Association between trunk pain and lower extremity pain among youth soccer players: a cross-sectional study

Background: Soccer is played by many children younger than 12 years. Despite its health benefits, soccer has also been linked to a high number of sport-related injuries. Purpose: To investigate the relationship between clinical factors and knee or heel pain in youth soccer players. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Study participants included 602 soccer players aged 8 to 12 years who were asked whether they had experienced episodes of knee or heel pain. Data were collected on age, body mass index, years of playing soccer, playing position, and training hours per week. Associations of clinical factors with the prevalence of knee or heel pain were examined by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: Episodes of knee and heel pain were reported by 29.4% and 31.1% of players, respectively. Multivariate analyses revealed that older age and more years of playing soccer were significantly and positively associated with the prevalence of knee pain ( P = .037 and P = .015 for trend, respectively) but did not identify any significant associations for heel pain. Conclusion: In this study of youth soccer players, knee pain was associated with older age and more years of play, but heel pain was not significantly associated with any factor.

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The Influence of the Coach’s Autonomy Support and Controlling Behaviours on Motivation and Sport Commitment of Youth Soccer Players

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18168699 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (16) ◽

pp. 8699

Author(s):

Javier Sevil-Serrano ◽

Ángel Abós ◽

Sergio Diloy-Peña ◽

Pedro L. Egea ◽

Luis García-González

Keyword(s):

Autonomy Support ◽

Self Determination Theory ◽

Psychological Needs ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Basic Psychological Needs ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sport Commitment ◽

Youth Soccer ◽

Support Autonomy

The coach is one of the most influential agents in the sport commitment of youth players. Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT), numerous studies have examined the influence of the coach’s autonomy-supportive behaviours on athletes’ motivation. However, fewer studies have examined the influence of the coach’s controlling behaviours. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to analyse the influence of young soccer players’ perception of their coach’s autonomy-supportive and controlling behaviours on the satisfaction and frustration of their basic psychological needs (BPN) and sport commitment. A total of 203 soccer players (86% boys), aged 10–19 years (M = 14.88; SD = 1.54) participated. Coach autonomy support positively predicted BPN satisfaction which, in turn, positively explained sport commitment. Coach intimidation behaviours positively predicted BPN frustration, which, in turn, negatively explained sport commitment. In cross-relationships, autonomy support negatively explained BPN frustration, while intimidation behaviours and the controlling use of rewards negatively predicted BPN satisfaction. To conclude, these results suggest that it is important for the coach not only to support autonomy, but also to avoid the use of controlling behaviours, especially intimidation and controlling use of rewards, because of their influence on the motivational processes and sport commitment of youth soccer players.

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