Psychological aspects of sports injuries among male professional soccer players in Croatia

Abstract

Abstract:The aim of this study was to assess occurrence of sports injuries among professional male soccer players in relation to their psychological characteristics. This prospective cohort study was conducted during the 2013/2014 sports season among all professional players with the first team contract in the first Croatian soccer league. A stratified sample of 182 male soccer players were selected for the assessment. They were surveyed during their preparation period before the beginning of the season and were under monitoring during the season. Seriousness of injuries was assessed depending on the duration (one day or more) of players' non-participation in sports activities. Psychological characteristics were assessed by the General Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), Revised Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, impulsive behaviour scale from the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire Cross-Cultural 50-item version and Psychological Skills Inventory for Sports. Majority of players (62.6%) experienced a kind of injury, with the mean number of 1.28 injuries per player, and 30.7% of them contracted severe injuries. Results of the binary regression model suggest that likelihood of being injured is mostly influenced by higher Impulsive Sensation Seeking and GAD-7 scores (OR=1.26 in both cases). In contrast, adequate mental preparation significantly lowers the chance of being injured (OR=0.89). The study gives an insight into proportions, severity, mechanisms and number of sport injuries in the population of Croatian professional soccer players. We propose several variables as important predictors of future injuries. Some scales, commonly used in this field, have been shown to be less useful for injury prediction.

Relationship of resilience, anxiety and injuries in footballers: Structural equations analysis

“…There are also numerous studies which cite the incidence and prevalence of sports injuries in the context of organised sport and their relationship with some psychological attributes of players [ 4 , 6 – 7 ]. Madzar et al [ 8 ] and Zurita-Ortega et al [ 9 ] have identified a relationship between injury occurrence and anxiety.…”

The expression of emotional skills among individual and team sports male athletes

“…According to the earlier research findings carried out by S. Laborde, F. Dosseville, and M.S. Allen [1]; Madzar T. et al [36]; Znazen H. et al [37], elite players (professional athletes) apply different types of mental skills in order to control their competitive anxiety; they have higher selfconfidence and positive effect on emotions regulation. Second, a subject of previous researches consists of both male and female athletes.…”

Revisão sistemática: instrumentos para avaliação do estresse e ansiedade em jogadores de futebol

“…No entanto, indicaram uma predição que sustenta a hipótese de que jogadores de futebol profissional que sofreram lesões musculoesqueléticas severas provavelmente desenvolverão sintomas subsequentes de transtornos mentais comuns (Kiliç et al, 2018). Um estudo avaliando a ocorrência de lesões em relação às características psicológicas, sugeriu que a probabilidade de lesão é principalmente influenciada por comportamentos impulsivos e pelos altos escores em uma escala de ansiedade (Madžar, Milošević, Hrabač & Heningsberg, 2017); outro estudo visou determinar o risco de fraturas, entre elas as que ocorrem por estresse, em um time de futebol, tendo apresentado estimativas de que um time pode apresentar 1 a 2 fraturas por temporada. Há mais fraturas traumáticas do que fraturas por estresse, entretanto as fraturas por estresse geram ausências mais longas (Larsson, Ekstrand & Karlsson, 2013).…”

“…Tais evidências denotam a demanda de clubes e confederações ofertarem serviços direcionados à gestão do estresse e da ansiedade, para que estes se estabeleçam em níveis adequados à saúde física e mental dos jogadores (Aughey et al, 2016;Tharawadeepimuk & Wongsawat, 2017). Um destes estudos indicou inclusive que a probabilidade de um atleta se lesionar pode ser influenciada pelos níveis de ansiedade e estresse (Madžar et al, 2017).…”