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Abstract
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Swimming is part of the Olympic programme since 1896. Water Polo became the first team sport in the Games in 1900, and Diving made its appearance in 1904. Eighty years later, in 1984, Synchronized Swimming joined the Olympics, while Marathon Swimming (10-km race for men and women) was included in 2008 (www.worldaquatics.com/about). In parallel, research in physiology applied to swimming emerged in the beginning of the 20th century, trying to answer several questions that have arisen over the years, particularly focusing on locomotion and its contribution to health and athletic performance (Liljestrand and Stenström, 1920; Zacca et al., 2020; Demarie et al., 2022).
Although so-called "filtered evidence" such as systematic reviews and meta-analyses evaluate and synthesize the literature, they draw from the base of the pyramid, specifically randomized controlled trials - RCTs, cohort studies, and case reports. Narrative reviews, when authored by "Experts" in the field, can also offer valuable insights and contributions. However, we contend that studies at the base of the pyramid, particularly RCTs, cohort studies, and case reports, should be more esteemed than they currently are by scientific, academic, and general population communities. Indeed, considerable physical, intellectual, and scientific effort, even more so in an aquatic environment, as well as financial investment, goes into these studies until they reach the editorial and peer review process. Another important aspect is the challenge of finding volunteers with a high-performance caliber (McKay et al., 2022; Ruiz-Navarro et al., 2023). We need to celebrate quality research in the aquatic environment. You (we) are the true warriors!
This Research Topic aimed to highlight emerging research strategies providing innovative solutions for exercise, health, fitness programs, and sports in aquatic environments. We intended to focus on attracting multifaceted approaches, combining physiology, biomechanics, etc., to address the practical problems that athletes and coaches meet in their daily practices. When we look to the studies from our Research Topic, a strong interest in this area was evident among researchers from Europe, South America, and Oceania. Particularly noteworthy is the enthusiasm from South American countries, as the global community of swimming science will convene in 2026 at the XVth International Symposium of Biomechanics and Medicine in Swimming, in Porto Alegre - Brazil, with the general theme "Aquatic Locomotion for All: Health, Exercise, and Sports Performance". This is especially important, as it gives an opportunity to advance research in this field within this region of the world. ...
Language: en |