Chilliwack

Researchers are evaluating whether a 12-week exercise program can improve balance in people with knee osteoarthritis. The study focuses on adults with knee osteoarthritis diagnosed by a physician or meeting specific clinical criteria. The aim is to understand the effects of regular exercise on balance in this population. Participants will attend two visits at the School of Kinesiology, University of the Fraser Valley (Chilliwack campus), each lasting about one hour. Between visits, participants will complete exercise classes twice weekly for 12 weeks, either in person or at home. Each 45-minute session includes flexibility, strength, and coordination exercises with adjustable intensity levels to suit individual fitness and symptoms. Exercises offer assisted, body weight, and resisted options. During the study, participants will complete questionnaires, balance tests, and weekly exercise diaries to track activity and symptom changes. Researchers will measure balance using the Community Balance and Mobility Scale from enrollment until the end of treatment at 12 weeks. The study is designed to monitor safety and effects throughout the exercise program period.

Researchers are investigating the effects of a specific breathwork program called Les Mills Breath on respiratory function, heart rate variability, and running performance in recreational runners. This study compares the breathwork program to a mindfulness control intervention involving 20 minutes of guided meditation. The goal is to understand if accessible respiratory training methods can improve athletic performance, particularly for runners. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the breathwork group or the mindfulness control group. Each group will engage in daily 20-minute video-based sessions for a set period. The breathwork program includes techniques such as physiological sigh, cyclic breathing with breath holds, and resonant frequency breathing, while the control group practices relaxation through mindful meditation. Throughout the study, researchers will measure changes in preferred running speeds at moderate and vigorous intensities over a four-week period, as well as assess respiratory function and heart rate variability, which reflects exercise recovery ability. The study focuses on recreational runners who regularly run between 30 and 520 minutes per week. These assessments will help determine the impact of the breathwork program compared to mindfulness meditation on running-related outcomes.