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Sports
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Factors and Biological Mechanisms Underlying Exercise Performance in Children
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Factors and Biological Mechanisms Underlying Exercise Performance in Children

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2025 | Viewed by 6511

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Eleni Bassa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science at Serres, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 62110 Serres, Greece
Interests: exercise in childhood; the effect of maturation on athletic performance; neuromuscular changes in developmental ages; training and detraining in childhood; age differences in exercise; mechanisms involved in training adaptations in children
Dr. Papavasileiou Anastasia

E-Mail Website
Assistant Guest Editor
Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Science at Serres, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 62110 Serres, Greece
Interests: physical education and sports

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Recent advancements in experimental techniques and data interpretation methods have provided valuable insights into understanding the physically active child and adolescent. The field of children’s sports science is constantly evolving, emphasizing the need to explore new frontiers and advancements that reveal the underlying physiological mechanisms of children’s performance in various athletic tasks. Children possess distinct physiological and anatomical traits that differentiate them from adults and, as such, necessitate tailored approaches to exercise and training. Understanding these characteristics is paramount in optimizing their training outcomes and ensuring their overall health and well-being. Despite the significant existing body of knowledge regarding the unique characteristics of children, more research is needed to explore the possible biological mechanisms that may explain children’s exercise performance and their acute and chronic responses to different training exercise interventions.

The aim of this Special Issue is to focus on promoting the health and well-being of children through physical activity, emphasizing the importance of developing a strong foundation of movement skills and habits at a young age. This includes research in areas such as biomechanics, neuromuscular development, and musculotendinous function, with the ultimate goal of enhancing our understanding of how exercise can positively impact the physical and mental health of children.

You are kindly invited to contribute to this Special Issue by submitting your relevant work including original research articles, systematic reviews, or meta-analyses.

Potential topics can include but are not limited to the following:

  • Children’s performance in fatigue conditions;
  • The acute effect of training programs in children: possible underlying mechanisms;
  • Biomechanical analysis of different athletic tasks in children;
  • Electromyographic studies in children;
  • Muscle and/or tendon training adaptations in children.

Dr. Eleni Bassa
Guest Editor
Dr. Papavasileiou Anastasia
Assistant 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 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

  • children
  • exercise
  • training
  • maturation
  • biomechanical
  • neuromuscular
  • fatigue
  • rate of force development
  • muscle architecture
  • tendon adaptations

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

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 322 KiB  
Article
Sex Differences Exist in the Relationship Between Vertical Jump Performance Biomechanical Parameters and Hamstring/Quadriceps Ratio in Adolescent U18 Track and Field Athletes
by Vassilios Panoutsakopoulos, Mariana C. Kotzamanidou and Vasiliki Manou
Sports 2024, 12(11), 295; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12110295 - 28 Oct 2024
Viewed by 742
Abstract
Isokinetic metrics are suggested to be related to vertical jump performance, but little is known about the possible sex differences in this relationship in adolescent track and field athletes. The aim of the study was to examine the possible sex differences in the [...] Read more.
Isokinetic metrics are suggested to be related to vertical jump performance, but little is known about the possible sex differences in this relationship in adolescent track and field athletes. The aim of the study was to examine the possible sex differences in the strength of the relationship between the kinetic parameters of the vertical squat jump with arms akimbo, the countermovement jump with arms akimbo, and the countermovement jump with free arm swing with the isokinetic parameters of the knee extensor and flexor muscles (angular velocities: 60°/s and 300°/s). In total, 35 (males: 21, females: 14) U18 track and field athletes were examined. The results revealed that the Men U18 group had higher vertical jump performance, higher values in the kinetic parameters of the vertical jump tests, higher knee extensor torque, and higher knee flexor torque in the non-dominant leg compared to the Women U18 group. Significant (p < 0.05) sex differences were observed in the relationship between the isokinetic parameters and the vertical jump performance metrics, as the Women U18 athletes relied more on the knee flexor torque than Men U18 athletes, and demonstrated a stronger negative relationship between selected isokinetic metrics and the pre-stretch gain in the vertical jump tests. In conclusion, it is recommended that young female track and field athletes minimize interlimb asymmetry and improve the convention ratio in their non-dominant leg to optimize vertical jump performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Factors and Biological Mechanisms Underlying Exercise Performance in Children)
14 pages, 736 KiB  
Article
Identifying Key Factors for Predicting the Age at Peak Height Velocity in Preadolescent Team Sports Athletes Using Explainable Machine Learning
by Nikolaos-Orestis Retzepis, Alexandra Avloniti, Christos Kokkotis, Maria Protopapa, Theodoros Stampoulis, Anastasia Gkachtsou, Dimitris Pantazis, Dimitris Balampanos, Ilias Smilios and Athanasios Chatzinikolaou
Sports 2024, 12(11), 287; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12110287 - 22 Oct 2024
Viewed by 503
Abstract
Maturation is a key factor in sports participation and often determines the young athletes’ characterization as a talent. However, there is no evidence of practical models for understanding the factors that discriminate children according to maturity. Hence, this study aims to deepen the [...] Read more.
Maturation is a key factor in sports participation and often determines the young athletes’ characterization as a talent. However, there is no evidence of practical models for understanding the factors that discriminate children according to maturity. Hence, this study aims to deepen the understanding of the factors that affect maturity in 11-year-old Team Sports Athletes by utilizing explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) models. We utilized three established machine learning (ML) classifiers and applied the Sequential Forward Feature Selection (SFFS) algorithm to each. In this binary classification task, the logistic regression (LR) classifier achieved a top accuracy of 96.67% using the seven most informative factors (Sitting Height, Father’s Height, Body Fat, Weight, Height, Left and Right-Hand Grip Strength). The SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) model was instrumental in identifying the contribution of each factor, offering key insights into variable importance. Independent sample t-tests on these selected factors confirmed their significance in distinguishing between the two classes. By providing detailed and personalized insights into child development, this integration has the potential to enhance the effectiveness of maturation prediction significantly. These advancements could lead to a transformative approach in young athletes’ pediatric growth analysis, fostering better sports performance and developmental outcomes for children. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Factors and Biological Mechanisms Underlying Exercise Performance in Children)
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11 pages, 1136 KiB  
Article
Effects of Maturation on Plantar Flexor Activity and Achilles Tendon Stiffness in Vertical Jumping: Sex Differences
by Zacharoula Paschaleri, Georgios Chalatzoglidis, Theodoros Kannas and Fotini Arabatzi
Sports 2024, 12(10), 284; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12100284 - 21 Oct 2024
Viewed by 641
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of maturation on vertical jumping performance, in adolescent boys and girls, concerning plantar flexor activity and Achilles tendon (AT) stiffness. Thirty-nine adolescents were tested in a counter-movement jump (CMJ) at three different time [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of maturation on vertical jumping performance, in adolescent boys and girls, concerning plantar flexor activity and Achilles tendon (AT) stiffness. Thirty-nine adolescents were tested in a counter-movement jump (CMJ) at three different time points: 18 and 9 months before peak height velocity (PHV) and at PHV. The EMG activity of the medialis gastrocnemius (MG) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles was evaluated, in relation to jump height. Boys showed higher jumping ability and AT stiffness than girls. Additionally, boys revealed increased eccentric (ecc) and concentric (con) MG activity, along with decreased ecc and con TA activity, near PHV. On the other hand, girls showed increased ecc and con TA/MG co-contraction compared to boys, mainly near PHV. In conclusion, a different mechanism of vertical jumping performance is adopted between early adolescent boys and girls. Nevertheless, no notable alterations in jumping capability were detected over time, indicating that the maturation process does not influence stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Factors and Biological Mechanisms Underlying Exercise Performance in Children)
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19 pages, 1672 KiB  
Article
Sensorimotor Processing in Elite and Sub-Elite Adolescent Sprinters during Sprint Starts: An Electrophysiological Study
by Yueh-Ling Hsieh, Shiuk-Wen Yen, Chia-Ming Chang, Wei-Chun Li, Nian-Pu Yang and Han-Yu Chen
Sports 2024, 12(8), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12080222 - 15 Aug 2024
Viewed by 802
Abstract
Most studies on sprint performance have focused on kinematics and kinetics of the musculoskeletal system for adults, with little research on the central sensorimotor transmission and processes, especially for adolescent sprinters. This study aimed to determine whether differences in the integrity of the [...] Read more.
Most studies on sprint performance have focused on kinematics and kinetics of the musculoskeletal system for adults, with little research on the central sensorimotor transmission and processes, especially for adolescent sprinters. This study aimed to determine whether differences in the integrity of the central auditory system and audiomotor transmissions between the elite and sub-elite adolescent sprinters may affect their performance in the 100 m time. Twenty-nine adolescent junior high school students, including elite national-class and sub-elite regional-class athletes, were assessed. Visual and auditory evoked potentials (VEP and AEP) as well as electroencephalography (EEG) and electromyography (EMG) were recorded and analyzed during a sprint start. The electrophysiological results clearly reveal differences in central auditory transmission between elite and sub-elite groups, and between sexes. There were significant differences between elite and sub-elite groups, and during a sprint start, the EEG activities for elite female and male athletes showed significant time-dependent differences in peak amplitudes following the three auditory cues (ready, set, and gunshot). These findings can provide coaches with a more comprehensive consideration for sports-specific selection based on the athletes’ individual conditions, e.g., sensorimotor neuroplastic training for providing precise and efficient training methods to improve young sprinters’ performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Factors and Biological Mechanisms Underlying Exercise Performance in Children)
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Review

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30 pages, 350 KiB  
Review
The Importance of Physical Fitness Parameters in Rhythmic Gymnastics: A Scoping Review
by Vasiliki Gaspari, Gregory C. Bogdanis, Ioli Panidi, Andreas Konrad, Gerasimos Terzis, Anastasia Donti and Olyvia Donti
Sports 2024, 12(9), 248; https://doi.org/10.3390/sports12090248 - 7 Sep 2024
Viewed by 2624
Abstract
This scoping review presents an overview of physical fitness parameters in rhythmic gymnastics as well as the association of fitness with gymnasts’ performance, competitive level, and age. PubMed, Scopus, and Sport Discus databases were searched. Of the 586 records retrieved, 41 studies met [...] Read more.
This scoping review presents an overview of physical fitness parameters in rhythmic gymnastics as well as the association of fitness with gymnasts’ performance, competitive level, and age. PubMed, Scopus, and Sport Discus databases were searched. Of the 586 records retrieved, 41 studies met the inclusion criteria (n = 1915 participants). The included studies examined flexibility, aerobic capacity, muscle power, muscle endurance, muscle strength, sprint speed, agility, balance, and coordination. Performance was associated with flexibility, aerobic capacity, lower-limb muscle power, agility, muscular endurance, balance, and coordination from a young age. Flexibility, aerobic capacity, and muscle power were, in general, higher in high-level gymnasts than in low-level gymnasts or controls. Older rhythmic gymnasts demonstrated higher scores than the younger ones in flexibility, aerobic capacity, balance, and sport-specific coordination but not in muscle endurance, while some studies reported a decline in muscle power with age. Supplementary physical fitness training improved all physical abilities irrespective of the gymnasts’ level. Rhythmic gymnastics training alone improved muscle power, agility, speed, muscular endurance, and balance to a lesser extent than targeted fitness training. Muscular strength, speed, and agility are largely under-researched in rhythmic gymnastics. Emphasis should be given to targeted strength and power training due to the high mechanical loads placed on skeletally immature athletes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Factors and Biological Mechanisms Underlying Exercise Performance in Children)
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