Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Mar-Apr;16(2):295-299.
doi: 10.1177/19417381241227447. Epub 2024 Feb 13.

Mindfulness Practice Is Associated With Improved Well-Being and Reduced Injury Risk in Female NCAA Division I Athletes

Kristin Haraldsdottir  1 , Jennifer Sanfilippo  2 , Scott Anderson  1 , Quinn Steiner  1 , Chad McGehee  2   3 , Kevin Schultz  2 , Andrew Watson  1
Affiliations

Mindfulness Practice Is Associated With Improved Well-Being and Reduced Injury Risk in Female NCAA Division I Athletes

Kristin Haraldsdottir et al. Sports Health. 2024 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Background: Injury in sport is an inherent risk to participation, and it can have devastating consequences for the athlete, both mentally and physically. Previous research has found that impairments in well-being can increase the risk of injury, and that various forms of mindfulness training and practice can improve well-being and mental health in various populations.

Hypothesis: Mindfulness would be associated with greater well-being and lower risk of injury.

Study design: Cohort study.

Level of evidence: Level 3.

Methods: A total of 21 female Division I athletes underwent a formal 6-week mindfulness training program and were encouraged to continue mindfulness exercises. The athletes completed daily surveys on their smartphones in relation to mood, muscle readiness (soreness), readiness to train, energy level, daily training load, and whether they had participated in mindfulness training that day. Linear mixed effects models were used to evaluate well-being variables and mindfulness state, and separate mixed effects logistics regression models were used to evaluate injury incidence and wellness variables.

Results: On days with mindfulness practice, athletes reported higher mood (19.6 [18.8-20.3] vs 19.4 [18.6-20.1, P = 0.03), muscle readiness (18.9 [17.8-20.0] vs 18.6 [17.5-19.6], P = 0.03), readiness to train (78.7 [75.9-81.5] vs 77.4 [74.7-80.2], P < 0.01), and energy level (19.3 [18.6-20.1] vs 18.8 [18.1-19.5, P < 0.01) than on the days when they did not participate in mindfulness training. Mindfulness practice was associated with significantly reduced likelihood of suffering an acute injury the following day (odds ratio, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.42-0.43; P < 0.01).

Conclusion: On an individual level, participation in mindfulness by female collegiate athletes was associated with a dramatic reduction in injury risk the following day. In addition, mindfulness was associated with significantly improved mood, muscle readiness, readiness to train, and energy level.

Clinical relevance: These findings suggest that mindfulness training in athletes may improve well-being and reduce the risk of injury among high-level athletes.

Keywords: athlete wellness; injury risk; mental health; mindfulness; readiness to train; training load.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no potential conflicts of interest in the development and publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Mindfulness intervention curriculum.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Mindfulness sessions reported per day by athletes during the data collection period.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Well-being and fitness variables on days when athletes practiced mindfulness versus no mindfulness. ns, nonsignificant.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Multifactorial model of athlete injury and mindfulness. RTT, readiness to train.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Alberti G, Annoni M, Ongaro L, Scurati R, Michielon G. Athletic performance decreases in young basketball players after sitting. Int J Sports Sci Coach. 2014;9(5):975-984.
    1. Anderson SA, Haraldsdottir K, Watson D. Mindfulness in athletes. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2021;20(12):655-660. - PubMed
    1. Appaneal RN, Levine BR, Perna FM, Roh JL. Measuring postinjury depression among male and female competitive athletes. J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2009;31(1):60-76. - PubMed
    1. Bühlmayer L, Birrer D, Röthlin P, Faude O, Donath L. Effects of mindfulness practice on performance-relevant parameters and performance outcomes in sports: a meta-analytical review. Sports Med. 2017;47(11):2309-2321. - PubMed
    1. Chambers R, Lo BCY, Allen NB. The impact of intensive mindfulness training on attentional control, cognitive style, and affect. Cognitive Ther Res. 2008;32(3):303-322.

LinkOut - more resources