fact that we have used a variety of group exercises to create a motivating and ecologically valid setting for our endurance training intervention, an exact a priori prescription of exercise variables and post hoc determination of the dose is difficult (e.g., exercise intensity and intermittency) [ 63 , 64 ]. Fourthly, the exercise group and control group were not matched for sex, which was a bias of the present study.…”

Physical Fitness, Selective Attention and Academic Performance in a Pre-Adolescent Sample

“…This is alarming researchers who are increasingly observing the damage that these lifestyle habits can have on health [ 5 ]. Therefore, to ensure that physical activity with these characteristics is carried out, it would be convenient for children and adolescents to join planned and prolonged programs of physical exercise, which is known as physical training [ 6 ].…”

“…Among the researchers who have pointed out the relationship between the practice of physical activity or sport with the health of children and adolescents, in recent decades, those who have shown the repercussions that active lifestyles have on cognitive functioning stand out [ 7 , 8 ]. Thus, the importance of developing adequate physical exercise programs to favorably affect the central nervous system and improve cognitive functioning has been highlighted [ 6 ]. Thus, positive relationships between the practice of physical activity and various cognitive abilities, such as memory, executive functioning, attention, language processing, and processing speed, have been revealed at these ages [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ].…”