Integrating Biomechanics, Physiology, and Environmental Stressors in Endurance Sports: From Movement Mechanics to Performance Optimisation

Endurance and intermittent-sport performance depends on the interaction between physiological capacity, movement mechanics, and the environmental conditions in which activity occurs. Although endurance research has traditionally emphasized cardiorespiratory, metabolic, and neuromuscular responses, biomechanical factors—including gait adaptations, stroke mechanics, force production, coordination, and movement efficiency—also influence metabolic cost, fatigue development, and performance. Environmental stressors such as heat and hypoxia add a further layer of complexity, altering thermoregulatory strain, oxygen delivery, fatigue mechanisms, and pacing strategies, which in turn can reshape movement patterns and mechanical efficiency. Recent advances in wearable sensors, near-infrared spectroscopy, motion capture, and force-measurement technologies have improved the assessment of mechanical, physiological, and environmental demands during sport-specific activity. However, biomechanics, physiology, and environmental physiology are still frequently investigated as separate domains, limiting understanding of how movement strategies interact with physiological strain across different modalities, environments, and athlete populations. Further research is needed to clarify these interactions and identify practical indicators of performance, fatigue, acclimation, and adaptation.This Research Topic aims to advance an integrated understanding of how movement mechanics, physiological responses, and environmental stressors jointly shape performance in endurance and intermittent sports. It will address how factors such as slope, surface, equipment, movement asymmetry, coordination, technical execution, heat, and hypoxia affect oxygen uptake kinetics, muscle oxygenation, neuromuscular fatigue, mechanical efficiency, thermoregulation, and exercise economy. Contributions may also examine whether biomechanical, physiological, and environmental measures can be combined to improve performance monitoring, training prescription, heat/altitude acclimation strategies, injury-risk assessment, and the evaluation of athletes across able-bodied and adapted sports.To gather further insights into the interaction between biomechanics, physiology, and environmental stressors across endurance and intermittent sports, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Effects of slope, gradient, and surface on locomotion mechanics, physiological responses, and metabolic costo Bilateral asymmetries, force distribution, and inter-limb coordinationo Biomechanics and physiological demands of rowing, cycling, and ergometer-based performanceo Movement analysis in racket and court sports, including work-to-rest demands and stroke mechanicso Biomechanics and physiology in adapted sports, including handcycling, wheelchair sport, and athletes with spinal cord injuryo Interactions between neuromuscular fatigue, movement mechanics, and physiological straino Effects of heat and hypoxia on movement mechanics, pacing, fatigue, and physiological straino Acclimation and adaptation strategies for environmental stressors and their biomechanical consequenceso Wearable sensors, near-infrared spectroscopy, motion capture, and other tools for integrated performance monitoringo Mechanical efficiency, movement economy, and their physiological correlateso Sport-specific technique, pacing, and movement strategies under varying environmental conditionso Effects of equipment, assistive devices, and technological interventions on mechanical and metabolic demandso Integrated approaches to athlete monitoring, training optimization, and performance assessment across environmental contextsAppendix: Manuscript types accepted Original Research, Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, Brief Research Report, Methods, Mini Review, and Perspective. Topic editors: Tiago Turnes, Patrick Rodrigues Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/84396/integrating-biomechanics-physiology-and-environmental-stressors-in-endurance-sports-from-movement-mechanics-to-performance-optimisation