Exploring the use of digital technology for injury prevention and self-management among recreational runners

Walker, Kathleen, Phillips, Nicola and Sheeran, Liba ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1502-764X 2025. Exploring the use of digital technology for injury prevention and self-management among recreational runners. Physical Therapy in Sport 71 , pp. 85-91. 10.1016/j.ptsp.2024.12.004

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Abstract

Objectives Explore digital technology use among recreational runners in Wales and assess attitudes toward a proposed digital intervention for running-related injury (RRI) prevention and self-management. Design Exploratory survey. Setting Online questionnaire, closed questions distributed to runners over a 7 week period. Participants Recreational runners living in Wales (N = 232). Main outcome measures Data analysed descriptively. Inferential analysis conducted via IBM SPSS v25. Pearson's Chi square and logistic regression applied to assess effects of age, sex, and weekly mileage on technology use. Results 97% of participants reported using digital technology to monitor training, primarily through running watches (45.1%) and smartphone apps (37.6%). Pearson's chi square indicated that younger (18–24 years) and less experienced runners (3 months–2 years) were more likely to use multiple apps. Runners felt these technologies did not offer realistic advice for RRI prevention or self-management. Most runners (84.5%) were interested in the proposed intervention. Runners wanted to see injury advice, exercises to improve running and a diagnostic feature within the proposed intervention. Conclusion Digital technologies are widely used by recreational runners but are not perceived as useful for injury prevention/self-management. There is therefore an opportunity to develop tailored, evidence-based digital interventions for RRI prevention and self-management.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Healthcare Sciences
Publisher:	Elsevier
ISSN:	1466-853X
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	3 January 2025
Date of Acceptance:	19 December 2024
Last Modified:	20 Jan 2025 10:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/174980

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