{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,16]],"date-time":"2026-09-16T17:15:41Z","timestamp":1789578941579,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":23,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,5]],"date-time":"2026-01-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767571200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Study on cross-border integrated development of outdoor sports industry in the Yangtze River Delta","award":["19BTY060"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["19BTY060"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study provides a systematic examination of global development trajectories in running protective equipment by applying large-scale patent mining and quantitative analysis to international and domestic patent data. The results identify three distinct phases in the evolution of this field: the nascent stage (1898\u20131970), the accumulation period (1971\u20131999), and the rapid expansion phase after 2000. Patent activity has been dominated by enterprises in the United States, which maintain a leading position in both volume and quality, while China has demonstrated rapid growth in filings since the early 2000s, gradually enhancing its international visibility despite a comparatively late entry. Analysis of patent validity indicates that only 34.47% of patents remain active, with more than half lapsing within a relatively short time frame. This pattern reflects limited incentives for long-term maintenance and reveals structural weaknesses in sustaining technological outputs. Furthermore, the technological evolution analysis shows a pronounced concentration of innovation in three domains\u2014running shoes, sportswear, and knee pads\u2014while diversification into emerging areas such as advanced materials and intelligent features remains underdeveloped. This imbalance, defined by low durability and narrow domain coverage, constrains commercialization potential and reduces the economic viability of many patented inventions. Core patent screening using a TOPSIS-based model demonstrates that high-quality patents are concentrated in a small number of enterprises and IPC subclasses, underscoring the uneven distribution of technological impact and market potential across the industry. Key technological trajectories are characterized by advances in sole stabilization and cushioning systems, optimization of textile structures and stitching techniques, integration of protective elements into apparel, and improvements in the structural and cushioning design of knee pads, with gradual progression toward material-enhanced and intelligent applications. These findings provide an evidence-based framework for understanding the global dynamics of running protective equipment technology and offer critical insights for guiding industrial upgrading, patent management strategies, and policy design aimed at fostering sustainable innovation and commercialization in this sector.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0336148","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,5]],"date-time":"2026-01-05T18:22:01Z","timestamp":1767637321000},"page":"e0336148","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Research on the development trend of global running protection equipment technology from the perspective of patent measurement"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"given":"Qiong","family":"Shen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-3499-7330","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Yao","family":"Liu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lei","family":"Qiang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,5]]},"reference":[{"issue":"10","key":"pone.0336148.ref001","first-page":"118","article-title":"Analysis of patent information of Chinese sports brand enterprises","volume":"172","author":"Y Ding","year":"2014","journal-title":"Sports Culture Guide"},{"issue":"38","key":"pone.0336148.ref002","first-page":"101","article-title":"The causes of \u201clow-end lock-in\u201d of China\u2019s manufacturing global value chain and its breakthrough strategy","author":"M Li","year":"2015","journal-title":"Quotient"},{"key":"pone.0336148.ref003","article-title":"Connotation, logic and realization path of high-quality development of sports industry under the \u201cdouble cycle\u201d pattern","author":"W Chenxi","journal-title":"Journal of Shenyang Institute of Physical Education"},{"issue":"07","key":"pone.0336148.ref004","first-page":"58","article-title":"The development concept of sports industry under the new development Pattern: Value appeal, realistic review and promotion strategy","author":"W Junhan","year":"2022","journal-title":"Sports Culture Guide"},{"key":"pone.0336148.ref005","volume-title":"Construction of physical motor function evaluation index system of young middle and long distance runners and its empirical study on lower extremity sports injury","author":"M Yingxiu","year":"2022"},{"key":"pone.0336148.ref006","volume-title":"Research on running protective sports pants based on biomechanics","author":"W Shikui","year":"2015"},{"key":"pone.0336148.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/09537325.2020.1870950","article-title":"Applying patent analytics to understand technological trends of smart tourism destinations","author":"MB Cavalheiro","year":"2021","journal-title":"Technology Analysis & Strategic Management"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0336148.ref008","first-page":"11","article-title":"Dynamic Research on the evolution and distribution pattern of international sporting goods technology -- Taking football and its related patented technology as an example","volume":"39","author":"W Jun","year":"2013","journal-title":"Journal of Chengdu University of Physical Education"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0336148.ref009","first-page":"35","article-title":"A comparative study on patent R&D of sports shoes between Chinese sports brand manufacturers and Nike","volume":"47","author":"M Yu","year":"2013","journal-title":"Journal of Wuhan University of Physical Education"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0336148.ref010","first-page":"258","article-title":"Competitive Intelligence Analysis of global Sports equipment Technology patents: A case study of Golf club technology patents","volume":"28","author":"Y Long","year":"2016","journal-title":"Journal of Capital Institute of Physical Education"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0336148.ref011","first-page":"521","article-title":"Research on Competitive intelligence of international sports equipment patent Technology","volume":"35","author":"W Yu","year":"2018","journal-title":"Journal of Xi an University of Physical Education"},{"key":"pone.0336148.ref012","unstructured":"Manual OPS. 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