Examining Injury Reporting Among Adolescent Runners

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to examine running-related injury (RRI) reporting behaviors among adolescent runners and explore factors related to early reporting of RRI symptoms. METHODS: Data were obtained from 405 high school cross country runners who responded to a case scenario describing early symptoms of a tibial bone stress RRI. Participants reported their likelihood of reporting a RRI to their coach after one week of symptom duration. Correlation analyses and independent sample t-tests were used to compare likely RRI reporting and key psychosocial factors. RESULTS: Overall, the participants reported a 69% likelihood of reporting RRI symptoms to their coach after one week of symptom duration. Perceived symptom severity (r = 0.21, p < 0.01), coach-athlete relationship quality (r = 0.27, p < 0.01), and positive anticipated coach response (r = 0.34, p < 0.01) were each positively associated with the likelihood of reporting RRI symptoms. The stigma athletes associate with RRI reporting was negatively associated with the likelihood of RRI reporting (r = -0.43, p < 0.01). Participants who sustained an injury in the previous season reported a lower likelihood of RRI reporting when presented with new symptoms (66.1% vs 74.3%, p < 0.05). While these previously injured participants reported a higher preparedness to recognize symptoms (Preparedness scores: 20.6 vs 18.9, p < 0.01), they also reported greater stigma associated with RRI reporting than previously uninjured peers (Stigma scores: 6.2 vs 3.7, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study provide insight into the processes of adolescent runners’ recognition and reporting of overuse RRI symptoms. Instilling confidence among adolescent runners to recognize symptoms of overuse injuries and better understand RRI management may improve timely RRI reporting. However, future research should explore the experiences of previously injured adolescent runners to better understand the role of stigma in future RRI reporting and management.