Pain responses in athletes: the role of contact sports

High contact athletes differ from low or non-contact athletes in their responses to pain. The mechanisms for this have not been widely investigated and most sports-related pain research has not differentiated between the three sources of pain: contact, injury and exertion. This thesis aimed to explore differences between contact and non-contact athletes, in these three sources of pain. The first aim of the thesis was to develop an understanding of the pain experiences of different athlete groups, examining the proposed mechanisms of learning, attrition and individual differences. The first study addressed this by conducting semi-structured interviews with high, low/medium and non-contact athletes. Template analysis indicated that high contact athletes viewed pain differently to low/medium or non-contact athletes. High contact athletes described pain as something to be overcome, often celebrated contact pain and were more able to differentiate between potentially harmful and benign injury pain. The second study also addressed aim one, but directly compared high contact athletes to low/medium contact athletes based on the mechanisms of personality and learning. Learning was explored by measuring direct coping and pain bothersomeness while personality was measured using a short inventory based on the Big Five personality traits. High contact athletes found pain less bothersome, had higher direct coping than the other athletes and were less agreeable. Study three was a longitudinal exploration of pain responses over a contact sport athletic season, examining the mechanisms of learning and attrition. Cluster analysis placed athletes into participating or nonparticipating groups. Results showed that participating athletes were more tolerant of ischemic and cold pain at the end of the season (eight months follow-up) compared to those who disengaged from the sport; they also became more tolerant of ischemic pain at eight months follow-up compared to at the start of the season. Participating athletes also had higher direct coping for contact pain and found pain less bothersome than non-participating athletes. The final study further explored the role of experience in sport by examining novice and experienced high contact athletes’ and non-contact athletes’ responses to experimental pain. Athletes completed a simple motor task while being exposed to pressure pain. During the pain condition, challenge and threat states were manipulated to examine the role of task instructions. Results indicated that experienced high contact athletes had higher pain tolerance than the other groups, reported pain as less intense and had higher direct coping than the other athletes. Both groups of high contact athletes performed better in pain than non-contact athletes and were able to maintain their performance in pain. They also reported pain to be less bothersome and were challenged when in pain even if they received threat instructions. Taken together the results of this thesis indicate that learning to cope with pain is the most plausible explanation for high contact athletes’ lower pain bothersomeness, higher pain tolerance and performance in pain. It is proposed that experience of pain and having a direct coping style are important determinants of performance in contact sports and should be targeted by coaches

“Writing sprints” can facilitate collaboration and encourage new ways of thinking about academic writing

Claire Taylor and Niamh Thornton describe their experience of hosting a “writing sprint”, a time-limited exercise in which academics from many disciplines and from all over the world were brought together virtually to produce an academic article. Despite certain challenges, the writing sprint proved a great way of facilitating collaborations and providing opportunities for reflections on the process of writing itself. It also led to the contributors producing a much richer output, one that combined their diverse skills, expertise, and perspectives

Mitochondrial Optic Atrophy (OPA) 1 Processing Is Altered in Response to Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury

Perturbation of mitochondrial function and subsequent induction of cell death pathways are key hallmarks in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic (HI) injury, both in animal models and in term infants. Mitoprotective therapies therefore offer a new avenue for intervention for the babies who suffer life-long disabilities as a result of birth asphyxia. Here we show that after oxygen-glucose deprivation in primary neurons or in a mouse model of HI, mitochondrial protein homeostasis is altered, manifesting as a change in mitochondrial morphology and functional impairment. Furthermore we find that the mitochondrial fusion and cristae regulatory protein, OPA1, is aberrantly cleaved to shorter forms. OPA1 cleavage is normally regulated by a balanced action of the proteases Yme1L and Oma1. However, in primary neurons or after HI in vivo, protein expression of YmelL is also reduced, whereas no change is observed in Oma1 expression. Our data strongly suggest that alterations in mitochondria-shaping proteins are an early event in the pathogenesis of neonatal HI injury

Gender and the youth justice family group conference outcome.

Part 1 of this study examined family group conference (FGC) outcomes (a statutory mechanism of the Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1989) for young offenders. Part 2 examined the acceptability of FGC outcomes for young offenders. Part 1: Data on 253 distinct youth offending cases for which an FGC was held during 1992-93 was gathered from New Zealand Children and Young Persons Service (NZCYPS) records in Christchurch. Gender of the young offender was shown not to be significantly related to FGC outcome severity. Seriousness of the offence, number of current offences, 'other' people (entitled under the legislation to attend only with the approval of the young offender's family), and greater numbers of the young offender's family attending the FGC were independently associated with a more severe outcome. Part 2: The acceptability of five alternative FGC outcomes (formal warning, freedom restriction, reparation, community work, and a sentence of supervision) were compared. A total of 83 respondents from three sample groups in Christchurch (NZCYPS, police and the general public) rated the outcomes according to their allocation to one of four written descriptions which presented a male or female of 14 or 16 years committing an offence. The major findings were (1) A significant difference in the acceptability of each outcome. Reparation was the most acceptable outcome followed by community work, freedom restriction, supervision, and the warning. (2) Gender and age of the young offender and type of respondent did not significantly distinguish the acceptability of each outcome. (3) There was a significant interaction effect between the age of the respondent and outcome acceptability. (4) Factor analysis showed outcome acceptability was influenced by three factors. Factor 1 was interpreted as making amends to the victim, Factor 2 was interpreted as deterrence, and Factor 3 was interpreted as how humane the outcome was

‘Don’t touch my bag’: The Role of Superstition in Professional Male Boxing

The superstitious actions athletes undertake before competition have been well documented, yet the role of such behaviors has received little qualitative attention. The aim of this study was to explore the role of superstitious routines in professional male boxing. A descriptive phenomenological approach was adopted, and individual semistructured interviews were conducted with 5 professional male athletes in the United Kingdom. Results show that superstition is regularly used by boxers in the lead-up to fights to aid mental preparation, fulfill a need for control, and improve the likelihood of success. Common themes emerged, such as the use of praying and engagement in acts thought to bring good luck and/or the avoidance of behaviors that might bring bad luck. Findings also indicate that despite a rational link, boxers use superstition as a coping mechanism (e.g., as a scapegoat/excuse for losing) and to gain a sense of control