Background: Upper-body plyometric training (UBPT) is a commonly used training method, yet its effects on physical fitness are inconsistent and there is a lack of comprehensive reviews on the topic. Objective: To examine the effects of UBPT on physical fitness in healthy youth and young adult participants compared to active, specific-active, and passive controls. Methods: This systematic review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and utilized the PICOS framework. PubMed, WOS, and SCOPUS were searched. Studies were assessed for eligibility using the PICOS framework. The effects of UBPT on upper-body physical fitness were assessed, including maximal strength, medicine ball throw performance, sport-specific throwing performance, and upper limb muscle volume. The risk of bias was evaluated using the PEDro scale. Means and standard deviations were used to calculate effect sizes, and the I² statistic was used to assess heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed using the extended Egger's test. Certainty of evidence was rated using the GRADE scale. Additional analyses included sensitivity analyses and adverse effects. Results: Thirty-five studies were included in the systematic review and 30 studies in meta-analyses, involving 1412 male and female participants from various sport-fitness backgrounds. Training duration ranged from 4 to 16 weeks. Compared to controls, UBPT improved maximal strength (small ES = 0.39 95% CI = 0.15–0.63, p = 0.002, I² = 29.7%), medicine ball throw performance (moderate ES = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.43–0.85, p < 0.001, I² = 46.3%), sport-specific throwing performance (small ES = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.25–0.86, p < 0.001, I² = 36.8%), and upper limbs muscle volume (moderate ES = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.20–1.08, p = 0.005, I² = 0.0%). The GRADE analyses provided low or very low certainty for the recommendation of UBPT for improving physical fitness in healthy participants. One study reported one participant with an injury due to UBPT. The other 34 included studies provided no report measure for adverse effects linked to UBPT. Conclusions: UBPT interventions may enhance physical fitness in healthy youth and young adult individuals compared to control conditions. However, the certainty of evidence for these recommendations is low or very low. Further research is needed to establish the optimal dose of UBPT and to determine its effect on female participants and its transfer to other upper-body dominated sports.

Postural balance is a foundational component of human motor behavior, yet it remains conceptually ambiguous and methodologically heterogeneous across the clinical, educational, and sport sciences. This narrative review aims to provide an integrative framework that clarifies key concepts (postural control vs. postural balance), synthesizes the main sensorimotor and biomechanical mechanisms underpinning balance, and organizes current assessment approaches and functional implications across populations. Narrative literature synthesis was conducted to integrate evidence covering multisensory integration and sensory reweighting, central neural control (spinal, brainstem, cerebellar, and cortical contributions), neuromuscular and biomechanical strategies (e.g., ankle/hip/stepping), and cognitive influences (e.g., dual-task effects). We further summarize commonly used instrumental outcomes derived from force-platform center-of-pressure metrics and widely adopted clinical and functional balance tests, highlighting their typical applications and limitations across the lifespan including pediatric, general adults, older adults, and athletic populations. This review proposes a closed-loop, systems-based model in which postural balance is conceptualized as an emergent functional outcome arising from distributed postural control processes shaped by task, environmental, and individual constraints. In conclusion, integrating mechanistic understanding with population-specific assessment enhances interpretability and supports more precise, context-sensitive balance evaluation and intervention in both health and performance settings.

The aim of this systematic review was to assess the effects of plyometric-jump training (PJT) on the physical fitness of youth with cerebral palsy (CP) compared with controls (i.e., standard therapy). The PRISMA 2020 guidelines were followed. Eligibility was assessed using the PICOS approach. Literature searches were conducted using the PubMed, Web of Science, and SCOPUS databases. Methodological study quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. Data were meta-analyzed by applying a random-effects model to calculate Hedges’ g effect sizes (ES), along with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The impact of heterogeneity was assessed (I² statistic), and the certainty of evidence was determined using the GRADE approach. Eight randomized-controlled studies with low-to-moderate methodological quality were included, involving male (n = 225) and female (n = 138) youth aged 9.5 to 14.6 years. PJT interventions lasted between 8 and 12 weeks with 2–4 weekly sessions. Compared with controls, PJT improved the muscle strength (ES = 0.66 [moderate], 95% CI = 0.36–0.96, p < 0.001, I² = 5.4%), static (ES = 0.69 [moderate], 95% CI= 0.33–1.04, p < 0.001, I² = 0.0%) and dynamic balance (ES = 0.85 [moderate], 95% CI = 0.12–1.58, p = 0.023, I² = 81.6%) of youth with CP. Therefore, PJT improves muscle strength and static and dynamic balance in youth with CP compared with controls. However, more high-quality randomized-controlled trials with larger sample sizes are needed to provide a more definitive recommendation regarding the use and safety of PJT to improve measures of physical fitness.

Introduction: Non-disabled throwing athletes face unique challenges related to injuries and pain in the upper body due to high demands placed on the shoulders and upper limbs. However, there is limited research on the epidemiology of sports injuries in para athletes participating in the Para Athletics throwing events. Hence, the aim of this study was to describe the types of injuries and their prevalence among Para Athletics throwers (PATs) Material and methods: The main outcome was the 12-month prevalence of sports injury. Data were collected from PATs of any level, using an online questionnaire, and was analysed by calculating median, interquartile range, frequencies, percentages, and confidence intervals (CI). The chi-square and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to analyse differences in injury prevalence and injury onset between different sub-groups. Results: The study included 60 PATs (42 men, 18 women) with a variety of impairments. The 12-month period prevalence of injury was 40% (n = 24; 95% CI: 27.5–53.4), with the highest prevalence observed in athletes with blindness/low vision and intellectual impairments (75%, 95% CI: 19.4–99.4). Injuries affected primarily the shoulders (22.8%) and elbows (25.3%). The most common type of injuries were muscle strains (40%) and tendinopathies (20%). The proportion of injuries did not differ significantly between sub-groups. Most injuries (88.6%) occurred during training. Conclusions: Para athletic throwers are at greater risk of injuries in the upper extremities, and this highlights the importance of tailored injury prevention programs. It is crucial to mitigate the risk of injuries to the complex and vulnerable shoulder girdle in athletes with existing impairments.

Background: A comprehensive evaluation of the scientific production in the sport of Para Athletics, encompassing both quantity and quality, is lacking. Aim: To perform a quantitative and qualitative bibliometric analysis using science mapping techniques, to investigate publication trends, author network clusters, and keyword occurrence linked to the scientific production in the PA sport. Methods: Studies related to PA were identified throughout a search across the databases PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (Core Collection). Results: From an initial pool of 2,350 documents, 149 were deemed eligible and incorporated into the study. Most studies were published in the last 10 years, mainly in journals related to the fields of Sport Sciences and Rehabilitation. The keyword analysis revealed 364 unique keywords, 8 distinct clusters, 287 connections. Bibliometric examination unveiled 21 authorship network clusters, comprising 260 links. Countries that contributed with most research (75.7% of all published articles) includes United States, Canada, Brazil, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, South Africa, Japan, and Australia. Conclusion: Research related to PA has increased exponentially in recent years, particularly in the fields of Sport Sciences and Rehabilitation. Collaborative research (authorship network clusters) seems prevalent, and all continents demonstrated participation in published studies, albeit with different relative contributions.

Anthropometric characteristics, including body size, shape, and composition, can have a significant impact on sports performance due to their influence on various physiological and biomechanical factors. However, limited research has been conducted on the anthropometric characteristics of highly trained throwing para-athletes. The purpose of this study was to describe the anthropometric characteristics, handgrip strength, and upper limb bilateral asymmetries of highly trained Chilean shot put para-throwers. Five male Chilean shot put para-athletes (average age of 38.8 ± 7.7 years) were assessed for their anthropometric characteristics, including skinfold thickness at six anatomical sites, girth at five sites, and bone breadth at two sites. Handgrip strength and bilateral asymmetries were also measured. The body mass and height of the athletes were found to be 90.5 ± 5.1 kg and 179.1 ± 8.9 cm, respectively. The athletes were found to have an endo-mesomorph somatotype (4.4-6.9-1.0) with high levels of fat mass (25.7 ± 2.8 %) and skeletal muscle mass (39.1 ± 3.7 %). The handgrip strength of the athletes was found to be 66.4 ± 6.7 kg with a bilateral asymmetry of 6.5 ± 6.2 %, with the dominant hand showing greater strength. The results indicate that the shot put para-athletes have a somatotype characterized by increased muscularity and body fat, along with a considerable stature. Although handgrip strength was found to be high, the athletes showed bilateral asymmetry, which requires further investigation to determine the cause and implications.