A review of composite materials for enhancing support, flexibility and strength in exercise

Abstract

Composite materials are increasingly being used in sports and exercise equipment due to their favorable strength-to-weight ratios, tailored stiffness, fatigue resistance, and vibration damping. These properties provide new opportunities to enhance the functionality, flexibility, support, and strength capabilities of equipment used for fitness, training, and rehabilitation. This review examines recent advances and innovations in the application of composite materials for exercise, with a focus on how composites can provide benefits in terms of flexibility, joint support, strength training, and overall exercise performance. Composite materials offer lower weight, higher strength, and tailored stiffness that can improve performance in racquet sports, golf, footwear, and strength training equipment. They also provide flexible joint support through braces, casts, padding, and prosthetics. Successful implementation of composites in exercise equipment requires careful design analysis, material selection, and manufacturing methods. Future research directions include design optimization, multifunctional composites, improved manufacturing, and durability studies. Composites have the potential to revolutionize how we train, recover, and rehabilitate through optimized exercise equipment and assistive technologies.

Keywords

• Composite materials
• Carbon fiber
• Sports equipment
• Mechanical properties
• Manufacturing
• Flexibility