Extended Reality Technologies in Physical Fitness for Health Promotion: Insights From Bibliometric Research

Introduction

Maintaining an active lifestyle is intrinsically linked to physical fitness, which is defined as being free of illness and possessing enough energy to perform daily tasks. This concept integrates elements of skill-related fitness, such as coordination, with aspects of health-related fitness, including muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance (Eberhardt et al., 2020; Garcia et al., 2023; Kariyawasam et al., 2019). However, recent studies have highlighted a concerning trend: many students today fall short of achieving the necessary level of physical fitness, leading to an increase in students’ health issues (Mozolev et al., 2019; Prysiazhniuk et al., 2018). This situation underscores the imperative need for more engagement in physical activities to improve body composition and overall fitness (Lakicevic et al., 2020). These findings suggest that reevaluating and enhancing physical education programs could be key in addressing this growing concern, by incorporating varied and engaging activities that cater to both skill and health-related fitness components. Integrating contemporary fitness approaches, such as technology-assisted exercises or holistic wellness strategies, might also be effective in promoting an active lifestyle among students.

Extended Reality (XR) technology is swiftly emerging as a transformative tool in various sectors, especially in physical fitness (Hwang & Chien, 2022). XR encompasses immersive technologies like Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR). Each of these technologies offers unique advantages for improving physical fitness. VR, for instance, allows users to engage with a digitally-created world, making it ideal for rehabilitation, emulating daily activities, and enhancing physical fitness, particularly for those with physical limitations (Eisapour et al., 2020) (Bui et al., 2021; Campo-Prieto et al., 2022; Eisapour et al., 2020). On the other hand, AR provides real-time feedback during exercise, enabling the users to monitor their progress and stay motivated (Ahmad et al., 2021; Martínez-López et al., 2021; Simon, 2023). MR integrates the virtual and physical worlds to create simulations that are more advanced than those offered by VR or AR, thus improving the level of immersion (Y. Fu et al., 2022).

In addressing the physical fitness issues among students, XR technologies offer a potent solution. They provide engaging, personalized training regimes that can inspire students and cater to specific physical needs. The ability of XR to simulate diverse physical activities and environments makes it an exceptionally suitable tool for promoting physical activity and enhancing fitness levels in educational contexts. By incorporating XR, educators, and fitness professionals can develop creative, efficacious fitness programs that are specifically tailored to meet the distinctive needs of students. This approach could be pivotal in addressing the growing concerns regarding student health and fitness, as highlighted in recent research. Accordingly, this chapter is dedicated to evaluating the existing landscape of research on XR technologies in the context of physical fitness. It endeavors to pinpoint the key authors, leading countries, primary funders, and influential institutions that are driving this field forward. Additionally, the study employs co-occurrence mapping to explore the collaborative networks and the relationships of author keywords within this research area. By analyzing these aspects, this chapter aims to provide insights from the current body of research, providing a clear perspective on the future potential and applications of XR in enhancing physical fitness.