Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42519782›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in medicine2026

Applications of natural language processing and large language models in sports injury assessment and rehabilitation decision-making: a scoping review.

Hao Wang, Youxian Liu, Lirong Hu, Xiangjin Wang

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Hao WangFirst Clinical Medical College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
Youxian LiuFirst Clinical Medical College, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
Lirong HuSchool of Rehabilitation Medicine, Affiliated Rehabilitation Hospital of Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China.
Xiangjin WangHospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to provide a scoping review of the current applications of natural language processing (NLP) and large language models (LLMs) in the assessment of sports injuries and rehabilitation decision-making, with the goal of identifying the technical methods, data sources, target populations, key findings, and knowledge gaps in existing research, and to provide evidence-based guidance for clinical practice. Methods: We followed the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping review framework and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines to search the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection databases (up to March 31, 2026). We included studies on sports injury and rehabilitation that utilized NLP or LLMs to process unstructured text. Two researchers independently screened the studies and extracted data; disagreements were resolved through discussion or third-party arbitration. Study quality was assessed using MINimum Information for Medical AI Reporting (MINIMAR). Results: A total of 27 studies were included. The majority of the studies originated from the United States (37.0%). The primary research types were algorithm evaluation and benchmarking. Healthcare professionals were the main target population. The text data sources consisted primarily of simulated/synthetic question-answering scenarios. The included studies faced challenges such as readability issues and AI hallucinations. The overall compliance rate with the MINIMAR report quality assessment was 61.70%. Conclusion: LLMs have shown great potential as tools for sports injury assessment and rehabilitation decision-making. However, they still have significant shortcomings in terms of readability, hallucination control, patient perspective, methodological reporting, and geographic coverage. Future efforts should be grounded in the sports field, with a focus on athletes and team physicians, to improve model reliability, bridge geographic gaps, elevate research standards, and facilitate the transition from baseline assessment to clinical application.

Indexed as

benchmarkingclinical decision supportgenerative artificial intelligencelarge language modelsnatural language processingpatient educationsports injuriessports rehabilitation

Identifiers

PMID42519782
PMCPMC13382509

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.