Search Results (197)

Low levels of physical activity and prolonged sedentary behavior among young people are important contributors to the growing prevalence of overweight and obesity worldwide. Because children and adolescents spend a large proportion of their waking hours in school environments that often involve extended periods of sitting, schools represent a strategic setting for interventions aimed at promoting healthier movement behaviors and lifestyle habits. Classroom-based active breaks, defined as short bouts of physical activity integrated into regular lessons, have been proposed as a practical and scalable strategy to interrupt sedentary time without substantially disrupting academic instruction. This narrative review examines how active breaks have been implemented in school settings and synthesizes current evidence regarding their effects on physical activity, sedentary behavior, lifestyle-related outcomes, and obesity-related indicators among children and adolescents. Relevant literature published since 2006 was identified through searches of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The available evidence suggests that active breaks can increase in-school physical activity and reduce prolonged sedentary exposure, while also contributing to improvements in classroom behavior, cognitive engagement, and several lifestyle-related and psychosocial outcomes. However, direct effects on adiposity indicators appear modest and are often difficult to isolate because active breaks are frequently implemented within broader school-based health interventions. Overall, active breaks represent a feasible and low-cost strategy that may support healthier lifestyle behaviors and contribute to obesity prevention when regularly integrated into school routines. Full article

Sit-to-stand (STS) is a fundamental functional task frequently impaired after stroke and widely used in rehabilitation to assess motor control and balance. While lower-limb kinematic and muscular asymmetries during STS have been documented, the contribution of trunk muscle coordination to compensatory strategies has received limited attention. We investigated STS performance in seven individuals with chronic right-sided hemiparesis under two conditions (free arms and crossed arms) to characterize phase-dependent kinematic asymmetries and side-dependent trunk muscle modulation relevant to rehabilitation practice. Optoelectronic motion capture was synchronized with bilateral surface electromyography, providing time-aligned kinematic and neuromuscular signals for sensor-based assessment of STS. Participants exhibited prolonged and highly variable STS durations, along with ankle asymmetries during the rising and lowering phases and hip asymmetries during upright standing, indicating increased reliance on the less impaired limb. Electromyography revealed side-dependent modulation of trunk muscles, notably latissimus dorsi, erector spinae longissimus, and multifidus, characterized by a prolonged relative contribution on the more impaired side. These findings suggest that altered trunk muscle modulation contributes to compensatory STS strategies after stroke and highlight the importance of trunk-focused neuromuscular assessment to guide individualized rehabilitation interventions aimed at improving symmetry, postural stability, and movement efficiency. Full article

Prolonged sitting with poor posture is associated with musculoskeletal disorders, reduced productivity, and long-term health risks. Many existing posture monitoring systems predominantly rely on single-modality sensing, such as pressure or vision-based approaches, limiting their ability to capture both static alignment and dynamic micro-movements. This study proposes a multimodal smart-skin system integrating pressure, temperature, and vibration sensors for sitting posture recognition. A total of 42 sensors distributed across 14 anatomical locations were deployed, generating 15,037 samples collected over three independent sessions to evaluate cross-session temporal generalization across nine posture classes under controlled experimental conditions. Two deep learning architectures—Temporal Convolutional Networks with Attention (TCN + Attn) and Convolutional Neural Network–Long Short-Term Memory (CNN − LSTM)—were compared under Leave-One-Session-Out (LOSO) cross-validation. TCN + Attn achieved 85.23% LOSO accuracy, outperforming CNN − LSTM by 2.56 percentage points while reducing training time by 36.7% and inference latency by 33.9%. Ablation analysis revealed that temperature sensing was the most discriminative unimodal modality (71.5% accuracy), and full multimodal fusion improved LOSO accuracy by 22.93% compared to pressure-only configurations. These results demonstrate the feasibility of multimodal smart-skin sensing combined with temporal convolutional modeling for cross-session posture recognition and indicate potential for efficient real-time, privacy-preserving ergonomic monitoring. This study should be interpreted as a controlled, single-subject proof-of-concept, and further validation in multi-subject and real-world environments is required to establish broader generalizability. Full article

Background/Objectives: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions globally and a leading cause of disability. University populations may be particularly vulnerable due to prolonged sitting, academic stress, and frequently suboptimal ergonomics, especially in rapidly expanding higher education systems such as those in Saudi Arabia. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize evidence on the prevalence of LBP among university attendants in Saudi Arabia and to quantify its associations with key demographic and environmental risk factors. Methods: We systematically reviewed observational studies reporting LBP prevalence and/or risk factors among university students and faculty in Saudi Arabia published in English, following Cochrane methodological guidance and PRISMA 2020 reporting recommendations. The protocol was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD420250654048). We searched PubMed, Embase and CINAHL from inception to February 2025. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist for analytical cross-sectional studies. Random effects meta-analyses were used to pool prevalence estimates across recall periods, regions, populations, and measurement tools, and to calculate pooled odds ratios (ORs) for age, sex, smoking, family history of LBP, and college seating conditions. Heterogeneity, subgroup, and sensitivity analyses were undertaken. Results: Thirteen cross-sectional studies were included. The overall pooled prevalence of LBP was 57% (95% confidence interval [CI] approximately 43–71), with substantial heterogeneity. Prevalence varied by recall period, region, population group, and measurement instrument; pooled prevalence was 58% among students and 50% among faculty. Increasing age (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.01–1.34) and poor college seating conditions (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.07–1.76) were significantly associated with LBP. Male gender, smoking, and family history showed non-significant pooled effects. These estimates are limited by substantial between-study heterogeneity, variable measurement tools, and exclusively cross-sectional designs, which restrict causal inference. Conclusions: LBP is prevalent among university attendants in Saudi Arabia, affecting both students and faculty. The consistent associations with age and seating ergonomics highlight the need for ergonomic classroom redesign and age-sensitive preventive strategies. Future work should adopt standardized LBP measures and longitudinal designs to clarify causal pathways and evaluate targeted interventions. Funding: This work was supported by the Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at Jouf University (grant DGSSR-2026-NF-01-002). Full article

Background: Informal sewing workers are widely exposed to ergonomic and workload-related risks but remain largely excluded from formal occupational health protection, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study evaluated integrated physical and mental workload risks associated with WMSDs among informal sewing workers to develop contextually feasible preventive guidelines based on the Hierarchy of Ergonomic Control. Methods: A mixed-methods study was conducted among 150 informal sewing workers in Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand. Quantitative data were collected using a structured questionnaire, the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), and the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX). Associations between sociodemographic characteristics, ergonomic risks, and WMSDs were analyzed using chi-square tests and correlation analysis. Qualitative data were obtained through a focus group discussion with key stakeholders to develop ergonomic control strategies guided by the HEC framework. Results: The majority of participants were female and middle-aged, with widespread exposure to high-risk ergonomic conditions, including prolonged sitting, repetitive tasks, and awkward postures. A high prevalence of WMSDs was observed, particularly in the neck, shoulders, and back. Younger workers and those with lower educational attainment experienced significantly higher ergonomic risk exposure and WMSD prevalence. NASA-TLX results indicated that physical demand and performance pressure were the main contributors to overall workload. Application of the HEC framework showed that elimination and substitution controls were the most effective strategies for reducing ergonomic risks, followed by engineering controls, while administrative measures and personal protective equipment were less effective. Conclusions: Informal sewing workers face substantial ergonomic and mental workload risks that contribute to a high burden of WMSDs. Prioritizing higher-order ergonomic controls, integrating workload management, and implementing community-based ergonomic interventions are essential to improving occupational health and reducing inequities among informal workers. Full article

Continuous monitoring of sitting posture is crucial for ergonomic assessment and fatigue prevention, yet many existing approaches rely on vision-based systems or single-modality sensing that are limited in capturing spatial and temporal biomechanical dynamics. This paper presents a multimodal smart-skin sensing system for spatial and temporal ergonomic fatigue analysis in sitting postures. The proposed platform integrates 42 distributed pressure, temperature, and vibration sensors arranged in 14 trimodal sensing nodes embedded across anatomical seating and back regions to enable real-time multimodal acquisition of human–chair interaction patterns. The study introduces an analytical framework combining anatomical heatmap visualization, temporal evolution analysis, delta pressure mapping, fatigue intensity estimation, and hotspot detection to characterize dynamic pressure redistribution during prolonged sitting. Experimental evaluations were conducted using a biomechanical mannequin and a single human participant with identical anthropometric characteristics (165 cm height and 62 kg body mass) across nine seated conditions, including neutral sitting, reclining, leaning, periodic shifting, and vibration-induced motion. Each posture condition was recorded as a time-series session and segmented into temporal phases to analyze fatigue evolution during prolonged sitting. Statistical analysis of pressure redistribution dynamics indicates significantly higher pressure drift in human measurements compared with the mechanically stable mannequin baseline (p < 0.001). The proposed framework provides a scalable sensing approach for ergonomic monitoring, intelligent seating systems, and human–machine interface applications. Full article

Background: Although frailty has emerged as an important determinant of outcomes following cardiovascular surgery, the clinical significance of early postoperative physical frailty assessed during the acute recovery phase has not been investigated. Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective observational study including patients who underwent cardiac or aortic surgery and completed a standardized physical function assessment within 10 days postoperatively. Physical frailty was defined using four objective indicators: Medical Research Council (MRC) sum score, gait speed, Timed Up and Go test, and five-times sit-to-stand test. Frailty was defined as the presence of ≥3 abnormal physical frailty indicators. Clinical outcomes included hospital length of stay (LOS) and postoperative medical complications. Negative binomial regression was used to evaluate factors associated with hospital LOS. Results: Among 441 patients included in the analysis, 308 (69.8%) were classified as frail. Frail patients were older and demonstrated significantly impaired physical performance across all frailty indicators (all p < 0.001). Frailty was associated with longer ICU stay and hospital LOS (both p < 0.001). In multivariable negative binomial regression, postoperative frailty was independently associated with prolonged hospital LOS (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.38, 95% CI 1.26–1.51; p < 0.001), after adjustment for age and timing of frailty assessment. Additional adjustment for surgical approach and surgical target did not improve model fit. Postoperative frailty was not significantly associated with the overall incidence of medical complications. Conclusions: Early postoperative physical frailty, assessed during the acute recovery phase, is independently associated with prolonged hospitalization after cardiac and aortic surgery. These findings suggest that early functional vulnerability captures clinically meaningful risk beyond surgical characteristics and may serve as a valuable target for postoperative risk stratification and rehabilitation planning. Full article

Mosquito-borne diseases are an emerging public health challenge in Europe, driven by the spread of invasive mosquito species capable of sustaining outbreaks of tropical arboviral diseases. Rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, human-driven habitat changes, and prolonged transmission seasons have increased the risk of dengue, chikungunya, and West Nile virus outbreaks, among other vector-borne diseases. Effective control requires a multifaceted approach, combining traditional and novel methods with advanced surveillance technologies and community involvement. However, growing insecticide resistance and concerns about insecticide use highlight the need for more prudent management of current tools and the development of innovative alternatives. Genetic control strategies, including the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), Wolbachia-based approaches, and genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes, offer promising solutions but still face scientific, regulatory, and societal challenges. This review explores the current landscape of mosquito-borne disease control in Mediterranean Europe, emphasizing key challenges and emerging solutions. An integrated approach that strengthens surveillance, promotes sustainable control methods, and incorporates novel biotechnological tools supported by smart technologies will be essential to reduce the future burden of mosquito-borne diseases in the region. Full article

Thermo-physiological comfort of automotive seating is governed by the complex interaction between seat-cover materials, their structural configuration, and the heat and moisture exchange occurring at the seat–body interface during prolonged sitting. While numerous studies have examined individual textile constructions or isolated comfort parameters, integrated evaluations combining objective material testing with dynamic microclimate measurements under realistic loading conditions remain limited. This study thoroughly examined six commercially important vehicle seat-cover materials that represent laminated, warp-knitted, and woven polyester architectures. Standardized laboratory techniques were used to quantify objective comfort qualities, such as air permeability, water vapor permeability, thermal resistance (Rct), and evaporative resistance (Ret) and transient heat flux test (H-test). Simultaneously, a multi-sensor system was used to constantly monitor temperature and relative humidity at the seat–body interface during sitting loading in a controlled subjective microclimate experiment at room temperature. The findings show that lamination technique and textile structure have a major impact on both transient microclimate behavior and steady-state material properties. Increased air and moisture transmission in warp-knitted and more open structures resulted in reduced evaporative resistance and more stable microclimate conditions. Denser laminated structures, on the other hand, exhibited more resistance to heat and evaporation, which led to a greater buildup of moisture when they were seated. Different temporal responses in temperature and humidity were also shown by the multi-sensor microclimate studies, underscoring the significance of assessing comfort beyond static material metrics. This study demonstrates that static thermos-physiological parameters alone are not sufficient to predict real stated comfort behavior. By integrating time-resolved microclimate analysis under realistic seated loading with standardized testing, a more reliable evaluation framework for automotive seat-cover comfort is proposed. Full article

In intensive pig production systems, limited space and lack of enrichment materials (EMs) restrict natural behaviors, inducing chronic stress and impairing welfare and health. Conventional EMs such as straw and sawdust improve comfort but increase NH₃ and particulate emissions and hinder manure management on slatted floors. This study compared rice-straw silage (RS), sawdust (SD), and sling belt (SB) as EMs for growing-finishing pigs to evaluate their effects on growth performance, behavior, body lesions, cleanliness score of body, and pen air quality. A total of 344 crossbred pigs ([Landrace × Yorkshire] × Duroc, 30.5 ± 3.10 kg) were randomly allocated to four treatments: Control, 50% slatted and 50% solid flooring; RS, 100% solid flooring with a 7-cm layer of RS; SD, 100% solid flooring with a 7-cm layer of SD; SB, 50% slatted and 50% solid flooring with 10 SBs (1.5 m long and 75 mm wide). At week 10, the RS pigs had the lowest body weight. At week 0, the RS and SD pigs exhibited more positive behaviors, although the SD pigs also showed the highest number of injurious interactions at week 3. Between weeks 0 and 5, the SD pigs spent less time lateral lying and more time sternal lying, while during weeks 8–11, sitting was more prevalent. Both RS and SD groups exhibited lower cleanliness scores at week 6 and higher NH₃ and CO₂ levels at week 10. In conclusion, bedding materials such as RS and SD promoted positive behaviors during the early phase; however, prolonged use without adequate management impaired hygiene, air quality, resting behavior, and growth performance. These findings highlight the importance of the appropriate selection and management of EMs in intensive pig production systems. Full article

Background: Sarcopenia is defined by decreased muscle strength along with low muscle quantity or quality. The assessment of muscle strength may be performed by grip strength test or chair stand test (CST) and both of these tests are treated as equivalent tools for assessing muscle strength. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) contributes to the progression of sarcopenia, and it is left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDd) which primarily leads to the development of HFpEF. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship of muscle strength with echocardiographic parameters of LVDd in patients with CKD and eGFR ≤ 29 mL/min/1.73 m² not treated with dialysis. Methods: The study samples consisted of 46 men with CKD stages G4–G5 not treated with dialysis: 23 participants with HGS < 27 kg and 23 individuals with HGS ≥ 27 kg. The assessment of muscle strength was provided by the hand grip strength (HGS) test and the five-times sit-to-stand test (FTSST). Transthoracic echocardiography was performed with the use of a convex probe in conjunction with a Logiq P6 ultrasound system. Results: In G4–G5 CKD patients, upper limb muscle strength did not correspond to lower limb muscle strength. Participants with prolonged FTSST had a lower mean value of septal e’ and higher mean E/e’ compared to individuals with correct both HGS and FTSST. Participants with correct HGS and prolonged FTSST had the lowest mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), as well as the lowest mean tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE). Conclusions: In G4–G5 CKD patients not treated with dialysis, HGS and FTSST are not equivalent and should not be used interchangeably. In this population, decreased muscle strength is associated with LVDd and FTSST is more sensitive than HGS in the prediction of LVDd. Low muscle strength is also associated with systolic function of the left and right ventricle in G4–G5 CKD patients not treated with dialysis. Full article

Background: Lifestyle challenges such as prolonged sitting, irregular dietary habits, high stress levels, and lack of physical activity have become increasingly common among working professionals. All these factors contribute to the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and high blood pressure, which in turn result in reduced work performance and quality of life and may further affect health services access through increase healthcare needs. The teaching environment, like many other work environments, is mentally, emotionally, and practically demanding, and it puts extra pressure on those who work in it. Academicians, who devote themselves to guiding young minds, often make unhealthy daily choices and face significant work-related stress, which can lead to serious long-term health problems. This review highlights that health and well-being are shaped not by a single factor such as diet, work patterns, or habits, but by their combined effect. Methods: A study of around 113 studies has highlighted that academicians usually feel drained and physically exhausted. Result: The factors like prolonged fasts, insufficient water intake, long-standing hours, long and continuous talking, and extended periods in the sitting position have added to their stress levels at the workplace. The most critical finding is that these factors do not affect in isolation but impact as a combined interaction. These issues influence each other, thus increasing the vulnerability to lifestyle disorders. Conclusions: This critical problem can be addressed with a Multimodal Assessment Framework that integrates teachers’ data on dietary habits, workplace ergonomics, sleep quality, and levels of physical activity. The presented work also proposes a statistical technique with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) model, and generates Vulnerability Quotient (VQ) that show lifestyle disease-related exposure of the teachers, which may be further used to provide remedial interventions. These insights can further guide institutions and policymakers to design healthier, supportive, and sustainable teaching environments. Full article

Background: Prolonged sitting has been associated with adverse cardiovascular and neuromuscular responses; however, the temporal onset of these acute physiological changes remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the acute effects of prolonged sitting on blood flow, blood pressure, and muscle activity. Methods: A non-controlled clinical trial was conducted with 21 healthy adults (22.5 ± 1.60 years), both male and female. Participants remained seated continuously for three hours, with data collected every 20 min, including infrared thermography, blood pressure, and electromyographic activity. Skin temperature was measured using infrared thermography on the calf region of both legs, and the mean temperature was analyzed. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured using an oscillometric device, and mean arterial pressure was subsequently calculated. Muscle activity was assessed through surface electromyography, using median frequency and root mean square values. Statistical analysis was performed using the Friedman test and the Durbin–Conover post hoc test, along with a subjective trend analysis of each variable over time. Results: A significant reduction was observed in both calf skin temperature and median frequency after 60 min of uninterrupted sitting (p < 0.05). Mean and systolic blood pressure exhibited an increasing trend after 160 min (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The exposure–response data from this study may contribute to the planning of future interventions aimed at refining recommendations for breaking up prolonged sitting periods. Full article

Background: Sitting and standing with conventional hip–knee–ankle–foot (HKAF) prostheses are demanding tasks for hip disarticulation (HD) amputees due to the passive nature of current prosthetic hip joints that cannot assist with moment generation. This study developed a sitting and standing control strategy for a motorized hip joint and evaluated whether providing active assistance reduces the intact side demand of these activities. Methods: A dedicated control strategy was developed and implemented for a motorized hip prosthesis (Power Hip) compatible with existing prosthetic knees, feet, and sockets. One HD participant was trained to perform sitting and standing tasks using the Power Hip. Its performance was compared with the participant’s prescribed passive HKAF prosthesis through measurements of ground reaction forces (GRFs), joint moments, and activity durations. GRFs were collected using force plates, kinematics were captured via Theia3D markerless motion capture, and joint moments were computed in Visual3D. Results: The Power Hip enabled more symmetric limb loading and faster stand-to-sit transitions (1.22 ± 0.08 s vs. 2.62 ± 0.41 s), while slightly prolonging sit-to-stand (1.69 ± 0.49 s vs. 1.22 ± 0.40 s) compared to the passive HKAF. The participant exhibited reduced intact-side loading impulses during stand-to-sit (4.97 ± 0.78 N∙s/kg vs. 15.06 ± 2.90 N∙s/kg) and decreased reliance on upper-limb support. Hip moment asymmetries between the intact and prosthetic sides were also reduced during both sit-to-stand (−0.18 ± 0.09 N/kg vs. −0.69 ± 0.67 N/kg) and stand-to-sit transitions (0.77 ± 0.20 N/kg vs. 2.03 ± 0.58 N/kg). Conclusions: The prototype and control strategy demonstrated promising improvements in sitting and standing performance compared to conventional passive prostheses, reducing the physical demand on the intact limb and upper body. Full article

Background/Objectives: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) experienced by employees are the cause of significant issues and costs for companies. At PNU, understanding of the risk factors contributing to this pain is limited, impeding the development of effective solutions. To address this, it is important to examine various factors such as sociodemographics, ergonomics, psychology, and job satisfaction. By investigating these factors, PNU can create targeted interventions to improve worker health and reduce musculoskeletal pain. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 female staff members at the health colleges of Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Saudi Arabia, employing a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected from 20 December to 4 April 2024 using a standardized Google Forms questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using JMP software (version 14). Results: The results show a high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain among participants, with the analysis identifying several individual, ergonomic, and psychosocial risk factors that significantly correlated with reported pain, including prolonged sitting, poor posture, job stress, and low job satisfaction. Conclusions: Musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent among staff members, with ergonomic and psychosocial factors playing a significant role. Interventions targeting these risk factors are essential to improving occupational health and staff productivity. Full article