Studies in Sports Science and Physical Education

The Practical Approach and Effectiveness of the Virtual Simulation System in the Simulation Teaching of Curling Sports

Guo Baoyu — 2026-03-31

Under the dual circumstances of “smart education” and “ice sports entering campuses”, traditional university ice hockey teaching is constrained by the limitations of venues, resources and teaching methods, and urgently needs a new teaching model to break through. This paper, guided by the constructivist learning theory and the theory of skill transfer, constructs a set of practical paths for university ice hockey teaching based on a virtual simulation system, and uses the teaching experiment method to verify its effectiveness. The research subjects are students of the university’s ice hockey elective course, divided into the experimental group and the control group. An 8-week teaching intervention is carried out, and data are collected through pre-test and post-test technical indicators comparison, questionnaire surveys and interview methods. The research results show that virtual simulation teaching has significant advantages in improving students’ stability of throwing, consistency of trajectory and control of landing points; students’ learning interest and training participation have significantly improved, and the improvement in technical performance is better than that of the traditional teaching group. The research also finds that virtual teaching shows good operability and promotion potential under low-resource conditions. This paper provides theoretical support and practical demonstration for the path design and effect evaluation of digital teaching of ice sports, and is of great significance for promoting the integrated development of “sports + technology” in universities.

A Review of Foot Strike Patterns and Injury Considerations in Recreational Endurance Runners

Mingyang Wei — 2026-05-11

Background: Running is one of the most widely practiced forms of exercise, but injury rates remain high. Recreational runners report 6.9 to 8.7 running-related injuries per 1000 hours of running (Videbæk S et al., 2015). Foot strike pattern is one biomechanical factor that has been linked to injury risk. Objective: To review current evidence on the effects of foot strike techniques on running biomechanics and injury risk in recreational runners. Methods: A targeted literature search of PubMed (2021–2026) was conducted as part of this narrative review, using keywords “foot strike,” “run,” “jog” combined with “injury,” “kinematics,” “kinetics,” “biomechanics,” “muscle,” and “energy.” Eligible studies included clinical trials, systematic reviews, observational studies, and biomechanical studies in English. After deduplication and screening, 29 studies were included. Results: Rearfoot strike (RFS) was generally associated with higher impact peaks, vertical loading rates, and knee joint loading. Forefoot strike (FFS) reduced impact forces but increased loading on the Achilles tendon and metatarsals. Evidence indicates no universally superior strike pattern; outcomes depend on individual anatomy, injury history, and training characteristics. Conclusion: Changing foot strike pattern shifts how load is distributed across the lower limb rather than reducing load overall. Any transition should be individualized, gradual, and paired with targeted strength work.

AI-Empowered Innovation in the Management Model of “Balancing Study and Training” for College Student-Athletes with Special Talents

Shanhe Wei — 2026-05-12

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology offers new pathways to address the contradiction between academic study and athletic training in the cultivation of college student-athletes with special talents. Based on an objective analysis of the causes of the “study-training contradiction,” this paper proposes a transformation in governance philosophy centered on “data governance,” “personalized customization,” and “proactive early warning.” By constructing an “intelligent sensing” data infrastructure, designing a “dual-track parallel” algorithmic model, and establishing a “human-machine collaboration” closed-loop feedback mechanism, the study elaborates the implementation pathways for AI-enabled “study-training balance.” This approach aims to advance the cultivation of student-athletes from traditional extensive and reactive management towards precise, personalized, and forward-looking intelligent governance, thereby providing theoretical and practical insights for deepening the national strategy of “integrating sports with education.”