Injury adds hurdles for inactive women in sport

Injury or pain affects participation for one in five physically inactive women taking part in social sport, with those from lower-income households more likely to be injury-affected, new research from La Trobe University shows. Researchers surveyed more than 1,330 physically inactive women who had participated in social sport programs across Victoria. Among women affected by injury, the knee (39%), lower back (30%) and ankle (25%) were the most common complaints.

Kiera Staley, a research fellow at La Trobe’s Center for Sport and Social Impact, said the findings, published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, highlight the need to consider injury as a health and participation issue for inactive women taking part in social sport.

Inactive women from households earning less than $100,000 had more than three times the odds of being injury-affected compared with inactive women from households earning more than $200,000.

The study also found that inactive women who lacked confidence in their ability to participate regularly in physical activity were significantly more likely to be injury-affected than inactive women with high confidence.

“Physical inactivity remains a major public health challenge and this research shows that injury or pain can create an additional barrier for many women who want to be more active,” Staley said.

“The findings also show that injury-related barriers are not experienced equally. Women from lower-income households and those with lower physical activity confidence were more likely to be affected, highlighting the need for programs that are accessible, adaptable and help inactive women feel confident participating safely.”

Social sport is defined as semi-organized, entry-level and noncompetitive sport undertaken during leisure time.

Currently, almost eight in 10 Australian adults do not meet the minimum recommended physical activity levels of 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week.

Previous research led by the University of Sydney found that women are consistently less physically active during leisure time than men, often linked to time and caregiving demands, financial constraints, limited social support and access to appropriate, inexpensive programs and facilities.

“Affordable, supportive and flexible social sport and physical activity opportunities are critical if we are to close the gender gap in physical activity, but programs also need to consider how women affected by injury or pain can participate safely, modify activities and build confidence to remain active,” Staley said.

Rather than stopping altogether, many injury-affected inactive women adapted how they participated, the La Trobe survey showed. More than half changed the type of sport or physical activity they undertook, while 39% reduced the amount they participated and 34% modified activities within their sport or physical activity.

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