Abstracts

Discussion: These findings reveal that a moderate percentage of Australians are likely to be interested in using a physical activity tracker, with
females, younger people, and people with higher levels of physical activity more likely to use a tracker. To increase tracker use programs should
address the barrier of participants not believing that trackers will help their activity, and should use trackers which can be worn on the wrist, can
measure steps, and are accurate.
98 Footwear related pain and running related injuries
V. Chuter 1 • S. Sadler 1 * • A. Searle 1
1
University of Newcastle
Thursday 22 October
Introduction: Running related injuries are often multifactorial and can impact on the level of participation and performance. Pain associated
with footwear design and the development of running related injury is a modifiable risk factor. Therefore the primary aim of this survey was to
investigate participant perceived comfort of their footwear and prevalence of running related injuries. Secondary aims included an evaluation of
health professionals sought per injury type, and risk of injury associated with mileage, running surface and demographic characteristics.
Method: This was a retrospective descriptive epidemiological survey of recreational runners. Participants were recruited from the University of
Newcastle and the Central Coast community. Participants had to run a minimum of twice per week to be included. Participants attended a single
session at the University of Newcastle where they completed a survey about the effect of running shoe design on comfort and injury rates.
Results: One hundred and ninety-five participants (M=112) completed the survey. Mean age (37.26; SD 14.21; range 18-78 years), BMI (22.28;
SD 2.02), and mileage per week (32.36km; SD 19.42) were calculated. Eighty two wore motion control footwear, 91 neutral footwear, 22 barefootstyle
footwear, and 1 did not wear shoes. The road (n=100) was the most commonly reported running surface. One hundred and nine participants
reported experiencing pain when running during the previous three months with the most common area affected being the knee (n=25). In the last
three months, 45 runners had at least one running related injury diagnosed by a health professional, most commonly by a physiotherapist, general
practitioner or podiatrist. Twenty-six reported that in the last three months they had experienced pain and discomfort they considered to be directly
associated with their footwear (n=10 [motion control footwear]; n=14 [neutral footwear]; n=2 [barefoot-style]). Regression analysis was performed
and increased likelihood of a diagnosed injury at any site was found to be significantly related to the presence of footwear related pain or discomfort
(OR 1.51, p=0.03) and with increased weekly mileage (OR 1.14, p=0.001). Conversely, running on surfaces other than the road reduced the
likelihood of injury (OR 0.48, p=0.05).
Discussion: Clinical evaluation of recreational runners should involve a thorough investigation of mileage, footwear related pain, and whether or
not they run on road because each is associated with increased likelihood of injury. Future research investigating footwear related pain and running
related injuries should be prospective cohort studies in order to establish a cause-and-effect relationship.
99 Equity in single-sex sport for adolescents: Should psychological differences be considered?
L. Krause 1 * • G. Naughton 1 • A. Benson 1 • S. Tibbert 2
1
Australian Catholic University • 2 Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
Background: Legal challenges to single-sex netball in Australia, frequently involve adolescents. In addition to controversies surrounding physical
changes in adolescence, psychological differences may also be significant. Psychological sex-related differences may relate to how sports
participation influences physical-self perceptions and attitudes to training and competition, even in low contact sports such as netball. The aim of
this study was to compare two groups of adolescent males and females, representing early and mid-late adolescence for differences in physical
self-perceptions and attitudes to mixed-sex sporting competition.
Methods: A relatively active sample (83% playing sport outside school) of early (Year 7 of secondary school, aged 12.0-13.1 years; N=32 males,
54 females), and mid-late (Years 8 & 9 of secondary school, aged 13.3-15.9 years; N= 65males, 57 females) adolescents, volunteered from a
convenient sample of three secondary schools. Adolescents completed a modified Physical-Self Questionnaire and provided responses to openended
questions on mixed-sex sport. Correlations between hours of sports participation and attributes of physical self were generated within sex
and adolescent group.
Responses to open ended questions were collated into positive, negative or neutral categories.
Results: Hours of sports participation (median 3 – 4.5 hours per week outside school) were not associated with physical attributes in early
adolescent males and only modestly associated (r = 0.48) with perceptions of being good at physical activity in their female peers. Among mid-late
adolescents, hours of sports participation was similarly and modestly related to perceptions of being good at physical activity in males (r = 0.48) and
females (r = 0.56). However, other attributes of the mid-late adolescents differed. Specifically, sports participation was modestly associated with
self-esteem, strength and endurance in males, and coordination and flexibility in females. Overall, the number of physical attributes associated with
hours of sports participation was greater and showed stronger
male/female differences in mid-late adolescents than in early adolescents. Positive attitudes to mixedsex sporting competitions were described by
58% of males and 64% of females; with 16% of both sexes describing the notion as negative.
Discussion: In contrast to early adolescent responses, in mid-late adolescents, hours of sports participation generated some clear differences in
perceptions of physical-self attributes. Despite, the majority of male and female adolescents perceiving mixed-sex competition as positive; there were
16% for whom the notion was negative. The data support the case for the consideration of psychological differences when single-sex competition is
debated for older adolescent males and females.
48 • 2015 ASICS Sports Medicine Australia Conference