From Aquatic Literacy to Elite Performance: Integrating Physical Education, Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention in Aquatic Sports

Aquatic sports play a fundamental role in promoting physical education, lifelong participation in physical activity, elite athletic performance, and athlete health. Recent advances in sport pedagogy, biomechanics, exercise physiology, rehabilitation sciences, and digital technologies have considerably expanded our understanding of aquatic sports. However, research remains fragmented across educational, performance, and clinical disciplines, which limits interdisciplinary collaboration and the translation of scientific evidence into practice.This Research Topic provides an interdisciplinary platform that integrates research across the entire aquatic sports continuum—from the development of aquatic literacy and competence in educational settings to performance optimization, injury prevention, rehabilitation, and long-term athlete health in competitive environments. By bringing together experts from sport science, physical education, sports medicine, biomechanics, physiology, and rehabilitation, this collection promotes innovative approaches that improve participation, enhance performance, and support athlete well-being across all stages of development.We welcome original research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, methodological papers, case reports, and data reports addressing swimming, water polo, artistic swimming, open-water swimming, and other aquatic activities. Particular emphasis will be placed on interdisciplinary studies that bridge educational, performance, and clinical perspectives while advancing evidence-based practice.Given the growing international interest in aquatic literacy, athlete health, technological innovation, and evidence-based coaching, this Research Topic provides a timely opportunity to consolidate emerging knowledge, foster collaboration among researchers and practitioners, and identify future directions for aquatic sports research. Topic editors: Alfonso Trinidad Morales, Jesús J. Ruiz-Navarro, Ricardo J. Fernandes, POTDEVIN François Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84246/from-aquatic-literacy-to-elite-performance-integrating-physical-education-performance-enhancement-and-injury-prevention-in-aquatic-sports