Physical fitness as a promising health biomarker: the role of exercise, function, and pain across the lifespan

Physical fitness represents a cornerstone of health, functional independence, and quality of life across the lifespan. It encompasses various components (cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and body composition) that collectively reflect the body’s ability to meet daily demands efficiently and with vitality. Current evidence underscores that higher levels of physical fitness are associated with improved cardiovascular and metabolic health, reduced morbidity and mortality, and enhanced well-being. Nevertheless, modern sedentary lifestyles, suboptimal nutrition, chronic pain, and age-related physiological changes contribute to widespread declines in fitness levels, functional capacity, and overall health. Despite significant advances in exercise science and rehabilitation, challenges remain in integrating physical fitness as a reliable and routinely assessed biomarker of health, particularly in clinical and aging populations.

This Research Topic aims to synthesize the latest findings, linking physical fitness, exercise interventions, function, and pain modulation throughout the lifespan. It seeks to explore how different dimensions of physical fitness interact with physiological, psychological, and functional health outcomes. Additionally, it encourages the examination of physical fitness as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in preventive medicine, rehabilitation, and public health. The objective is to deepen understanding of how exercise and nutritional strategies can promote functional independence, mitigate pain-related disability, and foster healthy aging through the maintenance of optimal fitness.

To gather further insights into the physiological and clinical relevance of physical fitness across different life stages and health conditions, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Assessment of cardiorespiratory fitness as a health biomarker across diverse populations
• Exercise and training approaches to enhance cardiorespiratory function
• Evaluation of muscle strength and endurance as indicators of health and aging
• Strength training methodologies for preserving muscle mass and mobility
• Nutritional and metabolic strategies for maintaining and improving physical fitness
• Interactions between physical fitness, pain, disability, and functional limitations
• The influence of pain on physical activity engagement and quality of life
• Exercise-based interventions to enhance physical fitness and reduce chronic pain–related disability
• Physical fitness and healthy aging: the foundations of lifelong health

We welcome original research, systematic reviews, mini-reviews, meta-analyses, brief research reports, and perspectives that contribute to advancing scientific understanding of physical fitness as a promising health biomarker.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Registered Report
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Physical fitness, Exercise physiology, Functional capacity, Pain, Health biomarkers, Rehabilitation, Healthy aging, Strength training, Cardiorespiratory fitness, Public health

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.