# A Bibliometric Analysis of Soccer Biomechanics
## 5 Discussion  
The aim of this study was to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature in soccer biomechanics. We used the Scopus database, identifying 951 relevant articles that were analyzed employing bibliometric techniques. Our results show an increasing trend in publications on soccer biomechanics in recent years. This can be explained by the recent advances in technology that have generated several new types of equipment to measure motion and inertial forces during human movement [69]. The fact that both the performance analysis of the citations of the sources and the co-citation analysis using sources as the unit of analysis highlight journals such as the \"American Journal of Sports Medicine\", the \"Journal of Sports Sciences\", and the \"British Journal of Sports Medicine\" as having a significant contribution suggests that research on soccer biomechanics is highly valued within the broader context of sports medicine. This is logical because biomechanical factors greatly influence running-related injury risk [70] and are also linked to contact injuries, such as concussions [71].  
The co-authorship analysis using organizations as the unit of analysis reveals a notable trend: universities in the United States and Canada dominate the top positions. This may be attributed to several factors, including substantial research funding, well-established research programs, and a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary studies. On the other hand, the results of the co-authorship analysis using authors as the unit of analysis and the bibliographic coupling analysis using the documents as the unit of analysis show the collaborations among scientists. The importance of collaboration and networking in scientific research helps in productivity and the advancement of science [72; 73].  
Lastly, the clustering results derived from the co-occurrence analysis of author keywords provide a nuanced understanding of the diverse research themes within soccer biomechanics. Each cluster highlights a specific aspect of the field, reflecting its complexity and the necessity for a multifaceted approach. The prominent themes of injury prevention, performance enhancement, and the use of advanced technologies underscore the field's significance in both academic and practical contexts [74; 75; 76]. Future research should continue to explore these themes, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations to advance the understanding and application of soccer biomechanics.  
Despite the valuable information provided by this research, it is not without limitations. For example, the utilization of a single database, Scopus, may not capture all relevant publications in the field. Additionally, our analysis was limited by the availability and quality of data, given that some important studies might have been excluded due to database limitations. Future studies could benefit from incorporating data from multiple databases, such as Web of Science and PubMed, to provide a more comprehensive overview of the research field. Moreover, our analysis primarily focused on quantitative metrics, and future research could incorporate qualitative assessments to gain deeper insights into the content and impact of the research.