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- Title
Breast Pain and Trauma in Professional Women's Basketball -- Next Steps for Awareness and Action.
- Authors
Eichelberger, Tamara; Smith, Laura; Kane, Edward
- Abstract
Introduction: Participation in professional women's sports has increased dramatically in the last few decades. Research on the prevalence and potential consequences of breast trauma sustained during participation in profes- sional sports is scarce despite the documented consequences of trauma to the breast sustained outside of sports participation, including motor vehicle collisions,1 seatbelt,2 and blunt force trauma.3 Objectives: Investigate the prevalence, description, and effects of breast pain and trauma among athletes in the French Feminine Professional Basketball League. Study design: Cross-sectional study from a sample of convenience. Methods: Female athletes from six French professional basketball teams were invited to participate. A thirteen- question survey was administered electronically to sixty-six athletes that included questions regarding demographics and breast trauma during participation in basketball. Results: Fifty-eight athletes participated. Nearly one-third (27.6%, n=16) of the athletes reported breast trauma. Fourteen of the sixteen athletes provided additional information regarding their trauma. Fourteen (100%) athletes reported pain, with an average pain rating of 5.6 (0-10 scale). Three (21.4%) athletes reported bruising/discoloration, three (21.4%) reported lumpy/hard mass development, and two (14.3%) reported swelling/inflammation. Four (28.6%) athletes missed practice and/or competition. Six (42.9%) athletes reported their trauma to medical staff, and three (21.4%) of those received treatment. Conclusions: All athletes who reported breast trauma reported experiencing moderate pain. Pain and other injuries had adverse effects on practice and/or competition. As part of the medical team, the sports physical therapist is in prime position to assist with educating on the importance of awareness of sports-related breast trauma. Strategies need to be implemented to reduce the occurrence and encourage follow up of breast trauma for women participating in sports, including education on the importance of reporting breast trauma as well as exploring proper breast protection and determining potential sequela for this sensitive topic important to women's health.
- Subjects
NORWAY; FRANCE; HEALTH literacy; BASKETBALL injuries; WOMEN athletes; CONFERENCES &; conventions; DISEASE prevalence; PAIN; BREAST; PSYCHOSOCIAL factors; DISEASE complications; SYMPTOMS
- Publication
International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 2024, Vol 19, Issue 6, p775
- ISSN
2159-2896
- Publication type
Article