Applied Biomechanics, Ergonomics and Physiology for Enhanced Sport Performance and Training Optimization

Dear Colleagues,

Optimizing athletic performance today requires an integrated understanding of biomechanics, ergonomics, and physiological responses during sport-specific movements. Athletes at all competitive levels are increasingly exposed to complex mechanical loads, repetitive actions, and sustained postural demands, not only during their performances but also in preparatory and auxiliary training tasks. These conditions make it crucial to investigate physical strain, fatigue mechanisms, and neuromuscular responses through both quantitative and qualitative approaches.

Given this, the aim of this Special Issue is to collect cutting-edge research exploring how applied biomechanics, ergonomics, and human physiology can support performance enhancement, injury prevention, and training optimization in sport. Submissions may include experimental studies, computational simulations, wearable-sensor-based monitoring, laboratory investigations, and field assessments. We particularly welcome interdisciplinary contributions that combine rigorous physical analysis with physiological monitoring, subjective perception metrics, digital human modeling, and emerging technologies for athlete assessment.

Key topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Biomechanical analysis of sport-specific techniques, repetitive movements, and extreme postures;
• Ergonomics in sports practice, equipment interaction, and sport-task design;
• Integration of objective biomechanical and physiological data with subjective discomfort perception for comprehensive ergonomic assessment and athlete-centered interventions;
• Musculoskeletal modeling and simulation for identifying overuse risks and optimizing motion;
• Sensor-based motion capture and wearable technology for real-time athlete monitoring;
• Anthropometric influences on performance and individualized training adaptation;
• Risk factors and injury prevention strategies in high-demand sport environments;
• Digital tools and AI-based analysis for training support and technique evaluation;
• Immersive simulation in VR/AR/MR for skill training, motor-pattern refinement, and feedback-driven performance enhancement;
• Out-of-field experimental reproduction of sport gestures in virtual environments and validation through comparison with real-world biomechanical and physiological data;
• Athlete-centered design of practical solutions for improving athlete performances and avoiding MSDs (musculoskeletal disorders).

While the traditional sport science literature has extensively examined biomechanical and physiological determinants of performance, few studies have integrated ergonomic perspectives, perceptual feedback, and immersive XR-based simulation frameworks and their validation in real-world data. Thus, the aim of this Special Issue is to bridge this gap by connecting laboratory experimentation, field-based measurement, and virtual performance environments to advance methodological rigor, translational relevance, and practical adoption in sport science. The aim is to foster evidence-based approaches that enhance performance, guide physiological training strategies, reduce injury incidence, and support long-term athlete development across all competitive levels.

We warmly invite original studies, systematic reviews, and methodological contributions that advance the integration of biomechanics, physiology, ergonomics, and immersive simulation in sport science.

Dr. Rosaria Califano
Guest 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. 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-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.

• ergonomics
• physiology
• discomfort
• digital human modeling/simulation
• kinematics
• muscular activation
• extended reality
• fatigue
• training optimization
• athlete-centered design