Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.1
2.2
Journals
Sports
Special Issues
Strength and Conditioning Society 2024: Sports Performance, Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation,...
share announcement

Strength and Conditioning Society 2024: Sports Performance, Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Health Improvement

A special issue of Sports (ISSN 2075-4663).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 4654

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Pedro E. Alcaraz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
UCAM Research Center for High Performance Sport, UCAM Universidad Católica de Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain
Interests: strength training; power training; sprint training; soccer; football; basketball; training load; injury prevention
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Aaron Manzanares

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Facultad de Deporte, UCAM Universidad Católica de Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain
Interests: sport and exercise science; visual behavior strategies; sailing performance; virtual reality training
Dr. Konstantinos Spyrou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
UCAM Research Center for High Performance Sport, UCAM Universidad Católica de Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain
Interests: strength and conditioning; performance assessment; training load; team-sports; soccer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Tomás T. Freitas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
UCAM Research Center for High Performance Sport, UCAM Universidad Católica de Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain
Interests: strength and conditioning; performance assessment; training load; team sports; futsal; soccer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

On the occasion of the 7th Annual Conference of the Strength and Conditioning Society (SCS), hosted at the Universidad Católica de Murcia (UCAM) in Spain, we are pleased to present this Special Issue of Sports (Basel), edited by the SCS. This Special Issue seeks to share evidence-based training strategies and publish research focused on applied strength and conditioning practices that impact sports performance, injury prevention, rehabilitation, and overall health enhancement. We particularly encourage authors who presented an abstract at the SCS 7th Annual Conference to submit the full-text version of their work for this Special Issue. However, submissions are open to all researchers studying non-athletic and athletic populations with various health conditions, from different sports, levels of competition, age groups, and training backgrounds.

Sports performance is influenced by a variety of factors, and there is a strong need for studies exploring strength, power, speed training and testing, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, injury prevention, and health improvements in athletic populations. In addition, exercise plays a crucial role in addressing significant health issues. The growing body of evidence highlights the positive impact of physical activity in contributing to improved quality of life and long-term health outcomes. Thus, studies examining the role of exercise in combating, for example, childhood obesity, enhancing cancer recovery, and other similar topics are especially encouraged for submission. We aim to showcase research that demonstrates how structured physical activity can serve as a powerful tool in promoting overall health and well-being across various populations. Original articles, reviews, case studies, short reports and opinion pieces are welcomed.

Dr. Pedro E. Alcaraz
Dr. Aaron Manzanares
Dr. Konstantinos Spyrou
Dr. Tomás T. Freitas
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. Sports is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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

  • athletic performance
  • injury
  • testing
  • health
  • strength-power-speed training
  • endurance
  • cancer
  • obesity
  • physical activity
  • exercise

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

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

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Other

12 pages, 226 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Physical Characteristics, Strength and Power Performance Between Elite 3 × 3 and 5 × 5 Male Basketball Players
by Mladen Mikić, Milan Isakov, Nikola Andrić, Alen Ninkov, Aleksandar Karać, Tatjana Jezdimirović Stojanović and Marko D. M. Stojanović
Sports 2025, 13(4), 90; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13040090 - 21 Mar 2025
Viewed by 533
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the differences in physical characteristics, leg strength, and jumping performance between 3 × 3 and 5 × 5 male basketball players. Methods: Twelve elite-level 5 × 5 basketball players (26.0 ± 13.0 years; 201.4 [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the differences in physical characteristics, leg strength, and jumping performance between 3 × 3 and 5 × 5 male basketball players. Methods: Twelve elite-level 5 × 5 basketball players (26.0 ± 13.0 years; 201.4 ± 6.6 cm; 95.50 ± 11.50 kg) and twelve elite-level 3 × 3 basketball players (26.7 ± 7.3 years; 193.0 ± 5.1 cm; 98.03 ± 9.77 kg), all male, were enrolled in the study. After anthropometric measurements and standardized warm ups, countermovement jump (CMJ), drop jump (DJ) and isokinetic strength testing were conducted, respectively. Results: An independent two-sample t-test revealed that 5 × 5 athletes were notably (p < 0.005) taller, with a lower body fat percentage (11.9 ± 3.6% vs. 18.6 ± 10.9%) and higher quadricep strength (317.21 ± 36.54 N·m vs. 284.76 ± 29.77 N·m and 313.32 ± 24.08 N·m vs. 285.87 ± 31.2 N·m for left and right leg, respectively). Conversely, 3 × 3 players displayed superior CMJ performance in concentric and eccentric peak forces, peak power, and reactive strength index. In the DJ, 3 × 3 players also excelled in eccentric peak force, reactive strength index, and jump height. Conclusions: The findings indicate that while 5 × 5 basketball players excel in body physique and in the strength of their lower body, 3 × 3 basketball players outperform them in power-related metrics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strength and Conditioning Society 2024: Sports Performance, Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Health Improvement)
10 pages, 245 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Game Intervals on Physical Performance Demands in Elite Futsal: Insights from Congested Periods
by Augusto Pereira, João Nuno Ribeiro, Pedro E. Alcaraz, Rubén Herrero Carrasco, Bruno Travassos, Tomás T. Freitas and Konstantinos Spyrou
Sports 2025, 13(2), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13020056 - 14 Feb 2025
Viewed by 589
Abstract
The aims of this study were to analyze (1) the external match demands during a congested period (CP) (i.e., three games in eight days) and (2) the differences among games with two- or three-day intervals in professional futsal players. Eleven elite male futsal [...] Read more.
The aims of this study were to analyze (1) the external match demands during a congested period (CP) (i.e., three games in eight days) and (2) the differences among games with two- or three-day intervals in professional futsal players. Eleven elite male futsal players were monitored during 15 official matches. Wearable accelerometers were used to record player load (PL), accelerations (ACC), decelerations (DEC), and changes of direction (COD) at different intensities (e.g., high, medium, and low) using two approaches (e.g., absolute and relative per minute). A linear mixed model and effect sizes (ESs) were used to analyze differences between matches and days of interval. Considering the external match load during CP, non-significant differences were found for all the variables (p = 0.108–0.995; ES: 0.01–0.40). Comparing the interval days between games, players had significantly higher DECHI (p = 0.030; ES: 0.48), CODTOTAL (p = 0.028; ES: 0.33), CODMED (p = 0.024; ES: 0.40), and CODLOW (p = 0.038; ES: 0.31) following 3 days of interval between the games when compared with 2 days. However, when analyzed relative to effective time, non-significant differences were found. In summary, CPs seem to not affect the match external load, but players performed better in terms of DEC and COD following 3 days of interval when compared to 2 days when analyzed with absolute values. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strength and Conditioning Society 2024: Sports Performance, Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Health Improvement)
13 pages, 259 KiB  
Article
Occurrence of Injuries in Different Phases of Judo Matches: Analysis Based on International Competitions
by Wiesław Błach, Dawid Gaweł, Wojciech J. Cynarski, Łukasz Rydzik, Zbigniew Borysiuk and Maciej Kostrzewa
Sports 2024, 12(12), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12120354 - 19 Dec 2024
Viewed by 864
Abstract
Background: The specificity of the technical actions that are performed in judo may be dependent on and vary during particular phases of the combat, thus possibly impacting injury prevalence. Therefore, towards the betterment of athletes’ safety and considering the importance of the issue [...] Read more.
Background: The specificity of the technical actions that are performed in judo may be dependent on and vary during particular phases of the combat, thus possibly impacting injury prevalence. Therefore, towards the betterment of athletes’ safety and considering the importance of the issue of injury prevention in judo, the main goal of this study was to identify the injury occurrence during respective combat phases, i.e., the (a) first half, (b) second half, (c) last minute, and (d) golden score. Methods: A total of 26,862 elite judo athletes, including 15,571 men and 11,291 women, participated in the study. The subjects competed in 128 international tournaments of the European Judo Union (EJU) in 2005–2020. The EJU medical questionnaire was utilized to gather information from each injured athlete according to the aforementioned inclusion criteria. Results: Several statistically significant relationships were found between the differences in the number of injuries between particular combat phases and the athlete’s sex. Conclusions: A significantly higher number of injuries occurred during the combined second half and the last minute of the judo combat. Males suffered more injuries during the first and second half of the combat compared to females, however, during the last minute of the combat, the number of injuries was greater among women. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strength and Conditioning Society 2024: Sports Performance, Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Health Improvement)

Other

Jump to: Research

102 pages, 647 KiB  
Conference Report
Strength and Conditioning Society (SCS) 7th Annual Meeting, Murcia, Spain, 2024
by Pedro E. Alcaraz, Konstantinos Spyrou, Anthony J. Blazevich, Tomás T. Freitas, Elena Marín-Cascales and Aarón Manzanares Serrano
Sports 2025, 13(5), 137; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13050137 - 29 Apr 2025
Viewed by 173
Abstract
On behalf of the Strength and Conditioning Society (SCS), we are pleased to present the abstracts submitted for the SCS 7th Annual Meeting. The event was held at the Universidad Católica de Murcia (UCAM) headquarters in Murcia, Spain, on 9–11 October 2024, and [...] Read more.
On behalf of the Strength and Conditioning Society (SCS), we are pleased to present the abstracts submitted for the SCS 7th Annual Meeting. The event was held at the Universidad Católica de Murcia (UCAM) headquarters in Murcia, Spain, on 9–11 October 2024, and comprised several invited sessions by international and national speakers on a variety of topics related to biochemistry and exercise physiology, strength and conditioning practices and their application to health, injury prevention, and sports performance. These included strength training in high-performance sports, sport science and training–competition load management in elite environments, biochemistry and exercise physiology and prescription, nutrition and biomechanics, among others. The conference also included practical workshops by renowned academics and practitioners on eccentric training, change of direction ability, and strength and power training in professional team sports, combat sports, and ergospirometry and exercise prescription in specific populations. Finally, the event disseminated up-to-date strength and conditioning research by providing practitioners and researchers with the opportunity to present their most recent findings. All abstracts presented at the SCS 7th Annual Meeting can be found in this Conference Report. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strength and Conditioning Society 2024: Sports Performance, Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Health Improvement)
14 pages, 490 KiB  
Systematic Review
The Efficacy of Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation in the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence in Female Athletes: A Systematic Review
by Andrea Demeco, Giulia Bartocci, Noemi Astore, Beatrice Vignali, Antonello Salerno, Stefano Palermi, Ruben Foresti, Chiara Martini and Cosimo Costantino
Sports 2024, 12(12), 338; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12120338 - 5 Dec 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1904
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Urinary incontinence (UI) prevalence reaches the 80% rate in female athletes involved in high-impact sports. In this context, although conservative treatment represents the first therapeutic choice, there is still a lack of knowledge on the efficacy of conservative programs in [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Urinary incontinence (UI) prevalence reaches the 80% rate in female athletes involved in high-impact sports. In this context, although conservative treatment represents the first therapeutic choice, there is still a lack of knowledge on the efficacy of conservative programs in young female athletes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the role of pelvic floor rehabilitation in the treatment of UI in young nulliparous female athletes. We performed a literature search using PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Scopus. The selection of articles was conducted using a specific search string: “[((pelvic floor dysfunction) OR (urinary incontinence) OR (dyspareunia) OR (dysuria)) AND ((sport) OR (sports)) AND ((female) OR (woman) OR (women) OR (girl)) AND ((rehabilitation) OR (rehab) OR (pelvic rehabilitation) OR (exercise))]”. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO with the ID CRD42024559990. A total of 1018 articles were found in all searches of the databases. After removing duplicates, 663 papers were reviewed in terms of title and abstract. Finally, a total of six studies were included in the present review. The results of this review show that conservative treatment with a personalised pelvic floor muscle training program (PFMTP) represents an effective treatment for UI, decreasing urine loss and improving maximum voluntary pelvic contraction; this is linked with an improvement in quality of life and sports performance, in particular when supervised by a physical therapist. Moreover, due to the reluctance of athletes to talk about UI, an educational program should be considered as part of a prevention programme in pre-season training. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strength and Conditioning Society 2024: Sports Performance, Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Health Improvement)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop