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This study systematically reviews the effects of muscle strength exer-cises on muscle mass and strength in stroke patients by analyzing ran-domized controlled trials. Ten studies, involving a total of 378 stroke pa-tients, were included in the meta-analysis. The standardized mean dif-ference (SMD) and confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random effects model. The results indicated that strength exercises had a medium effect on increasing muscle strength in stroke patients (SMD, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.47–0.72; I2=51%; P<0.05). Specifically, strength ex-ercises were found to be particularly effective in chronic stroke pa-tients, showing a medium effect on muscle strength (SMD, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.55–0.81; I2=45%; P<0.05). The study also compared the effects based on repetition maximum (RM) settings, revealing that strength increased significantly regardless of whether RM was used, with studies showing medium effects (with RM: SMD, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.4–0.64; I2=0%; P<0.05; without RM: SMD, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.4–0.91; I2=72%; P<0.05). The study concludes that strength exercises are beneficial for improving muscle strength in chronic stroke patients, but the use of RM to set exercise in-tensity is not strictly necessary.

In nursing, complementary and alternative therapies (CATs) can be pro-vided alongside, or as alternatives, to conventional medical treatments to maximize therapeutic effects, accelerate rehabilitation, and enhance patient satisfaction. Fostering the correct knowledge and attitudes to-ward CATs is crucial not only for theoretical development but also for practical application. To gain a comprehensive understanding of recent domestic research trends, this study conducted an integrative review to analyze different types of CAT-related intervention studies in rehabili-tation nursing in South Korea. A literature search of relevant databases suggested 14 papers. The review revealed that most studies focused on older adult patients, with manipulative and body-based therapies being the most common CAT interventions, followed by energy therapies, mind-body therapies, and others. The efficacy analysis of the CATs used in the selected studies indicated that their effects varied depending on participant characteristics and outcome measures, even when the same CAT was employed. To advance the field of rehabilitation nursing, effec-tive CATs that are proven to be safe for older adult patients need to be developed and actively utilized. Additionally, specialized nurse training programs and clinical and community-based applications for rehabilita-tion patients requiring interventions need to be developed.

The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze the relationship between high school students’ willingness to participate in a school rope jumping club, their satisfaction with participation, and their satisfaction with school life. To this end, data were collected from 411 male and female high school students participating in a school rope jumping club in Incheon, and the following results were derived through factor analysis, frequency analysis, t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis. First, male students showed higher scores than female students in all participation willingness factors. Second, the participation willingness factor partially significantly affected the pro-gram, leader, and health satisfaction of participation satisfaction. Third, enjoyment, skill development, and condition significantly affected academic activities and rule compliance, and in the case of peer relation-ships, sociability and skill development significantly affected. Fourth, in the case of academic activities, program satisfaction, leader satisfaction, and health satisfaction can be explained as having a significant effect, and in the case of rule compliance, program satisfaction and lead-er satisfaction significantly affected, and in the case of peer relation-ships, program satisfaction and leader satisfaction significantly affect-ed. In this way, it was revealed that there was an overall significant effect between high school students’ desire to participate in the school rope jumping club, participation satisfaction, and school life satisfaction.

The core goal of South Korea’s health policy is equity. To this end, regional disparities in health indicators must be identified. However, as an in-depth analysis of health disparities and health indicators in Gyeong-sangbuk-do and Daegu Metropolitan City is lacking, this study exam-ined the trends in performance and goal achievement in health indica-tors. Data collected from 2011 to 2022 for 31 cities and counties in the Gyeongbuk region (23 regions in Gyeongsangbuk-do and eight regions in Daegu Metropolitan City) were analyzed to examine 28 health indica-tors across three categories: health behavior, health outcomes, and healthcare utilization. The data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 23.0. The findings for health indicators showed significant and persistent gaps in health levels in Gyeongsangbuk-do, particularly in health be-havior (31.3% and 68.7%), health outcomes (33.3% and 55.6%), and healthcare utilization (33.3% and 100%), in Gyeongsangbuk-do and Daegu Metropolitan City, respectively. Central government is vital for in-frastructure development and financial assistance to effectively en-hance health services in the local communities of Gyeongsangbuk-do.

We aimed to investigate the effects of 8-week circuit weight training by intensity on blood stress hormones and antioxidant capacity in high-school wrestlers. This study involved 27 male wrestlers with >2 years of wrestling experience who were randomly assigned to either a low intensity (n=13) or a high-intensity circuit weight training group (n=14). The participants performed circuit weight training for 60 min per session, 3 times per week for 8 weeks. The low- and high-intensity circuit weight training exercises were performed at 50%–60% and 70%–80% of one-repetition maximum for 10 stations, respectively, and 8–15 repeated sessions per station were performed in order. No changes were observed in adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine levels between the two training groups. When compared to levels before the training, ACTH and epinephrine levels decreased, whereas cortisol levels increased. However, no difference was observed in norepinephrine levels. Further, no differences were observed in malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) levels between the two groups. However, MDA and GPX levels were increased from those before training. Changes in superoxide dismutase levels were observed between the two groups, but the change was significant only in the high-intensity circuit weight training group. Long-term training did not increase lipid peroxidation, but increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes that defend against oxidative stress. The antioxidant defense system in tissues can be regulated by exercise in-tensity as well as physical training status.

User-friendly rehabilitation exercise devices can enhance health and quality of life through the convergence of information communication and medical technology. The development of rehabilitation exercise devices accessible to individuals with disabilities is important. We aimed to investigate the convenience, safety, and effectiveness of the developed rehabilitation exercise device for individuals with disabilities. A usability evaluation of the developed rehabilitation exercise device was conducted with five rehabilitation exercise experts and six athletes with disabilities using a questionnaire, the reliability of the revised questionnaire was r=0.87. Qualitative analysis was conducted using semistructured interviews following the testing of the upper limb rehabilitation exercise device by the two user groups. In the usability evaluation survey of the developed rehabilitation exercise device, the results were very positive, with an overall score of 4.25 out of 5. The highest score was assigned to the convenience of the device, followed by the effectiveness of the exercise and the safety of the device. The developed rehabilitation exercise device allows for three types of strength improvement exercises, including isometric, isokinetic, and isotonic exercises, all within a single device. Given that it is constructed with a wire system, it can be adapted to various exercise methods, depending on the type of disability. The device can be used by both nondisabled and disabled individuals, allowing for various exercise methods. The evaluation results indicate that the proposed device is highly versatile and practical.

The isokinetic interactive line protocol (ILP) appears to enhance neuro-muscular function and may reduce posttraumatic stress and anxiety. However, the reliability of the protocol has not been investigated, nor has it been analyzed in relation to psychological states. A total of 165 participants took part in this study, with ages ranging from 21 to 24 years. The gender distribution was 68.4% male and 31.6% female. There was no significant difference in injury duration between males and females (z=-0.922, P=0.357). The intrarater reliability of the ILP, as indicated by the intraclass correlation coefficient, was high for both concentric and eccentric contractions of the quadriceps (ranging from 0.891 to 0.980). Likewise, the interrater reliability for these contractions was also high (range, 0.873–0.943). Additionally, during the ILP, there was a significant reduction in posttraumatic stress (t=9.795, P<0.001) and anxiety (t=5.965, P<0.001) related to knee reinjury after 2 weeks. Ultimately, the isokinetic game ILP demonstrates high intra- and interrater reliabilities and can be concluded to effectively reduce posttraumatic stress and anxiety when incorporated into retesting.