Effects of Light Intensity Physical Activities on Pre-frontal Cortical Activation, Cognitive Function, Sleepiness and Back Pain

Investigating the Acute Effects of Light Intensity Physical Activities on Pre-frontal Cortical Activation, Cognitive Function, Sleepiness and Back Pain Among Physically Inactive University Students

The objective of this randomised controlled trial is to examine the acute effects of two novel light intensity exercise (sit-cycling and stand-twisting) on prefrontal cortical blood oxygenation, executive functioning, sleepiness and back pain among inactive university students.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

• What are the changes in oxygenated haemoglobin (O2Hb) and deoxygenated hemoglobin (HHb) levels in the prefrontal cortex from baseline to immediately after and 20 minutes after a 5-min bout of S-C and S-T compared to sitting for the same duration?
• What are the changes in executive functioning, specifically, n-back test and Word Colour Stroop test performance from baseline to immediately after and 20 minutes after a bout of S-C and S-T compared to sitting for the same duration?
• How does participants' self-rated daytime sleepiness and back pain after a bout of S-C and S-T compare to sitting for the same duration?

Participants will:

• Perform sit-cycling or stand-twisting for 5 mins (experimental condition) and sit for 5 mins (control condition)
• Wear the functional near-infrared spectroscopy cap on their head throughout the measurements
• Complete 1-back, 2-back test and Word Colour Stroop before, immediately after and 20 minutes after experimental/ control condition
• Have their blood pressure, heart rate taken by a smartwatch
• Complete a daytime sleepiness questionnaire and a back pain questionnaire

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Pre-frontal Cortical Oxygenated and Deoxygenated Hemoglobin Levels
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Sit-cycling; Other: Stand-twisting

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 23
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Singapore
  • Singapore
    • Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
      • Block 5 Physical Education and Sport Science

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• NTU-NIE university student, between 21 and 30 years old, do not meet physical activity guidelines (150 mins of weekly MVPA)

Exclusion Criteria:

• taking blood-pressure lowering medication
• physically active (150 mins or more of weekly MVPA)
• deemed not physically fit to participate in physical activity based on responses to Get Active Questionnaire

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Sit-cycling; Sit-cycling on a seat-cycle for 5 mins	Other: Sit-cycling; Sit-cycling for 5 mins
Experimental: Stand-twisting; Stand-twisting on a stand-twister for 5 mins	Other: Stand-twisting; Stand-twisting for 5 mins
No Intervention: Sitting only; Sitting only for 5 mins

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
1-back test accuracy (%)	Number of correct trials (correct recall)	Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
1-back test reaction time (ms)	Average reaction time across trials	Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
2-back test accuracy (%)	Number of correct trials (correct recall)	Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
2-back test reaction time (ms)	Average reaction time across trials	Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Colour Word Stroop test accuracy (congruent) (%)	Number of correct trials recall	Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Colour Word Stroop test accuracy (incongruent) (%)	Number of correct trials recall	Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Colour Word Stroop test reaction time (congruent) (ms)	Average reaction time across trials	Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
Colour Word Stroop test reaction time (incongruent) (ms)	Average reaction time across trials	Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
pre-frontal cortical oxygenated hemoglobin levels (micrometre)	measured by functional near infrared spectroscopy	Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)
pre-frontal cortical deoxygenated hemoglobin levels (micrometre)	measured by functional near infrared spectroscopy	Pretest, post-test 1 (immediately after experimental condition) and post-test 2 (after post-test 1)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Chia Yong Hwa Michael
• Collaborators: Sendai University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Ma J, Chua BKT, Chin YHJ, Teo WP, Kim H, Low ST, Li D, Chia YHM. Effects of 5-Minute Light-Intensity Physical Activity Breaks (Sit-Cycling and Stand-Twisting) on Cognitive Function, Sleepiness, and Back Pain in Physically Inactive University Students: Protocol for a Mixed-Design Laboratory Study. JMIR Res Protoc. 2026 Mar 17;15:e82510. doi: 10.2196/82510.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 11, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 31, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): December 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 21, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 21, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): November 25, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 16, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 13, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: university students; executive functioning; inactive; light-intensity exercise; pre-frontal cortical activation
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Sedentary Behavior
• Other Study ID Numbers: NanyangTU

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Individual participant data constitute as personal data. Under the Singapore Personal Data Protection Act, it is mandatory that individually identifiable data are to be kept confidential.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No