[Sport injuries and level of anxiety in soccer players].

BACKGROUND

To study the relationship between psychological factors such as the anxiety trait and the possibility of suffering a sports injury in soccer players.

SUBJECTS AND METHOD

In this study we analysed a sample of 149 males soccer players using a classic statistical analysis of case-control design studies, the relationship between the "sports injury" effect and the theoretical risk indicator of "the anxiety trait" measured using the Sixteen Personality Factors (16PF).

RESULTS

It was found that there is indeed a relationship (odds ratio [OR] = 3.4; CI 95%; 1.03-11.4) between high levels in the anxiety trait and a proneness to suffering injuries, however, apart from confirming this idea which has been put forward by several authors, our results suggested that a very high or very low anxiety trait score favours the possibility of suffering an injury (OR = 3.2; CI 95%: 1.4-7.5).

CONCLUSIONS

In soccer players to minimize the risk of sports injuries an optimum anxiety trait score is important as extreme scores, whether these are high or low, are associated with a greater risk of suffering injuries. Thus, if this individual characteristic is known, then it is possible to identify those persons who are predisposed to suffering sport injuries.