Exploring the Rise of Smart Wearables: A Bibliometric Analysis on the Growing Use of Fitness Applications Among Athletes

This study explored the rise of smart wearables as an emerging area of research in the field of fitness applications by athletes and aims to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on the intersection of sports, technology, and health. Vos-viewer and R-studio were used to conduct the bibliometric analysis of the data extracted from the Scopus database in the usage of fitness applications by the participants in sports and other physical activities. To gain a holistic view of the current research field, clustering by keywords coupling was used to identify the significant research themes and provide suggestions for future research. The cluster labeled “Smart wearables to access the fitness” is ranked 1 based on highest cluster frequency, centrality, and impact. The findings of thematic analysis of keywords suggest some motor themes, basic themes, niche themes, and emerging themes, as the usage of smart wearables is found to be an emerging theme regarding the increasing utilization of fitness applications by athletes, which suggests the need to integrate fitness applications in physical education to promote fitness in children. The findings also provide valuable insights into trends and advancements in the field of fitness applications, highlighting the potential benefits for athletes, trainers, and researchers alike. As smart wearables continue to evolve, they are expected to play an increasingly integral role in optimizing sport performance and fostering a new era of data-driven training methodologies.