applsci-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Biomechanics and Performance Assessment in Paralympic Sports and Adapted Physical Activity

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 December 2025 | Viewed by 1190

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Industrial Engineering, University “Tor Vergata” of Rome, Via del Politecnico 1, 00133 Roma, Italy
Interests: sport science; biomechanics; signal processing; neural networks; electronic hardware design
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Arts et Métiers Institute of Technology, EPF Engineering School, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, IBHGC–Institut de Biomécanique Humaine Georges Charpak, F-75013 Paris, France
Interests: biomechanics; vibrations; sport sciences; musical acoustics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Since 1940, when Sir Ludwig Guttmann promoted physical activity in the social reintegration of paraplegic war-wounded people, the Paralympic movement has significantly developed. Adapted physical activity is increasingly considered the best gateway to getting well, and today, thanks to the methodologies used for functional classification, it is possible to ensure healthy and fair competition in Paralympic disciplines.

Since the first Paralympic Games were held in Rome in 1960, sixteen editions of the Summer Games and fourteen editions of the Winter Games have been held, leading in the last edition to, in total, 650 competitions related to 27 different sports disciplines.

This growth makes it necessary to develop research activities in the field of biomechanics and, more generally, in sports sciences to advance our knowledge in this specialized area and support movement with new and more specific classification and training methodologies useful for improving the performance of individual athletes with disabilities and, overall, their well-being.

This Special Issue aims to cover recent advances in studies on applying new measurement systems or scientific approaches dedicated to assessing human movement, exercise, and performance in Paralympic sports and adapted physical activities.

Submissions to this Special Issue may include but are not limited to the following areas:

- Kinematic analyses of movement in adapted physical activities.

- Development of new systems useful for athletes’ classification in Paralympic sports.

- Biomechanical modeling and simulation of Paralympic sports movements.

- Design of prostheses and orthoses and their biomechanical implications.

- Strength and conditioning strategies tailored to athletes with disabilities.

- Injury mechanisms and prevention strategies in adapted sports activities.

- Interdisciplinary approaches combining biomechanics, engineering, physiology, nutrition, and psychology related to adapted physical activity and sports.

Dr. Vincenzo Bonaiuto
Dr. Delphine Chadefaux
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • kinematic analysis
  • biomechanical modeling
  • prosthesis and orthosis design
  • disability-specific training
  • sports injury prevention
  • sports simulation technology

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

24 pages, 3197 KiB  
Article
Use of an IMU Device to Assess the Performance in Swimming and Match Positions of Impaired Water Polo Athletes: A Pilot Study
by Cristian Romagnoli, Lucio Caprioli, Ida Cariati, Francesca Campoli, Saeid Edriss, Cristiana Frontuto, Antonella Galvan, Mario Giugliano, Eva Ruiz Martinez, Elvira Padua, Giuseppe Annino and Vincenzo Bonaiuto
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(16), 8826; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15168826 - 10 Aug 2025
Viewed by 595
Abstract
In Paralympic sports, to guarantee fair competition, it is necessary to identify those peculiar abilities that characterize the discipline and the motor limitations that may or may not most affect the athlete’s performance in a specific sports task, assigning an appropriate classification to [...] Read more.
In Paralympic sports, to guarantee fair competition, it is necessary to identify those peculiar abilities that characterize the discipline and the motor limitations that may or may not most affect the athlete’s performance in a specific sports task, assigning an appropriate classification to the level of impairment. This study proposes a minimally invasive assessment system based on a single inertial sensor to support the investigation of the peculiarities of water polo with disabilities by analyzing players’ trunk inclinations during a simulated match and angular speeds in swimming tests. By comparing a small group of athletes of various classes and those without disabilities, we intended to evaluate whether athletes with lower limb disabilities may be disadvantaged compared to athletes with upper limb disabilities. The results suggest no difference in the mean percentage of time in vertical and horizontal positions when comparing players with and without disabilities, although specific impairments led to distinct behaviors (Δ = 0.9%, p = 0.841). Interesting insights emerged in swimming and turning situations in the water. Strong correlations (r > 0.7, p < 0.05) were found between swimming performance metrics and classification points. Furthermore, players with spasticity exhibited lower smoothness in turning movements, suggesting less fluid execution than those with other impairments affecting the same limbs. These findings highlight the IMU system’s potential to provide objective, quantitative data for refining WPA classification protocols. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop