Natural source protein hydrogels: Emerging materials for sports injury management and protection

As exercise plays an increasingly vital role in maintaining public health, the incidence of sports-related injuries is also rising. Hydrogels have emerged as novel biomaterials in sports medicine, among which protein-based hydrogels stand out due to their excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and cell affinity, showing great promise in injury management and prevention. Although previous reviews have discussed the use of hydrogels in wound healing and tissue engineering, systematic summaries tailored to sports medicine-characterized by unique biomechanical demands and accelerated rehabilitation goals-remain limited. This review outlines the main protein sources, crosslinking approaches, and modification strategies for protein-based hydrogels, with particular emphasis on their therapeutic roles in wound healing, tendon repair, and cartilage injury. Their adaptability to sports monitoring and high-stress environments is also examined. In addition, current challenges in clinical translation and corresponding strategies are summarized. By framing protein-based hydrogels within the specific context of sports injury management, this review highlights their potential to withstand mechanical loads, reduce reinjury risk, and integrate with monitoring technologies, filling a key gap in the literature and providing guidance for future research and applications.