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Enhancing Health Through Physical Activity and Sports Science: Advances in...
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Enhancing Health Through Physical Activity and Sports Science: Advances in Applied Research

A special issue of Sci (ISSN 2413-4155). This special issue belongs to the section "Sports Science and Medicine".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2026 | Viewed by 2093

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Giovanni Esposito

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Centre of Physical Education and Exercise, Pegaso University, 80143 Napoli, Italy
Interests: motor learning and teaching; epistemology and scientific identity of exercise and sport sciences; team sports and accountability
Dr. Tiziana D’Isanto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Centre of Physical Education and Exercise, Pegaso University, 80143 Napoli, Italy
Interests: motor learning and teaching; epistemology and scientific identity of exercise and sport sciences; team sports and accountability
Dr. Gaetano Altavilla

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Centre of Physical Education and Exercise, Pegaso University, 80143 Napoli, Italy
Interests: identity of exercise and sport sciences; team sports and accountability

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue presents a visionary opportunity to explore the evolution of physical and sports activities, partly in response to the increasing rate of hypokinesia that is affecting contemporary society. It seeks to examine how various professional figures involved in sports, such as athletes, coaches, and kinesiologists, can contribute positively to health promotion, fostering a global and sustainable vision of physical activity and sports science. Particular attention will also be given to research investigating new approaches and teaching–learning methods, both through traditional prescriptive frameworks and heuristic perspectives that highlight the connection between physical activity and psychophysical well-being. Studies focusing on individual perceptions of physical condition and awareness of the role of physical exercise in improving overall health will also be valued, as these aspects are essential for developing effective intervention strategies in both professional settings and everyday life. Potential themes and sub-topics may include the following:

  • The role of schools and universities in promoting health through sports.
  • Scientific identity of sport and physical activity for a new epistemology.
  • Assessment of the perception and awareness of athletes, trainers, and students in motor learning.
  • Analysis of the impact of new kinesiology professionals on stakeholders.
  • Physical education in primary schools.
  • Education in physical exercise.
  • The role of ecological dynamics in sports performance.
  • Impact of sports and physical activity on childhood and adolescence.
  • Technological and digital innovations in the sports field.

Authors are invited to submit original research papers, meta-analyses, and scoping and systematic reviews.

Dr. Giovanni Esposito
Dr. Tiziana D’Isanto
Dr. Gaetano Altavilla
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. Sci 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.

Keywords

  • ecological dynamics
  • motor learning
  • education
  • technological innovation
  • stakeholders
  • physical education

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

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13 pages, 296 KB  
Article
Effects of Integrating Football eSports into an Ecological–Dynamic Approach on the Development of Linear Speed in Young Soccer Players
by Rosario Ceruso, Tiziana D’Isanto, Italo Sannicandro, Antonio Tessitore and Francesca D’Elia
Sci 2025, 7(4), 142; https://doi.org/10.3390/sci7040142 - 3 Oct 2025
Viewed by 414
Abstract
Football-themed eSports, combining entertainment and learning elements, are booming, offering benefits in terms of cognitive and motor skill development. Despite this, with the increasing use of eSports and their impact on cognitive and motor skills, there is still a paucity of empirical studies [...] Read more.
Football-themed eSports, combining entertainment and learning elements, are booming, offering benefits in terms of cognitive and motor skill development. Despite this, with the increasing use of eSports and their impact on cognitive and motor skills, there is still a paucity of empirical studies that systematically explore how cognitive stimulation from eSports can translate into psychomotor performance on the field, particularly with regard to linear speed. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an ecological–dynamic training protocol, integrated with football eSports, on the development of linear sprint speed in young soccer players. Thirty-two male youth football players (age range: 12–16 years) participated in the study. Participants were divided into an experimental group, which followed a combined ecological–dynamic training protocol including football eSports, and a control group, which performed standard training sessions. Pre- and post-intervention assessments of 30 m sprint performance were conducted using electronic timing gates. Statistical analysis using repeated-measures ANOVA indicated a marked improvement in 30 m sprint performance within the experimental group, decreasing from 4.908 s to 4.651 s. A significant time × group interaction was observed (F = 74.076, p < 0.001). Moreover, a robust main effect of time emerged (F = 141.12, p < 0.001), confirming consistent gains in linear sprint speed. Post hoc comparisons revealed significant differences across all assessment points (p < 0.001). The findings suggest that embedding football eSports into an ecologically grounded training framework may enhance the development of linear speed in young soccer players. This integrated approach shows potential as an innovative tool for performance enhancement, although further investigations are needed to confirm long-term efficacy and generalizability to other sporting populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancing Health Through Physical Activity and Sports Science: Advances in Applied Research)
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11 pages, 214 KB  
Article
Exploratory Study on Scholars in Exercise and Sport Sciences in Italy
by Gaetano Raiola
Sci 2025, 7(3), 120; https://doi.org/10.3390/sci7030120 - 2 Sep 2025
Viewed by 591
Abstract
In Italy, several changes to academic and professional standards and rules in kinesiology and sport have recently occurred. On the university side, no data collection has started regarding these changes and effects on specific scholars. The aim of this study was to evaluate [...] Read more.
In Italy, several changes to academic and professional standards and rules in kinesiology and sport have recently occurred. On the university side, no data collection has started regarding these changes and effects on specific scholars. The aim of this study was to evaluate the opinions of Italian university scholars in Exercise and Sport Sciences regarding recent disciplinary reclassifications, the emergence of the kinesiologist as a formal profession, and related curricular updates. Specifically, this study aimed to measure scholars’ views on the usefulness of unification, hybridization with other fields of knowledge, interdisciplinarity with pedagogy, the distinctiveness of undergraduate education in light of the new kinesiologist profile, and the inclusion of Technical and Laboratory Activities (TLA) credited through the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). These aspects were explored through an eight-question survey offering three multiple-choice answers. An exploratory survey was distributed to a defined population of 261 Italian scholars (48 full professors, 137 associate professors, and 76 researchers). A total of 83 responses were collected: 14 full professors, 45 associate professors, and 24 researchers (response rate: 31.8%). Descriptive statistics and inferential analyses (Chi-Square tests, Cramér’s V, and Pearson/Spearman correlations) were conducted. Results indicated that 72.3% perceived overlap between pedagogical and medical disciplinary groups, and 85.5% considered practical/laboratory activities essential to the kinesiologist’s role. Significant differences in keyword-sharing perceptions across academic ranks emerged (p = 0.012; V = 0.3), and a near-significant trend was found regarding the importance of discipline-aligned research (p = 0.058; V = 0.3). Full agreement was found on the use of updated scientific evidence in lectures (100%), and 81.9% supported standardized education for the kinesiologist profession (Q6). Positive correlations were observed between support for keyword sharing and belief in its usefulness for promoting interdisciplinarity among full professors (r = 0.58, p = 0.02), associate professors (r = 0.68, p < 0.01), and researchers (r = 0.83, p < 0.01). Conversely, negative correlations emerged between the importance placed on practical activities and support for interdisciplinarity among associate professors and researchers, with values ranging from r = −0.31 to −0.46. The results are significant and tended toward autonomy from pedagogy, training aligned with the bachelor’s and master’s degree kinesiologist, and interdisciplinarity inherent in typical Exercise and Sport Sciences (ESS) keywords. This study should be replicated to increase the sample and to expand the ad hoc questionnaire to other issues. These findings highlight the need for greater alignment between academic training, disciplinary definitions, and professional practice through shared epistemological frameworks and updated descriptors that reflect scientific and labor market developments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancing Health Through Physical Activity and Sports Science: Advances in Applied Research)
15 pages, 481 KB  
Article
Effects of Twelve Weeks of Virtual Square Stepping Exercises on Physical Function, Fibromyalgia’s Impact, Pain and Falls in Spanish Women with Fibromyalgia
by Ángel Denche-Zamorano, Damián Pereira-Payo, Raquel Pastor-Cisneros, Juan Manuel Franco-García, Diana Salas-Gómez, Javier De Los Ríos-Calonge, Paulina Fuentes Flores, Jorge Carlos-Vivas, David Mendoza-Muñoz, María Mendoza-Muñoz, Daniel Collado-Mateo and José Carmelo Adsuar
Sci 2025, 7(3), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/sci7030117 - 27 Aug 2025
Viewed by 649
Abstract
Severe fatigue, difficulty falling asleep, body stiffness, cognitive impairment, and widespread pain are some of the primary symptoms experienced by individuals with fibromyalgia (FM), leading to reduced physical function, increased frailty, and elevated fall risk. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects [...] Read more.
Severe fatigue, difficulty falling asleep, body stiffness, cognitive impairment, and widespread pain are some of the primary symptoms experienced by individuals with fibromyalgia (FM), leading to reduced physical function, increased frailty, and elevated fall risk. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of the Virtual Square Step Exercise (V-SSE) program on physical function, frailty, FM impact, pain, fear, and risk of falling, and fall incidence in women with FM. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 61 sedentary Spanish women with FM. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: V-SSE and the control group. The V-SSE group completed an exercise program based on the V-SSE for 12 weeks (3 sessions/week), while the control group maintained their usual lifestyle and treatment. Physical function was assessed using the Timed Up and Go (TUG), Four-Step Square (FSST), 6-Minute Walking Test (6MWT), and others. Frailty was assessed with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). FM impact, pain, falls, and fear of falling were evaluated via questionnaires. Significant intergroup differences were only found in the 30 m Walking Test (p = 0.023; E.S. = 0.539), due to worsening in the control group. Although significant improvements were found in other variables in the V-SSE group, Dual Sit to Stand (p = 0.038), FM impact (p = 0.010), pain (p = 0.003) and falls (p = 0.037), these did not remain statistically significant after adjusting for multiple comparisons, nor were they corroborated in the intergroup comparison. A 12-week program based on the V-SSE was not effective in improving physical function, frailty, FM impact, pain, falls, fear, and risk of falling in Spanish women with FM. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Enhancing Health Through Physical Activity and Sports Science: Advances in Applied Research)
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