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Review
. 2025 Dec;57(1):2541092.
doi: 10.1080/07853890.2025.2541092. Epub 2025 Aug 7.

The application prospect of microneedles for sports injuries: a narrative review

Ruihan Wang  1 , Junqiu Wang  1 , Tianyu Liu  2 , Wei Wang  3 , Shiqin Yin  3 , Menglang Peng  1 , Lei Zhang  1   4   5
Affiliations
Review

The application prospect of microneedles for sports injuries: a narrative review

Ruihan Wang et al. Ann Med. 2025 Dec.

Abstract

Background: The increasing participation in sports, driven by the popularity of physical activity and advancements in sports science, has led to a rise in sports injuries. Traditional treatments for sports injuries typically involve physical therapy and pharmacological interventions. However, drug therapy often suffers from low bioavailability, and analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications may also cause side effects such as gastrointestinal irritation and cardiovascular risks. To amplify the range of therapeutic options in the domain of sports injuries, microneedles (MNs) have emerged as a promising alternative.

Methods: A comprehensive review of English literature from the past two decades and more was performed across multiple databases, including PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. The search utilized the keywords 'microneedle,' 'sports injury,' 'drug delivery,' etc. Original research articles, clinical studies, and reviews pertinent to the subject were included, while irrelevant and duplicate publications were excluded from the analysis.

Results: The diverse types and materials of MNs make them promising tools for treating sports injuries. These applications facilitate not only the targeted delivery of pharmaceuticals and biological materials but also enable continuous medical supervision through the assessment of subcutaneous metabolites.

Conclusion: The application of MNs in the management of sports injuries holds significant promise for therapeutic interventions and medical monitoring, offering valuable insights for future innovation in sports science applications.

Keywords: Microneedles; sports injuries; sports medicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors have declared no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Microneedle types and their application in sports injuries.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
The application prospect of microneedles in sports injuries. A. Microneedles for muscle or tendon treatment [60,62]: Copyright 2021, RSC and Copyright 2021, ACS. B. Microneedles for bone or cartilage treatment [70]: Copyright 2023, Elsevier. C. Microneedles for ligament or joint capsule treatment [78]: Copyright 2022, Wiley. D. Microneedles for superficial tissues or skin treatment [92]: Copyright 2024, Elsevier. E. Microneedles for nerve treatment [106]: Copyright 2022, ACS.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
The application of microneedle-based biosensing for sports medical supervision. A. The HMN (hollow microneedle)-based wearable device for on-metabolites monitoring. (i: device mounted on the human arm; ii: different parts of the VIES (vacuum-integrated ISF extraction and sensing) system; iii: Continuous monitoring of vacuum pressure and ISF (interstitial fluid) glucose and pH levels [127]: Copyright 2023, Wiley. Microneedle sensor array for detecting opioids and nerve agents. B. Doping monitoring on a wearable Microneedle sensor array. (i:Microneedle electrodes for square wave voltammetric detection of the fentanyl and nerve agent targets, respectively; ii: Sensing device capable of continuously monitoring fentanyl down to the nanomolar level through a nanomaterial-based multilayered surface architecture). Reproduced with permission [125]: Copyright 2020, ACS.
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