Exam stress can cause injuries in college athletics

Student athletes, especially the team’s starters, are more likely to suffer an injury while preparing for an upcoming test, University of Missouri researchers have discovered.
Bryan Mann, an assistant professor of physical therapy in the MU School of Health Professions and assistant director of strength and conditioning for the university’s athletics department, and his colleagues reviewed weekly injury reports for more than 100 student athletes on a Division I college football team during a 20-week season, they explained in a statement.
Of those athletes, 60 had 86 different injury restrictions during the season, and the study found players were 3.19 times more likely to have an injury restriction during the weeks with high academic stress, such as weeks with an exam or big project. .
In fact, the players were only 2.84 times more likely to have such restrictions during periods of high physical stress (such as training camps) and low academic stress, Mann’s team explained in a study scheduled for publication in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
Coaches should be on the lookout for attitude changes
“Stress is systemic,” Mann explained in a statement. “Everything players deal with on a daily basis creates stress. They don’t have separate accounts to withdraw from for practice, school, and relationships. Whenever there’s stress, something’s got to give.”
“It’s similar to when unexpected expenses arise at the same time and you’re likely to overdraw your checking account. It’s the same idea but on a physiological basis rather than a monetary one,” he added. “We know when there will be midterms or finals, and we can plan for these academic stressors and accommodate practices accordingly to minimize the risk of injuries.”
Mann noted that there are some stress-causing events that cannot be predicted, but if they know about them, there are things that can be done to improve the situation. He advises coaches to be on the lookout for changes in their players’ attitudes, which are often indicative of changes going on in their lives, so that they can address any potential issues they’re dealing with.
“Whereas the demands placed on the student-athletes are high, it is imperative that we provide services that focus on their health and well-being,” said UM executive associate athletic director Bryan Maggard. “Our comprehensive services are geared to assist all students academically, socially and competitively.”
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