Authors: (including presenting author): :
WOO CY(1), WONG Raymond (2), LEUNG SK(3), YEUNG SY (4), WONG CY(5), CHENG LW(6)
Affiliation: :
(1-6) Kwai Chung Hospital
Keyword 1: :
Nordic Walking
Keyword 2: :
Physical Health
Keyword 3: :
Mental Health
Keyword 4: :
Muscle Strength
Introduction: :
Nordic Walking was founded in Finland in early 1990s and was an emerging sport in Hong Kong in 2020s. This walking is a specific walking technique that using a pair of pole to increase the power of the upper body turning walking into a full body workout. Many recent international studies were shown that the Nordic Walking can improve Parkinson’s disease, fall risk, depression, anxiety, chronic low back pain, circulatory, respiratory and quality of life. It is a holistic bio-psycho-social approach to improve individual 's well-being.
Objectives: :
After 4-week Nordic Walking Program, the participants are able:
To improve mood changes To enhance mental well-being To strengthen leg muscle and endurance To reduce negative emotion
Methodology: :
The 1-hour Nordic Walking is taught by psychiatric nurses with qualification of instructor. The target participants are adult patients with mental illness. The program will be held once weekly with consecutive 4 weeks in community park. The World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and 30-second Chair Stand test will be adopted to compare the changes of mental well-being, mood and muscle strength respectively before and after program. During program, the ALFA technique (Appropriate posture, Long arms, Flat poles and Adapted stride length) were stressed.
Result & Outcome: :
The 80 participants were successfully recruited. Of 6 participants were dropped out. Overall, the result demonstrated significant improvements in both physical and mental aspects after completing the Nordic Walking program. Among those who completed pre- and post-intervention assessments, over 92% showed better results in the 30-second Chair Stand test (30s CST), with the mean number of stands increasing from 15.6 (pre-test) to 19.5 (post-test). Notably, 100% of participants aged 60 or above achieved higher scores in the post-test compared to their pre-test performance. Additionally, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) revealed that 78% of participants experienced an increase in positive affect, with the mean score rising from 23.2 (pre-test) to 30 (post-test). Furthermore, 71% of participants reported a decrease in negative affect, with mean scores decreasing from 20 (pre) to 16.3 (post). Regarding overall well-being, 64% of participants had higher scores on The World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5), with the mean score increasing from 43.6 to 52. Notably, 15% of participants improved their scores by at least 40% after taking part in the program.
