Hungarian University of Sports Science (HUSS) hosted a prestigious international symposium where researchers explored current scientific issues related to movement, ageing, injury prevention, and rehabilitation.
Hungarian University of Sports Science (HUSS) hosted an international symposium titled Biomechanics in Sport and Aging: Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation, organized for the third consecutive time by the university and the Department of Kinesiology. The English-language event held on October 13 and 14 was attended by 300 participants, and it was also a key highlight of the university’s centenary celebrations.
The aim of the two-day event was to provide a scientific platform for presenting the latest findings in injury prevention and rehabilitation, with a special focus on sports biomechanics and ageing. Renowned researchers and professionals gathered to discuss recent scientific advances related to movement, aging, injury prevention, and rehabilitation. The topics presented at the symposium were not only timely but also highly relevant from a practical perspective across the intersecting fields of sports science, medicine, and physiology.
„Above all, I would highlight the speakers and the quality of the presentations", said Professor h.c. Tibor Hortobágyi, one of the symposium's organizers and research professor at the Department of Kinesiology. "The brilliant presentations revealed the latest findings in a visually compelling way – something I have rarely experienced before. Another key point I want to emphasize is how theory and practice came into exceptionally close alignment during the event. The entire symposium was permeated by a kind of symbiotic relationship between scientific background and practical applicability, which made the event particularly valuable."
Tibor Hortobágyi added that most of the presentations were grounded in practical observations. The speakers examined the underlying causes of specific phenomena, and then, coming full circle, returned to practice—exploring how to train more effectively, reduce injuries, and enhance athletic performance. In doing so, the presentations achieved a rarely seen balance between theory and practice.
Commenting on both the previous and the current symposium, Professor Hortobágyi stated:
"A common element in all of them is the successful integration of two seemingly unrelated fields: sport and ageing research. Reflecting this idea, the introduction to each of the three symposia emphasized that sport and ageing research complement rather than oppose each other. In other words, the assessments and training methods developed within sports science, such as strength training, aerobic exercise, HIIT, strength testing, power testing, or sprint performance evaluation, can be effectively adapted and applied in aging research as well", he added.
Dr. András Hegyi, organizer and research fellow at the Department of Kinesiology, highlighted the inspiring atmosphere of the current symposium. He noted that leading researchers share similar values: they are open, collaborative, curious, and approach scientific challenges with healthy skepticism. He explained that this environment, created by the 3rd Biomechanics Symposium, made everyone, including students, feel safe to step out of their comfort zones to think and ask questions, laying the foundation for innovative and impactful research.
“We primarily invited speakers who represent the international elite in the research areas initiated by us at HUSS The presentations and scientific discussions were not only inspiring and insightful but also laid the foundation for long-term international collaborations and elevated the quality of student and researcher mobility to the highest level. For example, one of our invited speakers, Dr Patricio Pincheira, an Australian researcher, has extensive experience in ultrasound examination of the knee flexors during dynamic exercises. During the symposium, we agreed to integrate his methods into MSc and PhD research projects as part of a collaboration. We also succeeded in establishing that, in the future, the internationally recognized laboratories of the University of Jyväskylä in Finland and KU Leuven in Belgium will accept further PhD students”, said the researcher relating to the added value of the event.
The MEC_SZ 149083 project was implemented with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation’s National Research, Development and Innovation Fund, financed through the MEC_24 coded "Scientific Patronage Grant" programme.
