Improving athletic performance and physiological adaptation in professional athletes and patients is a fundamental goal of sports science and rehabilitation research. With advances in novel training methods and physiological interventions, there is an increasing need for a comprehensive and systematic evaluation of global research trends in this field. The aim of this study was to conduct a bibliometric analysis of research published between 2000 and 2025 on novel training methods and physiological interventions that affect performance and adaptation in athletes and patients. Data were extracted from the Scopus database using specialized keywords and analyzed after excluding conference papers and books. The indicators examined included publication trends, geographic distribution, identification of prominent authors and journals, co-occurrence analysis, scientific collaboration networks, and citation analysis.

The results showed an exponential increase in the number of publications, with the United States accounting for the largest share of scientific output at 25%, followed by the United Kingdom (15%) and Australia (12%). The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research led the field by publishing 7% of the total articles. The main research themes identified were resistance training, aerobic exercise, neuromuscular stimulation, physiological adaptation, sports rehabilitation, and chronic diseases. Extensive scientific collaboration networks were observed among universities and research centers in North America, Europe, and Australia. Additionally, systematic reviews and meta-analyses received the highest citation counts.

This analysis reflects the rapid development of the field of novel training methods and physiological interventions.