Prior Injury, Health-Related Quality of Life, Disablement, and Physical Activity in Former Women's Soccer Players

Abstract

Context Former collegiate athletes may be at risk for negative health outcomes such as lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL), greater disablement, and lower lifetime physical activity (PA) participation. A history of severe sport injury may play a role in these outcomes. Objective To assess the role of prior sport injury in self-reported HRQoL, levels of disablement, and PA behaviors of former National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I women's soccer players. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Online survey. Patients or Other Participants Former Division I women's soccer players (n = 382, age = 36.41 ± 7.76 years) provided demographics and injury history and completed the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (HRQoL), the Disablement in the Physically Active Scale (disablement), and the Godin Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (PA). Main Outcome Measure(s) The dependent variables were the physical and mental component summary scores for HRQoL and disablement and the frequency of moderate-to-vigorous PA. Means, SDs, and correlations among the main outcome variables were examined for those who reported a severe injury (n = 261) and those who did not (n = 121). To address our primary aim, we conducted multiple regression analyses to predict HRQoL, disablement, and PA based on a history of severe injury, accounting for age. Results Having a severe injury significantly predicted worse physical HRQoL and worse physical disablement. Severe injury predicted a >2-point decrease and 5-point increase on the respective scales. Injury status did not predict mental HRQoL, mental disablement, or PA. Conclusions Most participants reported sustaining a prior severe soccer-related injury, which may have had a negative long-term effect on health outcomes for former women's soccer players. Athletic trainers should be aware of the risk for decreased HRQoL and increased disablement with injury and encourage continued monitoring of relevant patient-reported outcomes.