Травмы спортсменов усугубляют проблемы с образом тела и провоцируют опасные пищевые расстройства

While an injury can take an athlete out of competition or practice, a West Virginia University researcher says the effects can go much deeper, intensifying body image concerns, and contributing to potentially harmful eating and exercise behaviors during recovery. Dana Voelker, director of the School of Sport Sciences in the WVU College of Applied Human Sciences, says injury creates a new layer of vulnerability on top of the body pressures athletes already experience, particularly in sports with strong expectations around a certain physique. Voelker is available to discuss findings from a recent study examining relationships between body pressures and image concerns, eating, exercise, and social support during injury recovery. Quotes: “Injured athletes can’t be active in the way that they were previously, and when they’re pulled away from competitive play and practice, it’s often not only a threat to their physical self but their psychological identity as well. That’s where a range of mental health concerns, including exacerbated body image concerns, can emerge. “In our study, injured athletes who reported experiencing heightened body weight, shape, size, and appearance pressures while injured also reported greater body image concerns. Those concerns can inform maladaptive eating and exercise behaviors that hinder physical and psychological recovery. In particular, lean-sport athletes, who participate in sports where low body weight or aesthetics are emphasized, reported the greatest body pressures while injured. “In addition to concerns about potential declines in technical performance, injured athletes may also become concerned about ‘How am I going to look in this uniform when I return? What will my coaches, teammates, or competitors think about changes in my body? What if I gain weight or lose muscle? What if I don’t look like the ideal athlete in my sport?’ “Most observers don’t acknowledge a need to intervene until an athlete looks visually unwell or performance suffers. But a host of psychological and behavioral signs and symptoms occur before these physical and performance changes and would support prevention and early intervention if detected. “Concerning observable behaviors include the way athletes talk about their bodies, such as self-deprecating comments about weight, shape, size, appearance, or the fit of their uniforms, and fears of judgment from people like coaches, parents, and peers, often communicated in the sport and social media environment. “‘Body checking’ is also important to look for in injured athletes. Body checking is when someone compulsively monitors their body — continuously evaluating themselves in mirrors or other reflective surfaces, pinching skin or fat, adjusting clothing to stay covered, weighing, and more. “Other signs and symptoms injured athletes may experience include restrictive eating, making excuses to avoid eating, leaving plates mostly untouched, hiding food, binge eating, or leaving right after meals to purge. “There’s also compulsive overtraining, which happens when athletes train beyond mandated training requirements. A lot of times, we look at these behaviors and see a sign of a great athlete. But if someone asked to run one mile runs a lot more than that, it’s a red flag. “When an athlete’s behaviors diverge from their normal, there’s reason to explore further. That’s the value of multidisciplinary support. If a coach works in isolation from the athletic trainer, nutritionist, mental performance consultant, or strength coach, they lose valuable perspective. “Athletes are whole human beings who participate in sports, not just bodies that exist to perform. When an athlete talks about returning to their sport after injury, we need to pay attention to their whole selves, including physical and psychological recovery. The athlete’s relationship with food, exercise, and their body is no exception, and that must be an intentional part of that recovery process. “Caring for and working with the body you have is part of the true beauty of sport: maximizing the potential to do amazing things while supporting a healthy and positive experience for all who participate.” — Dana Voelker, director, School of Sport Sciences, WVU College of Applied Human Sciences