The Impact of Wearable Technologies on Marginal Gains in Sports Performance: An Integrative Overview on Advances in Sports, Exercise, and Health

Wearable technologies have become increasingly popular in recent years, as athletes and
coaches look for ways to gain a competitive edge. These devices can track a variety of metrics,
including heart rate, sleep quality, and movement patterns. This information can be used to identify
areas for improvement and make small, incremental changes that can lead to significant gains in
performance. The purpose of this narrative review is to provide an integrative overview of the
literature on the impact of wearable technologies on marginal gains in sports performance. The
literature review was conducted using the Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases, and
a total of 55 papers were considered eligible. The results of the literature overview suggest that
wearable devices can be classified into three main categories. (1) Location-based wearables (LBW)
track an athlete’s location and movement, which can be used to analyze training patterns and identify
potential injury risks. (2) Biometric wearables (BMW) track physiological data such as heart rate,
sleep quality, and body temperature; these data can be used to monitor an athlete’s fitness levels and
identify signs of overtraining. (3) Performance wearables (PMW) track performance metrics such as
power output, speed, and distance; this information can be used to optimize training programs and
track progress over time. For each category, this paper provides the five most important data points
measured by each suggested device. Additionally, sport-specific examples are provided for each
category based on the literature data. The limitations of wearable devices, such as accuracy, validity,
reliability, interpretability, and cost, are also discussed. However, despite these limitations, the results
of the literature review suggest that wearable technologies can be a valuable tool for athletes and
coaches who are looking to improve performance. Ultimately, this technological evolution in sports
science is likely to dramatically change the state of the art in athletic monitoring and sports analytics.