Exercise
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Resistance training tempo has minimal effect on muscle growthChoosing between slow and fast repetition tempos appears to make minimal difference for muscle growth, suggesting that consistency and effort level matter more than tempo per se.
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Web-based pedometer intervention increases daily steps and aerobic intensity in COPDA digital walking program with wearable feedback and community support may help people with COPD increase both the amount and aerobic intensity of daily walking over 12 weeks, suggesting it could complement or substitute for supervised pulmonary rehabilitation in some settings.
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Strength training combined with whey protein may improve muscle mass and grip strength in older adultsCombining strength training with whey protein supplementation may be linked to modestly greater gains in muscle mass and grip strength than strength training alone in older adults with sarcopenia, though the evidence remains limited and inconsistent.
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Renal rehabilitation linked to improved muscle strength and daily function in hemodialysis patientsStructured exercise and multidisciplinary support may be linked to better muscle strength and functional independence in hemodialysis patients, though the evidence for anemia improvement is modest.
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Reactive step training improves stepping speed and size but not fall risk in older adultsReacStep training may strengthen the stepping response and reaction speed in older adults, but current evidence does not yet show it reduces actual falls in daily life.
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Essential amino acids modestly reduce soreness and accelerate muscle swelling recovery after eccentric exerciseEssential amino acid supplementation may be associated with somewhat faster recovery of muscle swelling and reduced soreness after eccentric exercise, though the effects are small and tendon recovery is not clearly accelerated.
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Exercise linked to better fitness and quality of life in breast cancer survivorsExercise may help breast cancer survivors improve their fitness capacity and overall quality of life, though evidence does not yet show it reduces major inflammatory markers.
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Teacher and video classroom activity breaks both modestly increase student physical activityBrief classroom activity breaks may boost daily student physical activity by roughly 9 minutes, but only if schools maintain consistent delivery and institutional backing.
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Cinnamon with exercise training and chest circumference in overweight womenCinnamon supplementation may not add meaningful benefit to the effects of exercise training on abdominal circumference or reproductive hormones in overweight women, though exercise alone showed clear benefits.
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VR exergaming shows edge in executive function but not across all cognitive tasksVR exergaming may offer a modest edge in certain executive-function domains, but both immersive and video-based exercise improved cognition and motor coordination similarly, and immersive training's gains were less durable.
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Resistance exercise volume and intensity linked to pain relief and strength gains in knee osteoarthritisModerate-intensity resistance training may improve pain and function in knee osteoarthritis, with optimal benefit linked to specific repetition ranges, though the evidence base remains limited.
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Fruit juice rehydrates as well as sports drinks, but with lower blood glucose spikesFor athletes who prefer natural beverages or a "food first" approach, fruit juice rehydrates as effectively as sports drinks while causing a smaller blood glucose rise, though large volumes may cause digestive upset.
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Self-management education and exercise training reduce fatigue in haemodialysis patientsSelf-management education and exercise training may help reduce fatigue in people on haemodialysis, though the strength of evidence differs and further research is needed.
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PE curriculum and whole-school programs show small boosts to youth activity levelsRedesigning PE curriculum or implementing whole-school activity strategies may support small increases in youth MVPA, but adding extra activity opportunities without systemic change shows uncertain benefit.
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School-based diet and physical activity interventions show modest effects on child weight in AfricaSchool-based programs combining diet and activity may help African children maintain healthy weight, but current evidence shows no significant overall BMI reduction and remains geographically limited.
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Neuromuscular electrical stimulation may help regulate blood glucose in type 2 diabetesNMES may help reduce blood glucose spikes after meals in people with type 2 diabetes, particularly when targeting large leg muscles, though stronger evidence is needed for long-term effects.
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Yoga may outperform combined exercise for pain and fatigue in women with rheumatoid arthritisAn 8-week yoga programme may be linked to larger reductions in pain and depression than combined exercise in women with rheumatoid arthritis who have achieved remission, though both approaches outperformed usual care.
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Exercise linked to better fertility outcomes in both women and menExercise may play a supportive role in fertility management for both sexes, though stronger, standardized trials are needed to define optimal exercise prescriptions.
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Urban green space qualities linked to physical activity in older adultsEvidence suggests that the size of parks and quality of walking trails may support activity in older urban residents, but research definitions remain too varied to identify which features are most important.
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Community exercise and education program linked to cardiometabolic gains in metabolic syndromeA structured community program combining exercise, education, and monitoring may help adults with metabolic syndrome improve fitness, body composition, and cardiometabolic risk markers.
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A 'Sit Less' program with Fitbit and text messages shows feasibility in cardiometabolic diseaseA text-message and wearable-based program to reduce sitting was feasible and acceptable in people with heart disease or diabetes, and may be associated with modest improvements in blood sugar control, though effects on sedentary time itself remain uncertain.
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Adding leg work during arm training does not reduce arm muscle growthGrowing one muscle group may not require sacrificing growth in another, at least when nutrient intake is not restricted.
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School-based exercise may reduce back pain in adolescentsLimited evidence suggests school-based exercise may be associated with modest reductions in back pain intensity and prevalence over several months in early-to-mid adolescents, though the small evidence base and quality concerns preclude firm conclusions about which type or amount of exercise works best.
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Digital physical activity intervention shows limited benefit for cancer survivors' anxiety and depressionA digital physical activity program did not broadly reduce anxiety, depression, or cognitive complaints in cancer survivors, though it may help reduce fear of recurrence in those with initially high fear who actively use it.
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Personalized balance training boosts motor skill transfer in older adultsAdjusting exercise difficulty to match individual ability may enhance both the targeted skill and related motor abilities in older adults, though whether this translates to real-world function requires further study.
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Folic acid with resistance training linked to greater muscle gains and better heart biomarkersIn young men, adding folic acid to resistance training may enhance muscle gain and improve certain cardiovascular biomarkers more than training without supplementation, though this remains preliminary evidence.
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Age-friendly city design linked to higher physical activity and self-rated health in older adultsAge-friendly urban features may support physical activity and health in older adults, but current evidence relies too heavily on self-report to draw firm conclusions about effect size or durability.
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Protein and resistance training improve muscle strength and insulin resistance in older adults with type 2 diabetesProtein supplementation combined with resistance training may be linked to greater improvements in muscle strength and insulin sensitivity in older men with type 2 diabetes, though the clinical significance of these gains requires longer-term study.
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Elastic tape as an add-on to pulmonary rehabilitation may boost exercise capacity in severe COPDFor men with moderate-to-severe COPD pursuing rehabilitation, elastic tape may be a low-cost adjunct linked to better exercise gains and psychological improvements, though larger and more diverse trials are needed.
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Supervised multicomponent exercise may improve function and reduce falls in frail older adultsPreliminary evidence suggests multicomponent supervised exercise may improve functional capacity and reduce falls in frail older adults, though results from this trial are still pending.
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Digital app supports physical activity habits in cardiac rehabilitation patientsA digital app with personalized activity planning may help cardiac rehabilitation patients maintain exercise after discharge, though larger trials are needed to confirm benefits.
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Cardiac rehabilitation and spousal support linked to activity levels in heart disease patientsCardiac rehabilitation participation, spousal encouragement, and supportive residential environments appear linked to higher activity levels in coronary heart disease patients, though evidence for policy-level factors remains absent.
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Physical activity may modestly reduce weight and body fat in obese adolescentsPhysical activity may be linked to modest short-term reductions in weight, waist circumference, and body fat in obese adolescents, but the evidence remains low-certainty and long-term effects are unknown.
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Temporal and routine cues matter most for building exercise habitsExercising at consistent times and incorporating it into your daily routine may be more important for building lasting exercise habits than varying where or with whom you exercise.
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Tailored text messages may improve physical activity in cardiac rehabilitation, but personalization details matter less than expectedText message reminders may help cardiac patients increase activity early in rehabilitation, though which specific customizations work best remains unclear and may vary by individual.
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Weight management programme plus semaglutide tested in advanced kidney diseaseThis trial may reveal whether intensive weight management using semaglutide and coaching is feasible and safe in people with advanced kidney disease—a group previously missing from obesity research.
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Village-led balance and exercise program cut falls by 40% in rural older adults with heart diseaseA scalable, village doctor-led program combining balance exercises and health education may reduce falls and injuries among older rural adults with cardiovascular disease.
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Hybrid lifestyle program and metabolic health in adults with obesityA hybrid lifestyle intervention showed metabolic benefits in participants who completed the program, though dropout rates and intention-to-treat analysis raise questions about scalability and real-world effectiveness in resource-limited settings.
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Creatine supplementation linked to lean mass gains and selected cognitive improvements in middle-aged and older adultsCreatine supplementation may help middle-aged and older adults preserve or gain lean muscle mass and strength, and may be linked to modest improvements in selected cognitive markers and metabolic health measures, particularly when combined with exercise.
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Moderate resistance training three times weekly may offer the best bone density gains for older adultsFor most skeletal sites, moderate-intensity resistance training three times per week may be associated with the most favorable bone density improvements in middle-aged and older adults, though the evidence at some sites is too close to call definitively.
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Prehabilitation exercise may reduce fatigue after colorectal cancer surgeryModerate-intensity exercise before and after colorectal cancer surgery may be associated with lower post-operative fatigue, though the improvement is modest and further targeted studies are needed.
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Blood flow restriction with electrical stimulation linked to mental health decline in injured military personnelCombining blood flow restriction and electrical stimulation may improve knee pain and physical function but may be linked to mental health declines in military populations, suggesting that rehabilitation protocols need to address both physical recovery and psychological wellbeing.
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Family-centered lifestyle intervention linked to substantial 2-year lipid improvementsA family-based approach combining dietary counseling and activity promotion may be linked to meaningful improvements in blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels over two years.
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Music feedback during exercise may boost motivation in chronic pain patientsMusic feedback during exercise may be linked to stronger motivation in people with chronic pain, with emotional matching between patient and music potentially playing a role in pain perception.
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Exercise plus cognitive training linked to greatest frailty reduction in older adultsFor older adults with frailty, adding cognitive training to exercise may offer stronger benefits than exercise alone or other single-component additions, though the evidence quality varies across studies.
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Online pelvic floor exercises reduce postpartum incontinence but show limited benefit in older womenOnline pelvic floor training may help reduce urinary incontinence in postpartum women through improved compliance, though benefits in older women appear confined to adherence rather than symptom relief.
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Exercise linked to lower testosterone in adults with PCOSExercise, especially aerobic activity, may be associated with modest reductions in testosterone levels in adults with PCOS, with effects appearing most pronounced in people with overweight baseline BMI.
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Psychologically informed videos did not improve function in adolescents with leg painPsychologically informed videos reduced pain-related beliefs in adolescents with leg pain but did not improve function or pain intensity beyond standard physical therapy alone.
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Motivational coaching cues reduce prefrontal cortex activation during intense interval trainingVerbal motivation during intense training may reduce the perceived burden on the brain's fatigue-decision centers, potentially helping athletes push harder without proportional increases in mental strain.
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Exergaming may reduce fall rates in older adults compared with usual careExergaming may help reduce falls in older adults compared with usual care, though evidence remains moderate in strength and important gaps remain around long-term effects and real-world adoption.