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Healthcare
Special Issues
Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Sports
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Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Sports

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2025) | Viewed by 14637

Editors

Prof. Dr. Luis Ceballos-Laita

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Surgery, Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Valladolid, 42004 Soria, Spain
Interests: physiotherapy; therapeutic exercise; muscle pain; trigger points; myofascial pain; manual therapy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Sandra Jiménez-Del-Barrio

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Surgery, Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Valladolid, 42004 Soria, Spain
Interests: diacutaneous fibrolysis; carpal tunnel syndrome; peripheral neuropathies; neurodynamics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ricardo Medrano-De-La-Fuente

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Surgery, Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Valladolid, 42004 Soria, Spain
Interests: physical therapy; pain
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ignacio Hernando-Garijo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Surgery, Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Valladolid, 42004 Soria, Spain
Interests: physical therapy; muscle pain
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, significant advances have been made in the fields of physical therapy and rehabilitation. Despite this progress, diagnostic algorithms and decision-making processes remain unclear in many clinical situations. It is essential to continue the scientific development of clinical resources for healthcare professionals in physical therapy and exercise-based rehabilitation, as well as to investigate their short-, medium-, and especially long-term effects. The goal is to generate essential resources for daily clinical practice and to further advance health science professions.

The aim of this Special Issue is to publish the most current and innovative scientific evidence in the field of physical therapy and rehabilitation, encompassing both interventional and observational studies. In this context, all types of systematic reviews and clinical trials are welcome, as well as other cross-sectional study designs, provided that the applied methodologies are sufficiently robust and the topics align with the scope of the Special Issue.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Systematic reviews and meta-analyses;
  • Validation studies related to physical therapy and rehabilitation in sports;
  • Clinical trials evaluating the efficacy or the effectiveness of non-surgical interventions in sports medicine;
  • Pilot and feasibility studies;
  • Diagnostic studies;
  • Cross-sectional, cohort, or case–control studies;
  • Validation and reliability studies;
  • Pertinent clinical reports or case series.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Luis Ceballos-Laita
Prof. Dr. Sandra Jiménez-Del-Barrio
Dr. Ricardo Medrano-De-La-Fuente
Dr. Ignacio Hernando-Garijo
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

  • physical therapies
  • rehabilitation
  • exercise
  • exercise medicine
  • resistance training
  • aerobic training
  • prevention
  • muscle injuries
  • tendinopathies

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

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 4413 KB  
Article
Evaluation of DAid® Smart Socks for Foot Plantar Center of Pressure Measurements in Football-Specific Tasks: A Preliminary Validation Study
by Anna Davidovica, Guna Semjonova, Aleksejs Kataševs, Aleksandrs Okss, Darja Nesterovica and Signe Tomsone
Healthcare 2026, 14(1), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14010076 - 27 Dec 2025
Viewed by 1164
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Accurate plantar pressure assessment is essential for injury prevention and rehabilitation monitoring in sports. Wearable sensor technologies, such as DAid® Smart Socks, offer portable, real-time biomechanical feedback and enable data collection in field conditions. However, there is limited evidence on their [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Accurate plantar pressure assessment is essential for injury prevention and rehabilitation monitoring in sports. Wearable sensor technologies, such as DAid® Smart Socks, offer portable, real-time biomechanical feedback and enable data collection in field conditions. However, there is limited evidence on their level of agreement with a gold standard in measuring the foot plantar center of pressure (CoP) in football-specific tasks. This study aimed to determine the preliminary validity of DAid® Smart Socks compared with a gold-standard force platform in measuring plantar center of pressure (CoP) during functional football FIFA 11+ Part 2 exercises. Methods: Ten male volunteer youth football players (mean age 12.2 ± 0.42 years; height 158.7 ± 7.72 cm; weight 46.46 ± 8.78 kg; shoe size EU 39.8 ± 2.68) from the Latvian Football Federation Youth League participated. Eight players had right-leg dominance, two had left-leg dominance; three reported past lower-limb injuries. Plantar pressure was measured simultaneously using DAid® Smart Socks and a 1.5 m entry-level force platform with a calibration factor of 3.2. Center of pressure (CoP) data from the force platform were recorded using Footscan software version 9.10.4. Participants performed two selected FIFA 11+ Part 2 exercises—a single-leg squat (unilateral) and a squat with heel raise, performed bilaterally—under standardized conditions. Each exercise was performed twice, with sock removal and reapplication between trials. Agreement between the DAid® Smart Socks and the force platform was examined using waveform synchronization, root mean square error (RMSE), Bland–Altman analysis, and Lin’s Concordance Correlation Coefficient (CCC) to quantify both relative waveform correspondence and absolute CoP measurement accuracy. Results: Across 160 paired recordings, the DAid® Smart Socks showed moderate-to-high correlation with the force platform for relative CoP dynamics, with 79% of waveforms demonstrating CCC ≥ 0.60. Absolute agreement was limited, with only 16% of recordings reaching CCC ≥ 0.90, and RMSE values ranging from 2.1 to 18.9 mm (X) and 4.3–34.2 mm (Y). Conclusions: DAid® Smart Socks showed moderate-to-high correspondence with the force platform in capturing the directional and temporal characteristics of plantar CoP during functional football tasks, with agreement varying across individuals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Sports)
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14 pages, 505 KB  
Article
The Influence of the Menstrual Cycle on Electrical Thresholds for Sensory and Pain Perception: Implications for Exercise and Rehabilitation in Women With and Without Primary Dysmenorrhea—A Pilot Study
by Ana Cristina Morales-Lalaguna, Izarbe Ríos-Asín, Pilar Pardos-Aguilella, Jorge Pérez-Rey, Elena Estébanez-de-Miguel and Miguel Malo-Urriés
Healthcare 2025, 13(11), 1240; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13111240 - 24 May 2025
Viewed by 4270
Abstract
Background: Hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle (MC) influence pain perception, potentially affecting exercise performance and rehabilitation in women. This effect may be more pronounced in individuals with primary dysmenorrhea (PD), requiring tailored physiotherapeutic and exercise interventions. Objective: To analyze the [...] Read more.
Background: Hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle (MC) influence pain perception, potentially affecting exercise performance and rehabilitation in women. This effect may be more pronounced in individuals with primary dysmenorrhea (PD), requiring tailored physiotherapeutic and exercise interventions. Objective: To analyze the influence of MC phases on sensory electrical threshold (SET) and pain electrical threshold (PET) in eumenorrheic women with and without PD, considering the potential implications for physical activity and rehabilitation. Methods: An observational longitudinal study was conducted with 34 physically active women, divided into a control group (CG) and a PD group. SET and PET were measured using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) at the forearm (peripheral site) and lower abdomen (pain-referred site) across five MC phases. Pain intensity was assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Results: SET and PET were significantly lower in the premenstrual phase (p < 0.001), suggesting increased pain sensitivity. VAS scores were higher in the PD group during all phases, except for the follicular phase (p < 0.033), with the highest pain levels recorded in the menstrual and premenstrual phases. While no significant differences in SET and PET were found between groups across most phases, the PD group exhibited a significantly higher SET in the forearm during the premenstrual phase (p = 0.005), potentially indicating altered central pain modulation. Conclusions: MC-related hormonal fluctuations affect pain sensitivity, particularly in women with PD. These findings underscore the need for phase-specific exercise adaptations and rehabilitation strategies to improve performance, pain management, and recovery in physically active women. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Sports)
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12 pages, 493 KB  
Article
Muscle Activation Differences Between CKCUEST and Modified CKCUEST: A Pilot Study
by Samuel Eloy Gutiérrez-Torre, Miguel Ángel Lozano-Melero, Maria Gómez-Jiménez and Daniel Manoso-Hernando
Healthcare 2025, 13(8), 922; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13080922 - 17 Apr 2025
Viewed by 1795
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The validity of shoulder orthopaedic tests to establish a diagnosis has recently been challenged. For this reason, functional tests, such as the Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST), have started to be used in clinical settings. The aim of this [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The validity of shoulder orthopaedic tests to establish a diagnosis has recently been challenged. For this reason, functional tests, such as the Closed Kinetic Chain Upper Extremity Stability Test (CKCUEST), have started to be used in clinical settings. The aim of this study is to compare the electromyography (EMG) activity during the CKCUEST and the modified CKCUEST in a healthy adult population. Methods: Ten male (age: 26.6 ± 4.8) and ten female participants (age: 24.2 ± 6.0) were recruited from a university setting. The Edinburgh Handedness Inventory, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the percentage of activation of the maximum voluntary contraction of the infraspinatus, anterior deltoid and upper trapezius, of both upper limbs, throughout the CKCUEST and modified CKCUEST were analysed. Results: The percentage of activation of the infraspinatus (p < 0.01), anterior deltoid (p < 0.01) and upper trapezius (p < 0.01) in both sides was significantly higher in the CKCUEST compared to the modified CKCUEST. No differences were observed between laterality and the activation percentage of the infraspinatus (p > 0.05), anterior deltoid (p > 0.05) and upper trapezius (p > 0.05) in both sides during the CKCUEST. Conclusions: The results of this research showed a higher percentage of EMG activation during the CKCUEST compared to the modified CKCUEST in all the muscular structures analysed, regardless of the participants’ hemibody. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Sports)
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Other

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14 pages, 326 KB  
Systematic Review
Thoracic Manual Therapy With or Without Exercise Improves Pain and Disability in Subacromial Pain Syndrome: A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials
by Román Robles-Pérez, Rodrigo Vallejo-Martínez, Andoni Carrasco-Uribarren, Sandra Jiménez-del-Barrio, Héctor Hernández-Lázaro and Luis Ceballos-Laita
Healthcare 2025, 13(19), 2479; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13192479 - 29 Sep 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 6529
Abstract
Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of thoracic manual therapy with or without exercise for improving clinical outcomes (pain, disability, range of motion (ROM), quality of life (QoL) and satisfaction) in patients with subacromial pain syndrome (SPS). [...] Read more.
Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of thoracic manual therapy with or without exercise for improving clinical outcomes (pain, disability, range of motion (ROM), quality of life (QoL) and satisfaction) in patients with subacromial pain syndrome (SPS). Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving thoracic manual therapy with or without thoracic exercise for patients with SPS were included. Databases searched included PubMed, PEDro, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science up to April 2025. The methodological quality was evaluated with the PEDro scale. Results: Seven RCTs involving 393 patients were included. Interventions ranged from thoracic manipulation alone to combinations with exercises. Better outcomes were reported for every clinical outcome evaluated: pain, disability, ROM, QoL and satisfaction. However, methodological heterogeneity and variability in follow-up durations limited result generalizability. Conclusions: Thoracic manual therapy applied in isolation or with exercise was reported to have positive effects in reducing pain and disability in patients with SPS, especially in the short term. These findings support the inclusion of thoracic interventions as complementary strategies in shoulder rehabilitation programs. Future high-quality trials with long-term follow-up are needed to confirm and standardize these approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation in Sports)
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