Biomechanics, Rehabilitation, and Metabolic Health: The Role of Physical Activity in Managing Chronic Conditions

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

According to the World Health Organization, chronic diseases caused at least 43 million deaths in 2021, with the burden falling heavily on low- and middle-income countries. Cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory conditions, and diabetes were the primary contributors, driven by risk factors like tobacco use, physical inactivity, poor diet, and pollution. While traditional treatments rely on pharmacotherapy and rehabilitation, a paradigm shift now emphasizes physical activity, guided by biomechanics and integrated into personalized, technologically supported care models. Precision medicine has enabled exercise-based interventions to be tailored using genetic, molecular, and biomechanical profiling. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and wearable technologies allow for real-time monitoring, prediction of injury risk, and adaptive rehabilitation. Telemedicine expands access to care, improving adherence and outcomes. Innovations such as robotic-assisted rehabilitation, exoskeletons, and virtual (VR)/augmented reality (AR) enhance motor recovery, engagement, and neuroplasticity. These systems, powered by machine learning and other AI techniques, offer real-time feedback and dynamically adjusted therapy. Exercise is also recognized for modulating inflammatory biomarkers in chronic disease patients. Overall, the convergence of biomechanics, AI, digital health, and precision medicine (multi-omics and systems biology) is transforming chronic disease management toward more individualized, accessible, and effective therapeutic approaches.

We welcome original research, reviews, and innovative methodological studies that focus on but are not limited to the following topics:

• AI-enhanced biomechanical analysis and movement assessment;
• Precision exercise prescription based on genetic and molecular profiling;
• Digital therapeutics and telerehabilitation platforms;
• Exoskeleton and robotic-assisted rehabilitation technologies;
• Inflammatory biomarker modulation through exercise-based interventions;
• VR and AR applications in rehabilitation;
• Metabolic health optimization through personalized physical activity;
• Wearable technology and real-time biomechanical monitoring;
• Systems biology and multi-omics approaches to exercise response characterization.

Prof. Dr. Jan Bilski
Dr. Nicola Luigi Bragazzi
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Biomechanics biomechanics	1.4	1.9	2021	20.7 Days	CHF 1200	Submit
Clinics and Practice clinpract	2.8	3.5	2011	24 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology jfmk	2.5	3.2	2016	20.1 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
Medicina medicina	2.9	4.6	1920	17.4 Days	CHF 2200	Submit
Sports sports	3.2	4.3	2013	18.6 Days	CHF 1800	Submit

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All Biomechanics Clinics and Practice JFMK Medicina Sports

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Open AccessReview

Exercise-Induced Myokines in Obesity-Related Metabolic Disorders and Cardiovascular Protection: A Narrative Review

by Yuxuan Zhang and Yajun Qiu

Sports 2026, 14(5), 212; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports14050212 - 21 May 2026

Viewed by 870

Abstract

Obesity is a significant risk factor for metabolic diseases and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Exercise exerts beneficial effects partly through myokines secreted by skeletal muscle. This narrative review summarizes current evidence on exercise-induced myokines in obesity. We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar [...] Read more.

Obesity is a significant risk factor for metabolic diseases and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Exercise exerts beneficial effects partly through myokines secreted by skeletal muscle. This narrative review summarizes current evidence on exercise-induced myokines in obesity. We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar up to Jan 2026 using keywords “myokines”, “obesity”, “resistance training”, “aerobic exercise”, and “HIIT”. We focused on six myokines (IL-6, irisin, FGF21, myostatin, apelin, and Metrnl) that are consistently linked to metabolic and cardiovascular health. Key findings are as follows: resistance training effectively increases irisin and decreases myostatin, promoting muscle mass and fat browning; high-intensity interval training (HIIT) induces rapid IL-6 peaks and elevates Metrnl, enhancing anti-inflammatory responses and cardiac function; aerobic exercise improves FGF21 sensitivity and supports long-term metabolic homeostasis. For clinicians and exercise practitioners, a preliminary exercise framework can be suggested based on available human evidence. In obese patients, ≥3 sessions per week of resistance training (60–80% of one-repetition maximum, 8–12 repetitions, 3–4 sets) may be considered to optimize irisin/myostatin balance, combined with ≥150 min per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (50–70% of maximum heart rate) or 75 min per week of HIIT (85–95% of peak heart rate, 4 × 4 min intervals) to improve FGF21 sensitivity and Metrnl levels. These suggestions should be interpreted as hypothesis-generating rather than definitive clinical guidance, given the heterogeneity of included studies and the absence of quantitative synthesis. Nevertheless, they offer a molecular basis for hypothesis-driven precision exercise prescription that requires validation in future prospective studies and randomized controlled trials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Biomechanics, Rehabilitation, and Metabolic Health: The Role of Physical Activity in Managing Chronic Conditions)

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