Search Results (1,662)

Previous research has primarily focused on the restorative effects of environments on the general population, often overlooking the specific restorative capacity of urban settings for the disabled population. There is a lack of comprehensive investigation into the interaction between accessibility elements and urban restorativeness. This study, conducted in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, categorizes streetscape accessibility elements for the disabled population and develops a recognition system based on an enhanced DeeplabV3+ framework. Semantic segmentation of streetscape accessibility elements was performed using 201,860 sampling points and 807,440 street view images. This study employed a combination of TrueSkill scoring, sentiment semantic analysis, LDA topic modeling, and LAB color clustering to quantify and visualize urban restorativeness. The impact of accessibility elements on urban restorativeness was explored using the XGBoost-SHAP model. Results indicate significant effects of architectural space constraints and high-density motor vehicle distribution on the safety of the disabled population’s mobility. The low pixel ratio of accessibility facilities and signs indicates insufficient infrastructure, while high landscape recognition rates exhibit significant spatial coverage heterogeneity. Detection rates for the disabled population in street views are nearly zero, highlighting a severe lack of inclusivity in pedestrian environments. Urban restorativeness exhibited a pattern of being higher in the south and east, and lower in the north and west. Among the accessibility elements, public green spaces (PGS) contributed the most to urban restorativeness, accounting for 25% of the impact, and the study elucidates the mechanisms through which various elements affect urban restorativeness. This absence stems from spatial competition, missing co-design, threshold effect conflicts, and color interference mechanisms. This research breaks away from traditional linear analytical frameworks and reveals the complex non-linear relationship between accessibility elements and urban restorativeness through the XGBoost-SHAP model, providing a quantitative decision-making tool for planning accessible environments in high-density cities. Full article

Background/Objectives: In interceptive sports like volleyball, the ability to accurately time an action relative to a moving object (Coincidence Anticipation Timing—CAT) is critical. This study investigated the effects of a structured 8-week deliberate practice intervention on CAT accuracy and its long-term retention in young female athletes. Methods: Thirty-two female volleyball players (aged 8–10 years) were randomly assigned to an Experimental Group (EG, n = 16) and a Control Group (CG, n = 16). The EG underwent a specialized 8-week training program focusing on progressive cognitive load and immediate knowledge of results, while the CG followed standard volleyball training. A single-blind assessor measured CAT at two velocities (5 mph and 10 mph) using the Bassin Anticipation Timer at three time points: pre-test, post-test, and a 2-month retention test. Results: ANCOVA revealed a significant group-by-time interaction (p < 0.001), with the EG demonstrating a substantial reduction in absolute timing error. The effect size was markedly higher at 10 mph (partial η² = 0.400) compared to 5 mph (partial η² = 0.197). Crucially, the EG maintained their performance gains during the retention test (p < 0.05), whereas the CG showed no significant improvement over time. Conclusions: Targeted deliberate practice effectively enhances temporal prediction accuracy in children, likely by facilitating a shift from reactive to predictive motor control. The robust retention of these skills underscores the significant neuroplasticity of the 8–10 age window, suggesting that early foundational timing interventions provide long-lasting benefits for athletic development. Full article

Background: Action observation (AO) and motor imagery (MI) are widely used cognitive training strategies. Recent evidence suggests that their combination may enhance motor simulation through synergistic neural mechanisms. However, the effects of this approach on complex whole-body movements in elite athletes remain unclear. Methods: Twenty-seven elite ski jumpers performed AO, MI, and concurrent AO + MI tasks, while cortical hemodynamic responses were recorded using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Channel-level changes in oxygenated hemoglobin (ΔHbO) were analyzed using one-sample and paired-sample t-tests, with false discovery rate (FDR) correction applied for multiple comparisons. Additionally, mixed-design ANOVAs were conducted to examine the potential modulation of athlete level (master-level vs. first-class). Results: Significant activation was observed only in the AO + MIcondition after FDR correction, primarily in channels corresponding to the precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, and middle frontal gyrus. No channels in the AO and MI conditions survived FDR correction. Between-condition comparisons revealed significant differences in several channels located in frontoparietal regions, including the inferior parietal lobule, supramarginal gyrus, and middle frontal gyrus, with AO + MIgenerally showing stronger responses. No significant effects related to athlete level were found. Conclusions: These findings indicate that concurrent AO + MI is more effective than AO or MI alone in eliciting cortical activation in elite ski jumpers. This may reflect enhanced engagement of frontoparietal networks involved in action representation and visuomotor integration. These results may be compatible with a neural efficiency interpretation in highly trained athletes, although further studies with behavioral outcomes and broader skill-level comparisons are needed. AO + MI may represent a promising strategy for off-snow cognitive training in high-risk sports. Full article

Background: Spatial cognition, a skill paramount to survival, is impaired in Parkinson’s disease (PD) but has been little researched. Spatial cognition is utilized during motor–cognitive integration, which impacts daily functioning and quality of life in PD. As PD is a unilateral-onset condition, spatial–cognitive and motor–cognitive ability may differ by side of onset. Spatial cognition is suggested to be modulated by the right hemisphere; thus, we hypothesize to observe worse spatial and motor–cognitive performance by people with left-onset PD (LOPD) than right-onset PD (ROPD). Methods: 216 participants with PD were recruited (LOPD = 107; M = 62; mean age = 69.80 ± 8.5). Spatial outcomes were collected via the body position spatial task (BPST), Reverse Corsi Blocks, and visuospatial items of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA); motor–cognitive outcomes were collected by a Trails test, a Four Square Step Test (FSST), and a Timed Up and Go test. An independent t-test and the Mann–Whitney U test compared outcome variables between onset groups. Results: No significant differences were found between onset groups. Exploratory subgroup analyses revealed differences. Significantly worse performance by LOPD in single- and dual-task TUG was found within people with bilateral symptoms and postural instability (Hoehn & Yahr stage, >2; LOPD, N = 33; single, p = 0.001; dual, p = 0.021) and worse performance in single-task TUG in people with MoCA < 18 (LOPD, N = 5; single, p = 0.036) and people with freezing of gait (FOGQ, >0; LOPD, N = 14, p = 0.048). Significantly larger DTC by LOPD was found within frequent freezers (FOGQ, >3; LOPD, N = 9; p = 0.003). Conclusions: LOPD may tend to perform worse in motor–cognitive tasks among subgroups of those with more severe symptoms, i.e., those at later stages of disease. These findings may have implications for prognoses of those with LOPD versus ROPD and suggest that those with LOPD may have worse long-term outcomes in spatial cognition and motor–cognitive integration. Full article

Soccer performance is characterized by high motor and cognitive complexity, resulting from the interaction between, among others, physical and technical components. However, evidence regarding the relationships among physical performance, motor coordination and soccer-specific technical remains limited. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the associations among these domains in youth soccer players. Forty-nine male U15 participants (age: 14.3 ± 0.5 years) underwent anthropometric assessments, physical fitness testing (10 m, 30 m sprint, CMJ, YYIRT1), a general motor coordination test (Harre Circuit Test), and soccer-specific technical evaluation (F-MARC test battery). Associations among variables were assessed using Spearman correlations and exploratory principal component analysis (PCA) based on a Spearman correlation matrix with oblimin rotation. Significant associations emerged between general motor coordination, physical performance variables, and several soccer-specific technical skills. The PCA identified three partially overlapping components, cumulatively explaining about 70% of the variance, highlighting the multidimensional and interconnected nature of soccer-related performance capacities. General motor coordination demonstrated relevant loadings in both coordinative/technical and physical-performance-oriented domains. These findings suggest that youth soccer performance should not be interpreted through isolated physical or technical characteristics, but rather as the result of interactions among coordinative, neuromuscular, and technical factors. Consequently, multidimensional and individualized training approaches integrating physical, coordinative, and technical stimuli may represent relevant strategies for youth soccer development. Full article

Background: An early menopause (by definition, menopause that occurs at a woman’s age 40 through 45) is often associated with certain changes in the body that can result in risks for health-related conditions, an extended period later. Thus, scientists have begun examining how vitamin D has been suggested to be associated with endocrine function regulating both hormones and reproductive function during this time. However, it is not yet clear as to whether or not vitamin D provides any benefit to women who have experienced an early menopause. Material and Methods: The data was collected from 272 women in this retrospective, observational study at The County Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Arad. The method of grouping the sample included two stratifications into early and physiological menopause categories based on amenorrhoea for a minimum of 12 consecutive months. 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were classified into three categories: deficiency (<20 ng/mL), insufficiency (21–29 ng/mL), or adequacy (≥30 ng/mL). Estradiol, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) hormone parameters were measured using standard immunoassays. The analysis employed correlation and regression to evaluate potential relationships between 25(OH)D levels and hormone parameters. Results: A significant proportion of the study group had a vitamin D deficiency. This was supported by the fact that only 24.27% of women were identified as having adequate levels of vitamin D, while the rest (62.03%) did not. Women in the early menopause group had a statistically significant negative relationship between estradiol and FSH (i.e., r = −0.29, p = 0.0016), as well as between progesterone and LH (i.e., r = −0.207, p = 0.026). There was not a statistically significant relationship between total sample vitamin D and estradiol (i.e., r = −0.038, p = 0.686) nor between vitamin D and progesterone (i.e., r = 0.031, p = 0.744). Women with vitamin D blood levels of 30 ng/mL or more showed a strong negative relationship between vitamin D and estradiol (r = −0.780; p = 0.0016) and a moderate positive relationship with progesterone (r = 0.534; p = 0.0104). However, these relationships were inconsistent in other groups. All group comparative analyses showed that women in the early menopause group had much lower estradiol levels than those in the physiological menopause group, regardless of whether they were classified based on their vitamin D levels (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Women experiencing early or physiological menopause are at risk of having low vitamin D levels. However, our study results do not show a consistent relationship between serum 25(OH)D concentrations and serum estradiol or progesterone concentrations among the study population, suggesting that vitamin D is not a major factor influencing hormonal changes during menopause. These findings were inconsistent across analyses and should be interpreted cautiously. Overall, the results do not support a significant association between serum 25(OH)D concentrations and reproductive hormone levels in our study population. Full article

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is frequently associated with gastrointestinal symptoms, immune dysregulation, and altered microbiota-related signaling, supporting interest in microbiota-targeted interventions. This study evaluated adaptive functioning for over 180 days in children with ASD in a previously randomized controlled trial (RCT). After the initial 90-day blinded phase, the study continued as an open-label extension (OLE) in which all participants received K11 TMAX, a kefir-derived probiotic consortium combined with a microencapsulated micronutrient blend. The study included 130 children (3–11 years of age) who continued from the RCT were followed-up in three different trajectories: (1) placebo → K11-TMAX; (2) K11 → K11-TMAX; and (3) continued K11-TMAX supplementation. Children’s adaptive functioning was assessed by the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Third Edition (Vineland-3), Adaptive Behavior Composite (ABC) as well as by four core domains: (1) communication; (2) daily living skills; (3) socialization; and (4) motor skills. All three groups of children improved significantly on all of the parameters that were assessed with the effect sizes ranging from 0.13 to 0.43. The greatest improvement in the communication domain was seen in the transition group (1) and the greatest decrease in the externalizing behavior scores were seen in the continuous group (3) of children. Children’s adaptive functioning improved in clinically meaningful ways. Children’s improvement, however, was within the disability range and did not reach the level of typical development of children of the same age. These findings suggest supplementary therapeutic use of K11-TMAX, modulating the gut–brain axis, in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Full article

Background/Objectives: Contemporary football requires players to demonstrate advanced cognitive processing and rapid decision-making abilities, which are often insufficiently addressed within conventional training models. This study aimed to examine the effects of a dedicated training program grounded in creative pedagogical approaches on the development of tactical knowledge, the efficiency of technical–tactical actions under controlled conditions, and match-related performance in youth football players. Methods: The study involved 106 players from the U11–U12 age categories, divided into an Experimental group (E, n = 50) and a Control group (C, n = 56). Over the course of a one-year pedagogical intervention, the Experimental group was exposed to training based on creative teaching strategies, whereas the Control group followed a traditional, instruction-based training model. Evaluation was conducted using standardized assessments of tactical knowledge, tests of technical–tactical performance in isolated conditions, and analyses of simulated match play. The data were analysed using a 2 × 2 mixed-design ANOVA, with Group as the between-subject factor and Time as the within-subject factor. Results: The analysis revealed significant Group × Time interactions for tactical knowledge, F(1, 104) = 9.01, p = 0.003, ηp² = 0.080; technical–tactical effectiveness in isolated conditions, F(1, 104) = 60.32, p < 0.001, ηp² = 0.367; and in-game performance, F(1, 104) = 5.30, p = 0.023, ηp² = 0.048. In all assessed domains, the Experimental group demonstrated greater improvement from pre-test to post-test than the Control group. Conclusions: The findings indicate that, under the conditions of this quasi-experimental study, a training program incorporating creative teaching methods was associated with greater improvements in game-related competencies, including tactical understanding, technical–tactical effectiveness, and in-game performance, compared with a traditional instructional approach. Given the dynamic and context-dependent nature of team sports, the integration of active and creative methodologies should be considered in youth football development programs. Full article

Background: Contextual interference (CI), defined as interleaved practice, improves motor skill learning in powerlifters. However, previous protocols lacked ecological validity. This study evaluated an alternative, highly specific CI exercise (the seal row) to provide a more practical approach for powerlifting routines. Methods: Fifteen powerlifters (10 males and 5 females, age: 23 ± 2 years, 1RM: 78 ± 32 kg) were randomized in a high CI group (HCI) and low CI group (LCI) undergoing a 6-week training intervention. Powerlifters were tested on their bench press exercise strength and technical execution. Technical execution was assessed using a 13-item Likert scale. Results: Strength significantly increased in both groups (F (3.32, 46.5) = 9.553, p < 0.05, pes = 0.42). Global technique analysis showed a group × time interaction (F (4, 952) = 2.547, p = 0.038). A significant group × time interaction occurred for scapular adduction/retraction (F (4, 52) = 3.753, p = 0.009), with the HCI group showing greater improvement. Conclusions: Alternating a primary task (bench press) with antagonist overloads (seal row) improves technical execution over six weeks without hindering strength gains. These findings support practical CI strategies in resistance training to optimize skill acquisition. Full article

Despite its increasing use in pediatric neurorehabilitation, Cuevas Medek Exercise (CME) remains rooted in clinical tradition, with limited theoretical articulation in relation to contemporary models of motor development, control, and learning. While clinical observations and reports from practice suggest possible functional benefits in children with motor delays, the absence of a conceptual framework limits its integration into evidence-informed physical therapy practice and education. This perspective proposes a conceptual model for CME that aligns its core principles with current theoretical constructs in motor behavior and developmental neuroscience. By examining key elements of CME—such as distal initiation, postural challenge, and task variability—through the lens of affordances, self-organization, and experience-dependent plasticity, the article presents CME not merely as a technique, but as a conceptual developmental approach informed by embodied action. We argue that such reframing may support more rigorous clinical reasoning, contribute to interdisciplinary dialogue, and inform a theoretical basis for future research exploring the proposed mechanisms and potential effects of CME. More broadly, this perspective contributes to ongoing discussions on how clinically derived interventions can be conceptually integrated within contemporary rehabilitation science. While the present article does not provide empirical validation, it offers a theoretical framework intended to inform future investigation and critical reflection in pediatric physical therapy. Full article

Understanding muscle activation patterns during sport-specific skills is essential for optimizing performance and training strategies. In basketball, upper limb actions such as passing and receiving require precise coordination and effective neuromuscular control. The main goal of this study was to analyze and compare the muscle activity of the biceps brachii and triceps brachii during the execution and reception of the two-handed chest pass in basketball players with different levels of competitive experience. Surface electromyography (EMG) data were collected from 14 federated athletes, aged between 11 and 29 years, using the BioSignal Plux system. Participants were allocated into two groups according to their playing experience. Muscle activation was analysed in terms of activation time (AT) and percentage of muscle activation (%MA), normalised to maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). A linear mixed model was used to evaluate the effects of experience level, limb dominance, and their interaction while accounting for repeated measures within participants. No significant differences were observed between dominant and non-dominant limbs for any variable. Significant differences between experience/age groups were identified mainly in the triceps brachii, particularly for activation time in the lateral head and %MA in the long head. In general, more experienced/aged athletes demonstrated higher levels of neuromuscular activation and shorter activation times, suggesting different motor control strategies. A significant positive association was found between years of practice and %MA of the long head of the triceps brachii. These findings provide novel insights into neuromuscular recruitment during both the execution and reception phases of the basketball chest pass and may inform training strategies aimed at enhancing technical efficiency across developmental stages. Full article

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) impairs sensorimotor function below the lesion and reshapes supralesional circuits, potentially influencing motor control above the injury. Although upper extremity strength and sensation are clinically normal in paraplegia, it is not known whether supralesional reorganization may produce subclinical alterations in the fine motor skills of the upper extremities. The aim of the study was to compare manual dexterity evaluated through the Purdue Pegboard Test between patients with SCI (PwSCI) and healthy subjects (HS). Methods: We recruited 18 PwSCI with complete paraplegia and 18 age- and sex-matched HS. Participants completed the four subtests of the Purdue Pegboard Test: dominant hand (1), non-dominant hand (2), bimanual (3), and assembly (4). For the first three subtests, a mixed 3 × 2 ANOVA (3 subtests × 2 groups) was performed, whereas for the fourth subtest, an independent samples t-test was performed. Spearman’s rho quantified correlations among subtests and with clinical findings. Results: PwSCI showed full upper extremity muscle strength and sensation. The mean scores of the four subtests were significantly lower in PwSCI than in HS. Unilateral and bimanual subtests correlated with each other in both groups; however, the bimanual subtest was not as well predicted by dominant hand alone, as PwSCI depended more on non-dominant ability. In PwSCI, the assembly subtest strongly depended on dominant, non-dominant, and bimanual scores, whereas this dependency was weaker in HS. The subtests were influenced by ageing in PwSCI. Conclusions: Despite upper extremity muscle strength and sensation being clinically normal, PwSCI showed impaired manual dexterity. This may reflect diminished ascending somatosensory input to supraspinal centres and plastic changes in supralesional motor pathways. These preliminary results open new rehabilitation perspectives for PwSCI. Full article

Background/Objectives: Physically active play (PA-play) offers natural, self-directed, and varied opportunities for physical activity and motor skill development in children. It is often viewed as a rich context for learning, yet how PA-play systematically supports the core concepts and elements of motor learning (ML) requires a closer examination in typically developing (TD) children and those with neurodevelopmental disorders such as Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Methods: A two-part integrative conceptual synthesis was conducted to explore how core ML concepts are reflected in children’s PA-play. Part 1 involved a synthesis of the play literature, analyzed through an ML lens in TD children. Part 2 involved synthesizing the literature on ML elements and characteristics of PA-play in children with DCD. Results: In Part 1, the conceptual synthesis highlighted that PA-play in TD children enables conditions supportive of ML, including both implicit and explicit learning, high-volume practice, task variability, progressive challenge, and feedback through verbal and non-verbal cues. In Part 2, the synthesis highlighted ML difficulties in children with DCD, such as slow, effortful learning with reduced adaptability and greater performance variability. Additionally, the synthesis highlighted limited DCD evidence using PA-play as an ecological context for ML. Conclusions: Overall, PA-play could offer environments consistent with ML elements in TD children, yet evidence for its effectiveness in children with DCD remains limited. Future research should explore how PA-play can be leveraged to address the specific ML challenges faced by children with DCD. Full article

Auditory neurofeedback training (NFT) based on brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) has recently entered the precision motor domain as a task-embedded neural state regulation paradigm. Compared to traditional standalone NFT approaches (e.g., relaxation or attention training designed to enhance general cognitive abilities), task-embedded paradigms integrate feedback directly into the motor task execution process. However, this design inevitably creates a dual-task scenario, and the effects of such a scenario on neural activity and behavioral performance have received limited systematic investigation in the existing literature. This study designed and implemented a closed-loop BCI system employing five-level heartbeat sound feedback and used this system as a research platform to examine the immediate neural mechanism changes and potential dual-task interference effects induced by single-session auditory NFT in moderately skilled shooters. The system maps real-time EEG features onto graded auditory signals varying in playback rate and volume intensity, incorporating a dynamic threshold adjustment mechanism. Twenty-two moderately skilled shooters completed three within-subject conditions (no-sound baseline, SMR enhancement, and theta suppression) in a single session with 32-channel EEG and behavioral data recorded simultaneously. Analyses employed whole-brain cluster-based permutation tests, cross-frequency coupling analysis, and functional connectivity analysis. Cluster-based permutation tests revealed that theta feedback induced a significant frontal 4–7 Hz suppression cluster (cluster p = 0.004), whereas SMR feedback did not produce significant 12–15 Hz enhancement at the group level. Theta feedback elicited cross-frequency spillover as follows: sensorimotor SMR power decreased significantly in theta responders (d = −0.69), with frontal theta and sensorimotor SMR changes positively correlated (r = 0.67, p < 0.001). Functional connectivity analysis using debiased weighted phase lag index (dwPLI) further demonstrated significant theta-band network reorganization (cluster p = 0.034). At the neural level, clear modulation effects were observed, but shooting ring values did not improve significantly under feedback conditions, and aiming time was significantly prolonged—a behavioral pattern consistent with potential dual-task interference from task-embedded auditory feedback. Single-session auditory NFT can act on the prefrontal cognitive control network and induce cross-frequency network reorganization, but the feedback channel itself constitutes a parallel task that may limit the short-term transfer of induced neural states to behavioral performance. This study examined the neural mechanisms of task-embedded auditory NFT and reported the dual-task costs that have been less characterized in prior “task + feedback” research, providing design considerations and preliminary mechanistic evidence for future development of auditory NFT in precision motor skill training. Full article

Background: technology can significantly improve quality of life for individuals with motor and cognitive disabilities, especially during the transition from rehabilitation to home. However, the success of assistive solutions depends on understanding patients’ functional status, needs, and attitudes toward technology. Methods: we investigated these factors using a multimodal assessment protocol, including the USASS questionnaire and ADL/IADL scales, among 69 participants admitted to intensive neuromotor rehabilitation, most of whom had caregivers (83.6%). Participants were grouped into three sample-derived ordinal categories (Low, Medium, High) based on ADL/IADL scores and age. Results: functional autonomy strongly predicts technology adoption and perceived benefits, surpassing age as a determinant. Individuals in the group with higher sample-derived functional levels reported greater independence in technology use and higher Quality Tech Impact scores. Correlation analysis confirmed moderate-to-strong positive associations between ADL/IADL scores and Quality of Life Index, with the strongest association observed for IADL (ρ = 0.703, 95% CI: 0.559–0.806, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that interventions should prioritise improving functional skills rather than focusing solely on age-related factors to enhance technology adoption and its positive impact. A proactive attitude toward technology is essential to avoid ineffective investments in assistive solutions. Ultimately, functional autonomy emerges as an important contributor of both technological engagement and overall well-being. Full article