Overuse Injury, Substance Use, and Resilience in Collegiate Female Athlete

Abstract

Background Overuse injury is a common stressor experienced by female collegiate athletes and is often underreported. In response, athletes may develop negative coping skills such as substance use. Alternatively, resilience is a modifiable trait that may positively influence response to musculoskeletal injuries and substance use. Purpose To provide an updated epidemiological profile of overuse injury and substance use and examine the relationship between resilience, overuse injury, and substance use among collegiate female athletes. Design Cross-sectional study Methods Two-hundred and thirty female collegiate athletes were classified into overuse injury and resilience groups. Overuse injury, pain, and substance use incidence proportions (IP) were calculated. Kruskal-Wallis analyses were performed to investigate differences in substance use among resilience groups. Analyses of covariance were performed to evaluate differences in overuse injuries, substantial overuse injuries, and time loss injuries, among resilience groups. Results IP for pain was 45.0% (95% CI: 38.2-51.9); Overuse injury 52.0% (45.1-58.9); Alcohol use 35.1% (28.6-41.6); Electronic cigarette use 19.5% (14.6-24.9); Cigarette use 2.8% (6-5.1); and Drug use 3.3% (0.9-5.8). No significant differences were found between resilience groups for the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Overuse Injury Questionnaire (OSTRC) variables (Pain: p=0.102; Overuse injury: p=0.331; Substantial overuse injury: p=0.084; Not playing: p=0.058), alcohol (p=0.723), or combined substance use (p=0.069). Conclusions Pain and overuse injury prevalence is high among female collegiate athletes. Alcohol followed by electronic cigarette use were the most commonly utilized substances. No significant differences were identified in substance use or overuse injury presentation between resilience groups, though further investigation is warranted. Level of Evidence 3

Physically fit with a higher cancer risk? Influences of cervical cancer screening among a sample of physically active women ages 21–49 living in the United States

“…This compares with previous research documenting participation in cancer-risk related behaviors among women engaging in sports and generally low cancer-risk related behavioral knowledge among young adults within this age range ( American Cancer Society. Cervical Cancer Causes, Risk Factors,and Prevention., 2021 , Gönenç, 2020 , Moore et al, 2013 , Mastroleo, 2013 , Martin, 2021 , Hingson, 2009 , Turrisi, 2006 , Nelson and Wechsler, 2001 , Nardi et al, 2016 , Christy, 2021 , Nolan, 2014 , Wearn and Shepherd, 2022 , Fuzzell, 2021 , Schrager et al, 2017 , Han, 2018 , Landy, 2016 ). Moreover, with half of our sample self-identifying as Black, reportedly low cervical cancer screening rates may be explained by previous research that suggests inadequate knowledge and perceived barriers as influential factors affecting the decision of minority women to not get screened for cervical cancer ( Nardi et al, 2016 ).…”