Scoping review maps research gaps in competitive floorball athlete health and performance

Floorball is a rapidly developing sport worldwide, and it is a major contributor to the landscape of competitive indoor sports. Despite its rapid growth and international presence, floorball remains underrepresented in sport science literature. This scoping review aimed to summarize peer-reviewed research in competitive floorball from the past decade (2014–2024), categorize studies, and identify gaps to guide future research. A systematic search in Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus identified 310 studies; 55 met the inclusion criteria and were thematically analysed. Studies were divided into six categories: health related (injury, prevention, overuse, pain, biomarkers, illness, coaches voice), psychology and sociology, physical conditioning and performance, skills, equipment, and nutrition. Most work focused on injury epidemiology and prevention, often emphasizing youth and female athletes. Fewer studies addressed psychology, performance or skills, while nutrition and equipment were each represented by one article. Many relied on cross-sectional or small-sample designs, with limited longitudinal or interventional approaches. This review maps the fragmented yet developing body of floorball research. While progress has been made in health domains, especially injury prevention, major gaps remain in performance analysis, training methodology, tactical behaviour, recovery, and psychological aspects. Future research should use more diverse and robust designs to strengthen the evidence base for this growing sport.