OBJECTIVES:The isometric wall squat (IWS) is a promising nonpharmacological intervention for blood pressure (BP) management, but its optimal dosage in older adults remains unclear. This study compared postexercise hypotension (PEH) after two IWS doses in medicated older women with systemic arterial hypertension (SAH). METHODS:Thirty older hypertensive women (68.8 ± 10.0 years) were randomized into three groups: control (CG), 8-min IWS (G8-IWS; 4 × 2-min sets), and 12-min IWS (G12-IWS; 6 × 2-min sets). BP and heart rate (HR) were assessed at rest and at 0, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, and 60 min postexercise and analyzed using linear mixed-effects models with Bonferroni correction ( P  < 0.05). RESULTS:G12-IWS significantly reduced systolic BP and mean arterial pressure (MAP) at 45-60 min and 30-60 min postexercise ( P  < 0.05), while G8-IWS showed no BP changes. G12-IWS decreased HR (30-60 min) and rate-pressure product (RPP; 15-60 min); G8-IWS reduced RPP from 30 to 60 min only. Diastolic BP and pulse pressure remained unchanged in both groups. CONCLUSION:A single G12-IWS session induced clinically meaningful PEH (~8-10 mmHg), exceeding reported with isometric handgrip exercise (~4-6 mmHg), with greater RPP suppression than G8-IWS. This equipment-free protocol represents a relevant nonpharmacological strategy for BP management in older women with SAH.

This study aimed to perform a bibliometric review to map scientific advances and research trends related to post-exercise hypotension (PEH), a transient blood pressure reduction following physical exercise, increasingly recognized as a non-pharmacological strategy for hypertension management. A comprehensive search was conducted on Scopusdatabase to identify publications on PEH from 1985 to 2024. Metadata from 440 selected articles were analyzed using VOSviewer™ and Gephi™ software to construct keyword co-occurrence networks and identify emerging research topics, influential authors, and leading institutions. Bibliometric analysis revealed an increasing trend in PEH publications over the past decade, with Brazil and the United States leading in research output. High-intensity interval training, isometric resistance exercise and nutritional interventions emerged as key topics. Findings emphasized exercise intensity, recovery posture, and dietary strategies modulate PEH magnitude and duration. Complex autonomic and vascular factors were consistently implicated as physiological mechanisms of PEH, supporting the importance of individualized exercise prescriptions. This review highlights the growing clinical and scientific importance of PEH research. Notable gaps include the need for standardized assessment methodologies, greater biomarker utilization, and further evaluation of multimodal exercise-nutrition strategies to improve clinical translation. Future studies should expand PEH research in clinically high-risk and underrepresented groups (e.g., older adults and individuals with cardiometabolic or renal comorbidities), using harmonized protocols to enhance comparability and applicability.

BACKGROUND:Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) initially scheduled for definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT) often experience early functional decline and deterioration in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) even before treatment initiation. Evidence for prehabilitation in this non-surgical setting remains limited. This study evaluated whether exercise prehabilitation (EP) initiated before CRT improves functional capacity compared with usual care (UC). METHODS:FIT4TREAT (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05418842) was a prospective, single-center, randomized clinical trial. Adults with HNC proposed for definitive CRT were randomly assigned (1:1) to EP or UC. EP consisted of supervised combined aerobic and resistance exercise performed three times per week from baseline until radiotherapy initiation. The primary outcome was the six-minute walk distance (6MWD) at the end of the pre-treatment period. Secondary outcomes included muscle strength, lower-limb functionality, body composition, and HRQoL assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-HN43. RESULTS:Between May 2021 and February 2025, 47 patients were enrolled; 40 were included in the primary analysis. After adjustment for baseline 6MWD and the randomization stratification variables, EP resulted in a significantly greater pre-treatment 6MWD than UC (adjusted between-group difference, 28.6 m; 95 % CI, 4.1-53.1; P = 0.023). EP also improved lower-limb functionality (P < 0.001) and was associated with better preservation in the QLQ-C30 summary score (P = 0.008), social functioning (P = 0.038) and body image (P = 0.011). CONCLUSION:EP before definitive CRT improves functional capacity and may help preserve HRQoL in patients with HNC, supporting its potential integration into routine oncology care.

Abstract Background and aims The International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and ActiGraph accelerometers are widely used and internationally recommended for assessing physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) after stroke. However, their agreement on chronic stroke survivors remains unclear, which is crucial to avoid misinforming clinical and research monitoring. This study quantifies the agreement between IPAQ-SF and ActiGraph measurements of PA and ST and compares agreement across different epoch lengths. Methods Fifty community-dwelling chronic stroke survivors with independent walking wore an ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer for seven consecutive days and completed the IPAQ-SF on the following day. Agreement between IPAQ-SF and accelerometer-derived weekly moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), moderate PA (MPA), and ST was assessed using Bland-Altman analysis. Agreement was compared across four epoch lengths (1-, 10-, 15-, 60-second). Results For MVPA, the geometric mean ratio was 1.02 (95%CI: 0.49 to 2.1; limits of agreement (LoA): 0.007 to 154.6), with a proportional bias (β=0.832, p=0.001). For MPA, the geometric mean ratio was 0.91 (95%CI: 0.45 to 1.87; LoA: 0.0066 to 127.6), with a proportional bias (β=0.793, p=0.003). For ST, the geometric mean ratio was 0.85 (95%CI: 0.78 to 0.92; LoA: 0.47 to 1.53), with a proportional bias (β=0.773, p<0.001). Agreement was higher with 60-second epochs. Conclusions IPAQ-SF overestimated MVPA and MPA, and underestimated ST compared to the accelerometer, with wide limits of agreement across outcomes. Proportional bias suggests that discrepancies increase at higher magnitudes. IPAQ-SF and accelerometer data are not interchangeable for assessment of PA and ST in chronic stroke survivors. Conflict of interest Teresa Dias: nothing to disclose; Carla Pareira: nothing to disclose; Fernando Ribeiro: nothing to disclose.

This study investigated proteomic alterations in the pulmonary circulation of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with systemic sclerosis (PAH-SSc) by analyzing the transpulmonary protein gradient and comparing the proteomic profiles with systemic sclerosis (SSc) without PAH. Twenty women were included (10 PAH-SSc, 64.6 ± 10.8 years; 10 SSc, 62.8 ± 11.5 years). The transpulmonary gradient was defined as the difference in biomarker concentrations between wedge-position and pulmonary artery blood samples. Peptides were analysed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and differentially abundant proteins were identified with Proteome Discoverer. Protein-protein interaction networks were generated with STRING and visualized in Cytoscape. A total of 270 proteins were detected, with no significant transpulmonary gradient alterations. However, patients with PAH-SSc showed distinct proteomic profiles compared to SSc. Multivariate analysis identified 48 differentially abundant proteins in pulmonary artery plasma, with 15 overrepresented and 33 downregulated in PAH-SSc. Among these, the downregulation of transforming growth factor-beta-induced protein ig-h3 (TGFβI/ig-h3) points to a potential involvement of the TGF-β-related extracellular matrix remodelling pathway in PAH-SSc. However, further validation in larger and independent cohorts is required before its relevance as a biomarker or therapeutic target can be established. In conclusion, while no transpulmonary proteomic gradient was observed, the proteomic profiles of PAH-SSc and SSc were different. The profile in PAH-SSc was characterized by differences in immune response, lipid metabolism, and hemostatic proteins. Significance This study offers the first proteomic characterization of the transpulmonary gradient in PAH-SSc and SSc. Although no differences in the gradient were found, the pulmonary artery plasma proteome of PAH-SSc patients showed a distinct pattern compared to SSc. Several proteins associated with immune function, haemostasis, and cellular processes were altered, which may indicate specific pathophysiological features of PAH-SSc or suggest how lung dysfunction develops in SSc. Targeting dysregulated proteins like TGFβI/ig-h3 or addressing immune-coagulation imbalances may support future research studies. Overall, these findings refine the molecular profile of PAH-SSc and provide a basis for future large-scale studies aimed at clarifying disease mechanisms and identifying clinically relevant molecular signatures.

This review examines current evidence on the effects of physical exercise in individuals with resistant hypertension, a population for whom the effects of exercise are less well understood compared to those with general hypertension. Emerging evidence indicates that aerobic exercise promotes clinically meaningful reductions in blood pressure in individuals with resistant hypertension, with potential to reduce medication reliance and improve cardiovascular health. Combined aerobic and dynamic resistance exercise, particularly in heated-water environments, may offer additional benefits. However, important research gaps remain, including limited data on resistance training (dynamic or isometric), and mind-body exercises such as Tai Chi or Yoga. While aerobic exercise is well established as an effective strategy for lowering blood pressure, further studies are needed to evaluate other exercise modalities and digital or remote interventions to enhance adherence. Expanding the evidence base will allow for more personalized and flexible exercise prescriptions, ultimately improving long-term blood pressure control and cardiovascular outcomes in this population.

INTRODUCTION:Accumulation of advanced glycation end products, measured by skin autofluorescence (SAF), has been shown to be associated with several chronic non-communicable diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). The promotion of physical activity (PA) as a strategy for the prevention of CVD by modifying healthy habits has been widely studied. AIM:To assess the evidence for the association between PA and SAF in the general adult population. METHODS:A systematic review was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis framework. A search was performed in MEDLINE (via PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library and SportDiscuss (via EBSCOhost), from inception to September 2024. Study quality was assessed using the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute tools and the certainty of evidence was evaluated with Grading of Recommendations, Assessment Development and Evaluation. Vote counting based on the direction of effect was used as the standardised synthesis metric. RESULTS:In the systematic review, 17 studies were included. The qualitative synthesis showed a predominant consistency in favour of a beneficial association. Specifically, 58.8% of the studies reported a statistically significant inverse association, indicating that higher levels of PA or exercise frequency are correlated with lower SAF levels. The remaining studies (41.2%) reported non-significant results, though several showed favourable trends. No studies reported a positive association between PA and SAF. The quality of the studies was generally fair, and the certainty of evidence low. CONCLUSIONS:PA is inversely associated with SAF. Therefore, while causality cannot be proven, it is hypothesised that PA may reduce SAF and thus have a positive impact on health.

This non-randomized controlled parallel-group study evaluated the effects of a workplace multicomponent lifestyle intervention compared with active breaks and health education on work-related musculoskeletal disorders in industrial workers. A total of 266 manufacturing company employees were allocated to a lifestyle intervention (resistance training plus active breaks, and health education), an active breaks intervention (active breaks plus health education), or a health education-only condition. work-related musculoskeletal disorders prevalence and pain intensity were assessed at baseline and after 7 months using the standardized Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. At baseline, symptoms were most common in the neck, shoulders, hips/thighs, knees, and ankles/feet. Among initially symptomatic participants, all groups reduced 7-day symptom prevalence in multiple regions, with additional improvements in elbows and hips/thighs in the multicomponent program. New work-related musculoskeletal disorders cases were similar across groups at follow-up.

BACKGROUND:Hypertension is a multifactorial condition that is likely to affect older adults. We evaluated the effects of home-based isometric handgrip training (IHT) or aerobic exercise training (AET) on vascular health of older adults with elevated blood pressure (BP) and hypertension. METHODS:The HoldAge trial (NCT04275032) was a two-center prospective randomized controlled trial. Eighty-four participants (46 women, 71.1 ± 3.6 years, BP: 137.1 ± 13.8/80.8 ± 8.3 mmHg) were randomized into IHT, AET, or usual medical care. Participants performed IHT or AET three times/week for 8 weeks. IHT consisted of 4 × 45 bilateral contractions at 50% of maximum voluntary contraction with 1-min rest between sets. AET consisted of walking 30 min at 50-70% of maximum oxygen consumption. Usual medical care received standard medical care. Outcome comprised blood pressure variability (BPV), flow-mediated dilation (FMD), aortic pulse wave velocity (aoPWV), and endothelial function and inflammation biomarkers. RESULTS:No significant group × time interaction effects occurred for 24-h and daytime BPV, FMD, aoPWV, and circulating biomarkers (P > 0.05). A significant group × time interaction occurred for nighttime systolic BPV (P = 0.005). IHT decreased nighttime systolic BPV over time (-1.5 ± 3.0 mmHg; P = 0.011), while AET (1.1 ± 2.9 mmHg; P = 0.064) and usual medical care (0.6 ± 2.7 mmHg; P = 0.344) did not. CONCLUSION:Home-based IHT effectively reduces nighttime systolic BPV in older adults with elevated BP and hypertension, suggesting it could serve as a valuable nonpharmacological strategy to improve vascular health.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a diagnosis with substantial lifelong implications. Most patients diagnosed with HNC undergo treatments—typically surgery, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy—that negatively affect function and quality of life. As cancer survival rates improve, there is a growing focus on mitigating the related morbidity and addressing rehabilitation needs, including exercise. Exercise is a safe and effective intervention across the cancer continuum, with demonstrated benefits for physical and psychosocial outcomes in cancer populations. However, patients with HNC often present disease- and treatment-specific conditions—such as feeding-tube use, laryngectomy or tracheostomy, musculoskeletal impairments, xerostomia, and donor-site morbidity following free-flap reconstruction—that may require additional clinical precautions. This narrative review synthesizes evidence and clinical insights on these key domains specific to locally advanced HNC, identified through a structured literature search and informed by multidisciplinary expertise. Evidence reinforces the presence of recurring clinical challenges in HNC, underscoring the need for individualized and carefully adapted exercise programs. By outlining disease-specific considerations and functional sequelae, this review provides guidance for safe and evidence-informed exercise prescription, emphasizing that head and neck cancers are complex diagnoses requiring expertise not only in oncological treatment but also in supportive care.

INTRODUCTION:Physiotherapy has been proven to be highly cost-effective in managing some health conditions, reducing the demand for surgery, pharmacological treatment, hospitalisations, and long-term care. Several organisations and policymakers have already acknowledged that physiotherapy is essential in any health care system, but services need improvement. However, improving physiotherapy services requires efficient collection of real-world data and more in-depth data management. Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have proven to be reliable in managing data in various health care service settings, yet there continues to be little investment in these platforms, especially in physiotherapy. This scoping review aims to map the evidence on the multiple uses of EHRs in physiotherapy, to better understand their applicability in this field. METHODOLOGY:This protocol will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute methodological guidelines for scoping reviews. Original studies and grey literature from 2010 onwards, written in English, Portuguese, or Spanish, concerning the characteristics, development, implementation process, and outcomes of Physiotherapy registry platforms will be included. Search will be conducted on four electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science). Two independent reviewers will assess and select the articles. Data extracted will include information regarding EHRs main characteristics (e.g., types of users, type of data collected, functions, context), development and implementation processes, and outcomes of registry platforms, in all fields of physiotherapy. The information will be registered, aggregated by categories, and displayed in tables and charts mapping the distribution of studies alongside a narrative summary. DISCUSSION:The proposed scoping review will synthesise key knowledge to provide significant literature-based insights into the steps, strategies, and procedures necessary for developing and implementing physiotherapy EHRs.

(1) Background: Heart failure (HF) and dementia are commonly associated with the elderly. A significant percentage of patients with HF are at high risk of cognitive decline and progression to dementia. Cognitive impairment is associated with both diseases. However, the molecules and mechanisms that affect the HF-dementia axis are poorly understood. (2) Objective: In this work, we aim to identify potential proteins that modulate HF and dementia. (3) Methods: We applied a pipeline using bioinformatic tools that robustly perform a literature search. (4) Results: Our results show that apolipoprotein E (APOE), c-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL6), renin (REN), and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) proteins are important for maintaining homeostasis in the heart-brain axis. Additionally, deregulated levels of these proteins are associated with neuronal and cardiovascular diseases. (5) Conclusions: Our work highlights proteins that may help in understanding the pathophysiological relationship between HF and dementia. Moreover, these proteins may also be potential biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:The effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in improving exercise capacity and quality of life (QoL) in heart failure (HF) is well established. However, it remains underutilized in women. We aimed to compare the adherence and effectiveness of a CR program in women and men with HF. METHODS:This was a prospective single-center study of consecutive 93 HF patients referred to a CR program between September 2019 and July 2021. We defined adherence as the percentage of sessions patients attended. Effectiveness outcomes were changes in peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak) and QoL measurements before (baseline) and after the CR program (12wk). VO2 peak was assessed by a maximal effort cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a treadmill. QoL was assessed using the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). RESULTS:Among 93 patients, 32.3% were female. Regarding adherence, 84% of patients completed the CR program, and no significant differences were found between groups (p=0.232). The increase in VO2 peak did not differ between genders (p=0.938). A significant reduction in the total, physical and emotional MLHFQ scores in both genders was observed (all p<0.05). There were no significant differences in QoL effectiveness analysis between the groups (all p=NS). CONCLUSION:Women with HF adhered to the CR program similarly to men and had a similar increase in VO2 peak, a robust and validated prognostic marker for HF in this setting. Women benefited as much as men in all dimensions of QoL. Together, these data emphasize the need to increase the referral of women with HF to CR programs.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the effects of a workplace multicomponent lifestyle intervention compared to active breaks and health education on cardiovascular risk factors, subjective well-being, and quality of life.MethodsA total of 266 industry workers were assigned to three groups: lifestyle, health education, or active breaks. All received lifestyle guidance. The lifestyle group participated in resistance exercise and active breaks. The active breaks group performed only active breaks, whereas the education group received lifestyle guidance without exercise.ResultsDiastolic blood pressure and sitting time decreased in all groups, with no between-group differences. Only the lifestyle group increased moderate-intensity physical activity. Life satisfaction improved significantly across groups.ConclusionsAll interventions improved diastolic blood pressure, sitting time, and life satisfaction, whereas only the lifestyle intervention increased moderate-intensity physical activity.

Cancer patients face a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), with heart disease mortality rates exceeding those in the general population. Cardio-Oncology Rehabilitation (CORe) programs have emerged as a therapeutic tool, incorporating cardiovascular risk assessment, exercise training, and nutritional guidance. Despite evidence supporting the effectiveness of CORe programs in improving functional capacity, muscle mass, strength, and quality of life, their clinical implementation remains limited. CORe programs are designed similarly to traditional cardiac rehabilitation but tailored to meet the specific needs of cancer patients. They generally include three phases: inpatient (risk stratification and health education), outpatient (including supervised and/or telemonitored exercise), and maintenance (long-term support through collaboration with primary care providers and patient associations). Effective collaboration among medical doctors (e.g., cardiologists, oncologists) and physiotherapists is crucial. CORe programs offer effective strategies for managing and preventing CVD in cancer patients through a comprehensive approach to patient care. Ongoing research is essential to confirm their long-term benefits and support wider clinical implementation. CONTRIBUTION OF THE PAPER.

Metabolomics approaches, such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry (MS), have emerged as powerful tools for studying cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including hypertension. The use of biological fluids, like plasma and serum, has garnered significant interest due to their accessibility and potential in elucidating disease mechanisms. This review aims to summarize the current literature on the application of metabolomics techniques (FTIR, NMR, and MS) in the study of hypertension, focusing on their contributions to understanding disease pathophysiology, biomarker discovery, and therapeutic advancements. A comprehensive analysis of metabolomic studies was performed, with a particular emphasis on the diversity of altered metabolites associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and sex-related differences. Metabolomics techniques, including FTIR, NMR, and MS, provide comprehensive insights into the biochemical alterations underlying hypertension, such as amino acid and fatty acid metabolism impairment or inflammation and oxidative stress processes. This review underscores their role in advancing biomarker identification, deepening our understanding of disease mechanisms, and supporting the development of targeted therapeutic strategies. The integration of these tools highlights their potential in personalized medicine and their capacity to improve clinical outcomes.

BACKGROUND:The 'Connected We St@nd' programme is an Internet-mediated self-management intervention that combines health education with psychosocial support, with evidenced feasibility and acceptability in haemodialysis. OBJECTIVES:To evaluate the clinical relevance of the programme and to better understand which intervention outcomes/health-related self-report measures are most sensitive to reflect changes between pre- and post-intervention assessments. DESIGN:This study followed a pre-post quasi-experimental design. PARTICIPANTS:Twenty-six individuals (16 people on haemodialysis and 10 family caregivers) completed the intervention. MEASUREMENTS:Participants filled out a web-based assessment protocol before and after the intervention. To determine the clinical relevance of within-group pre-post changes, effect sizes, minimal clinically important differences, and reliable change indexes were calculated. RESULTS:Clinically meaningful results were found on outcome measures with reasonable sensitivity to detect pre-post changes in the positive affect dimension of subjective well-being, purpose in life, overall quality of life, and psychological health. The latter was the variable that obtained the greatest number of respondents with reliable post-intervention improvements. CONCLUSIONS:Participation in the programme led to clinically important and reliable improvements in several intervention outcomes, hinting that this evidence-informed intervention has the potential to be a valuable resource for promoting successful psychosocial adjustment among this population. Suggestions were made to fine-tune the evaluation and implementation of a large-scale trial to, in due course, encourage the integration of this technology-assisted interdisciplinary initiative into existing kidney care services.

BACKGROUND:Despite being an evidence-based intervention, the implementation of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is often unsatisfactory, especially among patients with heart failure (HF). Home-based CR can serve as an alternative to improve accessibility for patients unable to participate in center-based programs. OBJECTIVES:The study sought to compare the clinical impact of center- vs home-based CR in HF patients. METHODS:Single-center, parallel group, noninferiority trial, enrolling HF patients irrespective of ejection fraction. Patients were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio, then adjusted to a 1 center/2 home ratio during the COVID-19 pandemic, then adjusted to 12 weeks of a standard center-based (24 supervised exercise sessions) or home-based CR (4 supervised sessions plus 20 sessions at home, asynchronously monitored by telephone using wearable smartwatch data) program. The primary outcome was change in peak oxygen uptake (Vo2peak) at 12 weeks. RESULTS:Of the 120 patients (age 62 ± 11 years, 66% men, mean left ventricular ejection fraction 36 ± 11%) who were randomized to center-based (n = 45) or home-based (n = 75) CR, 95 (79%) had complete Vo2peak data at the 12-week assessment: 34 (76%) in the center-based group and 61 (81%) in the home-based group. No significant between-group differences were found in Vo2peak change from baseline to week 12 (0.8 mL/kg/min [95% CI: 1.8 to -0.16 mL/kg/min]; P = 0.10). Additionally, no between-group differences were found for changes in the prespecified secondary outcomes: 6-minute walking distance, Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire scores, disease-related biomarkers, and physical fitness. Exercise adherence to the CR program was similar between groups (home-based 84% vs center-based 81%). CONCLUSIONS:In a contemporary well-treated HF population, home-based CR was noninferior to the center-based program, supporting the home-based approach as an effective and feasible alternative to the traditional center-based programs. (EXercise InTervention in Heart Failure [EXIT-HF]; NCT04334603).

OBJECTIVES:To investigate if combining kinesiology taping (KT) with proprioceptive training improves proprioception and balance in athletes with CAI. We hypothesized that adding KT would be more effective than proprioceptive training alone. DESIGN:This was a two-group randomized controlled study in which both groups underwent a six-week intervention consisting of three sessions per week. SETTING:Sports/clinical training environment. PARTICIPANTS:Fifty amateur athletes (mean age: 20.7 ± 3.6 years) with CAI. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:Ankle joint position sense (proprioception), static balance (Balance Error Scoring System - BESS), and dynamic balance (Y-Balance Test). RESULTS:At baseline, no significant differences were found between groups. Following the six-week intervention (3 sessions/week), both groups showed significant improvements (p < 0.05). However, no significant between-group differences were observed for ankle position sense (MD: -0.5° [95 % CI: -1.6, 0.6], p = 0.347), Y-Balance Test (MD: 0.4 [95 % CI: -3.3, 4.1], p = 0.831), or BESS scores (MD: -2.0 [95 % CI: -5.0, 1.1], p = 0.207), indicating similar outcomes for both interventions. CONCLUSIONS:A six-week proprioceptive program enhanced proprioception and balance in CAI athletes, but KT offered no additional benefit. Findings confirm proprioceptive exercise as a key intervention and question KT's functional value in this context.