Percepção sobre a escolha de calçados e a prevalência de lesões autorreportadas de atletas de provas de pista do atletismo no Amazonas

Abstract

Introduction: Athletics, particularly track events, places high biomechanical and physiological demands on athletes, favoring the occurrence of musculoskeletal injuries. In this context, sports footwear constitutes the primary interface between the athlete and the ground and is frequently associated with both performance and injury prevention. However, empirical evidence relating athletes’ perceptions of footwear selection to injury prevalence remains limited, particularly among youth athletes and in specific regional contexts, such as the state of Amazonas, Brazil. Objective: To investigate the perceptions of youth athletics athletes in the state of Amazonas regarding the process of sports footwear selection and its association with the prevalence of self-reported injuries. Methodology: This was an observational, quantitative, cross-sectional study conducted with track-event athletes affiliated with the Sports Athletics Federation of the State of Amazonas (FEDAEAM), at the Manaus Olympic Village. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire adapted from Andrade and Santos (2022), administered between October 31 and November 15, 2025. Of the 36 questionnaires received, 2 were excluded due to invalidity, resulting in a sample of 34 athletes for the demographic section; of these, 29 fully completed the section addressing sports participation, footwear, and injuries. The instrument assessed demographic characteristics, sports participation characteristics, the footwear selection process, and injury history over the previous 12 months. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and Fisher’s exact test for associations between categorical variables, with a significance level of 5%. Results: The sample was characterized by young athletes (73.53% under 18 years of age), with a balanced distribution by sex (52.94% male) and a concentration of participants from Manaus (67.65%). The prevalence of athletes reporting at least one running-related injury in the previous 12 months was 34.48% (10/29). Injuries were concentrated in the lower limbs, predominantly affecting the thigh (50.00%), followed by the knee (20.00%), ankle (10.00%), lumbar spine/sacrum/pelvis (10.00%), and foot (10.00%). Half of the cases (50.00%) were recurrent, and 90.00% of injured athletes sought professional care. Regarding footwear, 75.86% used running-specific models, with technical characteristics of the product (44.83%) and comfort (37.93%) being the main selection criteria, while price played a secondary role (17.24%); none of the athletes used orthopedic insoles. Professional guidance regarding footwear selection was absent for 41.38% of the athletes. In the association analyses, footwear type, training frequency, and weekly distance were not statistically significantly associated with the presence of injury (p > 0.05). Only the frequency of foot discomfort was significantly associated with the occurrence of injuries (p = 0.0105), with an injury rate of 83.3% among those reporting frequent discomfort, compared with 21.7% among the remaining participants. Final Considerations: It is concluded that the prevalence of injuries among youth athletics athletes in the state of Amazonas is moderate and recurrent, with injuries concentrated in the lower limbs. Although footwear was relevant to athletes’ perceptions, it did not constitute an isolated factor associated with injury, whereas subjective foot discomfort emerged as the main risk indicator identified. The need for qualified professional guidance and continuous monitoring of athletes’ perceptions is reinforced as preventive strategies.