Pensar en Movimiento: Revista de Ciencias del Ejercicio y la Salud
PENSAR EN MOVIMIENTO: Revista de Ciencias del Ejercicio y la Salud (Thinking in / about motion: Journal on Exercise and Health Sciences): is an international scientific journal from the School of Physical Education and the Human Movement Science Research Center of the University of Costa Rica, addressed to all professionals and specialized readers in this area. Its goal is to promote universal research on Human Movement and Health Sciences. Key words: Exercise Physiology, Biomechanics, Sports Psychology, Sports Nutrition, Motor Learning, Sports Medicine. OAI protocol from this journal: https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rpem/oai
Consolidation of human movement science as a STEM discipline
The recognition of Human Movement Science (HMS) as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) discipline involves a strategic step towards the scientific and technological consolidation of HMS professionals in Costa Rica. This article examines the curricular, methodological and epistemological structures of HMS to validate its alignment with the STEM criteria set forth by international organizations such as UNESCO. On the basis of a study of Costa Rican university programs and international references, the article proves that HMS includes foundations of biology, physics, mathematics and applied engineering, using advanced technological tools, data analysis and the analysis of complex biological systems. Likewise, the concept of “human body engineering” is proposed as the articulation of the four STEM axes in HMS. Future actions are proposed for strengthening its formal recognition, curricular harmonization, the promotion of interdisciplinary research, technological development, teacher training and political university management. Not regarding HMS as a STEM discipline would involve perpetuating a reductionist view that ignores the role of this discipline as a bridge between science, technology, data analysis, sports and health. Finally, it is concluded that HMS integrates a model of interdisciplinary applied science with a high potential for driving innovation, scientific literacy and the sustainability of knowledge in health and sports.
Copyright (c) 2026 Pensar en Movimiento: Revista de Ciencias del Ejercicio y la Salud
The evolution of Nordic walking research: a bibliometric analysis
Nordic Walking has expanded from a sport-specific method to a widely used physical activity and therapeutic strategy, generating a rapidly growing body of literature. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of Nordic Walking research from 1996 to 2024. A bibliometric analysis was performed using Scopus. Peer-reviewed journal articles and reviews published between 1996 and 2024 were included. Performance indicators and science-mapping analyses were conducted using Biblioshiny. A total of 331 documents were analysed. The field showed consistent growth, with an annual growth rate of 12.18%, and 39.27% of publications occurring in the last five years (2020–2024). Poland was the leading country in research output (20.8% of publications), followed by Italy (11.6%) and Spain (6.4%). Co-occurrence network analysis revealed three main research clusters centred on physiology, human walking, and exercise therapy. Topic trend analysis identified “Nordic walking,” “physical activity,” “exercise,” and “walking” as dominant themes. International collaboration networks showed strong links among European countries, particularly Italy and Poland. This study provides insights into the evolution and current state of Nordic Walking research, highlighting its growing relevance in health and exercise science and supporting future agenda setting and targeted international collaboration.
Data base of A bibliometric analysis of the effects of aerobic exercise on overweight (1978–2025)
Overweight is a global public health concern associated with multiple chronic conditions. Aerobic exercise, widely recognized for improving weight control, cardiorespiratory fitness, and metabolic function, has become central to intervention strategies. However, the global research landscape addressing aerobic exercise specifically for overweight populations remains insufficiently mapped. This study aimed to analyze scientific development, main research topics, and collaboration patterns using bibliometric methods based on publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection (SCIE and SSCI) from 1978 to 2025 (search date: March 23, 2025). A total of 3,983 documents were retrieved and analyzed using the Bibliometrix package (R), with results visualized through publication trends, co-authorship and co-citation networks, and keyword clustering. The field has expanded rapidly since 2000, showing an average annual growth rate of 7.35%. The United States ranks first in publication volume and citation impact, followed by the United Kingdom and Canada. China demonstrates substantial research output but lower citation performance, highlighting the need for stronger international collaboration. High-impact publishing venues are primarily from exercise science and obesity-related research areas. Keyword and network analyses reveal a shift from general intervention studies toward more specific mechanisms, populations, and multidimensional outcomes, including insulin resistance, body composition, and cardiorespiratory fitness. A strong international collaboration structure, especially within North America and Europe, is also evident. Overall, research on aerobic exercise for overweight individuals has evolved into a multidisciplinary and globally collaborative field. Future efforts should emphasize research quality, deeper collaboration, and tailored intervention strategies to support global health.
Databases, novel methods and other complementary files
Copyright (c) 2025 Pensar en Movimiento: Revista de Ciencias del Ejercicio y la Salud
Physical exercise, immune system and body composition in cancer patients
The immune system is closely linked to the carcinogenic process, and it has been shown to respond to the effects of different varieties of exercise. Natural killer (NK) cells, as a part of the innate immune system, play a key role in the early stages of tumoral surveillance, as well as during treatment and recurrence risk. However, during oncological treatment, their role can be compromised by the adverse effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Given this fact, physical exercise emerges as a promising non-pharmacological strategy for enhancing the immune function and improving body composition parameters, which impacts NK cells. This relationship, however, is still under study. The present opinion paper discusses the existing evidence concerning the response of NK cells and its relationship to changes in body composition in patients that exercise on a regular basis.
Database of Where the game begins: home court advantage and performance contexts in female youth basketball leagues
The purpose of this study was to research on the extent of home court advantage (HA) and the percentage of home wins (HW), and to compare both metrics between different age categories (U14, U16 and U18) and the levels of ability in female youth basketball teams. Data were gathered from the Madrid Basketball Federation over five seasons (2018–2019 through 2023–2024), analyzing a total 545 teams over three age categories: 178 U14 teams, 183 U16 teams and 184 U18 teams. Games without audience and the 2020–2021 season were not taken into account. Through a two-step cluster analysis, teams were classified according to ability into five groups: Foundational, Development, Competitive, High Performance, and Élite. The team’s ability had significant impact both on HA and HW (p < 0.001). Foundational teams showed significantly lower values of HA (50.0%) and HW (10.0%) when compared to groups of greater ability, whereas Élite teams reached the highest HW values (88.8%). Across categories, significant differences were observed in HA, with values increasing from U14 (50.0%) to U16 (53.9%) and U18 (54.2%), which indicates a small increase consistent with age, whereas no significant differences were found in HW. The team’s ability, rather than the age category, was identified as the major factor impacting HA and HW. Foundational teams showed the lowest HA and HW values; Development teams reached the highest HA, and Élite teams achieved the highest HW. These findings indicate that the team’s ability plays a decisive role in the two performance results under study, whereas age category has only a limited influence.
Data base of Impact of theatrical activities on perceptual-motor skills in early childhood education
Body expression has historically been established as a fundamental didactic strategy in physical education for developing body awareness. In early childhood education, it is essential for acquiring motor skills and abilities that enable children to function effectively in diverse contexts. Theater, as a performing art of multidimensional nature, presents significant potential for the development of Perceptual-Motor Abilities (PMA). This research evaluated the impact of a theatrical intervention on the development of PMA in students aged 5 to 8 years at Reggio Emilia school. A quantitative study with a pre-experimental single-group design with pretest-posttest measurements was implemented. The sample consisted of 22 students. An evaluation battery specifically designed and validated for the Colombian context was used to assess PMA. The intervention consisted of a structured didactic unit of eight 60-minute sessions, implemented over four weeks with a frequency of two sessions per week. Theatrical activities included body expression exercises, improvisation, dramatization of stories, role-playing games, and group stage productions, progressively designed to stimulate different dimensions of PMA. Statistical analysis was performed using parametric tests to compare the means between pretest and posttest. The results showed statistically significant improvements (p<0.05) in all variables related to the assessed PMA. It is concluded that theater constitutes an effective pedagogical tool for promoting the development of perceptual-motor abilities in children, suggesting its systematic incorporation into early childhood physical education programs.
Data base of Motor learning in human movement science: a bibliometric analysis
The increase in scientific production in various areas of human movement provides the opportunity to conduct bibliometric studies in motor learning. The aim of the present study was to systematize the information published in motor learning between 2000 and 2024, by means of a bibliometric analysis. A total of 570 relevant studies on the subject, published between 2000 and 2024, were selected through a search in the Scopus database. An analysis of performance and structure metrics was carried out, considering total publications, number of documents, annual growth rate of published articles, affiliations and most relevant authors, collaboration networks, most cited worldwide, thematic trends, among others. Of the 570 documents analyzed, G. Wulf was identified as the most relevant author, the University of Toronto as the most relevant affiliation, and the United States of America as the country with the highest scientific production. The most cited study aborded the concept of the degrees of freedom problem. In conclusion, this work provides an overview of the scientific production of the subject related to motor learning in the last 25 years.
[Spanish translation] Joint associations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and smartphone screen time with inhibitory control performance in adolescents
This cross-sectional study investigated the joint associations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and smartphone screen time (ST) with inhibitory control performance in 210 Brazilian school adolescents. MVPA level was assessed using the Global School-based Student Health Survey questionnaire, categorized as inactive (<60 min/day) or active (60+ min/day). Weekly ST was measured using participants’ smartphones, categorized as low (<7 h/day) or high (7+ h/day) based on the median. Participants were divided into four groups: inactive + high ST, inactive + low ST, active + high ST, and active + low ST. Inhibitory control performance was evaluated using the Flanker task, measuring reaction time and accuracy in congruent/incongruent stimulus. A generalized multiple gamma model revealed that only the inactive + high ST group showed a higher reaction time in the incongruent phase compared to the active + low ST group (β = 41.1 ms; 95% CI 2.3, 79.9; p = .038). No differences were found in the accuracy (p > .05). In conclusion, physical inactivity combined with high smartphone ST is associated with poorer inhibitory control performance in school adolescents.
Descriptive, Correlational and Qualitative studies
Improving menstrual health literacy in sport
Menstrual health represents a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being in relation to a woman's menstrual cycle. From a health literacy perspective, knowledge acquisition and expertise are dependent upon the degree to which an individual can find, access, understand, critically analyse, and apply health information. Therefore, menstrual health literacy can be used to describe the state of knowledge acquisition and application specific to menstrual health-related issues. Menstrual health literacy is low among female athletes, their coaches, and practitioners, and few evidence-informed education or implementation strategies exist to improve menstrual health literacy in sport. Moreover, athletes seldom discuss their menstrual cycles or hormonal contraceptive use with their coaches, despite experiencing menstrual symptoms and/or disturbances and perceiving their menstrual cycles/hormonal contraceptive use to affect performance. Barriers to communication about menstrual cycle- and hormonal contraceptive-related topics include a perceived lack of knowledge among athletes, coaches, and practitioners, concerns about how conversations on these issues will affect interpersonal relationships, and a lack of formal and informal discussion forums. Whilst evidence relating to the effects of the menstrual cycle phase and hormonal contraceptive use on training and performance is currently limited, with existing studies often lacking methodological rigour, impactful steps can still be made to support female athletes. This cornerstone review highlights the current state of menstrual health literacy among athletes, coaches, and practitioners, and provides recommendations for improving menstrual health literacy in sport.
[English translation] Capacity of a sweat patch method to detect the effect of an antiperspirant
An effective antiperspirant is supposed to reduce sweat production by up to 50%, according to the manufacturers, but the scientific evidence in the literature is limited; possibly, the actual reduction may be so small that it may not be detected by conventional methods. The purpose of this study was to verify if the sweat patch method was able to detect the reduction in regional sweat loss that would be expected from using an antiperspirant. In addition, the magnitude of the effect was quantified. We verified the impact of an antiperspirant (condition A, skin treated with the product) on localized scapular sweat rate during 20 minutes of exercise at 78-80% HRmax, at 29.7 ± 0.5°C ambient temperature and 54 ± 3.4% relative humidity, compared with a control condition (C, untreated skin). A statistically significant difference in scapular sweat rate was found between conditions: A = 14.6 ± 10.3 μL * min(-1) and C = 19.2± 12.6 μL * min(-1) (p = 0.001). This means that the participants secreted approximately 24% less sweat when using an antiperspirant, compared with the intact skin, as measured by the sweat patch method.
[Spanish translation] Benefits of hydrotherapy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: additional outcomes of a randomized clinical trial
The objective of this article was to assess the effect of hydrotherapy on the functional status, dyspnea, BODE index, and quality of life in patients with COPD. A randomized, controlled clinical trial was carried out with 24 COPD patients, randomly divided in two groups: 1) aquatic training group (ATG), participating in an aquatic training (AT) program of intermittent (moderate/high) intensity that took place three times a week, for 8 weeks; and 2) control group (CG), which received guidance on a healthy lifestyle and did not participate in supervised exercises. The variables (functional status, dyspnea, BODE index, and quality of life) were assessed before and after the intervention period. The level of significance was established in 5%. Results show that the ATG presented significant improvements in daily life activities (LCADL total Δ score: -10.1, p = .01), in functional status (PFSDQ-M, total Δ score: -16.9, p = .01), dyspnea (ΔMRC: -1.37, p = .003), BODE index (Δ: -1.25, p = .048) and quality of life (total Δ score: -7.4, p = 0.02). The CG did not show any significant changes. As a conclusion, intermittent aquatic aerobic training of moderate/high intensity fostered a clinically relevant improvement for most patients with COPD in terms of quality of life, limitations in daily life activities, dyspnea, and in the BODE mortality predictor index.
Influence of Physical Complaints on Workload and Readiness-to-Train in U23 Footballers: A Preparatory Period for The Olympic Games
This study examined the relationship between physical complaints on training load and readiness-to-train in footballers during shock microcycles and tapering periods leading up to the Olympic Games. Twenty-six under-23 footballers from the Honduras National Team participated (age: 22.5 ± 1.8 years). The external load was evaluated using global positioning system, and maximal speed (km/h), sprinting distance (>24.1 km/h), very high-intensity running distance (18.1-24 km/h), high-intensity running distance HID (15.1-18 km/h), player load, number of accelerations (+2.5 m/s²) and decelerations (-2.5 m/s²) were obtained. In addition, subjective measures such as the perceived rating exertion and the total quality of recovery scale were performed. A readiness-to-train questionnaire, encompassing mood, sleep quality, energy levels, muscle pain, nutrition, stress, and health was administered. Physical complaints were identified using the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center questionnaire. The findings show the presence of physical complaints in both the load accumulation and the tapering periods. Footballers who experienced physical complaints showed lower perceived exertion, higher muscle soreness and poorer sleep quality, health, and motivation. Also, lower performance was demonstrated in maximal speed, sprinting, accelerations, and decelerations. Sports scientists should closely monitor physical complaints in national football teams and prevent injuries before long-duration events such as the Olympic Games.
Impact of drama activities on perceptual-motor skills in early child education
Bodily expression has been historically consolidated as a key didactical strategy in physical education for developing bodily awareness. In child education, it is essential for acquiring motor skills and abilities that allow children to develop effectively in various contexts. Theater, as a performing art of multidimensional nature, offers a significant potential for the development of perceptual-motor abilities (PMA). This research assessed the impact of a drama intervention in the development of PMA in students aged 5-8 years at the Reggio Emilia School. A quantitative study was implemented with a pre-experimental design in a single group with pre-test/post-test measurements. The sample was made up by 22 students. For the PMA assessment, an evaluation battery was used, specifically designed and validated for the Colombian context. The intervention consisted of a didactic unit structured in eight 60- minute sessions, implemented over four weeks with a frequency of two sessions per week. The drama activities included bodily expression exercises, improvisation, dramatization of stories, role playing and group skits, progressively designed to stimulate the various dimensions of PMA. The statistical analysis was carried out through parametric tests that compared the medians between the pre-test and post-test. The results showed statistically significant improvements (p < .05) in all the variables related to the PMA being assessed. In conclusion, drama constitutes an effective pedagogical tool for promoting the development of perceptual-motor abilities in children, suggesting its systematic inclusion in children’s physical education programs.
Where the game begins: home court advantage and performance contexts in female youth basketball leagues
A bibliometric analysis of the effects of aerobic exercise on overweight(1978–2025)
Motor learning in human movement science: a bibliometric analysis
The increase in scientific production in various areas of human movement offers the opportunity to carry out bibliometric studies in the area of motor learning. The aim of the present study was to systematize the information published in the area of motor learning between the years 2000 and 2024 through a bibliometric analysis. Five-hundred seventy relevant studies on this subject, published between 2000 and 2024, were selected through a search in the Scopus database. An analysis of performance and structure metrics was carried out, taking into account publications, amount of documentation, annual growth rate of articles published, affiliations and most relevant authors, collaboration networks, those most quoted at a global level, thematic trends, and others. From the 570 documents analyzed, G. Wulf was identified as the most relevant author; the University of Toronto as the most relevant affiliation, and the United States of America as the country with the largest scientific production. The most quoted study addresses a topic related to the issue of degrees of freedom. In conclusion, this paper offers an overview of the scientific production in topics related to motor learning in the last 25 years.
Effects of occlusive training in individuals with chronic kidney disease: a systematic review
Our goal was to identify and critically review the main studies available that have aimed at showing the effects of occlusive training (OT) on people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). A systematic review was carried out following the PRISMA guidelines. A search for studies that reported on the effects of OT on CKD was carried out on three data bases (Pubmed, SPORTDiscuss and Scopus) from their earliest entries up to September, 2024. The PEDro scale was used to determine the methodological quality of the selected research. Three randomized studies were identified, of average to good methodological quality. These studies reported on the impact of OT on biochemical, hemodynamic and anthropometric variables, plus those linked to physical fitness. No adverse effects stemming from OT were reported. Similarly, attachment to the exercise program was good. Scientific evidence concerning the prescription of OT for people with CKD is limited. The results of studies published up to now indicate that OT may result in improvements at a hemodynamic level, even though its effects are not higher than those of other forms of physical exercise, which may be more advisable in order to achieve substantial changes in body composition and in muscle strength levels.
The relationship between financial incentives for athletes and Brazilian sports results in the Pan-American games
The aim of this study was to examine the relation between financial subsidies for athletes and attaining better sport results. The selection of data was carried out by researching Brazilian athletes who competed in the 2019 Lima Pan-American Games. The study investigated the relationship between involvement in the Brazilian Athlete Grant Program and medal achievement at the 2019 Lima Pan-American Games, using binomial logistic regression to analyze factors such as gender, grant category, and sport type. Data on 481 Brazilian athletes, distributed across 40 different sports, were collected from official sources and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics to determine the odds ratio of winning a medal. The analysis reveals that receiving substantial grants may be related to the improvement in sports results. The data indicate that greater investment in athletes generates better sports results. Compared with the amounts received in these years, it is possible that an athlete whose grant is not very high but is received steadily increases their chances to obtain a medal. In addition, gender did not significantly impact the results obtained, and athletes representing individual sports modalities tended to obtain more medals.
The relevance of the exercise science professional in managing patients with chronic kidney disease
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major pathology that directly affects the kidney function and the quality of life of those suffering from it. Managing this disease requires a multidisciplinary effort in which the participation, input, advice and intervention of health professionals is effective. In this case, the role of an exercise science professional becomes relevant, due to the benefits caused by systematic physical activity and exercise on CKD patients. The objective of this study is to show how an exercise professional contributes to an improvement in the patient's health and, therefore, in their quality of life. Nevertheless, particular emphasis is placed on exercise professionals, who are trained to prescribe and implement various specific physical activity programs for patients with CKD. This is based on the benefits of regular exercise on patients, foremost among which are the improvement in cardiovascular function, weight control, blood pressure reduction, adequate levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, improvements in metabolic status and education of patients in keeping healthy habits. The conclusion is that an active involvement of exercise professionals is essential for holistic rehabilitation of CKD patients in all their stages (pre-dialysis, dialysis, and kidney transplant). These professionals allow the safe and adequate prescription of individualized exercise programs, with positive results in muscle mass, functional ability, cardiovascular condition, quality of life and morbimortality reduction. In addition, the study emphasizes the need to overcome organizational and formational barriers, and to consolidate an interdisciplinary approach to incorporate exercise as a key therapeutic intervention.