Pasqualino Maietta Latessa

Basketball involves high-intensity biomechanical loads that induce specific postural adaptations. In order to identify injury risk factors, establishing normative values for static knee alignment is crucial, yet radiographic screening in healthy populations is ethically limited. This observational study aimed to define the reference values for static knee alignment in a large cohort of amateur basketball players using the Knee Rotation Measurer (KRM^®) and to investigate the non-linear nature of morpho-functional adaptations. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1150 amateur basketball players (590 males, 560 females; age 18–45 years), recruited from Italian leagues targeting a balanced geographical distribution. Static alignment was assessed using the KRM^® in a closed bipodal stance. Results revealed a universal tendency toward internal knee rotation (~20°), which was statistically independent of foot posture (p > 0.05). Significant sexual dimorphism was found in alignment variance: while mean right and left knee valgus values were similar in both sexes (p = 0.79), males exhibited significantly higher variance compared to female (12.53 vs. 9.36 cm²) and a dominant tendency toward knee varus (p < 0.001). In conclusion, amateur basketball players present a distinct morpho-functional profile characterized by a universal tendency toward internal knee rotation, which is statistically independent of foot posture. Furthermore, significant sexual dimorphism in morphological variance and sagittal alignment highlights distinct gender-specific postural adaptations in this population.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a new HMP method, a mind–body exercise protocol, on health-related Quality of Life(QoL) in adults and to explore possible differences by gender and age. A pilot longitudinal study was conducted involving 171 adults (female: 151, male: 20) who completed a 10-week exercise program consisting of one supervised session per week. The protocol integrated self-body awareness, postural control, breathing regulation, muscle activation–relaxation, and multisensory stimulation exercises. Quality of life was assessed before and after the intervention using the Italian version of the SF-36 Health Survey. A two-way ANCOVA was used to evaluate pre-post changes, accounting for the interaction between gender and age categories.Significant improvements were observed across several SF-36 domains following the intervention. Notable gains were observed in physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, and mental health, with medium to large effect sizes in the physical domains. Improvements were independent of gender and age, although an interaction effect between gender and age emerged for physical functioning in the oldest participants.The proposed method appears to be an effective, low-dose HMP, suggesting that it may enhance multiple dimensions of adult QoL. These preliminary findings support the potential role of mind–body practices as accessible health-promotion strategies.

Background: Quality of Life (QoL) is a multidimensional construct influenced by physical, mental, and psycho-emotional factors. Holistic movement practices (HMPs) have shown potential benefits for well-being; however, empirical evidence supporting the effectiveness of developed protocols remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the Bio-gymnastic® method, a mind–body exercise protocol, on health-related QoL in adults and to explore possible differences by gender and age. Methods: A pilot longitudinal study was conducted involving 171 adults (female: 151, male: 20) who completed a 10-week Bio-gymnastic program consisting of one supervised session per week. The protocol integrated self-body awareness, postural control, breathing regulation, muscle activation–relaxation, and multisensory stimulation. Quality of life was assessed before and after the intervention using the Italian version of the SF-36 Health Survey. A two-way ANCOVA was applied to evaluate pre-post changes, accounting for the interaction effects of gender and age categories. Results: Significant improvements were observed across several SF-36 domains following the intervention. Notable gains were observed in physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, and mental health, with medium to large effect sizes in the physical domains. Improvements were generally independent of gender and age, although an interaction effect between gender and age emerged for physical functioning in the oldest participants. Conclusions: The proposed method appears to be an effective, low-dose holistic exercise intervention, suggesting that it may enhance multiple dimensions of QoL in adults. These preliminary findings support the potential role of mind–body practices as accessible health-promotion strategies. Further randomised controlled studies with balanced samples and objective outcome measures are needed to confirm and extend these results.

Background and Clinical Significance: The study aims to investigate the application of the Rovatti Method^® in improving Cobb angles, angle of trunk rotation (ATR), aesthetics, and quality of life in the conservative treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS); Case Presentation: The case concerns the application of the Rovatti Method^® in treating a 13-year-old girl with mild right thoracolumbar AIS. This method involves the use of elastic bands designed to guide and enhance proprioceptive and mechanical stimuli during the patient’s active self-correction exercises. The treatment lasted 7 months; a radiographic control showed an improvement in the right thoracolumbar curve, with Cobb angles decreasing from 21° to 14°, ATR from 10° to 8°, TRACE (Trunk Aesthetic Clinical Evaluation) decreasing from 8 to 4 points, and the Scoliosis Research questionnaire (SRS-22) improving from 2.27 to 3.05 points. Conclusions: Concerning this hypothesis-generating observation case, the Rovatti Method^® may represent a kinesiological approach for the treatment of AIS, potentially contributing to improvements in Cobb angles, ATR, aesthetics, and quality of life.

In recent decades, extensive evidence has indicated that green spaces and physical activity (PA) are associated with mental health, while limited research has explored the combined effects of supervised PA in urban green spaces. To address the research gap, this study examines whether supervised PA within green spaces improves mental health among middle-aged adults (45–65 years) through a quasi-experimental longitudinal study developed as part of the “Moving Parks” project in Bologna, Italy. Using the Italian version of the Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), mental health was measured at pre- and post-assessment. A total of 340 participants (258 intervention, 82 control) were included in the study. The effects of intervention, group assignment, and their interaction on mental health scores were analysed using a two-way repeated measures ANOVA. No significant differences in mental health improvements were observed between the intervention group and control group. The results indicated significant main effects of time on total WEMWBS scores and several subscales such as optimism, usefulness, energy, and cheerfulness, but these changes were not significantly influenced by group assignment. The only significant group-by-time interaction was found in perceived usefulness. These findings do not provide conclusive support for the hypothesised benefits of the supervised PA intervention. Possible explanations include seasonal variation, baseline or ceiling effects, and the potential limitations of the WEMWBS in detecting short-term psychological changes. Future research should consider extending intervention duration, improving group comparability, and employing more sensitive assessment tools to better evaluate the mental health impact of green space–based PA programmes.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the association between Affective Exercise Experiences (AEEs), environmental factors, and adherence to a structured public health exercise initiative. Methods: A prospective experimental design was employed in a primary care setting within green parks in a community in Northern Italy. Community-dwelling individuals who participated in a 15-week outdoor exercise program were recruited. Participants engaged in 43 low-to moderate-intensity outdoor exercise sessions, held three times a week from May to July 2022, with each session lasting 60 min. A total of 68 participants (mean age: 64.6 ± 8.6 years) completed the questionnaires. Results: A causal analysis revealed a small but significant positive effect of AEEs on adherence, with higher AEE scores associated with an increased likelihood of attending exercise sessions. The predictive model identified a combination of AEE scores, environmental temperature, distance from the exercise site, and weekday as significant predictors of adherence. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of AEEs, as well as environmental and demographic factors, in predicting adherence to structured exercise programs. The findings suggest that fostering positive affective experiences related to exercise could enhance adherence, particularly among older adults.

With the rapidity of urbanisation, concerns about citizens’ mental wellbeing issues are on the rise, and simultaneously, the issue of land use conflicts is becoming increasingly prominent. As a nature-based solution, the role of urban green space has been continually emphasised in the past decade. In urban areas facing scarce land resources, improving the quality of green spaces appears to be an important approach. This review aimed to systematically elaborate the studies regarding the associations between urban green space (UGS) qualities and mental wellbeing, following the Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Twenty-two articles were included, and most of them had a cross-sectional design. From the analysis of the data, it emerged that the definition of the quality of green space is heterogeneous. Natural elements, particularly vegetation diversity and water features, consistently showed positive associations with mental wellbeing, while the effects of spatial features like accessibility showed mixed results. The impact of facilities and amenities appeared more complex, with their benefits heavily dependent on the design and maintenance. More evidence is needed to determine the mental wellbeing benefits of maintenance and the development of facilities and amenities for UGSs. In addition, the assessment of mental wellbeing relied on various self-reported scales, with different scales targeting different aspects. Instrumental measurements were rarely employed. Future research should employ more rigorous experimental methods and standardised quality assessment tools.