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Whole-body vibration (WBV) is a training modality, and it seems to be a safe and efficient exercise especially to improve different aspects of physical fitness in different populations. The protocols for WBV are still not standardized. The difficulty in comparing the data confuses the real efficacy of this instrument. Consequently, the objective of this umbrella review is to analyze the protocols previously adopted and eventually to propose a standard operating procedure for WBV training. Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on WBV were searched on the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus until 18 March 2024. A quality assessment of the studies included has been performed. A total of 20 studies were included in this umbrella review and frequency, magnitude, and amplitude intensity data were recorded. Detailed information about the protocols (static or dynamic exercises, barefoot or with shoes, intensity duration, weekly frequency, and vibration characteristics) was also collected. WBV presents widely different protocols. Consequently, a standard operating procedure has not been proposed for WBV training. A hypothesis of intervention was instead written in which parameters for frequency, amplitude, acceleration, and training mode were proposed.

Teachers usually present work-related pain such as neck pain. Their posture could be the cause of these problems; indeed, it is often a sway-back posture. Furthermore, teachers can also experience problems with their voice such as dysphonia, specifically muscle tension dysphonia (MTD). This scoping review aims to find the correlation between teachers’ posture and MTD. It also studies how a posture-based treatment can influence this disorder. Randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, prospective cohort studies, and cross-sectional studies that considered the relationship between posture and MTD and that included teachers in their sample. The search led to an initial number of 396 articles; after the screening process, a final number of eight articles were included. A total of 303 patients were analyzed and all showed altered alignment of the head around the cervical spine with hypertonus of the cricothyroid, suprahyoid, and sternocleidomastoid muscles. Although MTD is a disorder with a multifactorial etiology, the articles revealed a correlation between posture and MTD related to a forward protraction of the cervical spine with a hypertonus of the laryngeal and hyoid musculature. This study also detected that an intervention in posture could reduce vocal disorders.

The habenular complex is a diencephalic structure divided into the medial and lateral divisions that lie within the epithalamus of most vertebrates. This brain structure, whose activities are mainly regulated via inputs/outputs from and to the stria medullaris and the fasciculus retroflexus, plays a significant role in the modulation of anti-reward behaviors in both the rodent and human brain. Such anti-reward circuits are regulated by dopaminergic and serotonergic projections with several other subcortical and cortical regions; therefore, it is plausible that impairment to this key subcortical structure or its connections contributes to the pathogenesis of affective disorders. Current literature reveals the existence of structural changes in the habenula complex in individuals afflicted by such disorders; however, there is a need for more comprehensive investigations to elucidate the underlying neuroanatomical connections that underpin disease development. In this review article, we aim to provide a comprehensive view of the neuroanatomical differences between the rodent and human habenular complex, the main circuitries, and provide an update on the emerging roles of this understudied subcortical structure in the control of affective behaviors, with special emphasis to morbid conditions of the affective sphere.

In the evolving landscape of human movement, the Journal of Functional Movement and Kinesiology (JFMK) serves as a valuable chronicle, providing a lens through which to explore our present and the perspectives for the future of human movement analysis [...]

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that concerns a growing number of people, especially females. There are different interventions proposed for this population, and physical activity is one of them. A proper and well-structured physical activity program can be a cheap, feasible, and practical instrument to help this population improve their quality of life. Consequently, the present study aimed to analyze, through an umbrella review, published articles to evaluate the protocols and the effect of intervention on different types of multiple sclerosis and eventually to propose a standardized intervention for this population. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials on multiple sclerosis and physical activity effects were searched for on the electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus up to 22 December 2022. The quality of the studies included was determined and the results were narratively analyzed. The included studies present heterogeneity in the population, in the study design and protocols, and in the outcomes evaluated. Most of the studies detected positive outcomes on the physical function of people with multiple sclerosis. This study highlights the necessity of future studies on a population with similar characteristics, adopting similar protocols to evaluate their feasibility and validity to make physical intervention prescribed as a medicine.

This Special Issue, “3D Analysis of Human Movement, Sport, and Health Promotion”, aimed to collect studies that assessed motor functions and alterations [...]

Online teaching has resulted in university students adopting a sedentary lifestyle. Prolonged sitting and reduced physical activity due to pandemic restrictions have led to musculoskeletal pain in various body areas, significantly impacting students’ quality of life. This study aims to investigate the effects of remote learning on Sicilian physiotherapy students during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically focusing on the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain. An observational study was conducted using an online survey administered through Google Forms. The survey consisted of 26 multiple-choice questions and was distributed to students enrolled in physiotherapy programs at the universities of Catania, Messina, and Palermo. Participants were contacted via social channels or email, and data collection spanned 5 weeks. The collected data were analyzed using R software. A total of 128 questionnaires were collected. At the time of compilation, most respondents (n = 103/201, 51.2%) were enrolled in the third year of the course of study in physiotherapy at the universities of Catania, Messina, and Palermo. Their ages ranged between 22 and 25 years (43.3%), and most were female (n = 104/201, 51.7%). More than half of the students (51.6%) reported dedicating 15–22 h per week to distance learning for a duration of 6–12 months (50%). Regarding study location, most students preferred studying at a desk (82.8%), and slightly over half (57.8%) adopted a backrest while studying remotely. Analysis of the students’ posture during study hours revealed common positions, including tilting the head forward by more than 20 degrees (47.8%), leaning the trunk forward by more than 20 degrees (71.9%), hunching both shoulders forward (57.0%), wrists positioned above the level of the elbows (46.1%), thighs pointing upwards (41.4%), and one or both feet in a downward or dorsiflexed position (69.5%). In conclusion the questionnaire responses indicate that the lifestyle of university students, influenced by online teaching, has deteriorated, leading to musculoskeletal pain, including myofascial pain. These results are primarily influenced by the adopted posture and the duration of time spent in these positions. Additionally, research is needed to identify the most effective therapeutic approaches for managing musculoskeletal pain.

Cardiorespiratory fitness is an essential indicator in sports science and sports medicine that can be assessed with several tests. The Ruffier test is a submaximal test valid to estimate maximum oxygen uptake; it consists of 30 squats in 45 s, which may be challenging for inexperienced individuals. This study aims to verify the feasibility of a modified inertial-based version of the Ruffier test to assess cardiorespiratory fitness with 10 squats in 15 s. Both classic and isoinertial Ruffier tests were administered to thirty-five healthy young adults (20 men and 15 women), age 22.06 ± 2.13 years, BMI 23.87 ± 2.74. The two one-sided test confirmed the comparability of the isoinertial Ruffier test with its classic version within equivalence bounds of ±3.726. Furthermore, gender, age, body weight, the difference between peak heart rate after isoinertial squatting and resting heart rate, and the isoinertial Ruffier index are the coefficients of our best VO2max prediction model with an adjusted R2 of 0.937, sensitivity of 0.89, and specificity of 0.81. The study evidenced the feasibility of the isoinertial Ruffier test to measure cardiorespiratory fitness through a quick, safe, and short squat test easy to perform in fitness centers and primary care clinics.

The Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (JFMK, ISSN: 2411-5142), which was first released in March 2016, saw significant developments in 2022 [...]

Different tools for the assessment of posture exist, from the simplest and cheap plumb line to complex, expensive, 3D-marker-based systems. The aim of this study is to present digital postural normative data of young adults collected through a mobile app to expand the possibilities of digital postural evaluation. A sample of 100 healthy volunteers, 50 males and 50 females, was analyzed with the mobile app Apecs-AI Posture Evaluation and Correction System® (Apecs). The Student’s t-test evaluated differences between gender to highlight if the digital posture evaluation may differ between groups. A significant difference was present in the anterior coronal plane for axillary alignment (p = 0.04), trunk inclination (p = 0.03), and knee alignment (p = 0.01). Head inclination (p = 0.04), tibia shift (p = 0.01), and foot angle (p < 0.001) presented significant differences in the sagittal plane, while there were no significant differences in the posterior coronal plane. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was considered to evaluate reproducibility. Thirteen parameters out of twenty-two provided an ICC > 0.90, three provided an ICC > 0.60, and six variables did not meet the cut-off criteria. The results highlight that digital posture analysis of healthy individuals may present slight differences related to gender. Additionally, the mobile app showed good reproducibility according to ICC. Digital postural assessment with Apecs could represent a quick method for preventing screening in the general population. Therefore, clinicians should consider this app’s worth as an auxiliary posture evaluation tool.

Back pain is one of the leading causes of disability among adults worldwide [...]

(1) Background: The metaverse is now a reality, and it interests the scientific community, the educational setting, and medical care. Considering the number of people in front of screens, especially children and adolescents, the metaverse could and should become a place of health promotion. Consequently, the objective of the present study was to review the current literature to detect articles that connected the metaverse with prevention and treatment, education and training, and research setting. (2) Methods: Articles were searched on Pubmed, Web of Science, and Scopus, including English-written papers published until 12 August 2022. They were screened against the eligibility criteria and discussed narratively. (3) Results: The literature published is poor; only 21 articles were included, and 11 of them were added in a second moment. These articles were mainly reviews of the literature or editorials. The aspects related to this virtual world in terms of health prevention and the treatment of clinical conditions, education and training, and research have been narratively discussed. (4) Conclusions: The metaverse could be considered a useful instrument to arrive easily and quickly to the population. Given its importance, today, different studies and investments are required to develop proper health promotion programs that are feasible and valid in the metaverse.

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a rare, hereditary, and progressive neurodegenerative disease, characterized by involuntary choreatic movements with cognitive and behavioral disturbances. In order to mitigate impairments in motor function, physical exercise was integrated in HD rehabilitative interventions, showing to be a powerful tool to ameliorate the quality of life of HD-affected patients. This review aims to describe the effects of physical exercise on HD-related skeletal muscle disorders in both murine and human models. We performed a literature search using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases on the role of physical activity in mouse models of HD and human patients. Fifteen publications fulfilled the criteria and were included in the review. Studies performed on mouse models showed a controversial role played by exercise, whereas in HD-affected patients, physical activity appeared to have positive effects on gait, motor function, UHDMRS scale, cognitive function, quality of life, postural stability, total body mass, fatty acid oxidative capacity, and VO2 max. Physical activity seems to be feasible, safe, and effective for HD patients. However, further studies with longer follow-up and larger cohorts of patients will be needed to draw firm conclusions on the positive effects of exercise for HD patients.

The Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (JFMK, ISSN: 2411-5142), which was first released in March 2016, has gone from strength to strength in 2021 [...]

Nowadays, we live in a society crossed by the greatest public health crisis in over a century: the COVID-19 pandemic [...]

The skilled work of the tailor comes from ancient and complex art [...]

Why do so many athletes keep practicing extreme sports, even though they know the danger of risking their lives [...]

The Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (JFMK, ISSN: 2411-5142), which was first released in March 2016, developed greatly in 2020 [...]

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been responsible for a global pandemic involving massive increases in the daily numbers of cases and deaths. Due to the emergency caused by the pandemic, huge efforts have been made to develop COVID-19 vaccines, the first of which were released in December 2020. Effective vaccines for COVID-19 are needed to protect the population, especially healthcare professionals and fragile individuals, such as older people or chronic-disease-affected patients. Physical exercise training generally has health benefits and assists in the prevention of several chronic diseases. Moreover, physical activity improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and improving self-esteem. Therefore, the present review aims to provide a detailed view of the literature, presenting updated evidence on the beneficial effects of adapted physical activity, based on personalized and tailor-made exercise, in preventing, treating, and counteracting the consequences of COVID-19.

As of the 14th of September, Italy has been considered one of the more susceptible nations in terms of risk of increase for Sars-Cov-2 contagion [...]

We are glad to introduce the Journal Club of Volume Five, fourth Issue. This edition is focused on relevant studies published in the last few years in the field of corrective exercise, chosen by our Editorial Board members and their colleagues. We hope to stimulate your curiosity in this field and to share a passion for sport with you, seen also from the scientific point of view. The Editorial Board members wish you an inspiring lecture.

We are glad to introduce the Third Journal Club of Volume five, the third issue. This edition is focused on relevant studies published in the last years in the field of PhysioMechanics of Human Locomotion, chosen by our Editorial Board members and their colleagues. We hope to stimulate your curiosity in this field and to share with you the passion for the Sports Medicine and Movement Sciences seen also from the scientific point of view. The Editorial Board members wish you an inspiring lecture.

Research is required to minimize uncertainty and to be reproducible, that is, the design, implementation, evaluation, interpretation, and reporting of the presented data, must follow a good practice. An appropriate experimental design, an accurate execution of the study, a strict criticism of the obtained data while avoiding overestimation, as well as a suitable interpretation of main outcomes, represent key aspects in reporting and disseminating research to the scientific community. Furthermore, author contribution, responsibility, funding, acknowledgement, and adequately declaring any conflict of interest play important roles in science. The Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (JFMK), a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), is committed to the highest scientific and ethical standards and encourages all authors to take into account and to comply, as much as possible, with the contents and issues reported in this technical note. This could be useful to improve the quality of the manuscripts and avoid misconduct, as well as to stimulate interest and debate, reflecting upon uses and misuses within our disciplines belonging to the medicine area (sports medicine and movement sciences) categories: anatomy, histology, orthopedics and sports medicine, rheumatology, sports sciences, physical therapy, sports therapy, and rehabilitation.

In this editorial, we focused our attention on elite athletes during the COVID-19 lockdown. A high level of physical fitness is required by elite athletes irrespective of the specific type of sport. Generally speaking, elite athletes avoid long periods of rest during and at the end of the competitive season. Normally, elite athletes stop training or reduce training volume and intensity for a period that ranges from two weeks to a maximum of four weeks.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has forced the hardest-hit populations, like Italians, to radically change their daily habits, starting with social distancing, strict preventive measures, and self-isolation. These precautions also apply to sport-related facilities and activities. The difficulty to practice physical activity during this dramatic moment in time adds to the risks associated with sedentary habits, due to staying all the time at home. Here, the importance and the benefits of maintaining exercise routine, even at home, are emphasized in order to avoid the consequences of inactivity.

We are glad to introduce the Second Journal Club of Volume Five, Second Issue. This edition is focused on relevant studies published in the last few years in the field of resistance training, chosen by our Editorial Board members and their colleagues. We hope to stimulate your curiosity in this field and to share with you the passion for the sport, seen also from the scientific point of view. The Editorial Board members wish you an inspiring lecture.

In recent years it has been conclusively shown how the position of the mouth in relation to the body affects the way of walking and standing. In particular, occlusion, the relationship between skull and jaw, swallowing and convergence of the eyes are in neuro-muscular relationship with the control and maintenance system of posture, integrating at different levels. This manuscript aims to be a summary of all the oral, occlusal and articular dysfunctions of TMJ with systemic and postural−muscular repercussions. Recent articles found in the literature that are taken into consideration and briefly analyzed represent an important starting point for these correlations, which are still unclear in the medical field. Posturology, occlusal and oral influences on posture, spine and muscular system are still much debated today. In the literature, there are articles concerning sports performance and dental occlusion or even the postural characteristics of adolescents or children in deciduous and mixed dentition. The temporomandibular joint, as the only joint of the skull, could therefore represent a site to pay particular attention to, and in some cases an ATM dysfunction could be a clue for the diagnosis of systemic pathologies, or it could be the repercussion.

We are glad to introduce the first Journal Club of volume five, the first issue. This edition is focused on relevant studies published in the last years in the field of eccentric training, chosen by our editorial board members and their colleagues. We hope to stimulate your curiosity in this field and to share with you the passion for the sport, seen also from a scientific point of view. The editorial board members wish you an inspiring lecture.

The Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (JFMK, ISSN: 2411-5142), which was firstly released in March 2016 [...]

We are glad to introduce the seventeenth Journal Club. This edition is focused on several relevant studies published in the last years in the field of Overtraining and Exercise Addiction, chosen by our Editorial Board members and their colleagues. We hope to stimulate your curiosity in this field and to share with you the passion for the sport seen also from the scientific point of view. The Editorial Board members wish you an inspiring lecture.

Object: Focal neuropathy results from an injury of any etiology that occurs in a peripheral nerve. The lesion may be followed by alteration of the sensory sphere (either dysesthesia or paresthesia with or without neuropathic pain), or by compensatory attitudes that are attributable to the altered contraction in muscles that are innervated by the injured nerve. Methods: We describe the case of a 13-year-old boy who attended our hospital for a focal neuropathy of the radial nerve. Conclusion: This neuropathy was revealed after the removal of a plaster Zimmer splint that was applied following a post-traumatic subluxation of the metacarpal-trapezoid joint.

Concussion, a peculiar type of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), is an injury frequently encountered in various contact and noncontact sports, such as boxing, martial arts, American football, rugby, soccer, ice hockey, horse riding, and alpine skiing. Concussion occurs anytime external forces of specific intensities provoke acceleration−deceleration of the brain, and it is characterized by the rapid onset of short-lived impairment of neurologic functions, spontaneously resolving within weeks, persisting for longer times only in a small percentage of cases. A wide range of molecular alterations, including mitochondrial dysfunction, energy deficit, and gene and protein expression changes, is triggered by concussion and lasts longer than clinical symptoms. In recent years, concussion has become a primary issue of discussion among sports medicine professionals, athletes, media, and sports sponsors in relation to athletes’ return to play, after a concussion. Continued improvement in prevention and management of concussed athletes requires extensive research from different disciplines. Research work needs to focus on both prevention and management. Researchers and clinicians’ efforts should be dedicated to a better understanding of the molecular changes occurring in the post-concussed brain and to clearly define healing after concussion for a safe return of athletes to play. It is essential for sports medicine professionals to stay informed about the advances in understanding concussions and how to rehabilitate each single player who sustained a concussion.

The elbow joint could be associated with degenerative processes of primary and post-traumatic aetiology. Among these, osteoarthritis may also be secondary to repeated use as well as trauma. Pain, discomfort and progressive loss of functionality are common signs of this condition. The evaluation of elbow osteoarthritis should comprise an in-depth study to detect the primary cause of the illness and to facilitate the decision-making process regarding personalized treatment. Discordance between clinical manifestations and radiological findings is common. Conservative approaches may provide symptomatic relief in the early stages of disease for most patients. The goal of the treatment is to reduce pain and ensure an adequate range of motion and proper functioning of the joint while preserving the anatomical structure, to postpone elbow arthroplasty interventions for as long as possible. According to treatment guidelines, surgery should be considered depending on aetiology and severity, patient age, and functional demands. This narrative review aims to investigate the current literature regarding the pathogenesis and treatment of primary and post-traumatic arthritis of the elbow.

The Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (JFMK, ISSN: 2411-5142), which was firstly released in March 2016 [...]

We are glad to introduce the eleventh Journal Club. This edition is focused on several relevant studies published in the last years in the field of exercise and osteoarthritis, chosen by our Editorial Board members and their colleagues. We hope to stimulate your curiosity in this field and to share with you the passion for sport seen also from the scientific point of view. The Editorial Board members wish you an inspiring lecture.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a debilitating disease widespread in the world, having a negative impact on daily activities, especially in old age [...]

Spine curvature disorders are very common in the population. Several therapeutic methods have been implemented over time. Kinesio Taping (KT) is a solution that is utilized for several purposes. This narrative review aims to discuss KT methodology as a valid solution for spinal curvature disorders, especially for structured and non-structured spine deviations. The matter is poorly discussed in the current literature. Nevertheless, KT seems to indirectly influence posture and spine curvature disorders through peripheral and central nervous system stimulation, but further investigations are needed to demonstrate these unknown effects clearly. The present review provides a valuable contribution to the existing literature and may represent a starting point and a useful guide for further studies in this field of research.

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Skeletal muscle mass reduction might be a consequence of aging (sarcopenia), disease (cachexia) or inactivity (muscle atrophy). Studying the triggering factors leading to muscle loss is important in developing therapies to preserve muscle tissue function. The loss of skeletal muscle proteins is caused by an imbalance between the rate of their synthesis and degradation. Specifically, the conditions characterized by muscle loss involve an adaptation metabolism of increased protein degradation (cachexia), decreased muscle protein synthesis (inactivity), or alteration in both (sarcopenia). Sarcopenia and exercise is the main topic chosen for this review. This is a huge health problem, poorly discussed in the current literature and the aim of this review is to explain and help readers to better understand the differences between “sarcopenia”, “cachexia”, “muscle atrophy” and the relative beneficial effects of exercise used as a possible therapeutic intervention. Sarcopenia is a component of the fragility syndrome and indicates a significant health issue related to the progressive decline of muscle tissue quality and strength. Exercise is associated with improved life quality, reduced health problems, and prolonged lifespan. The latter suggests that exercise should be considered a fundamental point in the treatment of pathological skeletal muscle mass reduction. The present scientific contribution also seeks to emphasize to the scientific community the positive effects of the adapted physical activity in the elderly as a possible non-pharmacologic treatment to prevent or treat muscle atrophy.