Biophysical Mechanisms in Sports Performance

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue will focus on the role of biophysics as a foundational science for understanding and optimizing human performance in sports and exercise. Biophysics provides a quantitative and mechanistic framework that integrates physiological processes (such as metabolism, neuromuscular activation, and fatigue) with biomechanical outputs (such as force, velocity, and movement efficiency). By applying physical principles to biological systems, biophysics enables a deeper understanding of how the human body produces and sustains performance under different training demands.

Recent advances in modeling, wearable technology, and sensor-based monitoring have made it possible to assess internal and external training loads in real time. These innovations allow researchers and practitioners to link molecular and cellular mechanisms with macro-level movement patterns and adaptations. The biophysical approach also supports the development of individualized training strategies based on measurable physiological and mechanical responses.

This Special Issue invites originals research, reviews, and modeling studies that investigate biophysical mechanisms in sports contexts. Submissions may include both laboratory- and field-based approaches, provided they contribute to the mechanistic understanding of how training affects performance and adaptation.

Topics of interest include the following:

• Muscle–tendon dynamics and neuromechanical behavior during sports-specific tasks;
• Energy transfer and mechanical efficiency in endurance and high-intensity training;
• Physiological fatigue and its mechanical consequences on movement and force production;
• Biophysical modeling of tissue properties: elasticity, stiffness, damping, and recovery;
• Bioenergetics and contraction dynamics in functional and high-power outputs;
• Interaction between metabolic thresholds and external mechanical demands;
• Real-time assessment of performance using biophysically informed wearable technology;
• Multi-scale modeling of fatigue, adaptation, and injury risk in athletic training;
• Applications of biophysical principles in individualized training and load prescription;
• Integration of internal (physiological) and external (mechanical) load metrics.

Goal:

The goal of this Special Issue is to promote the integration of biophysical thinking into applied sports science, encouraging contributions that bridge physiology and biomechanics through mechanistic, measurable, and translatable research. By advancing this integrative approach, we aim to support the development of precise, adaptive, and evidence-based training strategies for athletes and practitioners.

Dr. Manoel Rios
Prof. Dr. Roland Van den Tillaar
Dr. Filipa Cardoso
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Biomechanics is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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 1200 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.

• muscle–tendon dynamics and neuromechanical behavior during sports-specific tasks
• energy transfer and mechanical efficiency in endurance and high-intensity training
• physiological fatigue and its mechanical consequences on movement and force production
• biophysical modeling of tissue properties: elasticity, stiffness, damping, and recovery
• bioenergetics and contraction dynamics in functional and high-power outputs
• interaction between metabolic thresholds and external mechanical demands
• real-time assessment of performance using biophysically informed wearable technology
• multi-scale modeling of fatigue, adaptation, and injury risk in athletic training
• applications of biophysical principles in individualized training and load prescription
• integration of internal (physiological) and external (mechanical) load metrics