This bibliographic study examined worldwide research trends concerning fibromyalgia and exercise from 2014 to 2023. A continuous rising trend in publications was noticed. High-income countries predominated in research contributions, with Spain at the forefront in publication volume and adjusted contributions relative to population and GDP. Reviews were cited in greater numbers than original articles, and publications indexed in SCIE and/or SSCI garnered much more citations than those in ESCI. The United Kingdom attained the highest average citations per publication.

The annual rise in publication counts highlights a growing global interest in the role of exercise in fibromyalgia management. This trend indicates an increased recognition of exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention, underscoring its significance in multidisciplinary care strategies [23]. The rise may also indicate a better comprehension of exercise’s efficacy in alleviating its diverse symptoms. Moreover, it emphasizes the increasing acknowledgment of exercise as an attainable and economical therapeutic alternative in accordance with global efforts to advance comprehensive and sustainable healthcare approaches [24, 25].

High-income nations, notably Spain, the United States, and Sweden contributed substantially to the field. This corresponds with overarching trends indicating that research productivity is associated with economic resources, strong research infrastructure, and the availability of financing. Spain’s dominance in this field likely signifies its strategic investment in public health and rehabilitative research. The restricted contributions from low- and middle-income countries underscore persistent differences in research capabilities and resource accessibility [26, 27].

The citation patterns demonstrate the profound effect of research published in high-impact journals. Journals indexed in SCIE and/or SSCI included a higher proportion of Q1 and Q2 categories, with 43.81% (n = 191) in Q1 and 38.3% (n = 167) in Q2. This distribution highlights the concentration of significant research in elite journals, indicating the elevated publication standards that prevail in this field. Articles indexed in SCIE and/or SSCI received much more citations than those in ESCI, highlighting the value of journal quality and indexing in enhancing research visibility and impact. This outcome signifies that SCIE journals had higher standards than ESCI ones and a larger number of articles [19].

Spain contributed 25.75% of publications, indicating its prominence in research prioritization and public health endeavors. The United States (15.09%) mirrors a formidable research infrastructure and substantial institutional support. Brazil (13.88%) and Türkiye (7.24%) underscore the increasing contributions of upper-middle-income countries. Despite its smaller population, Sweden (5.23%) demonstrates a robust dedication to significant research. The UK’s preeminence in average citations per article (107.08) indicates an emphasis on high-impact research. Countries like the UK and Norway show higher citation averages despite producing comparatively fewer papers, which may be attributed to several variables. These countries prioritize high-impact research via established financial structures, strategic collaborations, and institutional support emphasizing quality over quantity. Moreover, scholars from these nations often disseminate their findings in prestigious journals, thus enhancing the prominence and impact of their study. Additionally, international collaborations with elite universities globally may enhance the scope and influence of research from these countries.

Spain ranked first with 2.71 publications per million population, followed by Sweden at 2.46 and Norway at 1.81. These data points underscore the substantial production of smaller European countries concerning population size, demonstrating their efficacy in producing research relative to their demographic base [28]. This outcome indicates a prioritization of fibromyalgia in these areas, connecting national research initiatives with public health requirements. Spain again led with 5.71 publications per GDP unit, followed by Sweden (3.84) and Portugal (2.73). These findings highlight the efficient use of economic resources to produce high research output.

The five most active journals in the five most productive countries were detected as INT J ENV RES PUB HE and J CLIN MED in Spain, ARTHRIT CARE RES, and CLIN J PAIN in United States, ADV RHEUMATOL, EUR J PHYS REHAB MED, J BODY MOV THER, REUMATISMO, and TRIALS in Brazil, RHEUMATOL INT and TURK J PH MED REHAB in Türkiye, and ARTHRITIS RES THER and BMC MUSCULOSKEL DIS in Sweeden. According to these findings, certain journals seem to be gaining ground in particular nations. Journals may prioritize publications sourced from their home countries, which is consistent with previous investigations [26, 29].

INT J ENV RES PUB HE, RHEUMATOL INT, ARCH PHYS MED REHAB, J CLIN MED, and DISABIL REHABIL ranked as the top five journals based on article volume, accordingly. The results align with the subject’s integrity. Given the significance of exercise in managing fibromyalgia as a public health concern, both a public health journal and a general medicine journal emerged prominently. RHEUMATOL INT is an expected situation to be included in the list as a rheumatology journal. Two rehabilitation journals were prominent due to their association with exercise.

Our analysis indicates that the institutions with the highest publication counts were Universidad de Extremadura, University of Granada, and Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina. The presence of Spanish institutions indicates an established national research emphasis in this domain, likely propelled by targeted funding and academic collaboration. The Spanish Government, the National Institutes of Health, and the University of Granada emerged as the principal funding organizations, signifying a substantial commitment to foster progress in this domain. These observations highlight the necessity of continuous institutional support and financing in promoting high-impact studies and international collaboration.

The implications of these results surpass academic contributions and underscore the necessity for strategic policy and funding initiatives. Considering the research concentration within a limited number of institutions, authorities should consider diversifying funding options to assist nascent research centers and under-represented areas. Forming international collaborations, especially with institutions from low- and middle-income countries, may augment shared knowledge and global influence. Furthermore, funding organizations should prioritize research in under-represented regions to close the gap between scientific discoveries and practical applications. Enhancing research infrastructure in under-represented locations and providing targeted incentives for early-career researchers may promote a more equitable and globally inclusive research environment.

This research has certain limitations. The literature review was conducted only via the WoS database. Limiting publications to original articles and reviews in English excluded publications in other languages or formats. This study focuses on publications from 2014 to 2023, so outcomes may vary over an extended timeframe. This analysis identified major contributors but did not examine comprehensive collaboration networks or co-authorship patterns, which could offer additional insights into global research dynamics.

This study extends previous bibliometric analyses in RHEUMATOL INT [19, 21, 26, 29,30,31] by thoroughly investigating global research trends with fibromyalgia and exercise over the last ten years. The current paper is distinguished by bibliometric analyses concentrating on exercise practices, which are prominent among non-pharmacological therapeutic alternatives in managing fibromyalgia. Given its low cost and efficacy, the number and quality of research on exercise procedures are anticipated to rise progressively. The current findings will assist researchers engaged in this domain.