Sports and Fitness

1. Nanotechnology Contributions at a Glance
Omnipresent in innovation today, nanotechnology is rapidly flourishing in the various areas of the sports and fitness industrial sector to improve the proficiency of athletes, let them go beyond conventional boundaries to show their great aptitude, and help them to minimize the chance of being injured. Developments in this area are numerous since the innovative entrance of nanoscience in some details of the sports industry from sportswear to equipment have shown such a great influence on performances and outcomes that quite a lot of well-known sport-related manufacturers all over the world are exploiting the merits of cutting-edge nanotechnology in their productions.

NPD contains data about 159 sports and fitness nanoproducts of 36 various types. These products are introduced into global markets by 52 companies, the headquarters of which are located in 24 different countries. The products are classified into racket sports, water sports, strength and agility sports sub-industrial sectors.

Incorporating specific nanomaterials into the produced structures, on the one hand, and depositing nano-scaled films on the surfaces of the equipment, on the other hand, ensure drastic alters in the properties and efficiency of the implements. Just to mention a few examples, increasing in the strength, stiffness, and stability of rackets, sticks, shafts, rods, frames, and arrows; reducing the weight of the equipment without any decline in quality; minimizing air loss from balls; improving the abrasion resistance of the equipment surfaces; and controlling speed gliding on water or ice are some of the profits of the usage of nanotechnology in the sports industry. Furthermore, reaching some appreciable properties such as water repellency, buoyancy, low drag, ultra-lightweight, antibacterial effects, and body energy storage are conceivable aided by nanotechnology.

The racket sports sector includes a variety of nanoproducts (e.g., rackets, strings, rubbers, bats, balls, blades, and clubs) of badminton, squash, tennis, tennis, table tennis, racketball, and golf. In such products, graphite, fullerene, carbon nanotube, carbon nanofiber, and titanium dioxide nanoparticles play a significant role in optimizing mechanical resistance, flexibility, controllability, maneuverability, directional control, repulsion and shock absorption resistance, swing speed, and air resistance. The water sports products (e.g., paddle, eyewear, kayak, fishing rod, and earplug) are generally enabled or enhanced with carbon nanotube, carbon nanofiber, and titanium dioxide nanoparticles to be mechanical resistant, anti-fog, waterproof, and lightweight. Ski waxes, air grips, bicycle wheels, ice axes, and quickdraws fall into the strength and agility sports sub-industrial sector.

2. Best-Performing Companies in Nanotechnology Exploitation
Lots of nano-manufacturers are active in the sports ‎and ‎fitness ‎industrial sector all over the world, the most dominant of which are YONEX Co, Karakal Worldwide Ltd, Goode Sport, H2O Performance Paddles, Head, Pro Kennex, Bonny Sports Co, CAMP USA Inc, Strength Pro, Kajner Hungrian Canoe Kayak, Kumpoo Sports Co, Wilson Sporting Goods Co, STIGA Sports AB, Absolute Protech Sports, Aztek Racquet Sports, Pyranha Mouldings Ltd, TYR Sport, NZ Sailing, DUHKHA Co, Re-Turn AS, Maruman & Co, Easton Cycling, Decathlon, Oliver, and Simplon.

‎‎3. Top Countries in Nanotechnology Promotion
Monitoring the headquarters of the ‏recorded manufacturers showed that the UK, Japan, USA, China, Canada, Slovakia, Germany, Netherlands, Taiwan, and India are the top countries which are increasingly active in promoting nanotechnology in the sports and fitness ‎industry.

4. Search String
The keywords used to build up the sports and fitness industrial sector database are as follows:
Nano + archery, skiing, road racing, cycling, watercraft, football, basketball, volleyball, handball, climbing, billiards, baseball, bicycle, horse racing, running, walking, hockey, kayaking, canoeing, rowing, swimming, fly-flash, bowling, tennis racket, badminton racket, squash racket, tennis string, badminton string, squash string, table tennis rubber, table tennis bat, paddle, eyewear, and golf club.