AUTHOR=Fucarino Alberto , Zimatore Giovanna , Fabbrizio Antonio , Garrido Nuno D. , Reis Victor Machado , Vilaça-Alves José , Sausa Martina , Matteo Barbara , Peixoto Rafael , Perušina Paulina , Aristova Aleksandra , De Giorgio Andrea , Baldari Carlo , Macaluso Filippo , Iuliano Enzo , Cantoia Manuela 

TITLE=Fitness and psychological effects of tele-exercise in healthy populations. Preliminary study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Digital Health

VOLUME=Volume 6 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/digital-health/articles/10.3389/fdgth.2024.1496196

DOI=10.3389/fdgth.2024.1496196

ISSN=2673-253X

ABSTRACT=BackgroundThe study investigates the impact of tele-exercise on physical fitness and psychological well-being in healthy individuals. Tele-exercise, facilitated by technology, offers a flexible and accessible alternative to traditional exercise, particularly beneficial during restricted in-person interactions.MethodsIn this study, 52 participants were divided into three groups: athletes, women, and young adults. They took part in an eight-week tele-exercise program, either synchronously or asynchronously. Physical fitness was evaluated using tests such as the 2-Minute Step and Curl Up Test, while psychological well-being was assessed using the Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI) and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10).ResultsSignificant improvements in physical fitness and psychological well-being were observed in post-intervention across all groups, regardless of training mode. In the fitness tests, a significant improvement was obtained in the 2-Minute-Step (p = 0.004), in the curls up (p = 0.017), and in squats test (p = 0.004). In the forward bending test, the increment was very close to the significance (p = 0.051). In the psychological well-being tests, both PGWBI and WHO-5 scores increased after the training (p = 0.024 and p = 0.001 respectively) with no significant change in the PSS-10 score. The study found that tele-exercise can effectively introduce physical activity to previously inactive individuals and motivate them to adopt healthier lifestyle behaviors.ConclusionsThe TELEexe4ALL project demonstrates the potential of tele-exercise to improve physical fitness and psychological well-being. The study suggests that tele-exercise is a feasible and well-accepted approach for enhancing overall wellness in healthy populations.