Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology最新文献

{"title":"Limited Predictive Value of Concentric Knee and Trunk Isokinetic Peak Torque for Maximal Force and Stretch-Shortening Cycle Performance in Highly Trained Youth Optimist Sailors.","authors":"Radomyos Matjiur, Piyathida Thongchai, Sadanan Kernluea, Phornpot Chainok, Rodrigo Zacca","doi":"10.3390/jfmk11030374","DOIUrl":"10.3390/jfmk11030374","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Concentric knee and trunk strength may contribute differently to maximal force and stretch-shortening cycle performance in youth sailors. This study evaluated the predictive value of concentric knee and trunk isokinetic strength for these outcomes in highly trained youth Optimist sailors. <b>Methods:</b> Forty highly trained Optimist sailors (20 boys and 20 girls; age, 13.03 ± 1.40 years) completed knee and trunk isokinetic testing at 60°·s^-1 and 180°·s^-1, isometric mid-thigh pull, squat jump, and countermovement jump tests. Velocity-specific multiple linear regression models included a composite of dominant and nondominant knee extensor and flexor strength, trunk extensor strength, trunk flexor strength, and sex. <b>Results:</b> The models explained 60.7% and 49.4% of the variance in isometric mid-thigh pull peak force at 60°·s^-1 and 180°·s^-1, respectively. The knee strength composite was independently associated with peak force at both velocities (β = 0.51, <i>p</i> = 0.003; β = 0.56, <i>p</i> = 0.006). The models explained 1.3-3.5% of dynamic strength index variance and 17.8% and 4.5% of eccentric utilization ratio and elastic index variance at 60°·s^-1 and 180°·s^-1, respectively. Trunk flexor strength was associated with eccentric utilization ratio and elastic index at 60°·s^-1 (β = 0.52, <i>p</i> = 0.029), although these outcomes are mathematically dependent. Sex was not associated with any outcome. <b>Conclusions:</b> Concentric isokinetic strength showed greater predictive value for maximal force than for stretch-shortening cycle performance. Combined knee extensor and flexor strength was consistently associated with maximal force, whereas limited variance was explained in stretch-shortening cycle outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":16052,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology","volume":"11 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13608257/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149039094","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reproducibility of Acute Changes in Range of Motion Following Short-Term Static Stretching of the Hamstrings and Gastrocnemius.","authors":"Uršula Prelesnik, Žiga Kozinc","doi":"10.3390/jfmk11030373","DOIUrl":"10.3390/jfmk11030373","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background and Objectives:</b> Acute responses to exercise interventions may vary within individuals across repeated exposures, potentially limiting the interpretation of individuals as \"responders\" or \"non-responders\". This study investigated whether acute changes in range of motion following short-term static stretching are reproducible within individuals. <b>Methods:</b> Twenty-six healthy young adults completed two identical sessions separated by one week. Flexibility was assessed before and after static stretching using the Sit-and-Reach Test (SRT) and ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ADF ROM). The intervention consisted of three 30 s static stretches for the hamstrings and gastrocnemius. <b>Results:</b> Baseline measurements showed excellent reproducibility (SRT: ICC = 0.98; ADF ROM: ICC = 0.95). SRT performance and ADF ROM increased significantly after stretching (<i>p</i> < 0.001), with no evidence of a systematic difference in the mean response between visits (time × visit interactions: <i>p</i> > 0.05). Reproducibility of individual pre-to-post change scores was moderate by point estimate but imprecisely estimated (SRT: ICC = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.50-0.88; ADF ROM: ICC = 0.57; 95% CI: 0.25-0.78). <b>Conclusions:</b> Individual change scores showed limited reproducibility. The design cannot separate measurement error, normal day-to-day variation, and variability specifically attributable to the stretching response. Classifying individuals as \"responders\" or \"non-responders\" based on a single acute stretching session should therefore be approached with caution.</p>","PeriodicalId":16052,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology","volume":"11 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13608408/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149039142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Minimalist Footwear and Knee Joint Loading During Walking in Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review of Evidence for Osteoarthritis Prevention.","authors":"Titus Vari, Iulia-Mihaela Vălean, Theodor Popa, Alexandru Roman, Sorana-Carina Buda, Rodica-Ana Ungur, Tudor-Ștefan Ciortea, Viorela-Mihaela Ciortea, Laszlo Irsay","doi":"10.3390/jfmk11030372","DOIUrl":"10.3390/jfmk11030372","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background/Objectives</b>: Minimalist footwear has been proposed as a passive means of reducing knee loading, but its effects during walking in healthy adults, the population relevant to primary prevention of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), have not previously been synthesized. <b>Methods</b>: Following PRISMA 2020 (PROSPERO CRD420261396693), four databases and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched to September 2026 without date restriction. Primary outcomes were peak knee adduction moment (KAM), KAM impulse, peak knee flexion moment (KFM), and patellofemoral contact force; secondary outcomes were vertical loading rate, stride length, cadence, foot strike angle, and foot progression angle as a registered post hoc amendment. Risk of bias was assessed in duplicate with the Cochrane RoB 2 tool for crossover trials; synthesis was narrative; certainty was rated with GRADE. <b>Results</b>: Six publications met the criteria, but they derive from only four independent cohorts and 100 unique participants: three of the six report the same cohort of 40, a shared structure disclosed in none of them. Two of the four primary outcomes were reported by a single study in one cohort of 16, which found no difference between minimalist and conventional footwear in either peak KAM or peak KFM; KAM impulse and patellofemoral contact force were not reported by any study. Vertical loading rate, spatiotemporal parameters, and foot progression angle were discordant or non-comparable between cohorts. The meta-analysis was precluded by overlapping samples, absent discrete data and non-comparable outcome definitions; certainty was very low for every outcome. <b>Conclusions</b>: The evidence is smaller and less independent than its publication count suggests, and no recommendation for or against minimalist footwear in KOA prevention is currently supportable. Whether these loading markers, studied mainly in relation to progression in established osteoarthritis rather than incident disease in healthy joints, are appropriate prevention targets also remains unclear.</p>","PeriodicalId":16052,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology","volume":"11 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13608185/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149039102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Aquatic Pilates Is Associated with Improved Spinal Alignment and Functional Performance in Women Aged 55-65 Years with Thoracic Kyphosis.","authors":"Paraskevi Passa, Vassilis Paschalis, Asimenia Gioftsidou, Helen Soultanakis","doi":"10.3390/jfmk11030371","DOIUrl":"10.3390/jfmk11030371","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objectives:</b> Thoracic kyphosis is a common postural condition associated with impaired functional performance, reduced balance, and lower levels of physical activity. Women may be particularly susceptible due to age-related musculoskeletal and hormonal changes. This study investigated the effects of a 12-week aquatic Pilates program on thoracic alignment, functional performance, and self-reported physical activity in women aged 55-65 years with thoracic kyphosis. <b>Methods:</b> Twenty women aged 55-65 years with thoracic kyphosis were randomly allocated to an Aquatic Pilates intervention group (<i>n</i> = 10) or a non-exercising control group (<i>n</i> = 10). Participants in the intervention group completed supervised aquatic Pilates sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks, while the control group maintained their usual daily activities. Pre- and post-intervention assessments included thoracic kyphosis angle measured using a DeBrunner kyphometer, the Modified Physical Performance Test (mPPT), and the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE). Data were analyzed using 2 × 2 mixed-design repeated-measures ANOVA. The trial was registered retrospectively at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT07674251). <b>Results:</b> A significant group × time interaction was observed for thoracic kyphosis angle, F_1,18 = 66.31, <i>p</i> < 0.001, partial <i>η</i>² = 0.786), with the Aquatic Pilates group showing a reduction from 42.6° ± 3.4° to 40.7° ± 3.1°. Significant improvements were also observed in the analyzed mPPT functional tasks (all <i>p</i> < 0.001). PASE scores showed a statistically significant group × time interaction (F_1,18 = 9.48, <i>p</i> = 0.006, partial <i>η</i>² = 0.345), with the Aquatic Pilates group showing an increase compared to the control group. <b>Conclusions:</b> Participation in a 12-week aquatic Pilates program was associated with improvements in thoracic kyphosis, functional performance as assessed by the mPPT, and self-reported physical activity in women aged 55-65 years with thoracic kyphosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":16052,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology","volume":"11 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13608577/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149038968","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Within-Athlete Associations Between WHOOP Activity Strain, Coach-Prescribed Training Objectives, and Session-RPE in an Elite Junior Swimmer: A Longitudinal Single-Case Study.","authors":"Árpád Petrov, István Barthalos, Daniel Arany, Katalin Nagyváradi, Iván Petrov, Zoltán Alföldi, Ferenc Ihász","doi":"10.3390/jfmk11030369","DOIUrl":"10.3390/jfmk11030369","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background and Objectives:</b> Wearable technologies increasingly monitor internal training load in high-performance sport, but their alignment with coach-prescribed physiological objectives remains unclear. This study examined within-athlete associations between WHOOP Activity Strain, coach-prescribed objectives, athlete-perceived load, and completed swimming exposure in one elite junior swimmer. <b>Methods:</b> An exploratory longitudinal single-case secondary analysis was conducted using routinely collected training and athlete-monitoring data from 4 January to 3 July 2026. WHOOP Activity Strain and Session-RPE were synchronized by session, and generalized estimating equations assessed differences across prescribed objectives and variable associations. <b>Results:</b> Of 161 sessions with exact-plan cards, 134 were classified and 128 had strict WHOOP matches. Conventional robust-covariance GEE suggested an objective-related difference (exchangeable <i>p</i> = 0.013; AR(1) <i>p</i> = 0.014), but this was not statistically detectable with the bias-reduced covariance estimator (<i>p</i> = 0.080 and <i>p</i> = 0.075, respectively) and was not reproduced using the legacy classification. WHOOP Activity Strain was consistently associated with Session-RPE Load, Session-RPE, and actual swimming distance. <b>Conclusions:</b> Within this athlete, WHOOP Activity Strain was associated with perceived load and completed swimming distance. Objective-related differences were post hoc and sensitive to the classification source and covariance estimator; they should therefore be considered exploratory and hypothesis-generating.</p>","PeriodicalId":16052,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology","volume":"11 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13608037/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149039212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Different Paired-Set Configurations and Rest Intervals on Acute Volume Load, Repetitions, and Training Efficiency: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Kuei-Yu Chien, Tzu-Han Chan, Ting-Ru Lin, Tzu-Chen Lin","doi":"10.3390/jfmk11030370","DOIUrl":"10.3390/jfmk11030370","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background:</b> Paired-set (PS) resistance exercise is widely used to increase training density; however, evidence-based guidance remains limited due to heterogeneous exercise sequences and rest configurations. This systematic review aimed to synthesize acute mechanical, training-efficiency, and perceptual responses across distinct PS configurations compared with traditional sets (TSs) in young resistance-trained adults. <b>Methods:</b> Eight databases were searched through 5 August 2026, for acute randomized crossover/parallel trials. PS protocols were categorized into PS-A (alternating exercises with preserved TS rest after each exercise), PS-B (interleaved exercises during recovery), and PS-C (modified post-pair rest). Study-level means and unstandardized percentage differences for volume load (VL), completed repetitions, training efficiency (VL accumulated per unit of time), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were synthesized descriptively. <b>Results:</b> Fifteen reports representing 14 studies (223 participants) were included, and all exhibited \"some concerns\" according to RoB 2. PS-A consistently elicited higher work-output point estimates (VL: 7.9-27.2%; repetitions: 6.3-26.7% vs. TS) with negligible changes in session duration. PS-B consistently reduced session duration by 44.8-50.0%, though repetitions and VL were often compromised depending on the exercise. PS-C responses were configuration-dependent; matched post-pair rest (PS-C_MPR) decreased duration (39.7-46.9%) with variable VL (-8.2% to +30.1%) and higher RPE, whereas extended rest (PS-C_EPR) showed distinct protocol-specific trade-offs between volume retention and training efficiency. <b>Conclusions:</b> Based on acute trials in young trained populations, PS configurations should be selected by session priority (PS-A for work capacity, PS-B for time constraints, PS-C for versatility). Given the consistent \"some concerns\" regarding risk of bias, these practical recommendations warrant caution.</p>","PeriodicalId":16052,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology","volume":"11 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13608641/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149038988","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Towards a Conceptual Framework for Mechanical Dose in Skeletal Muscle: Integrating Mechanobiology and Resistance Training.","authors":"Pedro Morouço","doi":"10.3390/jfmk11030368","DOIUrl":"10.3390/jfmk11030368","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite major advances in exercise physiology, biomechanics, and mechanobiology, exercise science still lacks a clear conceptual definition of the mechanical stimulus experienced by skeletal muscle during resistance training. Current approaches rely on diverse external, internal, and biomechanical variables (e.g., volume-load, force, power, velocity, time under tension, or muscle architecture), yet none individually captures the muscle-specific mechanical exposure relevant to muscular adaptation. This conceptual inconsistency limits comparisons across studies, complicates training prescription, and hinders the development of individualized monitoring strategies. This integrative review critically synthesizes current evidence from mechanobiology, skeletal muscle physiology, biomechanics, and resistance training to examine how mechanical stimuli are currently conceptualized, quantified, and interpreted. Based on this synthesis, we propose a working definition of Mechanical Dose as the cumulative, muscle-specific mechanical exposure experienced over a defined time window, characterized by loading magnitude, rate, duration, frequency, and spatial distribution, and conditioned by contraction mode and muscle-tendon geometry. Rather than representing a directly measurable variable, mechanical dose is presented as a latent conceptual construct that can only be estimated through combinations of biomechanical, physiological, and morphological indicators. Building upon this definition, we introduce an integrative conceptual framework linking external load, movement biomechanics, mechanical dose, mechanotransduction, and tissue adaptation. We further discuss how this framework may guide future research on the interpretation of field-based monitoring, resistance training prescription, recovery management, and future explainable artificial intelligence approaches in sport science. By reframing mechanical dose as the central construct connecting biomechanics and biological adaptation, this review provides a unified conceptual basis for future research and contributes toward a more biologically informed paradigm of exercise prescription and monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":16052,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology","volume":"11 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13608636/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149039217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Immediate Effects of a Pogo-Jump Microdose on Vertical Jump Performance in Adolescent Basketball Players: A Randomized Crossover Pilot Study.","authors":"Celia García-Lucas, Gemma Biviá-Roig, Ramón Pascual-Morales, Jorge Escribá-Fuentes, Iván Muñoz-Martínez, Sergio Samper-Llavador, Francesc Josep Llidó-Barreres, Pedro Múzquiz-Barberá, Juan Francisco Lisón, Juan José Amer-Cuenca","doi":"10.3390/jfmk11030366","DOIUrl":"10.3390/jfmk11030366","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background and Objectives:</b> Low-volume plyometric conditioning may elicit post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE), but the early response to pogo-jump exercise in adolescent basketball players remains uncertain. This randomized crossover pilot study estimated the effect of adding 24 bilateral pogo jumps to a standardized warm-up on countermovement-jump (CMJ) and drop-jump (DJ) height, compared with time-matched low-intensity walking. <b>Methods:</b> Twenty-seven male basketball players were recruited, and 21 (age, 16.55 ± 0.88 years) completed both conditions. In randomized order, separated by a 7-day washout, participants performed 3 sets of 8 bilateral pogo jumps with 1 min between sets or approximately 3 min of low-intensity walking. Post-condition jump assessments began after a 1 min recovery and comprised three consecutive CMJs, a 30 s transition, and three consecutive DJs, with all measurements completed within approximately 2 min after each condition. The highest valid trial was retained for each jump type. Period-adjusted treatment effects were estimated using separate linear mixed-effects models, with repeated-measures ANOVA and Wilcoxon analyses retained as sensitivity analyses. <b>Results:</b> The period-adjusted between-condition difference in change was -0.89 cm for CMJ (95% CI, -2.92 to 1.14; <i>p</i> = 0.389) and 0.34 cm for DJ (95% CI, -1.77 to 2.45; <i>p</i> = 0.753). Sensitivity analyses yielded the same overall interpretation. All completers performed the protocol, and perceived exertion was 11.4 ± 1.2. The pogo-jump protocol showed favorable immediate tolerability, with all completers reporting 0/10 anterior-knee pain immediately after the condition. <b>Conclusions:</b> The pilot estimates did not indicate a detectable group-level improvement in CMJ or DJ height during the early post-conditioning assessment. However, the confidence intervals were compatible with potentially meaningful effects in either direction. The small sample, single dose, single early assessment window, and variable DJ reliability limit the precision and generalizability of the findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":16052,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology","volume":"11 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13608166/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149039089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Static Stretching as a Multilevel Mechanobiological Process: An Integrative Narrative Review and Proposed Framework from Mechanical Loading to Biological Adaptation.","authors":"Galina Nikolaeva Rusimova","doi":"10.3390/jfmk11030365","DOIUrl":"10.3390/jfmk11030365","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Static stretching is one of the most widely prescribed interventions in sports medicine, rehabilitation, and exercise science for improving joint range of motion (ROM) and flexibility. Despite decades of research, however, the biological mechanisms underlying its effects remain incompletely understood. Traditional explanations have primarily focused on muscle extensibility and passive tissue stiffness, whereas emerging evidence suggests that stretching may engage multiple mechanically and biologically interconnected systems. This integrative narrative review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the biological mechanisms underlying static stretching and to propose a conceptual, hypothesis-generating framework linking externally applied mechanical loading with biological responses across multiple levels of organization. Evidence from biomechanics, fascial biology, mechanotransduction, connective tissue biology, vascular physiology, and neuroscience was critically integrated, while distinguishing direct human static-stretching evidence from indirect human, preclinical, and general mechanobiological evidence. Although evidence supports contributions from several of these individual domains, direct human evidence demonstrating their integrated operation during static stretching remains limited. The available evidence therefore suggests that static stretching may be understood more broadly than as a muscle-centered flexibility intervention alone. Mechanical loading during stretching may be transmitted across muscular and connective tissues and interact with mechanosensitive cellular, extracellular-matrix, vascular, inflammatory, and neural processes; however, the directness and strength of evidence for these proposed links vary substantially. The resulting framework provides a plausible, testable hypothesis for how interactions among these processes may contribute to heterogeneous findings and inter-individual variability following stretching interventions, rather than an established explanatory model. Accordingly, this review conceptualizes static stretching as a biologically active mechanical stimulus whose effects may involve interacting responses across multiple levels of biological organization. By integrating evidence from previously separated biological domains while explicitly recognizing differences in evidence directness, the proposed framework provides a theoretical basis for future mechanistic research and for testing the causal and temporal relationships among these candidate processes in humans.</p>","PeriodicalId":16052,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology","volume":"11 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13608463/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149038850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Associations of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep with Somatotype Components and a Body Shape Index in Young Adults.","authors":"Agnieszka Wasiluk, Robert Wilczewski, Katja Zdešar Kotnik, Tatjana Robič Pikel","doi":"10.3390/jfmk11030367","DOIUrl":"10.3390/jfmk11030367","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Background</b>: The Body Shape Index (ABSI) and somatotype components represent different approaches to assessing body morphology. This study aimed to examine the associations between physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep duration, ABSI, and somatotype components in young adults. <b>Methods</b>: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 371 university students from Poland and Slovenia (202 men and 169 women; mean age: 21.46 ± 1.07 years). ABSI and somatotype components were determined based on anthropometric measurements. Data on physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep duration were obtained using a seven-day activity record. Associations were assessed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficients and multiple linear regression models adjusted for sex, age, and country of origin. <b>Results</b>: Weak negative correlations were observed between walking time and ABSI (r_s = -0.135; <i>p</i> < 0.01) and between sleep duration and mesomorphy (r_s = -0.111; <i>p</i> < 0.05). Additional weak associations were identified in analyses conducted separately for women and men. After adjustment for potential confounders, walking time was positively associated with endomorphy (β = 0.158; <i>p</i> = 0.009) and mesomorphy (β = 0.117; <i>p</i> = 0.041), and negatively associated with ectomorphy (β = -0.192; <i>p</i> = 0.002). All significant associations were characterized by small effect sizes. No significant associations were found for ABSI in the primary adjusted model for the total sample. <b>Conclusions</b>: Despite the small magnitude of the observed associations, different patterns of associations were observed for ABSI and the somatotype profile, reflected by the combined pattern of its endomorphic, mesomorphic, and ectomorphic components. However, the identified associations were few in number and weak in strength; therefore, further research is needed to better explain their significance in young adult populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":16052,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology","volume":"11 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13608061/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149039004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}