PAIN AND CATASTROPHIZING LEVELS IN TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETES ACCORDING TO THEIR EVENT SPECIALIZATION: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

This study examined pain and catastrophizing in 124 track and field athletes, considering training characteristics and sex. Due to high physical demands, athletes often cope with pain, though its impact on performance was previously unexamined. During the preseason, 124 athletes responded an anonymous questionnaire to collect information about their socio-demographic (sex, age) and sports characteristics (volume training, event specialization, sport experience). Also, they informed about current pain (from 0 to 10 level, and location), and replied to the pain catastrophizing scale (PCS). Injuries from the previous season were also collected. From all participants, 35 athletes (28.2%) had current pain, mainly in the knee (18.6%) and ankle (16.3%), with higher prevalence in explosive event athletes (p = 0.041). Athletes with pain had higher training volumes (p = 0.007) and PCS values (p < 0.001). The average catastrophizing level was 14.52 ± 9.85 points, correlating with pain (r = 0.36, p < 0.001) and age (r = 0.25, p = 0.006). Female athletes reported higher helplessness scores than males (p = 0.011). In conclusion, one third of athletes affirmed to have pain, mainly in knee and ankle. Athletes specialized in explosive events seems to experience more current pain than endurance. Furthermore, volume of training could facilitate pain existence. Catastrophizing was related with age and pain, regardless the athletic event. Also, female athletes had higher values of helplessness than male athletes.