Frontier hotspots and development trends in research on sports injury prevention and treatment: A bibliometric and visualization analysis.

BACKGROUND

Sports injuries are a prevalent concern in athletic participation and have attracted growing attention from both researchers and practitioners due to their impact on performance, health, and recovery. With the continued growth of recreational and competitive sports, the number of participants has steadily increased, leading to a rise in sports-related injuries. These injuries not only impact athletes' performance and careers but also negatively affect the physical and mental health of recreational participants. Consequently, the effective prevention and treatment of sports injuries have become focal research areas across multiple disciplines, including sports science, rehabilitation medicine, and public health.

METHODS

This study utilized the Web of Science Core Collection database, specifically the Science Citation Index Expanded and the Social Sciences Citation Index, to perform a literature search and analysis. The timeframe for the search was from 2010 to 2024, using the topic "Sports Injuries AND Prevention AND Treatment." After screening, a total of 661 publications were included, comprising 494 research articles and 167 review articles. Unrelated document types were excluded to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the dataset. Data analysis was conducted using Citespace version 6.4.R1, enabling multidimensional visualization of the dataset. The analysis focused on publication trends, contributions by countries and institutions, leading researchers, citation influence, and keyword analysis.

RESULTS

The results indicate that the United States leads globally in the field of sports injury prevention and treatment, with the highest number of publications and centrality. Harvard University and its affiliated institutions were among the most significant contributors. Keyword analysis identified "prevention," "injury," and "risk factors" as prominent research topics, highlighting prevention and risk management as the core focuses of current studies.

CONCLUSION

This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of research trends and hotspots in the field of sports injury prevention and treatment. The findings offer valuable insights for researchers, promoting further advancement in this area.