Format your manuscript to the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise requirements — abstract, numbered style with alphabetical reference list (confirm in the guide) references, and required declarations — and submit through Editorial Manager without a formatting rejection.
4.4
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 19 August, 2026
Most manuscripts sent to Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise don’t stumble on the science — they stumble on formatting caught at the first editorial check. This template is built around MSSE’s actual requirements — its abstract rules, numbered style with alphabetical reference list (confirm in the guide) references, and the required declarations — so your submission clears screening on the first pass. Everything below tracks the MSSE author guidelines; check it directly if anything looks out of date by the time you submit.
It’s a manuscript shell set up to MSSE’s specifications for exercise science, sports medicine, and physical activity. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise is published by Wolters Kluwer (Lippincott) on behalf of the American College of Sports Medicine. The shell covers the title page, the abstract, a body in Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD) order, and a reference list in numbered style with alphabetical reference list (confirm in the guide) style.
Start with the title page (authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs). The abstract is a structured abstract per the author guidelines. The body follows Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD), and the reference list uses numbered style with alphabetical reference list (confirm in the guide). Close with the declarations block: conflict of interest, funding, ethics approval and consent, and data availability.
Beyond that, match your article type’s specific limits rather than assuming the defaults apply, keep numbered style with alphabetical reference list (confirm in the guide) formatting consistent from the first draft, and submit only through Editorial Manager — email submissions aren’t processed.
The shell mirrors what MSSE’s editorial staff check first: abstract format and length, numbered style with alphabetical reference list (confirm in the guide) reference formatting, and a complete declarations block. For the journal’s full aims and scope, see the MSSE journal home page. MSSE offers an open-access option; check the current article-processing charge and any waiver before you commit. Manuscripts go in through Editorial Manager, which also tracks your paper through peer review.
| Element | MSSE requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | a structured abstract per the author guidelines |
| Main text | Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (IMRaD) |
| Declarations | Conflict of interest, funding, ethics approval and consent, and data availability |
| Figures / tables | Captioned, cited in order; check format and resolution rules in the guide |
| Supplemental | Large datasets, extra tables, code — uploaded separately and cited in text |
| Submission | Editorial Manager |
Read the MSSE author guidelines once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after your results are stable so it matches the paper. Set numbered style with alphabetical reference list (confirm in the guide) as your reference style before adding a single citation — retrofitting it later is where errors creep in.
Skim two or three recent MSSE papers to calibrate depth, structure, and figure style. State your contribution in the first two paragraphs, not on page ten. Write a data-availability statement that names a real repository rather than a placeholder, and disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in your cover letter. Confirm current open-access pricing and any institutional agreement before committing to a fee.
Do one focused pass against the MSSE author guidelines: scope fit, abstract format, length, numbered style with alphabetical reference list (confirm in the guide) references, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through Editorial Manager.