Sociodemographic characterisation of the endurance runner: risk of injury and psychosocial profile. A contemporary sample

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyse and describe the sociodemographic and psychosocial profile, also to identify the risk of injury of a contemporary sample of Spanish amateur endurance runners regarding individual variables, training volume and personality. A total of 147 endurance runners (114 males and 33 females; age: 42.66 ± 11.54 years old; BMI: 22.83 ± 2.47 kg/m2) completed an ad hoc questionnaire designed for athletes older than 18 years old. Significant differences (p<0.001) were observed for the fact of having a personal trainer, with women reporting a higher percentage than men. Most of the athletes (68%) have been injured in the last 3 years, and no significant differences between sexes were found. The profile of the endurance runner is a normotypical 40-year-old male with some anxiety and low mood, who has studied at the university, he/she is married or has a couple. He has been training for 16 years, doing 51 kilometres per week, joining into 12 annual competitions, and has been injured 2 times in the last 3 years. The most common injury is tendonitis, being the causes of injuries found in this study the footwear and the personal goal achievement.