Mental Recovery and Running-Related Injuries in Recreational Runners: The Moderating Role of Passion for Running

Perfectionism, disordered eating and well-being in aesthetic sports: The mediating role of passion

Aesthetic athletes face higher risks of disordered eating, and perfectionism is one of the determinants involved. While research suggests that perfectionism in sport may play a role in physical and psychological well-being, its influence remains to be confirmed. As such, further examination of the influence of perfectionism on health is warranted as it could lead to better interventions. This preregistered research sought to shed new light on these relationships by investigating the mediating role of passion in the perfectionism-disordered eating relationship as well as physical and psychological well-being in aesthetic sports. In Study 1, 229 American recreational and competitive athletes practicing either gymnastics (n = 150) or artistic swimming (n = 79) were recruited on MTurk to complete an online questionnaire. The same recruitment procedure was used for Study 2, with 107 American gymnasts (n = 69) and artistic swimmers (n = 38) completing the questionnaire at two timepoints, one year apart. Results from path analyses showed that socially prescribed perfectionism was associated with obsessive passion, which in turn was associated with disordered eating. Self-oriented perfectionism was associated with both obsessive and harmonious passion, the latter being more adaptative as it was associated with physical and psychological well-being. Thus, the way one engages in aesthetic sports matters, as engaging with obsessive passion may take a toll on one's health and lead to disordered eating. Conversely, fostering harmonious engagement seems to temper the negative associations between perfectionism and health outcomes and promote positive relationships with athlete's well-being, but requires further study.

Factors Associated With Running-Related Injuries in Recreational Runners With a History of Running Injuries

OBJECTIVE

To identify the incidence and characteristics associated with a higher injury risk in recreational runners who suffered a running-related injury (RRI) in the previous 12 months.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study among recreational runners who registered for a Dutch running event (5-42.2 km) and suffered an RRI in the 12 months before inclusion.

SETTING

Open population.

PARTICIPANTS

Recreational runners with a previous reported injury.

ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS

At baseline, information on demographics, training characteristics, health complaints, and RRI history was collected.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

With 3 follow-up questionnaires (2 weeks before, 1 day after, and 1 month after the running event), the occurrence of new RRIs was registered.

RESULTS

In total, 548 participants (55.1%) sustained a new RRI during follow-up. In total, 20.5% of the new RRIs was located at the same anatomical location as the previous RRI. Runners who registered for a marathon had a higher chance to sustain a new RRI [odd ratio (OR) 1.72; 95% confidence intervals (CIs), 1.17-2.53]. Also previous RRIs in the upper leg (OR 1.59; 95% CI, 1.15-2.19) and lower leg (OR 1.61; 95% CI, 1.18-2.21) were associated with an increased injury risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Especially being a marathon runner and the anatomical location of previous RRIs seem to be associated with the injury risk in recreational runners with a previous RRI.

Quantification of physiological and mental workloads of faster and slower finishers of a long-distance military training activity

BACKGROUND

Long-distance runs with equipment are practised in military training establishments to develop physical stamina and prepare for battles. A study was planned to quantify and compare the physiological and mental workloads of the early and late finishers of a military endurance run through the jungle terrain of north-eastern India in hot and humid conditions.

METHODS

Twenty-five soldiers of the Indian Army completed a 15 km run through a rural and jungle track with 6.5 kg of equipment. Twelve participants who finished the race before 130 min were categorised as 'early finishers', and 13 were categorised as 'late finishers' who finished the race after 130 min. Physiological parameters, viz., heart rate (HR), breathing rate (BR), estimated core temperature (ECT), peak acceleration (PAC), and physiological intensity (PHYI) and mechanical intensity (MECHI) were recorded using BioHarness V.3 (Zephyr Technologies, USA) and NASA Task Load Index scores were obtained to assess mental workload. Mann-Whitney U test was applied to assess the level of significance at a p value of <0.05.

RESULTS

HR, ECT and PAC were significantly higher (167.9 and 156.0 beats/min, 39.0℃ and 38.4℃, and 1.1 and 1.0 g, respectively) for the first group compared with the second group. The second group expressed higher BR and subjective responses ('total scores' were 76.5 and 82.5, respectively) than the first. The PHYI was significantly higher (from 7.2 to 6.3) for the first group, whereas the MECHI was similar in both groups.

CONCLUSION

The successful completion by the first group can be attributed to their motivation to continue heavy work in an adverse environment, and their ability to negotiate with natural obstacles was reflected through controlled subjective responses. Adoption of a possible safe and stable approach to the same task might have led the second group to take a longer duration, exert higher mental effort and demand lower physiological cost.

Factors Associated With Lower Limb Injuries in Recreational Runners: A Cross-Sectional Survey Including Mental Aspects and Sleep Quality

Knowledge about prevalence and etiology of running-related injuries (RRIs) is important to design effective RRI prevention programs. Mental aspects and sleep quality seem to be important potential risk factors, yet their association with RRIs needs to be elucidated. The aims of this study are to investigate the epidemiology of RRIs in recreational runners and the association of mental aspects, sleep, and other potential factors with RRIs. An internet-based questionnaire was sent to recreational runners recruited through social media, asking for personal and training characteristics, mental aspects (obsessive passion, motivation to exercise), sleep quality, perceived health, quality of life, foot arch type, and RRIs over the past six months. Data were analyzed descriptively and using logistic regression. Self-reported data from 804 questionnaires were analyzed. Twenty-five potential risk factors for RRIs were investigated. 54% of runners reported at least one RRI. The knee was the most-affected location (45%), followed by the lower leg (19%). Patellofemoral pain syndrome was the most-reported injury (20%), followed by medial tibial stress syndrome (17%). Obsessive passionate attitude (odds ratio (OR):1.35; 95% confidence interval (CI):1.18-1.54), motivation to exercise (OR:1.09; CI:1.03-1.15), and sleep quality (OR:1.23; CI:1.15-1.31) were associated with RRIs, as were perceived health (OR:0.96; CI:0.94-0.97), running over 20 km/week (OR:1.58; CI:1.04-2.42), overweight (OR:2.17; CI:1.41-3.34), pes planus (OR:1.80; CI:1.12-2.88), hard-surface running (OR:1.37; CI:1.17-1.59), running company (OR:1.65; CI:1.16-2.35), and following a training program (OR:1.51; CI:1.09-2.10). These factors together explained 30% of the variance in RRIs. A separate regression analysis showed that mental aspects and sleep quality explain 15% of the variance in RRIs. The association of mental aspects and sleep quality with RRIs adds new insights into the multifactorial etiology of RRIs. We therefore recommend that besides common risk factors for RRI, mental aspects and sleep be incorporated into the advice on prevention and management of RRIs.

Psychological factors during rehabilitation of patients with Achilles or patellar tendinopathy: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

to examine psychological factors during rehabilitation of patients with Achilles or patellar tendinopathy as well as the association between psychological factors and tendinopathy severity, sport participation, and satisfaction with activity level and tendon function.

DESIGN

cross-sectional study.

SETTING

online survey platform.

PARTICIPANTS

119 patients (mean age: 44 years (SD 14)) diagnosed with Achilles or patellar tendinopathy.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

A range of patient-reported psychological and outcome measures were recorded. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to establish the association between each psychological factor and outcome measures, adjusted for relevant confounders.

RESULTS

Psychological readiness and confidence to return to sports (I-PRRS) and pain catastrophizing (PCS) were significantly associated with tendinopathy severity (modified VISA), sport participation(OSTRC-O), and satisfaction. Kinesiophobia (TSK) and the importance to patients of returning to pre-injury activity level were significantly associated with sports participation and satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

The current study provides evidence of impairments in psychological factors during rehabilitation of patients with Achilles and patellar tendinopathy. Most investigated psychological factors were associated with tendinopathy severity, function, participation, and satisfaction. Physical therapists should recognize patients with lack of psychological readiness to return to sports and also patients with kinesiophobia or catastrophizing thoughts when experiencing pain.