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Advances in Rehabilitation and Injury Management
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Advances in Rehabilitation and Injury Management

A topical collection in Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology (ISSN 2411-5142). This collection belongs to the section "Functional Anatomy and Musculoskeletal System".

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Editor

Dr. Andrea Demeco

E-Mail Website
Collection Editor
Physical and Rehabilitative Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Catanzaro “Magna Graecia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Interests: sport performance; sport rehabilitation; movement analysis; injury prevention; sport medicine; physical therapy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is well known that regular participation in sport has a positive effect on reducing cardiovascular risk, diabetes, and obesity and improves mental health and quality of life.

However, repetitive technical exercise, congested training schedules, and match trauma elevate the risk of musculoskeletal injury and articular pain, with a negative effect on athletic performance.

In this context, prevention remains central: early detection of kinematic alterations and neuromuscular or joint deficits can reduce the out-of-competition period. Quantitative movement analysis, wearable sensors, and new technologies refine diagnosis and guide personalized care.

On the other hand, rehabilitation enables safer, faster return-to-sport through evidence-based exercise progressions, neuromuscular retraining, and technology-enabled monitoring. Moreover, advances in physical instrumental therapy and regenerative medicine offer new options for both acute injuries and overuse disorders.

This Topical Collection—Advances in Rehabilitation and Injury Management—welcomes translational studies including new advancements in injury management.

We emphasize studies that link biomechanical insights with clinically meaningful outcomes, return-to-play criteria, and early diagnosis.

Studies on populations often under-represented in research, such as women, youth, and the elderly, are particularly welcome, alongside sport-specific, evidence-based designs.

As Collection Editors, we invite contributions that pair methodological rigor with practical guidance to advance prevention, rehabilitation, and injury management.

Dr. Andrea Demeco
Collection Editor

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. 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 collection 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. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology 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 1800 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

  • sports rehabilitation
  • injury prevention
  • return to sport
  • biomechanics
  • movement analysis
  • regenerative medicine
  • neuromuscular control
  • early diagnosis
  • clinical decision support

Published Papers (3 papers)

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2026

Jump to: 2025

14 pages, 653 KB  
Review
Gastrocnemius Recessions in the Management of Chronic Recalcitrant Plantar Fasciopathy—A Systematic Review
by Gianmarco Gemini, Antonio Mazzotti, Elena Artioli, Laura Langone, Federico Sgubbi, Alberto Arceri, Gianmarco Di Paola, Simone Ottavio Zielli and Cesare Faldini
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2026, 11(1), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk11010122 - 17 Mar 2026
Viewed by 683
Abstract
Background: Chronic Recalcitrant Plantar Fasciopathy (CRPF) is resistant to conservative treatments and has historically been managed with Open Plantar Fasciotomy (OPF). This systematic review aims to evaluate the role of the Gastrocnemius Release Procedures (GRPs) in treating CRPF, focusing on its indications, [...] Read more.
Background: Chronic Recalcitrant Plantar Fasciopathy (CRPF) is resistant to conservative treatments and has historically been managed with Open Plantar Fasciotomy (OPF). This systematic review aims to evaluate the role of the Gastrocnemius Release Procedures (GRPs) in treating CRPF, focusing on its indications, surgical techniques and clinical outcomes. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines using MEDLINE, Cochrane and Scopus. Studies pertinent to the topic were screened, and those that reported clinical outcomes of GRPs in patients with CRPF were retrieved. The quality assessment was carried out using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Results: Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria, analyzing a total of 901 patients with a mean follow-up of 27.8 months. Indications for performing GRPs subsisted if conservative treatment failed to relieve pain and if Isolated Gastrocnemius Contracture (IGC) was present. All GRPs significantly reduced pain, with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores decreasing from a mean of 7.3 pre-operatively to 2.56 post-operatively (64.93% reduction). American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores improved from 50.1 to 84.7 on average. Ankle dorsiflexion increased by an average of 7.75°. Patient satisfaction was high, with an average rate of 85% (range 61.6% to 100%). Minor complications were reported but resolved in most cases. Conclusions: Indications for performing GRPs still need to be clarified, and the best surgical technique remains to be defined. Nevertheless, the GRP seems to offer sustained pain relief and functional improvement in patients with CRPF. Full article
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15 pages, 1075 KB  
Review
Functional Design and Clinical Implications of Modern Soccer Footwear: A Comprehensive Narrative Review
by Andrea Demeco, Nicola Marotta, Marco Megna, Andrea Racinelli, Bruno Pansera, Antonio Frizziero, Ilona Yosypchuk, Stefano Palermi, Marco Vecchiato, Ennio Lopresti, Alessandro de Sire and Antonio Ammendolia
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2026, 11(1), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk11010062 - 30 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1251
Abstract
Soccer is the most widely practiced sport globally, but is also associated with a high incidence of lower limb injuries. Among multiple risk factors, soccer footwear represents a crucial biomechanical interface affecting traction, proprioception, and joint loading. This narrative review aims to explore [...] Read more.
Soccer is the most widely practiced sport globally, but is also associated with a high incidence of lower limb injuries. Among multiple risk factors, soccer footwear represents a crucial biomechanical interface affecting traction, proprioception, and joint loading. This narrative review aims to explore how each component of modern soccer footwear impacts performance and injury risk, with a focus on evidence-based functional customization. A comprehensive narrative review of available literature was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, integrating biomechanical, clinical, and materials science studies. We included studies concerning the structures composing soccer technical footwear. Conical studs were associated with reduced rotational stiffness and lower joint torque, while bladed studs enhanced linear traction but increased ACL strain risk. Upper materials, such as knitted fabrics and engineered mesh, improve proprioception and thermal regulation but show trade-offs in durability and protection. Soleplate stiffness influenced load distribution and performance: increased stiffness improves sprinting but compromises multidirectional agility. Fatigue and proprioception were modulated by insole and soleplate synergy. Soccer footwear should be seen as a clinical and performance tool requiring evidence-based customization. Advances in material technology, 4D foot scanning, and plantar pressure mapping enable functional matching between footwear and athlete characteristics. Translating these insights into player-specific footwear designs may reduce injury rates and enhance on-field performance. Full article
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2025

Jump to: 2026

18 pages, 1356 KB  
Review
Potential of Vagus Nerve Stimulation to Modulate Fibromyalgia’s Network Physiology: A Systematic Review
by Joao Pedro Perin, Carla Pastora-Sesín, Sungjoon Kang, Alba Navarro-Flores, Felipe Fregni and Kevin Pacheco-Barrios
J. Funct. Morphol. Kinesiol. 2026, 11(1), 15; https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk11010015 - 29 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2169
Abstract
Background: Chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) reflect maladaptive network physiology across perceptual–autonomic–immune axes, yet most treatments remain symptomatic and incompletely effective. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive systematic review to evaluate vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and FMS within a [...] Read more.
Background: Chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) reflect maladaptive network physiology across perceptual–autonomic–immune axes, yet most treatments remain symptomatic and incompletely effective. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive systematic review to evaluate vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and FMS within a network physiology framework. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched on October 24, 2025. Risk of bias was assessed using the ROB-2 tool. An iterative thematic synthesis was performed to develop an integrative conceptual framework and to identify knowledge gaps and future research directions. Results: We first summarize physiological evidence showing autonomic imbalance (e.g., decreased heart rate variability), neuroinflammatory activation, and aberrant cortical network connectivity in FMS, supporting a network-dysregulation model. We then included 6 studies (4 clinical studies and 2 protocols) on VNS effects, highlighting improvements in pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance and autonomic regulation, along with emerging mechanistic insights. Key methodological heterogeneity—such as stimulation parameters, outcome metrics, type of control arm, sham definition, and small samples—limits current interpretability. Finally, we outline a research agenda centered on network-based biomarkers, immunophenotyping, adaptive trial designs and stratification of responders, with the aim of validating taVNS as a scalable neuromodulatory intervention for FMS. Conclusions: By reframing FMS from a symptom-centric pharmacologic model to a network-centric neuromodulation approach, taVNS is a promising tool for mechanism-based therapeutics in central sensitization syndromes and chronic pain. Full article
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