Bone Stress Injuries, Risk Of Low Energy Availability And Exercise Dependence In Female Trail Runners

Bone Stress Injuries, Risk of Low Energy Availability and ExerciseDependence in Female Trail RunnersSaleen Zarate, Kelly Pritchett, Robert Pritchett, Namrita Brooke ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Problematic Low Energy Availability (LEA) can lead to Relative Energy Deficiencyin Sport (REDs) which results in negative health outcomes such as impaired bone health. Trail runnersmay engage in a higher volume of training and may be at risk for Exercise Dependance (EXD) which mayfurther increase the risk for bone stress injuries. PURPOSE: This study investigated: 1) the prevalence of self-reported stress fractures (SFs) incompetitive and recreational female trail runners aged 18-40 years, and 2) risk of LEA and exercisedependence (EXD) between female trail runners with a history of ≤ 1 SF and multiple SFs ≥ 2. METHODS: Female competitive and recreational trail runners (18-40 years old) completed an onlinesurvey that included the Exercise Dependence Scale- 21 (EDS-21) and Low Energy Availability inFemales Questionnaire (LEAF-Q). RESULTS: 1,410 female trail runners, competitive (n= 603) and recreational (n=807), between the agesof 18-40 were grouped by self-reported ≤ 1 lifetime SF (n=1245) and ≥ 2 (n=165) lifetime SF. Risk forLEA was significantly higher in the trail runners who self-reported ≥ 2 SF at 67 % compared to 48 % inrunners who self-reported ≤ 1 SF (p < 0.001). Risk for EXD was associated with SF prevalence (p <0.001). CONCLUSION: Female trail runners with a self-reported history of > 2 SF were more likely to be atrisk for LEA based on the LEAF-Q. Athletes that scored higher on the EDS scale had a greater likelihoodof reporting > 2 SF. Therefore, the LEAF-Q and EDS-21 are reliable tools to assess LEA and EXD inathletes, which are associated with multiple SF in female trail runners.