The relationship between life stress and sporting injuries

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between life stress and sporting injuries, and factors mediating that relationship. Eighty two Soccer players and sixty eight Rugby players had their injuries recorded for a three month period. Subjects were then administered the Social and Athletic Readjustment Rating Scale (Bramwell, Masuda, Wagner, & Holmes, 1975), a measure of life stresses for athletes, along with the Test of Attentional and Interpersonal Style (Nideffer, 1976), and the Sport Competition Anxiety Test.

(Martens, 1977). The results indicated a relationship between high life stress and sporting injuries for Rugby players, but not for Soccer players. No significant differences in life stress scores were found for those players categorized as having suffered minor, moderate, or major injuries. Competitive Trait Anxiety, attention, and fatigue were examined as moderator variables in the life stress/sporting injury relationship, and were found to have no significant effects. It was concluded that the differences between Rugby and Soccer players in the life stress/ sporting injury relationship may be due to differences in a number of variables, particularly Trait Anxiety. While partially supporting past research, the findings indicated that further investigation into the life stress/sporting injury relationship is required.