Bridging the gap between controlled laboratory findings and practical field application remains one of the central challenges in human movement science. The SciMatic Journal of Sports Science and Exercise Physiology (SJSSEP) was established to address this divide, offering a dedicated outlet for research that clarifies the physiological, mechanical, and psychological mechanisms underlying human performance and physical activity.
This guide outlines the journal's thematic focus, the formats of work it evaluates, and the specific research profiles it serves.
Aims and Editorial Scope
The primary mission of SJSSEP is to publish peer-reviewed research that advances the scientific understanding of human physical capacity across the spectrum—from elite athletic performance to clinical rehabilitation and community health. Rather than prioritizing purely theoretical models without functional relevance, the journal emphasizes studies that connect mechanistic physiological data to actionable outcomes in training, recovery, and health maintenance.
The journal considers submissions spanning several interconnected disciplines:
- Exercise Physiology and Metabolic Responses: Acute and chronic adaptations to cardiovascular, resistance, and metabolic stress; bioenergetics; respiratory kinetics; and thermoregulation.
- Sports Biomechanics and Movement Analysis: Kinematic and kinetic evaluations, motion capture analyses, neuromuscular coordination, and equipment interaction during sport-specific tasks.
- Strength and Conditioning Science: Periodization models, resistance training variables, velocity-based training, fatigue monitoring, and performance testing methodologies.
- Sports Nutrition and Supplementation: Nutrient timing, ergogenic aids, hydration strategies, energy availability, and metabolic recovery protocols.
- Sports Rehabilitation and Injury Prevention: Neuromuscular screening, return-to-play criteria, load management, and therapeutic exercise interventions.
- Kinesiology and Motor Control: Motor learning, skill acquisition, sensorimotor integration, and postural control.
- Sports Psychology and Mental Health: Cognitive demands of sport, psychological readiness to train or compete, stress regulation, and athlete well-being.
- Sports Medicine and Clinical Exercise: Exercise prescription for chronic conditions, cardiometabolic health interventions, and non-surgical musculoskeletal management.
- Wearable Technology and Data Analytics: Validation of field sensors, GPS tracking, heart rate variability monitoring, and practical algorithms for athlete surveillance.
- Youth Sports Development and Adapted Physical Activity: Pediatric exercise physiology, maturation considerations, athletic development pathways, and disability sport adaptations.
Accepted Manuscript Formats
To accommodate diverse analytical approaches, SJSSEP accepts several types of submissions. Every submission undergoes peer review by domain specialists in sports science and exercise physiology to ensure methodological rigor, statistical validity, and practical relevance.
Original Research Articles
Full-length empirical investigations detailing primary data collected in laboratory, field, or clinical settings. These studies must provide comprehensive methodology, clear sample size justifications or power analyses, and transparent reporting of results.
Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
Structured evaluations of existing literature conducted in accordance with established reporting standards (such as PRISMA). These papers synthesize available evidence on specific interventions, diagnostic methods, or physiological phenomena.
Narrative Review Papers
Comprehensive syntheses of current literature on emerging topics or complex physiological concepts, offering critical appraisals and outlining directions for future inquiry.
Case Studies
Detailed reports analyzing unique physiological profiles, uncommon sport-related injuries, novel rehabilitation protocols, or interventions applied to individual elite athletes or clinical cases.
Short Communications
Brief reports presenting preliminary findings, novel methodological approaches, validation studies for testing equipment, or replication studies that warrant timely dissemination.
Target Contributors
SJSSEP is designed for researchers and applied practitioners who work at the intersection of exercise testing, coaching science, and clinical health, including:
- Academic Sports Scientists and Exercise Physiologists: Faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate researchers conducting experimental trials on human movement, training adaptation, and bioenergetics.
- Strength and Conditioning Specialists: Practitioners evaluating testing protocols, training interventions, and performance monitoring data in team or individual sports.
- Physiotherapists and Sports Medicine Clinicians: Professionals documenting rehabilitation trajectories, injury risk reduction protocols, and clinical exercise interventions.
- Sports Dietitians and Performance Nutritionists: Researchers studying dietary strategies, supplementation efficacy, and metabolic responses to varying training loads.
- Biomechanists and Applied Technologists: Specialists validating tracking hardware, software systems, and kinematic measurement tools in field conditions.
Submitting to SJSSEP
Manuscripts can be submitted directly through the SciMatic publishing system, which supports end-to-end editorial tracking, transparent peer review workflows, and integration with literature citation tools. Authors should ensure their studies adhere to ethical standards governing human experimentation, including appropriate institutional review board approvals and informed consent documentation.
