ABSTRACT
Superstitious rituals are common in sports and can play a role in athletes' optimism, sense of control, and confidence in performance. Superstitious rituals have characteristics rooted in tradition and need for perfection. While superstitious rituals vary in type of activity, it is necessary to consider their impact on players and the team, and to guide athletes into positive forms of expression to optimize their performance and overall well-being when engaged in their athletic activities. This paper explores the potential benefits and challenges of superstitious rituals, and the ways in which positive alternative pathways can contribute to peak performance in athletes.
Subject(s)
Athletes , Athletic Performance , Ceremonial Behavior , Superstitions , Humans , Athletic Performance/physiology , Athletic Performance/psychology , Athletes/psychologyABSTRACT
Stress fractures are injuries frequently seen in high-performance athletes, especially runners. In the femur, the most commonly affected locations are the femoral neck, condylar area and proximal shaft. Intertrochanteric fractures are much more common in the elderly population, especially among those with osteoporosis, but they can also be a result of high-energy repetitive mechanisms. We present a case of an intertrochanteric stress fracture in a young male runner. The diagnosis was suspected after persistent pain following his first marathon, and it was confirmed with an MRI. Operative fixation of the fracture was performed 22 days after the pain started, which allowed the patient to return to his activities, including 50 km marathon 4 months following the surgery.