Kinesiophobia, exercise addiction and mindfulness in athletes

Abstract

Background and Study Aim. Since athletes tend to be addicted to exercise, they are at a higher risk of experiencing sports injuries compared to others. Exercise addiction and kinesiophobia, which is the fear of (re)injury and movement after an injury, are distinct but related concepts for athletes. It has been stated that mindfulness helps individuals to diminish their kinesiophobia. However, little is known about the relationship between exercise addiction, kinesiophobia, and mindfulness among athletes. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate kinesiophobia, exercise addiction, and mindfulness among athletes and to examine the effect of certain variables on these three concepts. Material and Methods. The sample of the study consisted of 313 athletes over the age of 18. Participants were included in the study on a voluntary basis, using the convenience sampling method. Study data were collected with the 'Demographic Form', the 'Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia', and the 'Exercise Addiction Scale'. Results. The study discovered that national athletes exhibited statistically higher levels of exercise addiction compared to non-national athletes. Similarly, athletes suffering from chronic pain showed higher exercise addiction scores than those without chronic pain. Furthermore, athletes who had sustained sports injuries demonstrated higher exercise addiction levels compared to those who had not. It was also determined that athletes with pain or movement limitations due to sports injuries exhibited increased levels of kinesiophobia compared to those without such limitations. In addition, athletes with chronic pain reported higher levels of kinesiophobia compared to their counterparts without chronic pain. Female athletes were found to have higher levels of mindful awareness compared to male athletes. Additionally, when analyzing the relationship between these three parameters, a negative correlation was observed between kinesiophobia and mindfulness among athletes. Conclusions. While kinesiophobia and exercise addiction are not directly related, there is a negative relationship between kinesiophobia and mindfulness. Furthermore, chronic pain and limitations in movement after a sports injury are identified as risk factors for kinesiophobia. Additionally, being a national athlete, experiencing chronic pain, and sustaining sports injuries are considered risk factors for exercise addiction.