• Nine experts will discuss healthy ageing, digital health solutions, sports performance, and rehabilitation on 5 February.

The Public University of Navarre (UPNA) and the biomedical research centre Navarrabiomed have organized the 9th International Conference on Physical Exercise, Health and Quality of Life, to be held on 5 February under the theme “From the Laboratory to Clinical, Sports and Community Practice.” Nine speakers will examine the role of physical exercise as a tool for promoting healthier ageing, the impact of digitalization on disease prevention and management, and the application of scientific evidence and technology in sports rehabilitation and performance.
The event, which is open to the public upon prior registration, will take place in the afternoon at the Faculty of Health Sciences of UPNA (Avenida de Barañáin, s/n, Pamplona).

The conference has been organized by the Physical Exercise, Metabolism and Functional Capacity Unit (EFIT) at Navarrabiomed, led by Mikel Izquierdo Redín, Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at UPNA. The event is supported by EGYM.

Topics to be discussed include the relationship between nutrition, metabolism and performance; exercise as a form of “medicine” after the age of 60; whether healthy ageing should be considered a disease; the evolution of digital solutions for managing type 2 diabetes; continuous patient monitoring through multiparametric platforms; the impact of technology and artificial intelligence in fitness and sports centres; scientific evidence surrounding so-called “Zone 2 training” (low-intensity exercise sustained over long periods); and technological applications in sports rehabilitation.

The event will open with welcoming remarks from Almudena Sánchez-Villegas, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at UPNA, and Javier Gómez-Arrue Azpiazu, Director of Navarrabiomed. This will be followed by the keynote lecture, “Smart Nutrition: Synchronising Metabolism and Performance,” delivered by Javier González from the University of Bath (United Kingdom).

Three Thematic Sessions

The programme is structured into three thematic blocks. The first session, focused on healthy ageing, will feature presentations by Steve Harridge and Norman Lazarus, both researchers at King’s College London. The second session, dedicated to digital and technological solutions, will include contributions from Joaquín de Carlos Artajo (Reina Sofía Hospital and Tudela Health Area), Pablo Albizu Balerdi (CEO of 540), Rakel Herrero Colmenero (NAITEC), and Juan Ramón Gabino Marrero (Iberian Peninsula Director at EGYM). Following a break, the third session, centred on sports rehabilitation and performance, will bring together Pedro Valenzuela Tallón (University of Alcalá) and Juanjo Brau, former Head of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at FC Barcelona for 25 years. The conference will conclude with a question-and-answer session.

Featured Project: SENSORFIT-4HEART

Among the initiatives to be presented, particular attention will be given to SENSORFIT-4HEART, a strategic project led by Navarrabiomed and funded by the Government of Navarre through the 2023 Strategic R&D Projects Call of the Department of Industry and Business Ecological and Digital Transition, as well as by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Navarre ERDF Programme 2021-2027.

The project aims to develop a new strategy for advancing the personalized treatment of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). It focuses on non-pharmacological approaches that empower patients in self-management and improve their quality of life.
Specifically, the research team is developing a tailored physical exercise programme for this patient population. The project involves a multidisciplinary consortium comprising professionals from ADItech, Cima Universidad de Navarra, NAITEC, and the companies Lorpeland and 540.

Individuals interested in attending the conference can register free of charge by contacting: efit@navarra.es.