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Healthcare
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Injury Prevention and Health Promotion in Sports and Physical Activity
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Injury Prevention and Health Promotion in Sports and Physical Activity

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 2697

Editors

Dr. Iván Prieto-Lage

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Observational Research Group, Faculty of Education and Sport, University of Vigo, 36005 Pontevedra, Spain
Interests: sports performance; match analysis; team sports; racket sports; injury prevention; training optimization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Alfonso Gutiérrez-Santiago

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Observational Research Group, Faculty of Education and Sport, University of Vigo, 36005 Pontevedra, Spain
Interests: observational methodology; combat sports; judo; T-pattern; sport and exercise injury
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

The relationship between sports, health, and injury prevention has gained increasing attention in recent years. As the global emphasis on physical activity and its role in public health continues to grow, so does the need for interdisciplinary research that bridges sports science, medicine, and health promotion. Understanding how to optimize health in sports and physical activity across diverse populations, from recreational participants to active individuals, is critical for advancing both sports science and public health.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, entitled "Injury Prevention and Health Promotion in Sports and Physical Activity", of Healthcare. This Special Issue aims to explore cutting-edge research and innovations that enhance injury prevention, rehabilitation, and health promotion, offering a platform for studies that integrate exercise science, sports medicine, and public health. The scope of this Special Issue aligns with the journal’s focus on improving health and healthcare outcomes by addressing critical topics in sports-related health and injury prevention.

For this Special Issue, we welcome the submission of original research articles and reviews. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Epidemiology of sports-related injuries and preventive strategies;
  • Rehabilitation and recovery practices in sports medicine;
  • Mental health support after injury;
  • Public health interventions promoting safe and effective physical activity;
  • Assessments of physical fitness and injury risk across populations.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions that will help advance our understanding of injury prevention and health promotion in the context of sports and physical activity.

Dr. Iván Prieto-Lage
Dr. Alfonso Gutiérrez-Santiago
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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare 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 2700 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

  • injury prevention
  • mental health in athletes
  • rehabilitation in sports
  • physical activity interventions
  • public health and sports

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 881 KB  
Article
Static and Dynamic Motor Control in Active Young Adults: Associations with Oswestry Disability Index and Functional Movement Screen Asymmetries
by Julio Martín-Ruiz and Iván Chulvi-Medrano
Healthcare 2026, 14(9), 1223; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14091223 - 2 May 2026
Viewed by 586
Abstract
Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of disability, particularly in young adults. Decreased trunk endurance and altered movement patterns have been associated with lumbar symptoms and functional limitations; however, their concurrent relationships in active populations with minimal disability remain insufficiently [...] Read more.
Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of disability, particularly in young adults. Decreased trunk endurance and altered movement patterns have been associated with lumbar symptoms and functional limitations; however, their concurrent relationships in active populations with minimal disability remain insufficiently characterized. This study was designed as an exploratory cross-sectional analytical study. Methods: The sample comprised 71 physically active university students (mean age, ~23 years; 79% men). Trunk endurance was assessed using the McGill isometric tests, and selected movement-pattern measures were obtained from four Functional Movement Screen (FMS) tasks focused on lumbopelvic control. The total FMS score was calculated, asymmetries were recorded in the Inline Lunge and Rotary Stability tasks, and lumbar-related disability was measured using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Associations were analyzed using correlations and adjusted linear regression, and asymmetry-based comparisons were evaluated using non-parametric tests. Results: The average ODI was very low (approximately 4%), suggesting a floor effect. Greater trunk endurance was associated with lower ODI values, whereas the association between total FMS and ODI was weak and did not reach statistical significance in the adjusted model. Inline Lunge asymmetry was associated with higher ODI values, but this finding should be interpreted cautiously because of the very small subgroup size. Conclusions: In this physically active young adult sample, trunk endurance and selected movement-pattern measures provided complementary descriptive information on lumbar-related function; however, the observed associations were modest and should be interpreted cautiously. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Injury Prevention and Health Promotion in Sports and Physical Activity)
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11 pages, 337 KB  
Article
Injury Characteristics and Associated Factors in Federated Artistic Skaters: A Cross-Sectional Survey
by Nerea Blanco-Martínez, Daniel González-Devesa, Isabel Domingo Díaz-Malaguilla and Carlos Ayán-Pérez
Healthcare 2026, 14(7), 951; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14070951 - 5 Apr 2026
Viewed by 606
Abstract
Background: Artistic skating involves high mechanical demands (e.g., jumps and spins) that may increase injury frequency, yet discipline-specific evidence remains limited. Objective: The aim of this study is to describe injury characteristics in federated artistic skaters and to explore factors associated with [...] Read more.
Background: Artistic skating involves high mechanical demands (e.g., jumps and spins) that may increase injury frequency, yet discipline-specific evidence remains limited. Objective: The aim of this study is to describe injury characteristics in federated artistic skaters and to explore factors associated with injury frequency. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey distributed to federated clubs. Eligible participants practiced show and/or free skating, were federated athletes, and had competed at least once in an official competition. Results: Fifty artistic skaters participated (90% women; age 18.37 ± 3.58 years), recruited from 13 clubs; 28% competed in show, 30% in free, and 42% in both disciplines. All participants reported at least one injury; 58% occurred on the right side, and injuries most frequently affected the lower limb. The most commonly reported injury types were muscle injuries (26%), sprains (20%), tendon injuries (18%), and single-bone fractures (12%). Jumping was the most frequent action at the time of injury (40%), followed by spins (20%). Injuries most often occurred on parquet (42%) and polished concrete (38%), and 54% of athletes required physiotherapy. Time-loss was ≤7 days in 44% of cases, while 28% reported >28 days. A significant association was found between time since first menstruation and having sustained >1 injury (p = 0.034). No significant differences were observed in other demographic variables, training/competition characteristics, or preventive practices between groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Injuries in federated Spanish artistic skaters were predominantly lower-limb and commonly occurred during jumping, frequently requiring physiotherapy and, in a substantial proportion, leading to prolonged time-loss. Injury frequency was associated with time since first menstruation, while training load indicators and preventive practices did not differ between skaters with one versus multiple injuries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Injury Prevention and Health Promotion in Sports and Physical Activity)
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11 pages, 601 KB  
Article
The Epidemiology of Premenstrual Syndrome and Sports Injuries Among National-Level Adolescent Female Badminton Athletes
by Zhuo Chen, Kazuhiro Imai, Baiyang Ding, Xiao Zhou, Eiji Watanabe and Katsuji Aizawa
Healthcare 2026, 14(6), 778; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14060778 - 19 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 669
Abstract
Background: Physical activity is widely acknowledged as an effective intervention for alleviating premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms. However, the optimal exercise dosage that provides symptom relief without increasing the risk of sports-related injuries remains unclear, particularly in adolescent females. Objectives: This study [...] Read more.
Background: Physical activity is widely acknowledged as an effective intervention for alleviating premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms. However, the optimal exercise dosage that provides symptom relief without increasing the risk of sports-related injuries remains unclear, particularly in adolescent females. Objectives: This study investigates the epidemiology of PMS and sports injuries among national-level adolescent female badminton athletes to inform training practices that balance symptom relief and injury prevention. Methods: A total of 63 national-level adolescent female badminton players aged 13–18 completed questionnaires assessing medical history related to badminton, premenstrual symptoms (PSQ), and menstrual health. All participants were adolescent females who had experienced menarche. Data were analyzed to identify associations between training parameters, PMS symptoms, and injury prevalence. Results: The analysis showed that 13.8% of female badminton athletes experienced knee and lumbar injury associated with badminton participation. The peak incidence of knee injuries occurred at the age of 15, whereas the age of 17 was a peak period for lumbar injuries. A total of 47 (74.6%) athletes experienced at least one premenstrual symptom. The most common symptoms were anger/irritability and anxiety/tension. The players with premenstrual syndrome showed significantly increased menses time (OR: 1.16, p < 0.05), menstrual days in the past 12 months (OR: 4.06, p < 0.05), and badminton experience period compared with those without (OR: 1.441, p < 0.05). Conclusions: PMS symptoms and sports-related injuries are prevalent among national-level adolescent female badminton athletes. Longer participation history in badminton was associated with a higher prevalence of PMS symptoms. These findings underscore the importance of considering menstrual health alongside injury prevention in the training and health management of adolescent female athletes. Further studies using objective training exposure and clinical assessments are warranted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Injury Prevention and Health Promotion in Sports and Physical Activity)
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