Predictors of Running-Related Injury Among Recreational Runners: A Prospective Cohort Study of the Role of Perfectionism, Mental Toughness, and Passion in Running

Aynollah Naderi; Nasrin Alizadeh; Luis Calmeiro; Hans Degens

doi:10.1177/19417381231223475

Predictors of Running-Related Injury Among Recreational Runners: A Prospective Cohort Study of the Role of Perfectionism, Mental Toughness, and Passion in Running

Sports Health. 2024 Feb 4:19417381231223475. doi: 10.1177/19417381231223475. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Aynollah Naderi¹, Nasrin Alizadeh², Luis Calmeiro^{3

4}, Hans Degens^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ School of Sport Sciences, Shahrood University of Technology. Shahrood, Semnan, Iran.
² Department of Sport Science, University College of Omran and Tosseeh, Hamadan, Iran.
³ School of Social and Health Sciences, Abertay University, Dundee, UK.
⁴ Institute of Environmental Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Portugal.
⁵ Department of Life Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.
⁶ Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Lithuania.

PMID: 38311884
DOI: 10.1177/19417381231223475

Abstract

Background: The health benefits associated with recreational running are challenged by the occurrence of running-related injuries (RRIs). Effective preventive measures require knowledge of sport injury etiology. Psychological factors such as perfectionism, mental toughness, and passion are believed to predispose to sports injury by influencing training behaviors, motivation to run, and suppression of feelings of fatigue and pain. Yet their association with RRIs are understudied.

Hypothesis: Perfectionism, mental toughness, and passion predict an increased risk of RRIs in recreational runners.

Study design: Prospective cohort study.

Level of evidence: Level 3.

Methods: A total of 143 recreational runners (age 34.9 ± 13.9 years, 37% women) with a response rate of 76.5% answered an online questionnaire about their characteristics, running behaviors, and psychological variables (perfectionism, mental toughness, and running passion) as well as a sports injury survey. Then, as a primary outcome, RRIs were recorded biweekly for 6 months. The incidence of injuries was expressed as RRI per 1000 hours of running. The association between predictive factors and RRIs was estimated using logistic regression.

Results: The incidence of RRIs during follow-up was 5.16 per 1000 hours of running. The knee was the location injured most often (26.4%), followed by the foot (18.9%) and lower leg (13.2%). Higher obsessive passion (OP) for running (odds ratio [OR], 1.11; 95% CI, 1.04-1.20) and perfectionistic concerns (OR, 1.22; CI,1.05-1.41) were associated with a greater risk of RRIs, as were previous injury (OR, 2.49; CI,1.10-5.70), weekly running distance (OR,1.10; CI, 1.03-1.16), and both supinated (OR, 4.51; CI, 1.11-18.30) and pronated (OR, 3.55; CI, 1.29-9.80) foot type. Following a running schedule (OR, 0.24; CI, 0.09-0.66) was associated with a lower risk of RRIs.

Conclusion: History of previous RRI, pronated and supinated foot type, weekly running distance, perfectionistic concerns, and OP increased RRI risk in recreational runners. Following a running schedule was a protective factor.

Clinical relevance: Multiple factors, including runners' psychological characteristics, predict RRIs. These findings can inform the development of injury risk management strategies.

Keywords: athletic injury; etiology; overuse injury; risk factors; training program.