Which is more likely to affect motor performance of elite athletes: Emotional or physical pain?

It is critical in athletics to examine athletes who have maladaptive hedonics, such as physical or emotional displeasure or suffering. Indeed, the aim of this case study was to equate three runners' balancing abilities in two situations that caused physical or emotional pain. We created two types of induced pain and assessed balance in these elite athletes in mediolateral index (MLI), anterior posterior index (API) and overall balance. The findings revealed that API and overall balance scores improved significantly from baseline to physical or emotional discomfort, while MLI scores showed a different trend. Overall, runners suffering from mental distress will have the same disruption in balance ratings as those suffering from physical pain.

Keywords:

Depression , physical pain , motor skill , runner , competition