Changes in Quality of Life Among Collegiate Athletes During COVID-19

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant effect on the mental health of athletes. How this has affected quality of life (QoL), specifically in the college population, is poorly defined.

HYPOTHESIS

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the mental and physical QoL will have decreased in collegiate athletes as compared with before the pandemic.

STUDY DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 3.

METHODS

Division I athletes from a total of 23 varsity teams at a single institution completed surveys between 2018 and 2022. QoL was assessed using the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12). VR-12 scores were separated into mental component scores (MCS) and physical component scores (PCS). Separate linear mixed effects models evaluated changes in MCS and PCS from pre-COVID to during COVID overall, as well as differences in changes by sex and sport type (individual, team).

RESULTS

For all athletes, the PCS increased (54.6 [95% CI 54.4-54.7] vs 55.1 [54.9-55.3]; P < 0.01) and the MCS decreased (55.2 [54.9-55.5] vs 53.5 [53.1-53.8]; P < 0.01) from pre-COVID to during COVID. When evaluating for sex, women demonstrated a greater increase in PCS (0.57 ± 0.22; P = 0.01) and greater decrease in MCS (1.06 ± 0.38; P < 0.01). With respect to sport type, individual sports demonstrated a greater decrease in MCS (1.46 ± 0.39; P < 0.01), but no interaction was identified for PCS (0.42 ± 0.23; P = 0.07).

CONCLUSION

Collegiate athletes demonstrated a decrease in their self-reported mental QoL during the COVID-19 pandemic, as compared with before the pandemic. This effect was most evident in women and in individual sports. Athletes also reported an increase in physical QoL during COVID that was also larger in women, but not related to sport.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

This study demonstrates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on collegiate athletes' QoL, including negative effects on mental health. It also identifies cohorts of athletes (women, individual) who may be more significantly affected.

Mindfulness Practice Is Associated With Improved Well-Being and Reduced Injury Risk in Female NCAA Division I Athletes

BACKGROUND

Injury in sport is an inherent risk to participation, and it can have devastating consequences for the athlete, both mentally and physically. Previous research has found that impairments in well-being can increase the risk of injury, and that various forms of mindfulness training and practice can improve well-being and mental health in various populations.

HYPOTHESIS

Mindfulness would be associated with greater well-being and lower risk of injury.

STUDY DESIGN

Cohort study.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level 3.

METHODS

A total of 21 female Division I athletes underwent a formal 6-week mindfulness training program and were encouraged to continue mindfulness exercises. The athletes completed daily surveys on their smartphones in relation to mood, muscle readiness (soreness), readiness to train, energy level, daily training load, and whether they had participated in mindfulness training that day. Linear mixed effects models were used to evaluate well-being variables and mindfulness state, and separate mixed effects logistics regression models were used to evaluate injury incidence and wellness variables.

RESULTS

On days with mindfulness practice, athletes reported higher mood (19.6 [18.8-20.3] vs 19.4 [18.6-20.1, P = 0.03), muscle readiness (18.9 [17.8-20.0] vs 18.6 [17.5-19.6], P = 0.03), readiness to train (78.7 [75.9-81.5] vs 77.4 [74.7-80.2], P < 0.01), and energy level (19.3 [18.6-20.1] vs 18.8 [18.1-19.5, P < 0.01) than on the days when they did not participate in mindfulness training. Mindfulness practice was associated with significantly reduced likelihood of suffering an acute injury the following day (odds ratio, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.42-0.43; P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

On an individual level, participation in mindfulness by female collegiate athletes was associated with a dramatic reduction in injury risk the following day. In addition, mindfulness was associated with significantly improved mood, muscle readiness, readiness to train, and energy level.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

These findings suggest that mindfulness training in athletes may improve well-being and reduce the risk of injury among high-level athletes.

The Validity of the Session Rating of Perceived Exertion Method for Measuring Internal Training Load in Professional Classical Ballet Dancers

The aim of this study was to investigate the convergent validity of session rating of perceived exertion (s-RPE) with objective measures of internal training load (TL) in professional classical ballet dancers. Heart rate and s-RPE data were collected in 22 professional classical ballet dancers across a total of 218 ballet class or rehearsal sessions. Eleven participants completed at least 9 sessions, and were therefore included in analyses of individual relationships between s-RPE and objective measures. To calculate s-RPE, the session duration was multiplied by the RPE, measured using the modified Borg CR-10 scale. The Edwards summated heart rate zones (Edwards TRIMP) and Banister training impulse (Banister TRIMP) methods were used as criterion measures of internal TL. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were used to determine intra-individual relationships between s-RPE and objective measures. Repeated measures correlations were used to identify intra-individual relationships common across the cohort. Positive linear relationships were seen between s-RPE and objective measures across all session types [Edwards TRIMP: r_{rm (195)} = 0.81, p < 0.001; Banister TRIMP: r_{rm (195)} = 0.79, p < 0.001], in ballet class [Edwards TRIMP: r_{rm (58)} = 0.64, p < 0.001; Banister TRIMP: r_{rm (58)} = 0.59, p < 0.001], and in rehearsals [Edwards TRIMP: r_{rm (119)} = 0.82, p < 0.001; Banister TRIMP: r_{rm (119)} = 0.80, p < 0.001], as well as across both males [Edwards TRIMP: r_{rm (136)} = 0.82, p < 0.001; Banister TRIMP: r_{rm (136)} = 0.80, p < 0.001], and females [Edwards TRIMP: r_{rm (57)} = 0.80, p < 0.001; Banister TRIMP: r_{rm (57)} = 0.78, p < 0.001]. Intra-individual correlation coefficients ranged from 0.46–0.96 [Edwards TRIMP: mean r = 0.81 ± 0.11, p = 0.051 – < 0.001; Banister TRIMP: mean r = 0.78 ± 0.14, p = 0.13– < 0.001]. These results demonstrate that s-RPE is a valid and practical method for measuring internal TL in professional classical ballet dancers.

The influence of training load, exposure to match play and sleep duration on daily wellbeing measures in youth athletes

This study assessed the influence of training load, exposure to match play and sleep duration on two daily wellbeing measures in youth athletes. Forty-eight youth athletes (age 17.3 ± 0.5 years) completed a daily wellbeing questionnaire (DWB), the Perceived Recovery Status scale (PRS), and provided details on the previous day's training loads (TL) and self-reported sleep duration (sleep) every day for 13 weeks (n = 2727). Linear mixed models assessed the effect of TL, exposure to match play and sleep on DWB and PRS. An increase in TL had a most likely small effect on muscle soreness (d = -0.43;± 0.10) and PRS (d = -0.37;± 0.09). Match play had a likely small additive effect on muscle soreness (d = -0.26;± 0.09) and PRS (d = -0.25;± 0.08). An increase in sleep had a most likely moderate effect on sleep quality (d = 0.80;± 0.14); a most likely small effect on DWB (d = 0.45;± 0.09) and fatigue (d = 0.42;± 0.11); and a likely small effect on PRS (d = 0.25;± 0.09). All other effects were trivial or did not reach the pre-determined threshold for practical significance. The influence of sleep on multiple DWB subscales and the PRS suggests that practitioners should consider the recovery of an athlete alongside the training stress imposed when considering deviations in wellbeing measures.