Stressed out? You could be headed for a sports injury

A consensus statement recently issued by the American College of Sports Medicine recognizes the strong link between stress and sports injury.

[HTML_REMOVED] [HTML_REMOVED]

[HTML_REMOVED][HTML_REMOVED]Cognitive-Based Techniques[HTML_REMOVED]

[HTML_REMOVED] Thought stopping

[HTML_REMOVED] Thought replacement and imagery

[HTML_REMOVED] Positive self talk

[HTML_REMOVED][HTML_REMOVED]Somatic-Based Techniques[HTML_REMOVED]

[HTML_REMOVED] Slow, deep, or centered breathing

[HTML_REMOVED] Progressive muscle relaxation

[HTML_REMOVED] Biofeedback training

[HTML_REMOVED][HTML_REMOVED]Cognitive Behavioral Techniques[HTML_REMOVED]

[HTML_REMOVED] Goal setting

[HTML_REMOVED] Stress management training

[HTML_REMOVED]

According to the statement, "Psychological factors, especially stress, are an important antecedent to injuries, play an important role in injury rehabilitation, and contribute to successful return-to-play."

Not widely accepted in the sports arena, the medical community is beginning to seriously recognize psychological factors of injuries, not only in post-injury issues, but as a precursor to injury.

"It's validating that the psychological aspect is not something to ignore but instead is focusing on all factors of injury," said David B. Coppel, a UW alum and member of the consensus statement expert panel.

The consensus statement mentions a variety of factors that can affect a person's level of stress, such as "stressful life events, personality factors (e.g., introversion/extroversion, self- esteem, perfectionism) and other psychological factors (e.g. a supportive social network, coping resources, high achievement motivation)."

"Athletes who experience high stress or who perceive high stress, who have less social support [and/or] who have emotional vulnerabilities are more likely to be injured," Coppel said. "However, the frequency of injury is hard to say."

Recovery time is also affected by stress.

"If an athlete has strong social support and high internal strength, he/she is more likely to recover quicker than an athlete who does not," Coppel said.

Stress can narrow attention, increase self-consciousness and result in general distraction that interferes with an athlete's performance. It can also increase muscle tension and hinder coordination, which also heightens the risk of injury, the statement said.

"I think that injuries in sports play a major role in the stress levels of athletes," said Bobbak Talebi, a midfielder on the men's soccer team and member of the 2006 Pac-10 All-Academic Honorable Mention Team.

"It's hard to leave the emotions of athletic competition 'on the field,' as we say, when most of your life revolves around the physical and emotional commitment and preparation to achieving peak performance," Talebi continued. "Injuries create worries in a variety of ways and in turn create doubt. An athlete never wants to be told they can't do something, unless of course it's weights at 6:30 in the morning."

When an athlete has academic trouble, their stress level may increase and affect their performance.

"They don't pay attention in any aspect in their life when stressed," said Matt Anger, coach of the men's tennis team. "It's important that they be positive. Tennis is known for athletes that are hard on themselves and it affects their performance."

Consistent sleep habits and eating well are a few of the stress management tips that Anger recommends to his athletes.

"This keeps them healthy and reduces their stress levels," he said.

Some believe sports players and even students should change their attitudes.

"Students and athletes need to reprogram their thinking and stop talking negatively to themselves," said Ronald E. Smith, UW director of clinical training. "They should also learn good stress coping skills in order to relax oneself in one's competitive situations."

Relaxation techniques recommended by Coppel include deep abdominal breathing, engaging in relaxing activities, seeking social support, finding alone time, positive imagery, relaxing visualization (thinking of your happy place) and quieting the body of all demands.

Reach reporter Nicole Gomez at develop@thedaily.washington.edu.

For more information, this Consensus Statement and past statements can be obtained from the [HTML_REMOVED]www.sportsmed.org[HTML_REMOVED]