The association between mental health status and injuries in sports: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Injuries are nearly inevitable in most athletes, who often experience psychological symptoms when they get injured and following an injury. While their response to these symptoms can vary from athlete to athlete, it is clear that these symptoms can negatively influence the athlete’s recovery following the injury. The primary aim of this study was to examine the association between mental health status and sports injuries in athletes in Reykjavík. The secondary objective of this study was to investigate potential differences in the association between mental health and injury across distinct sports types and gender. This was a cross-sectional study where the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were used to evaluate depression and anxiety symptoms. The Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center (OSTRC) questionnaire was used for evaluating musculoskeletal and health-related problems for knee, thigh, lower back, and shoulder injuries. The study sample were athletes 18 years and older that compete and practice with the first team of sports clubs that are part of the Reykjavík Sports Union (RSU). Three-hundred seventy-four athletes answered the questionnaires, including 155 females and 219 males. The athletes answered the questionnaires in February 2021. The main results revealed an association between mental health status and sports injuries, for both genders and for both sports types. These findings suggest that mental health status may play a role in sports injuries among athletes in Reykjavík and that gender and sport type may impact this association. Further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms of these findings for injury prevention and athlete well-being.