Understanding placebo and nocebo effects in the context of sport: A psychological perspective

Abstract

Research over the past 15 years on the placebo effect has substantiated its contribution to the efficacy of established treatments for a range of clinical conditions and identified its underlying mechanisms. There is also evidence that placebo effects contribute to the performance benefits of many ergogenic aids, and that performance can worsen when dummy treatments are associated with expectations of a harmful outcome (i.e. nocebo effect). Unfortunately, the bulk of sport research involving placebos and nocebos continues to be hampered by outdated definitions and conceptualizations of placebo effects and their mechanisms. This has implications not only for research but also application, as nearly 50% of athletes report experiencing a beneficial placebo effect, and a similar proportion of coaches report providing placebos to their athletes. The objective of this paper is to attempt to stimulate research by presenting updated definitions of placebo and nocebo effects in the context of sport, describing their major mechanisms and, highlighting the importance of the psychosocial context on placebo effects in the sport setting.