Daniel Rojas-Valverde

• PE; PT; PhD
• Researcher at National University of Costa Rica

The inclusion of people with achondroplasia has become a widespread educational policy worldwide, but the inclusion of these students is often underestimated and overlooked. Therefore, this study aimed to comprehensively summarise the available literature related to the procedure used to include students with achondroplasia in the Early Childhood E...

This paper is concerned with the importance of virtual reality (VR) in case of readaptation in sports. It emphasizes VR’s innovative aspect of providing recovery and many other aspects associated with performance-related enhancement, injury prevention, and interdisciplinary cohesion. According to the chosen research approach, VR creates real, virtu...

Trail running (TR) is an endurance sport practised on irregular natural terrain with significant elevation changes. The aim was to analyse cardiorespiratory fitness parameters, bilateral body composition and maximal strength profiles in the lower limbs of elite Chilean trail runners. A 26-year-old Chilean amateur ultra trail runner was studied (bod...

Background/Objectives: Endurance triathlons impose substantial physiological stress, yet the effects of short-course formats remain relatively unexplored. This preliminary study presents novel findings on proteinuria and hydration levels in well-trained triathletes. Methods: 27 participants (41.9 ± 7.4 years) who completed a sprint triathlon consis...

Editorial on the Research Topic Muscle oxygenation and vascular adaptations in sports performance and rehabilitation Technological advancements in sports and health have enabled the indirect (and non-invasive) measurement of metabolism, blood flow, and oxygenation at the muscle level, during exercise. This has significantly enhanced our understandi...

Background Muscle strength is often used as an indirect indicator of metabolic health across different age groups in healthy individuals. However, in kidney transplant recipients, this measure may be less accurate due to metabolic changes induced by immunosuppressive medications. Aim To compare muscle strength between kidney transplant recipients w...

In general, health problems (e [...]

Introducción: el traumatismo craneoencefálico (TCE) es la lesión interna o externa provocada por un golpe violento del exterior, que afecta al cráneo y al cerebro. La meditación genera resultados positivos en los procesos cognitivos, funciones ejecutivas y mejora, a nivel psicoemocional. Objetivo: analizar el efecto del ejercicio físico y la terapi...

Background Structured aerobic or resistance training alone seems to be a beneficial tool for improving glucose homeostasis, chronic systemic inflammation, resting cardiovascular function, and mental health in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of the present study was to synthesize the available data on the effectivene...

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of repeated sprint in hypoxia (RSH) training in mask vs. tent system on the physiological parameters associated with the cyclist’s performance. Sixteen well-trained cyclists (VO2max 66 ± 5.9 mL/kg/min) participated in a randomised and two parallel groups design. Participants were assigned to different hypoxia...

Introduction: Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is one of the mostwidely used methods to estimate body composition and phase angle (PhA). PhA is considered a marker of cellular health, analyzing the quality of the plasma membrane through resistance and reactance. The aim of this study is to determine whether weight loss due to passive dehydrat...

Background There is strong evidence showing the association between obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and knee pain resulting from osteoarthritis. Regular exercise has been reported as a foundational piece of the preventive therapy puzzle for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients. Nonetheless, evidence-based exercise protocols for people with...

Este estudio, realizado en 2022, aborda la asignación de valores en la autoevaluación de posgrados, específicamente, en la Maestría en Salud Integral y Movimiento Humano (MSIMH) de la Universidad Nacional, con base en el Manual Oficial de Acreditación de carreras de Posgrado del Sistema Nacional de Acreditación (SINAES). Se destaca la importancia d...

Considerando el panorama actual de las ciencias del deporte y la educación física, el proceso de evaluación recobra un papel crítico en la comprensión, análisis y personalización de los procesos de optimización del rendimiento y educativos. En este sentido, es fundamental contar con una adaptación continua y mejora de las prácticas de evaluación qu...

Cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with aging and unhealthy lifestyles being the main risk factors. Cancer patients require intense and prolonged treatments that lead to a deterioration in their quality of life. The practice of physical exercise has been identified as one of the fundamental strategies in the f...

Recovery between physical efforts is essential for optimal performance in sports. Dietary supplements like cannabidiol (CBD) have been proposed to facilitate recovery and performance optimization. This systematic review aimed to: a) systematize the scientific evidence on CBD for recovery, b) associate CBD's biomedical properties with those required...

The study aimed to calculate training intensity and load using muscle oxygen saturation (SmO 2) during two differentiated physical tasks. 29 university athletes participated in a 40-m Maximal Shuttle Run Test (MST, 10 × 40-m with 30 s recovery between sprints) and a 3000-m time trial run. Distance and time were used to calculate external load (EL)....

This study aimed to explore the immediate effects of smartphone-based social media use on table tennis performance variables such as reaction speed, stroke execution accuracy, and focus. A total of 14 young athletes, consisting of 7 males and 7 females (10.86 ± 1.83 years; 2.43 ± 0.65 years of experience in table tennis) participated in a randomize...

RESUMEN El objetivo de la investigación fue identificar los indicadores de carga externa e interna en balonmano juvenil durante un torneo congestionado en Costa Rica, seleccionando variables a través de Análisis de Componentes Principales (ACP) como técnica de reducción de datos, y determinar si existen diferencias entre sexo. Los datos se obtuvier...

An increase in the delivery and use of oxygen to the musculature in physically active subjects are determinants of improving health-related aerobic capacity. Additional health benefits, such as an increase in the muscle mass and a decrease in fat mass, principally in the legs, could be achieved with weekly global physical activity levels of more th...

This study aimed to explore the immediate effects of smartphone-based social media use on table tennis performance variables such as reaction speed, stroke execution accuracy, and focus. A total of 14 young athletes, consisting of 7 males and 7 females (10.86 ± 1.83 years; 2.43 ± 0.65 years of experience in table tennis) participated in a randomize...

The investigation of muscle oxygenation through near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has gained significant importance in the field of sports sciences. This is mainly due to its ability to non-invasively provide information on the energy metabolism of skeletal muscle, fatigue response, and health status of athletes. Additionally, during injury rehabil...

Purpose: To explore and discuss theoretical and practical scientific literature to compare sports diversification and early sports specialization as a sport and educational approach. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, and 61 studies were included.Results: Coaches, parents, and children consider that the best way...

This study aimed to explore the agreement and reliability of a 15´-time trial test (T315´) to assess critical power in a large cohort of amateur swimmers. An observational retrospective cohort study total of 2212 amateur swimmers were made evaluating the results of anthropometry, cardiovascular and functional fitness assessments. Also, the particip...

This study aimed to analyze the changes in match physical demands in professional soccer players after sustaining a hamstring injury, which was categorized based on injury severity. Seventy-two hamstring injuries involving sixty-four professional soccer players from the Spanish LaLiga™ were considered for this study. All injuries were classified ac...

Sampling frequency of microsensors that measure the position of the players in team sports is a variable that could affect the accuracy of the measurement. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of the sampling frequency on the measurement of a collective tactical behaviour variable: the total area (TA). Sixteen young U16 male soccer...

Este manuscrito proporciona un análisis completo de dos décadas del estudio de las Ciencia del Movimiento Humano (CMH) en Costa Rica, enfatizando la notable expansión y avance del campo en ese periodo. Con el fin de mejorar el rendimiento deportivo, evitar lesiones, tratar enfermedades y fomentar el ejercicio físico, personas investigadoras en Cost...

Endurance triathlons impose substantial physiological stress, yet effects of short-course formats remain relatively unexplored. In this preliminary study, we assessed proteinuria and hydration levels in 27 well-trained triathletes (41.9 [7.4] years) who completed a sprint triathlon consisting of a 1500-m swim, 26-km cycle, and 8-km run. Urine sampl...

Proprioception is an essential part of human movement and body awareness. It is the body's perception of its own spatial understanding, which helps us to accurately move our limbs and maintain balance. Purpose: This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge and analyse bibliometric data about proprioception in...

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that the outcomes of hypoxia training may be influenced by various factors, contingent upon the chosen method, such as chamber, tent, or mask. This study aimed to examine how different training methods influence the effects of Repeated Sprints in Hypoxia (RSH) training. Methods: Sixteen well-trained cyclists w...

Sponsor: Jeffrey M. Mjaanes, FACSM). The scientific and athletic communities are interested in studying factors influencing physical performance. Numerous strategies have been tried and evaluated to enhance athletic performance and recovery both during and after effort. Cooling is a therapeutic technique to either improve athletic performance or le...

Physical activity has been demonstrated to have a significant impact on gut microbial diversity and function. Emerging research has revealed certain aspects of the complex interactions between the gut, exercise, microbiota, and neurodegenerative diseases, suggesting that changes in gut microbial diversity and metabolic function may have an impact o...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate young male and female handball players' perceptions to the bio-banding concept. The estimated biological maturity status was assessed in a sample of 46 male and 40 female handball players (aged 14.06 ± 1.40 years) who competed in both an annual age-group and bio-banded tournament. To test the players' perce...

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of CWI and passive recovery on indicators of fatigue in handball players after three consecutive days of competition. The study was applied to 41 handball players belonging to 8 handball clubs in Costa Rica (20 men and 21 women; 20.1 ± 4.08 years; weight, 68.03 ± 13.13 kg; VO2max= 42.40 ± 5.31 ml / kg /...

This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of CWI and passive recovery on indicators of fatigue in handball players after three consecutive days of competition. The study was applied to 41 handball players belonging to 8 handball clubs in Costa Rica (20 men and 21 women; 20.1 ± 4.08 years; weight, 68.03 ± 13.13 kg; VO2max= 42.40 ± 5.31 ml / kg /...

This manuscript provides a thorough analysis of the two-decade study of human movement science in Costa Rica, emphasizing the noteworthy expansion and advancement of the field. To enhance athletic performance, avoid injuries, treat diseases, and encourage physical exercise, researchers in Costa Rica have developed in-depth analyses, from the basic...

Sponsor: Jeffrey M. Mjaanes, FACSM). Dancers, particularly at the professional level, are artistic athletes who require high levels of fitness to perform their dance moves and routines. These actions usually require developing complex motor skills, with significant demands on the sensory and motor systems. The proprioceptive and vestibular systems...

This study aimed to analyse the effect of two operating temperatures (optimal vs environmental) on IMU internal temperature and accelerometry-based data in two conditions of measurement: (a) static, no movement; and (b) dynamic, a U’16 game-based training soccer session with 14 players. Each session took a 60-min duration and followed an ecological...

This study aimed to compare the mechanical and functional muscle performance of three different competitive soccer teams of the Costa Rica professional league (U17, Pro A, and Pro B). Age 20.09 ± 4.32 years old, weight body mass 70.85 ± 7.45 kg, height 174.56 ± 4.97 cm; body fat percentage 13.9 ± 5.06 %; lean body mass 57.90 ± 4.88 kg; lean body ma...

Duathlon is a rapidly promoting sport, so it is necessary to identify the factors that influence performance. This study aimed to analyse internal and external loads and the interactions between them during running legs before and after cycling in duathlon. Twenty-three male and female athletes participated in a simulated duath-lon (5k-20k-5k). Int...

El objetivo de este estudio fue describir un perfil antropométrico, aeróbico y de potencia muscular de basquetbolistas juveniles costarricenses según sexo, posiciones de juego y categoría de edad. Se evaluaron 99 jugadores juveniles (43 mujeres y 56 hombres; 18 bases, 51 aleros y 30 pívots; 42 categoría U16 y 57 categoría U18) de ocho equipos difer...

Background. Training muscle capacities in hypoxic conditions increases some manifestations, such as hypertrophy and muscle strength, due to a change in the muscle phenotype as a result of the activation of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF). Despite the proven benefits of resistance training in hypoxic conditions that allow conjecture regarding the ef...

The academic curriculum has shown to promote sedentary behavior in college students. This study aimed to profile the physical fitness of physical education majors using unsupervised machine learning and to identify the differences between sexes, academic years, socioeconomic strata, and the generated profiles. A total of 542 healthy and physically...

En esta sección se publican los resúmenes en español de artículos que han sido publicados por investigadoras/es de universidades costarricenses en otras revistas en el mundo, con su debida referencia al trabajo original, y con una breve explicación de dónde se realizó la investigación.

The objectives of this study are: (1) to compare match load demands through load indicators between starters and substitutes, and (2) analyze the degree of correlation in the variables analyzed in this investigation. Twenty-two semi professional soccer players were analyzed during a full season’s 38 official matches. Participants were assigned to t...

The increasing trend and projection for the use of wearable sensors technology in the general population have led to the development of different inertial measurement units (IMU) to monitor activity and motion variables during exercise or sports. This study aims to systematize the practical experience of developing an inertial measurement device to...

Background: Previous studies indicate that running at maximum speed on short or curved sections is slower than running on straight sections. This study aimed to analyse the external load symmetry in track running kinematics concerning body location (left vs. right, caudal vs. cephalic), track segment (straight vs. curved) and distance (150 m vs. 30...

Background: Previous epidemiological studies have reported associations of pesticide exposure with poor cognitive function and behavioral problems. However, these findings have relied primarily on neuropsychological assessments. Questions remain about the neurobiological effects of pesticide exposure, specifically where in the brain pesticides exe...

The aim of this study was to analyse the muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) dynamics during a repeated-sprint ability (RSA) protocol (8 sprints x 20 meters, 20 s recovery) using near-infrared spectroscopy. Twenty-five footballers were grouped according to the levels of body-fat percentage (level 1: <9%; level 2: 9.1–11.5%; and level 3: >11.6%) from th...

Background: Recovery between efforts is critical to achieving optimal physical and sports performance. In this sense, many nutritional supplements that have been proven to improve recovery and physical and physiological performance are widely used. Supplements such as nitrates (NO3-), including organic foods such as beets, promote muscle recovery...

Purpose: To explore the evidence published so far regarding the understanding of sleep disorders, their physiology and monitoring in first responder bodies. Metodología: Articles were found mainly through three online databases (Pubmed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar) with search terms comprising in English language ¨sleep¨ AND ¨police¨ OR ¨Emergency¨ OR...

Costa Rica es un país reconocido por dos características: la calidez del pura vida de su pueblo y el esplendor de la belleza de su tierra. Quizás, esta es la explicación más certera del porqué de su nombre. Costa Rica, con 51.100 km2, es un país que posee entre el 4 y el 5% de la biodiversidad del planeta, esto, gracias a que cuenta con dos costas,...

Five-a-side football for blind people is the only adapted football modality present at the Paralympic games. Fa5 is a collaborative-opposition sport in which its participants play with no vision, which causes numerous impacts. At the London 2012 Paralympic Games, it was the sport with the highest incidence of sports injuries. The main objective of...

The purpose of this study was to describe an anthropometric, aerobic and muscle power profile of young Costa Rican basketball players according to sex, play positions and age. The assessment was carried outa on 99 young players (43 women and 56 men; 18 guards, 51 forwards and 30 centers; 42 in the U16 category and 57 in the U18 category) from eight...

En esta sección se publican los resúmenes en español de artículos que han sido publicados por investigadoras/es de universidades costarricenses en otras revistas en el mundo, con su debida referencia al trabajo original, y con una breve explicación de dónde se realizó la investigación. Los artículos originales han sido publicados en otros idiomas;...

96 Percepción de estudiantes universitarios acerca de la presencialidad en el aula y presencialidad remota durante la pandemia del COVID-19 Perception of university students about classroom presence and remote presence during the COVID-19 pandemic

The quantification of training load has become mandatory for coaches and team staff. Within the analyzed variables, distance covered at different speed zones is one of the most studied. However, there is no consensus in the definition of speed zones in the published articles about each team sport, so it makes difficult a comparison between them. Th...

As reported in the medical literature, lateral asymmetries (LA) in sports may lead to overload injuries and reduction in performance. Even a lateral asymmetry of ten percent can lead to structural and functional conditions which may precipitate sub-optimal performance or increase the risk of overload injuries. The aim of this study was to explore...

Internal load is defined as a combination of biochemical and biomechanical stress on an athlete's system. Understanding the manner which blood biomarkers as internal load variables could impact external load indicators of physical performance can improve how coaches plan and prescribe physical loads in soccer. This research aimed to analyze the rel...

There is currently an increase in inertial flywheel application in strength training; thus, it must be monitored by an accurate and reliable device. The present study tested: (1) the accuracy of an inertial measurement device (IMU) to correctly measure angular velocity and (2) its inter-unit reliability for the measurement of external load. The ana...

The purpose of this study was to explore the potential relationship between ACTN-3 and ACE gene expression over the change in muscle mechanical and functional properties in youth handballers through a congested tournament. 30 players of the first handball division of Costa Rica participated in this study. The participants played a national tourname...

Este estudio cumple como propósito obtener la percepción del estudiantado de grado y posgrado de las carreras en ciencias del movimiento humano, acerca de la enseñanza, aprendizaje y la evaluación durante la pandemia COVID-19 relacionada con el virus SARS-CoV-2. En este estudio participan de manera voluntaria un total de 23 estudiantes (12 grado y...

RESUMEN Rojas-Valverde, D. (2022). Rol crítico del trabajo final de graduación en el proceso de formación investigativa del estudiantado de ciencias del movimiento humano. PENSAR EN MOVIMIENTO: Revista de Ciencias del Ejercicio y la Salud, 20(1), 1-9. Las prácticas científicas son un pilar en la formación de los profesionales de las Ciencias del Mo...

The aim of this study was to evaluate heat exposure, dehydration, and kidney function in rice workers over the course of three months, in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. We collected biological and questionnaire data across a three-month-period in male field (n = 27) and other (n = 45) workers from a rice company where chronic kidney disease of unknown ori...

It is well established that physical activity reduces all-cause mortality and can prolong life. Ultra-endurance running (UER) is an extreme sport that is becoming increasingly popular, and comprises running races above marathon distance, exceeding 6-hours, and/or running fixed distances on multiple days. Serious acute adverse events are rare but th...

This study aimed to identify the most important variables of male and female beach handball workload demands and compare them by sex. A total of 92 elite Brazilian beach handball players (54 male: age 22.1 ± 2.6 years, height 1.8 ± 0.5 m, weight 77.6 ± 13.4 kg; and 38 female: age 24.4 ± 5.5 years, height 1.7 ± 0.5 m, weight 67.5 ± 6.5 kg) were anal...

The purpose of this case study was to present the effectiveness of physiotherapeutic treatment based on manual orthopedic techniques in an amateur athlete with costochondritis due to physical strenuous exercise. A 31 years old experienced, well-trained, endurance amateur athlete presented chest pain suggesting costochondritis after physical and kin...

This study aimed to compare physical and physiological demands in youth basketball players according to gender, playing positions, and match outcomes. 64 players (32 female and 32 male) from eight youth sub-elite basketball teams were monitored using an Ultra-Wide Band system and inertial measurement unit in three consecutive matches. The results s...

Dear Editor, We really appreciate the Letter to the Editor by Jouffroy and colleagues [1], which added valuable information and discussion to our narrative review titled “Potential Long- Term Health Problems Associated with Ultra-Endurance Running” [2]. One of the primary aims of the paper was to “stimulate more open debate about the potential impl...

This study aimed to compare physical and physiological demands in youth basketball players according to gender, playing positions, and match outcomes. 64 players (32 female and 32 male) from eight youth sub-elite basketball teams were monitored using an Ultra-Wide Band system and inertial measurement unit in three consecutive matches. The results s...

Background: Consistent evidence suggests that exercise improves cognition and decision making, with preliminary evidence suggesting that brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNFs) may me-diate these effects on high-intensity interval activities such as in football playing. We conducted a systematic review of studies on football players or football...

Dado el contexto actual de pandemia COVID-19 y la realización de teletrabajo, se estableció como objetivo explorar la efectividad de un programa educativo sobre los hábitos de vida de las personas colaboradoras del área de Recursos Humanos (RH) del Ministerio de Educación Pública (MEP) con miras a la implementación de prácticas que lograran un mayo...

Background: Body temperature is often assessed in the core and the skin. Infrared thermography has been used to measure skin temperature (Tsk) in sport research and clinical practice. This study aimed to explore the information reported to date on the use of infrared thermography to detect short-term Tsk responses to endurance exercise and to ident...

Dear Colleagues, Sports injuries occur during exercise or while participating in a sport. Exercise represents physical, physiological, and psychological stress that could result in injury. Treating exercise-related injuries is a complex and a multi-layered challenge. Currently, the inter and multidisciplinary medical team faces great challenges in...

Background: Scoring first seems to be a determinant in professional football playing; several factors could influence the development of the match and the outcome. This study aimed to identify which factors could influence scoring first and impact match outcomes in professional European female football. Methods: There were 504 official matches h...

Recent advances in the sport technology of wearable tracking devices now allow coaches, trainers, and players to explore new variables and access data that contributes to the design of specific and individual tasks, and prepare athletes and/or teams in coherent ways based on competition demands. In this sense, microtechnology obtains information ab...

The present study aimed to select the most critical external workload variables that explain sports performance in the Mexican male professional soccer League (Liga BBVA-Bancomer) and analyse the effect of match period and match outcome in workload demands. 480 professional soccer players that belonged to 16 Liga BBVA-Bancomerteams were registered...

Repeated sprint in hypoxia (RSH) is used to improve supramaximal cycling capacity, but little is known about the potential differences between different systems for creating normobaric hypoxia, such as a chamber, tent, or mask. This study aimed to compare the environmental (carbon dioxide (CO2) and wet-globe bulb temperature (WGBT)), perceptual (pa...

Background: This study aimed to globally assess heat strain, dehydration, and mechanical load as acute kidney injury (AKI) indicators in amateur endurance trail athletes during a 35.3 km run. Methods: Thirty amateur experienced trail runners completed an endurance trail run (total positive ascend 1815 m). The following assessments were performed...

Introduction: The popularity of trail running and endurance sports has increased substantially in the last two decades. Research around trail running has focused mainly on acute injuries and medical problems considering physiological, biochemical, nutritional, aspects, and external loads. More recently, researchers have been concerned with investig...

Background: This study aimed to globally assess heat strain, dehydration, and mechanical load as acute kidney injury (AKI) indicators in amateur endurance trail athletes during a 35.3 km run. Methods: Thirty amateur experienced trail runners completed an endurance trail run (total positive ascend 1815 m). The following assessments were performed in...

The purpose of the present study was to analyze the chronotropic and cardiac autonomic response of a motorcyclist during the 7th race week of the FIM-CEV Repsol Moto2 European Championship through heart rate (HRAVG) and sympathetic-parasympathetic ratio (RS-Ps). The effect and relationships of sessions, laps and track segments were analyzed by MANO...

The use of cannabidiol (CBD) among athletes is becoming extensive and frequent. This could be due to the elimination of CBD from the list of prohibited substances by federations and international institutions of sport. The legalization and resulting production, and commercialization of CBD, could increase its intake in sports professionals. This co...

The use of therapeutic ultrasound (TUS) in sports science, medicine and rehabilitation has increased significantly in the last decade. This growth has been accompanied by a great scientific interest for the study of responses during injury treatment and the finding of optimal dosage. Therefore, the purpose of this narrative review was to explore th...

The use of technology within sport is well established, most professional sport teams engage with the use of Electronic Performance and Tracking Systems. This book is the first to offer a dep and structured examination of these technologies and how they are used in a team sport setting. The Use of Applied Technology in Team Sport describes and ass...

With the creation of new technology, a series of hardware and software have been developed that allow the capture, processing, and analysis, in some cases in real- time, of a large amount of information in different settings. the collected data can be up to a thousand data per second in an amount of up to 100-–1000 variables that are usually captur...

El uso de la ecografía terapéutica (TUS) en la ciencia del deporte, la medicina y la rehabilitación ha aumentado significativamente en la última década. Este crecimiento ha estado acompañado de un gran interés científico por el estudio de las respuestas durante el tratamiento de lesiones y el hallazgo de la dosis óptima. Por lo tanto, el propósito...