Musculoskeletal Conditions, Movement Strategies, and Adaptive Biomechanics Across the Lifespan

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 January 2027 | Viewed by 3082

Editors


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Guest Editor
Hangzhou International Innovation Institute, Beihang University, Hangzhou, China
Interests: motion analysis; sports biomechanics; sports and injuries

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Guest Editor
1. Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
2. OLab Hong Kong Limited, Hong Kong, China
Interests: sportswear R&D and innovation; sports science; foot and footwear biomechanics; gait biomechanics; running biomechanics; computational biomechanics and finite element modelling

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Guest Editor
Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Interests: biomechanical analysis of movement; functional near-infrared spectroscopy imaging; multimodal motor function assessment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Exercise, such as walking, running, and cycling, is a simple and effective way to improve cardiovascular fitness for people of all ages. Since the 21st century, an increasing number of individuals across the lifespan have become engaged in regular physical activity.

Individuals adopt movement strategies—coordinative and biomechanical patterns—that change with injuries, deformities, aging, sex/gender, and activity level. These strategy changes can reduce or increase joint loading, efficiency, and tissue stress, influencing symptoms, function, and future injury risk.

We invite research that clarifies how injuries, deformities, sex/gender, activity level, and age drive changes in movement strategies and the resulting biomechanical adaptations across the lifespan, and how these adaptations in turn influence musculoskeletal health.

Our goal is to inform about safer, more effective activities for all ages.

Dr. Guoxin Zhang
Dr. Jason Tak-Man Cheung
Dr. Gongcheng Xu
Guest Editors

Dr. Jia Yu
Dr. Chenxi Yan
Guest Editor Assistants

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • artificial intelligence in biomechanics
  • biomechanical adaptations
  • movement strategies
  • musculoskeletal injuries
  • sports science and health
  • wearable technology in motion analysis

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

13 pages, 1587 KB  
Article
Acute Effects of Accelerated Eccentrics and Accentuated Eccentric Loading on Squat Performance and Lower-Limb Biomechanics
by Mingrui Zhang, Hao Zhou, Xiaoyan Xiang and Ran Wang
Sports 2025, 13(12), 418; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13120418 - 1 Dec 2025
Viewed by 1977
Abstract
This study aimed to compare the acute effects of three eccentric training strategies—constant resistance (CR), accentuated eccentric loading (AEL), and accelerated eccentrics (AE)—on the performance and biomechanical characteristics of the concentric phase of the squat, while maintaining a consistent squat depth. Twenty-four experienced [...] Read more.
This study aimed to compare the acute effects of three eccentric training strategies—constant resistance (CR), accentuated eccentric loading (AEL), and accelerated eccentrics (AE)—on the performance and biomechanical characteristics of the concentric phase of the squat, while maintaining a consistent squat depth. Twenty-four experienced resistance-trained male collegiate athletes (age: 21.92 ± 2.66 years; height: 175.88 ± 4.39 cm; body mass: 73.18 ± 8.08 kg) were recruited. A randomized crossover design was employed, where participants completed three squat protocols (eccentric load/concentric load/eccentric duration): AEL (90% 1RM/60% 1RM/2 s), CR (60% 1RM/60% 1RM/2 s), and AE (60% 1RM/60% 1RM/as fast as possible). Throughout the squats, kinematic and kinetic data were synchronously collected using an 8-camera 3D infrared motion capture system and two 3D force plates. The mean concentric barbell velocity in the AE condition was significantly higher than in both the AEL and CR conditions (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the AE condition demonstrated significant advantages in multiple biomechanical variables, including peak ground reaction force, as well as peak angular velocity and peak joint moments of the three lower limb joints (p < 0.05). With identical concentric loads and range of motion, increasing the velocity of the eccentric phase significantly enhances subsequent concentric performance and force output. In contrast, while the AEL strategy increases the mechanical load during the eccentric phase, its potentiating effect on concentric performance is relatively limited. These findings suggest that eccentric velocity may be a more critical variable than eccentric load in strength training. Full article
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