Recovery involves more than medical treatment. Research shows that movement, cognitive engagement, creativity, and social connection can all influence different aspects of physical and mental wellbeing. Joy in Motion uses scientific research to help guide the activities we bring into hospitals and rehabilitation settings.
A 2024 meta-analysis of 42 randomized controlled trials involving 2,881 adults found that aerobic exercise was associated with improvements in cognitive flexibility, working memory, and inhibitory control.
For Joy in Motion: Movement activities give patients opportunities for safe physical engagement while encouraging coordination, attention, and motor learning.
A 2024 analysis of 61 randomized controlled trials found that cognitive training and physical exercise were among interventions associated with improved global cognition in older adults.
For Joy in Motion: Puzzles, memory games, trivia, reading, and educational activities provide opportunities for patients to stay mentally engaged.
A 2025 review of 68 publications involving 6,006 participants found that visual art in healthcare settings was associated with outcomes including increased wellbeing and positive distraction.
For Joy in Motion: Creative activities give patients opportunities to express themselves, create, and focus on something beyond their medical care.
A 2023 meta-analysis of 90 studies involving more than 2.2 million people found that social isolation was associated with a 32% higher risk of all-cause mortality.
For Joy in Motion: Social activities create opportunities for patients to interact, communicate, and feel connected during their healthcare experience.
Joy in Motion uses scientific evidence to inform our programs while encouraging students to explore the connection between patient wellbeing and recovery.
Research should not stay on a page. We aim to turn what we learn into meaningful experiences for patients — and use what we learn from those experiences to improve what we do.
Joy in Motion