“The pain isn’t the hardest challenge… it’s the frustration at how much it affects my day-to-day life, my mental health and my ability to train”: a qualitative thematic analysis of elite athletes’ lived experiences of persisting low back pain
Elite athletes with pLBP report disruption to identity, self-confidence and perceived worth. The culture of elite sport magnifies psychosocial determinants of pain and recovery. Agency was fostered through validation of their pain experience, enhanced by education, diagnostic labelling and a culture of openness. Recovery was influenced by mental health and relationships within and beyond sport. Clinicians play a key role in facilitating athlete agency, contextualising pain and supporting psychological and social well-being.
Authors
- Fiona Wilson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0292-1087)
- Michael Makdissi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0334-7133)
- Geraldine Foley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7952-9246)
- Larissa Trease (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8413-2814)
- Jess A Morrison
- Mark J. Hancock (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9277-5377)
- A. Mosler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7353-2583)
- Joanne Kemp
Institutions
- La Trobe University (AU)
- Trinity College Dublin (IE)
- Australian Football League (AU)
- Central Party School of the Communist Party of China (CN)
- Agriculture Victoria Services (Australia) (AU)
- Macquarie University (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- British Journal of Sports Medicine
- Published
- 2026-01-07
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2025-110491
- Primary Topic
- Musculoskeletal pain and rehabilitation
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00