Short-Term Fascial Circulation Exercise Modulates Task-Related Prefrontal Oxygenation During Executive Tasks in Older Women: An fNIRS Pilot Study

Background: Evidence linking fascia-oriented rhythmic movement to executive function and prefrontal hemodynamics in older adults remains limited. This pilot study examined the feasibility and preliminary within-subject associations of a four-week Fascial Circulation Exercise (FCE) program in older Korean women. Methods: Twelve cognitively screened women (74.3 ± 6.7 years) completed supervised FCE for four weeks. Pre–post assessments included body composition, grip strength, isokinetic knee performance, executive tasks (TMT-A/B, CDT), and task-evoked prefrontal activation measured via functional near-infrared spectroscopy (ΔHbO). Paired t-tests with effect sizes were reported. Results: Fat mass decreased (−0.71 kg, p = 0.016; dz = −0.74), whereas body weight and BMI were unchanged. Selective improvements were observed in knee flexor peak torque and extensor endurance (p < 0.05), with no change in grip strength. ΔHbO increased in the orbitofrontal, ventrolateral, and frontopolar regions during executive tasks. Behavioral performance improved in CDT and showed a trend toward improvement in TMT-B. Conclusions: Short-term FCE was feasible and was associated with reduced fat mass, selective neuromuscular gains, and increased task-evoked prefrontal oxygenation. The findings are exploratory and support future randomized controlled trials to determine clinical efficacy.