Mind-Body Training: A Plausible Strategy against Osteomuscular Chronic Pain-A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

(1) Background: Chronic pain, which affects more than one in five adults worldwide, has a negative impact on the quality of life, limiting daily activities and generating absences from work. The aim of the present review is to analyze the efficacy of mind-body therapies as therapeutic strategies for patients with chronic pain. (2) Methods: A systematic review with a meta-analysis was carried out, searching PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases using specific keywords. We selected studies that included mind-body therapies as the primary intervention for older adults with chronic pain. The methodological quality of the articles was assessed using the PEDro scale. (3) Results: Of the 861 studies identified, 11 were included in this review, all of which employed different mind-body therapies as an intervention. The selected studies measured chronic pain as the main variable. (4) Conclusions: This review highlights the value of mind-body exercises in reducing chronic pain in older adults, suggesting their integration as a non-pharmacological therapeutic alternative that improves the quality of life, promoting a holistic approach to pain management.

Mindfulness to improve the mental health of university students. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis was to analyze the effects of a mindfulness program on mental health in university students. Methods: A systematic review was conducted using the databases Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science and CINAHL. The selected studies had to incorporate a mindfulness intervention in university students. The methodological quality of the collected articles was evaluated using the PEDro scale. Results: We initially identified 321 studies, of which 21 were included in this review. The interventions focused on mindfulness with durations ranging from 8 weeks to 3 months. The results demonstrated significant effects of a mindfulness intervention on mental health in university students. Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis found that mindfulness is effective for improving the mental health of college students. Systematic Review Registration: identifier: CRD42023441453.

Effects of Mind-Body Training as a Mental Health Therapy in Adults with Diabetes Mellitus Type II: A Systematic Review.

The increase in the prevalence and disease burden of diabetes has highlighted the need to strengthen a comprehensive care system that includes mental health treatment. A systematic review was carried out to analyze the effectiveness of mind-body training as a therapy for the mental health management of adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science databases were consulted between November and December 2022. Eight articles were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Only randomized controlled trials were included. The interventions focused on mindfulness and yoga with variable durations of between 8 weeks and 6 months. Four of the included studies observed statistically significant changes (p < 0.05) in anxiety. Six articles determined that mind-body training was effective for treating depression. Finally, five articles found favorable effects on stress, while one did not observe changes at 8 weeks of intervention or after 1 year of follow-up. The evidence supports the use of mind-body training to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety levels in the adult population with T2DM, which makes this type of training a valuable intervention to be included in an integral approach to diabetic pathology.

Effects of Myofascial Release Using Finding-Oriented Manual Therapy Combined with Foam Roller on Physical Performance in University Athletes. A Randomized Controlled Study.

Sport is a science of constant reinvention that is always searching for strategies to improve performance. Objective: This study seeks to compare the effects of myofascial release with Findings-Oriented Orthopedic Manual Therapy (OMT) combined with Foam Roller (FR), versus FR by itself, on the physical performance of university athletes. A randomized controlled study was conducted with a total of twenty-nine university athletes, measuring Range of Motion (ROM), jump height and flight time, strength and dynamic flexibility using Goniometer pro, CMJ protocol in OptoGait, 1 Repetition Maximum (1RM) and Mean Propulsive Velocity (MPV) and the Sit and Reach (V) test, correspondingly. This study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov prior to the initial measurement of the participants under the code NCT05347303. Through a univariate analysis, together with an analysis of independent groups with ANOVA and an analysis of covariance, it was evidenced that OMT combined with FR generated more and better effects in all the evaluated ROM, jump height and flight time, RM and VMP tests. Finally, it was found that OMT combined with FR is better when it is desired to improve ROM, muscle power, strength and flexibility, while FR alone only improves dynamic flexibility.

Effects of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on older adults with sleep disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to analyze the effectiveness of a mindfulness-based program on sleep quality in healthy non-institutionalized older people. Methods: This study was conducted following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items For Systematic Reviews And Meta-Analyses) guidelines. The search was conducted during May and June 2023 using four databases: Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL. Different keywords combined with Boolean operators were used. Only 10 articles of the initial 177 were included. In the study, the standardized mean difference (SMD) was used along with a 95% confidence interval to measure the effect. Heterogeneity among the studies, assessed using Cochran's Q-test and the I2 statistic was found to be low, leading to the use of a fixed-effects model in the analysis. The effect size was expressed as Hedge'g. Furthermore, a subgroup analysis was conducted, taking into account the various tools used to assess sleep conditions. Results: Mindfulness was found to reduce poor sleep quality in people with both long-term and short-term sleep disorders. Weighting effect model Hedge'g = -0.344 with a 95% confidence interval ranging from -0.425 to -0.263. In all cases, statistically significant results were observed, as well as moderate and negative effect sizes according to the Hedge's g index: -0.326 for Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), -0.343 for Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and -0.28 for Sleep Onset Latency (SOL). Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis found that mindfulness can be used to remedy poor sleep quality in older people, so it could be a viable treatment option for insomnia or other problems related to poor sleep quality in this population.

Effects of a supervised exercise program in addition to electrical stimulation or kinesio taping in low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Chronic low back pain it is one of the most common health problems worldwide. Usually is accompanied by a complex set of symptoms and generates significant direct and indirect socioeconomic and health costs. From a therapeutic point of view, there are a wide variety of methods to address the treatment of this pathology, however, these therapies have not been shown definitive efficacy. To investigate the effect of a mixed treatment with exercise and electrical stimulation versus exercise and kinesio taping in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain. A total of 58 patients participated in this single-blinded randomised clinical trial. Participants were assigned to the exercises- kinesio taping group, or exercises- analgesic current group, both received 12 treatment sessions. Disability, fear of movement, anxiety, depression, sleeps quality, pain, lower limb mechanosensitivity and pressure-pain thresholds were recorded at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment. The 2 × 2 mixed analysis of covariance test showed statistically significant differences between groups for pain (P = 0.046). Pair-wise comparisons with baseline demonstrated significant differences for both groups in pain (P ≤ 0.001), disability (P ≤ 0.001), pressure-pain thresholds (P ≤ 0.044), lower limb mechanosensitivity, (P ≤ 0.047), anxiety (P ≤ 0.001), depression (P ≤ 0.001) and sleep quality (P ≤ 0.010). Patients with chronic low back pain who received a combined treatment of exercises and kinesio taping or analgesic current showed an improvement in pain, disability, anxiety, depression and sleep pattern. Moreover, exercises combined with electrotherapy produces greater improvements over these variables.Trial registration: NCT02812459.

Changes in satisfaction with female genital self-image and sexual function after a Qigong exercise intervention in Spanish postmenopausal women: a randomized-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effectiveness of a Qigong exercise program on satisfaction with female genital self-image and female sexual function in postmenopausal Spanish women. METHODS: A total of 49 women were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 22) that carried out training based on Qigong exercises for 12 weeks and a control group (n = 27) that did not carry out any type of intervention. Female genital self-image was measured through the Female Genital Self-Tmage Scale and female sexual function through the Female Sexual Function Tndex; both variables were measured before and just after the intervention. RESULTS: Results showed that women who participated in the Qigong exercise program showed significant improvements with respect to female genital self-image, as well as in the domains of desire, arousal, lubrication, satisfaction, and pain and the total score of the Female Sexual Function Index, but, on the contrary, were not found in the orgasm domain. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that Qigong has the potential to improve female genital self-image and female sexual function among postmenopausal Spanish women.

Effects of different intervention combined with resistance training on musculoskeletal health in older male adults with sarcopenia: A systematic review.

Objectives: Nowadays, there is a significant increase in the elderly population in many countries around the world, and sarcopenia is one of the most common consequences of this with resistance training being one of the best treatments. Hence, this systematic review was conducted to determine what are the effects of different combinations of resistance training-based interventions on the musculoskeletal health of older male adults with sarcopenia. Methods: This systematic review was performed following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The search was performed between February and August 2022 in three electronic databases: Pubmed (MEDLINE), Web of Science (WOS) and Scopus employing different keywords combined with Boolean operators. Only 13 articles were included out of the initial 1,019. Results: The articles studied the effects of resistance training combined with other interventions, 6 articles combined it with protein and vitamin supplementation, 4 with protein supplements only, while 3 combined it with aerobic training, finding beneficial results mainly on strength, functionality, and body composition. Conclusion: Resistance Training combined with Aerobic Training or nutritional supplements has better effects than Resistance Training alone in older male adults with sarcopenia. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#recordDetails, identifier: CRD42022354184.

Qigong for Muscle Strength and Static Postural Control in Middle-Aged and Older Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

In the present study, we aimed to determine the effects of a Qigong exercise program on the muscle strength and postural control in middle-aged and older postmenopausal women. This is a randomized clinical trial (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03989453) conducted on 125 women who were initially assigned to either an experimental group (n = 63) that performed a Qigong exercise program for 12 weeks or to a control group (n = 62) that did not receive any intervention. Muscle strength (dynamometer) and postural control (stabilometric platform) were evaluated before and immediately after an intervention period. The main findings of this study suggest that the women in the experimental group had improvements in muscle strength, mean velocity of the displacement of the center of pressure (CoP) with both eyes open and closed, and the surface sway area covered by the CoP, as well as the mediolateral and anteroposterior oscillations of the CoP, only with eyes open. The results of the present study determined that a 12 week Qigong exercise program has beneficial effects on muscle strength and postural control of middle-aged and older postmenopausal Spanish women.