“Another world of pain” – Athlete and Sport Physiotherapist perspectives on the unique experience of pain in sport

Objectives To explore athlete’s and sports physiotherapists’ experiences of sports-related pain in the upper and lower limb. Methods Using a constructivist and pragmatic perspective we carried out focus groups comprising a deliberate criterion sample of athletes and sports physiotherapists. We used a topic guide that moved from open exploratory questions to questions focusing on the phenomena of sports-related pain in athletes. We coded, developed candidate themes and refined finalised themes using reflexive thematic analysis. A member of our research team acted as a critical friend adding additional perspectives. We followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). Results We completed five focus groups comprising twelve athletes (n=5 female, n=7 male) and four sports physiotherapists (n=4 male) including one initial pilot (two athletes). We developed four final themes (I-IV) and nine subthemes (a-i). I) Athlete Pain Lens ( a - pain is part of being an athlete, b - pain shapes the life of an athlete) II) Exploring And Navigating Pain (c- the sports-related pain spectrum, d- making sense of pain) III) The Emotional Toll of Pain (e - challenging emotions, f - the impact of time) IV) Coping, Community and Communication (g - coping with Pain, h - influence of community and support network, i - communication-the broken key). Conclusion We highlighted the distinct and challenging phenomenon of sports-related pain experienced by athletes and physiotherapists. Through effective communication members of the athlete’s community may recognize, and adjust to these challenges.