# Mapping Handgrip Strength Research in Sports Performance: A Bibliometric Review of Applications, Trends, and Future Directions

## TL;DR

This study maps the research on handgrip strength in sports, showing its growing importance for performance assessment and identifying future research needs.

## Contribution

The first bibliometric analysis of handgrip strength research in sports, revealing trends, key themes, and future directions.

## Key findings

- Annual publications on handgrip strength in sports increased exponentially, especially after 2019.
- Key research themes include strength, performance, and physical fitness, with handgrip strength linked to sports like throwing and weightlifting.
- The United States and Spain led in research productivity and impact in this field.

## Abstract

Handgrip strength (HGS) has been considered as an indicator of muscle strength and overall physical fitness, with increasing relevance in sports science for talent identification and performance monitoring. However, no bibliometric study has been conducted to map the HGS research landscape in athletic contexts. A bibliometric analysis was conducted in the Web of Science Core Collection database, retrieving 229 publications. Typical bibliometric laws (i.e., Price’s, Bradford’s, Lotka’s, and Zipf’s) were employed to analyze publication trends, core journals, influential authors, country contributions, and keyword co-occurrences. Annual publications increased exponentially, especially after 2019, reaching 37 documents in 2024. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness were the most prominent journals. The United States and Spain led in productivity and impact. Key research themes included strength, performance, body composition, and physical fitness, with HGS demonstrating significant associations with sport tasks such as throwing, racquet sports, and weightlifting. HGS constitutes an accessible and valuable tool for assessing and predicting athletic performance, especially in sports requiring upper body strength and coordination. Future research should aim to expand database inclusion and address identified gaps, such as the relationship between HGS training and sport-specific outcomes.