The aim of this study was to characterise the presentation, treatment, and management of adolescent athlete low back pain (LBP) as diagnosed in a clinical setting. The objectives were to 1) identify ...diagnoses associated with LBP in adolescent athletes; 2) categorise the differences in LBP diagnosis and presentation by sport, sex, BMI, and age; and 3) examine treatment and management methods of LBP in adolescent athletes.
Retrospective chart review.
This retrospective medical chart review was conducted in the Sports Medicine Division of Boston Children's Hospital (BCH), a tertiary paediatric academic hospital. Data were collected and analysed from 363 adolescent athletes who had experienced LBP between 2015 and 2020. Chi-squared tests for association were used to assess for associations between LBP diagnoses and age, sex, BMI, and sport. Statistical analysis was conducted using SAS software version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary NC).
Non-specific LBP was the most common LBP diagnosis amongst 363 adolescent athletes with LBP (34 %). This was closely followed by spondylolysis (28 %). There was a higher proportion of female athletes amongst participants diagnosed with facet-joint related pain (90 %) and SI-joint related pain (89 %) compared to the proportion of female athletes amongst participants diagnosed with spondylolysis (50 %). There was a high rate of diagnostic MRI usage in this cohort. Commonly used management techniques in this cohort were diagnostic MRI, physical therapy, relative rest, and bracing.
An awareness of the sex-based differences in adolescent athlete LBP diagnoses may be useful for clinicians. It may be important to refine methods of diagnosis of LBP in this group, as there was a high rate of diagnostic MRI use. Future research should be directed towards the development of management guidelines specific to LBP in adolescent athletes to assist in the optimal management of this diagnosis.
Cette étude visait à comparer l’intensité des attitudes et des comportements inappropriés à l’égard de l’alimentation, du poids et de l’image corporelle (ACIAI) et la perception du degré ...d’intériorisation à l’identité athlétique chez un groupe d’adolescentes athlètes à celles évaluées chez un groupe contrôle. Le second objectif était d’examiner la contribution des pressions propres au contexte sportif sur la variabilité de l’intensité des ACIAI auprès du groupe d’athlètes. Le troisième objectif consistait à vérifier si l’identité athlétique agit en tant que variable modératrice dans la relation entre les pressions de l’environnement sportif et les ACIAI.
L’échantillon était composé de 197 adolescentes, soit 122 non-athlètes et 75 athlètes participant à des sports esthétiques à un haut niveau. Les questionnaires Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3) et le Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) ont été utilisés pour évaluer l’intensité des ACIAI. Les pressions de l’environnement sportif ont été mesurées par le questionnaire Weight Pressures in Sport for Female (WPS-F) et le degré d’intériorisation à l’identité athlétique était évalué à l’aide du Athletic Identity Questionnaire (AIQ).
Les résultats ont indiqué qu’il n’y avait pas de différence significative entre les deux groupes quant à l’intensité des ACIAI. Le groupe d’athlètes s’est distingué quant à leur perception du degré d’intériorisation à l’apparence athlétique. Les résultats ont révélé que certaines pressions de l’environnement sportif contribuent à l’explication de la variabilité des ACIAI chez le groupe d’athlètes. L’intériorisation de l’identité athlétique n’est pas une variable modératrice entre les pressions de l’environnement sportif et les ACIAI chez les athlètes participantes.
Les résultats de cette étude soulignent l’influence de certaines pressions de l’environnement sportif sur l’adoption de divers types d’ACIAI chez les athlètes adolescentes.
The first objective of this study was to describe and compare the intensity of inappropriate behaviors and attitudes toward food and body image (BAFBI) and the degree of internalization of athletic identity in a group of adolescent female athletes to those assessed in a control group. The second objective was to examine the contribution of sport-specific pressures on the variability in the intensity of BAFBI among the group of athletes. The third objective was to test whether the internalization of athletic identity acts as a moderating variable in the relationship between sport environment pressures and BAFBI.
The sample consisted of 197 adolescent girls , 122 non-athletes and 75 athletes participating in high performance aesthetic sports. The Eating Disorder Inventory-3 (EDI-3) and the Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) were used to assess the intensity of BAFBI. Pressures from the sport environment were measured by the Weight Pressures in Sport for Female questionnaire (WPS-F) and the degree of internalization to athletic identity was assessed using the Athletic Identity Questionnaire (AIQ).
The results indicated that there is no significant difference between the two groups in the intensity of the BAFBI. The athlete group differed in their perception of the degree of internalization to athletic appearance. The results revealed that certain pressures in the sport environment contribute to the explanation of the variability of BAFBI among the group of athletes. Internalization of athletic identity was not a moderating variable between sport environment pressures and BAFBI among the participating athletes.
The results of this study highlight the influence of certain pressures in the sport environment on the adoption of various BAFBI in adolescent athletes.
The present study aimed to assess the utility of a less laborious technique for estimating total body protein (TBPro) in young athletes, using a multicomponent model as the criterion method. A total ...of 88 (49 boys and 39 girls) adolescent athletes (age: 15.2 ± 1.5 years; body mass index: 21.2 ± 2.7 kg/m 2 ) participated. A 6-compartment model was used as the reference method (TBPro Reference ) involving air displacement plethysmography for body volume, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for bone mineral content, and deuterium dilution for total body water (TBW). Alternatively, DXA TBPro models were used as TBPro = lean-soft mass (LSM) − HF FFM × fat-free mass (FFM) − Ms. − G, where LSM and FFM were assessed using DXA, HF FFM is the hydration fraction of the FFM using measured TBW or assumed TBW (adult fraction of 0.732; Lohman’s constants or mean observed HF FFM ), Ms. is soft tissue minerals (Ms = 0.0129 × HF FFM × FFM), and G is glycogen calculated as 0.044 × (LSM − HF FFM × FFM − Ms). The maturation level was determined by self-assessment. TBPro obtained from DXA using the assumed HF FFM explained 73% to 77% of the variance compared to TBPro Reference. Meanwhile, using the mean values of measured HF FFM , the DXA model explained 53 and 36% for boys and girls, respectively. Larger bias (8.6% for boys and 25.8% for girls) and limits of agreement were found for the DXA model using measured HF FFM (boys for 66.9% and girls for 70%) compared to an assumed HF FFM (bias ranged from 1.5% to 22.5% and limits of agreement ranged from 31.3% to 35.3%). Less complex and demanding TBPro DXA models with the assumed HF FFM are valid alternatives for assessing this relevant FFM component in groups of adolescent athletes but are less accurate for individual results. Though future studies should be conducted to test the usefulness of these models in longitudinal and experimental designs, their potential to provide an estimation of protein mass after exercise and diet interventions in young athletes is anticipated.
The paper presents a national level Swedish project aimed at examining adolescent student-athletes' dual career experiences (including sport, studies, and private life) during their first year at ...national elite sport schools (Swedish abbreviation RIGs will be used) with a particular focus on development of their athletic and student identities. The developmental model of transitions faced by athletes (Wylleman & Lavallee, 2004) and the athletic career transition model (Stambulova, 2003) served as underlying frameworks.
A longitudinal mixed-method research design was used with autumn-to-spring quantitative and qualitative parts.
Sixteen year old student-athletes, representing 27 sports and 33 RIGs (n = 261 in the first and n = 250 in the second measurement), completed three quantitative instruments. Additionally, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 participants.
Results revealed (a) significant changes in the participants' transition/adaptation variables from the first to the second measurement accompanied by rather high perceived quality of adjustment at RIG both at the beginning and at the end of the educational year; (b) significant contributions of the transition variables to the perceived quality of adjustment with personal resources as a key predictor; (c) significantly higher athletic than student identity in both quantitative measurements, but with inter- and intra-individual differences with regard to balancing the two shown by the qualitative data.
The study contributes to deeper understanding of dual career experiences of Swedish adolescent athletes; the authors provide recommendations for psychological dual career support services at RIGs and outline future research in the Swedish dual career model.
•Dual career of Swedish athletes at national elite sport schools (RIGs) is examined.•Definition of an optimal dual career balance is suggested.•Recommendations are provided in regards to dual career support services at RIGs.•The Swedish dual career model is proposed as an agenda for future research.
Objectives This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a specifically designed mindfulness-acceptance-insight-commitment (MAIC) training program on relevant psychological factors (i.e., ...mindfulness, acceptance, performance-related satisfaction) as well as sport training performance for elite adolescent athletes from Hong Kong. And it also aimed to explore the athletes’ real experiences (i.e., receptiveness and perceptions) of completing the MAIC program. Methods and design The mixed-method was used in this study, including a randomized controlled trial (RCT) and a qualitative exploration. The RCT employed a 2 (groups) x 3 (data collection points) design involving 40 elite adolescent athletes from the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI). These athletes were randomly assigned to either the MAIC training group (MT; n = 20, Mage = 15.65) or the control group (CG; n = 20, Mage = 15.85) to further test the effectiveness of the MAIC intervention on mindfulness, acceptance, performance-related satisfaction, and sport training performance. Subsequent to the RCT, the qualitative exploration was used to explore the athletes’ real experiences towards the MAIC program. In the qualitative exploration, all athletes who participated in the MAIC program were invited to participate in voluntary semi-structured interviews. Of these, 14 athletes chose to take part in the interviews. The RCT employed a 2×3 mixed-design ANOVA, while thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative exploration. Results The results revealed that the MAIC training program significantly enhanced athletes’ mindfulness, acceptance, satisfaction with performance, and sport training performance. However, these effects diminished at the follow-up assessment compared to post-training. Notably, the acceptance level of MT athletes did not significantly differ from CG athletes at the follow-up assessment. Additionally, the qualitative analysis identified four key dimensions: (a) Attitude towards MAIC training, (b) Reflection on the MAIC learning process, (c) Outcomes of MAIC training, and (d) Recommendations for future MAIC training. Overall, the qualitative findings complemented and reinforced the quantitative results, offering deeper insights into athletes’ experiences and valuable suggestions for further enhancing the MAIC program. Conclusion The findings suggested that the specifically designed MAIC training program in this study effectively enhanced sport training performance and various psychological factors among elite adolescent athletes from Hong Kong. Nevertheless, further investigations are still required to comprehensively evaluate and further develop the MAIC training program.
Football is one of the most popular team sports globally. Both amateur and professional footballers face the risk of injuries during training and matches. To mitigate this risk, a study was conducted ...focusing on training to improve postural stability – a crucial element in sports injury prevention. The study involved 20 boys aged 14–15 years, training at a professional football club, with a mean height of 172 cm and a body weight of 58.5 kg. The intervention comprised additional training sessions held twice a week over three months, utilizing the Delos Postural Proprietary System platform. Each training session lasted 15 minutes. As part of the study, the footballers underwent the ‘RIVA’ test, assessing postural stability with eyes closed and open before and after the intervention. The results revealed a statistically significant improvement in both trials, 4.3% and 2.1%, respectively. When compared with findings from other studies, it is reasonable to conclude that this form of additional training may contribute to a reduction in injuries, especially among young football players.
The development of identity formation occurs during adolescence through experiences, ideals and principle. With greater accessibility to sports, recent trends have shown increased rates of sports ...specialization over the past decade in youth athletes. Athletic identity measures the strength an individual is tied to the athlete role and can be formed in conjunction to adolescent identity formation. More specialized youth athletes may have stronger ties to their athletic identity during their adolescent identity formation period.
Youth basketball athletes were surveyed on specialization levels and athletic identity via the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS), including three submeasures: social identity, exclusivity, and negative affectivity.
Participants showed stronger identification to social identity items and the weakest identification with exclusivity items. Athletes reporting more time spent playing their primary sport presented higher scores across all measures of athletic identity, and total athletic identity was stronger in athletes reporting specialization at an earlier age. Exclusivity and negative affectivity tended to increase with specialization level which may primarily be driven by specialized athletes choosing to quit non-primary sports.
Athletic identity may be worth noting as a psychological indicator of potential risk of injury. The long-term goal of this work is to provide the research and clinical community a greater understanding of a potential psychosocial risk factor as youth athletes continue specializing and spending more time training in a singular sport.
Athletes who train and compete despite health problems are frequently found in competitive sports. In recent years, this phenomenon has been associated with presenteeism that has been studied mainly ...in occupational health. The research subject is a laborer. Recently, Meyer and Thiel (2018, pp.51-52) applied the concept of presenteeism to athletes as “sickness presenteeism,” which is defined as in the sports context “as training or competing despite having a health problem.” Sickness presenteeism possibly leads to mental illness, burnout, and exacerbation of illnesses and injuries of athletes. Although there are many studies on presenteeism in occupational health, very little exist in sports science. Therefore, this study reviews the literature to investigate presenteeism and its research potential with athletes by examining eight published studies; five by Mayer and his research group. This review focuses on the model of presenteeism created by Mayer and introduces the measurement methods, factors, and influences of presenteeism. The influences of presenteeism can be both negative and positive; therefore, athletes are conflicted about competing while having health problems. Finally, we described the possibilities and prospects for presenteeism research with athletes in Japan.
