Psychological needs,burnout,and injury history in women’s futsal players: The role of age and sport experience

Abstract

Background

Women’s futsal has experienced significant growth, highlighting the importance of understanding psychological need satisfaction and burnout as key determinants of athlete well-being. Basic psychological needs satisfaction, according to Self-Determination Theory, and athlete burnout are key constructs in promoting healthy and sustainable sports environments. Foot injuries are also prevalent in high-intensity sports such as Futsal and may be related to psychological outcomes in athletes.

Objectives

This study aimed to examine the relationship between psychological need satisfaction and burnout in female futsal players, and to explore associations between foot and ankle injuries (podiatric pathology), age, and sport experience with these psychological variables.

Design

Observational, cross-sectional, descriptive study.

Methods

Ninety-four adult female futsal players from first and second national divisions participated. Participants completed a sociodemographic and injury questionnaire, the Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ), and the Psychological Needs in Sport Questionnaire (PNSQ-15). Injury history included ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, fifth metatarsal fractures, and anterior cruciate ligament ruptures. Data were analyzed using descriptive and correlational statistics.

Results

The majority of players (85%) reported previous injuries, with ankle sprains (73.4%) and plantar fasciitis (35.1%) being most common. PNSQ-15 scores indicated high activation and concentration, with moderate confidence and motivation. Greater age and sport experience were associated with higher concentration and motivation. ABQ scores were moderate overall; more weekly training hours were associated with lower burnout in the dimensions of reduced sense of accomplishment and sport devaluation. Players with plantar fasciitis showed higher burnout scores, particularly in reduced sense of accomplishment (p=0.036).

Conclusion

Female futsal players showed favorable psychological skills and moderate levels of burnout. Age, sport experience, and training load were associated with some psychological dimensions, while the presence of certain foot injuries was related to higher burnout scores. These findings suggest that psychological need satisfaction, training load, and injury history are interrelated factors influencing burnout and psychological well-being in female futsal players.

Plain language summary

Female futsal is growing rapidly, making it important to understand the psychological and physical factors that affect players’ well-being and performance. This study looked at how satisfaction of basic psychological needs such as feeling competent, connected, and autonomous relates to burnout, a state of emotional and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. We also examined whether foot and ankle injuries influence burnout or psychological well-being. Ninety-four adult female futsal players completed questionnaires about their psychological skills, burnout levels, and previous injuries. Most players (85%) had experienced injuries, with ankle sprains and plantar fasciitis being the most common. Overall, players reported good psychological skills, especially in concentration and motivation. More experienced players showed better psychological outcomes. Players who trained more hours per week tended to have lower burnout, suggesting that regular engagement in sport can be protective. However, players with chronic foot injuries, like plantar fasciitis, showed higher burnout levels, indicating that persistent pain may negatively affect well-being. These findings highlight the importance of supporting both the psychological and physical health of female futsal players. Coaches and sports organizations should consider strategies that promote psychological skills, prevent injuries, and provide support for players dealing with chronic pain to maintain well-being and enhance performance.

Keywords

women’s futsal podiatric pathology psychological well-being

Introduction

Women’s futsal has experienced significant growth in recent years in terms of participation, professionalization, and competitive recognition, supported by increasing institutional investment and the organization of international competitions. This expansion has intensified both the physical and psychological demands placed on athletes, particularly in elite and sub-elite contexts. The first Women’s Futsal World Cup, held in 2025, further underscores the need for scientific research aimed at understanding factors that influence performance, health, and well-being in this specific population.

From a psychological perspective, Self-Determination Theory (SDT) provides a well-established framework for understanding motivation and well-being in sport. According to SDT, the satisfaction of the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness is essential for optimal functioning, intrinsic motivation, and psychological health.^1,2 Although SDT conceptualizes these needs at a theoretical level, instruments such as the Psychological Need Satisfaction Questionnaire (PNSQ-15) assess dimensions including concentration, activation, confidence, and motivation, which can be interpreted as observable manifestations of these underlying needs in sport contexts. Thus, the PNSQ-15 provides a practical operationalization of need satisfaction in female futsal players, aligning with the SDT framework. In sport settings, previous research has consistently shown that athletes whose basic psychological needs are satisfied report higher levels of enjoyment, engagement, persistence, and performance, as well as lower levels of stress and maladaptive outcomes.³

Conversely, when these psychological needs are chronically thwarted, athletes may be at greater risk of experiencing burnout, a syndrome conceptualized as a prolonged response to chronic stress in sport. Athlete burnout is characterized by emotional and physical exhaustion, a reduced sense of accomplishment, and sport devaluation. The Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ) is one of the most widely used instruments to assess burnout in athletes and has demonstrated robust psychometric properties across different sports and cultural contexts, including factorial validity and measurement invariance.^4,5 However, despite the growing body of literature on burnout, research specifically focused on female futsal players remains limited.

In addition to psychological demands, futsal is a sport characterized by high-intensity actions, frequent accelerations and decelerations, rapid changes of direction, and repeated impacts on hard indoor surfaces. These demands place athletes at a high risk of lower-limb injuries, particularly affecting the foot and ankle. A recent systematic review of injuries in female futsal players confirms that lower extremity injuries—especially ankle sprains—are highly prevalent, with ankle, knee, thigh, and groin injuries consistently reported across studies.⁶

Although futsal shares certain similarities with football and other indoor team sports, it also presents distinctive characteristics, such as a smaller playing area, faster game pace, more frequent ball contacts, and a higher number of rapid transitions between offensive and defensive actions. These specific demands may influence both the physical load experienced by players and their psychological responses during training and competition. Therefore, findings derived from other team sports cannot necessarily be directly extrapolated to the futsal context, particularly in women’s competitions where the scientific evidence remains limited.

Several empirical studies have begun to examine different aspects of women’s futsal performance and athlete characteristics. For example, research has explored psychological variables related to performance and motivation in female futsal players, showing that factors such as playing position and contextual variables may influence psychological responses during competition.⁷ Other studies have focused on physiological and anthropometric characteristics of female futsal athletes, highlighting the high physical demands of the sport and the specific profiles of players at different competitive levels.^8,9 However, despite these advances, the existing literature has largely focused on physiological performance and match demands, while multidimensional approaches integrating psychological needs, burnout, and injury-related factors in women’s futsal remain scarce.

In female athletes, injury risk may be further influenced by biomechanical, anatomical, and hormonal factors, which have been associated with a higher incidence of certain injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures, compared to male athletes.¹⁰ In addition, recent research has begun to explore the interaction between psychological factors and injury occurrence, suggesting that stress, motivation, and psychological well-being may influence not only injury risk but also injury perception, recovery, and return to sport.¹¹ Nevertheless, studies integrating psychological variables and injury-related factors—particularly those focusing on podiatric pathology—remain limited in women’s futsal.

Furthermore, previous research suggests that age and sport experience may play a relevant role in psychological outcomes in athletes. Evidence indicates that levels of burnout, motivation, and coping strategies can vary across different stages of an athlete’s career, with younger or less experienced athletes often showing higher vulnerability to stress and maladaptive psychological responses, while more experienced athletes may develop greater psychological resilience and self-regulation skills.^12,13 Therefore, considering age and practice time may provide valuable contextual information for interpreting psychological responses in sport.

Despite growing interest in both psychological well-being and injury prevention in sport, there is a lack of studies adopting a multidimensional approach that simultaneously considers psychological needs, burnout, injury history, and contextual variables such as age and sport experience in women’s futsal players. Addressing this gap is essential to develop more comprehensive prevention and intervention strategies tailored to this population.

Importantly, no previous study has simultaneously examined psychological need satisfaction, burnout, and injury-related factors in women’s futsal players within an integrated framework, underscoring the need for a more comprehensive and multidimensional approach.

In this context, psychological need satisfaction may play a protective role against maladaptive outcomes such as burnout, while injury history may act as both a physical and psychological stressor influencing athletes’ well-being. Moreover, the interaction between psychological factors and injury-related variables may be particularly relevant in high-demand sports such as futsal, where physical load and psychological stress are closely intertwined.

Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship between the satisfaction of basic psychological needs and burnout levels in female futsal players, to examine the association between previous foot and ankle injuries (podiatric pathology) and psychological outcomes, and to explore the potential role of age and sport experience in these psychological variables.

Methodology

Study design

This study followed a cross-sectional and descriptive design aimed at examining the relationship between basic psychological needs, burnout levels, and previous foot and ankle injuries among female futsal players.

Participants

The sample consisted of 94 adult female futsal players from first and second national divisions. This sample size allowed the estimation of the prevalence of high satisfaction levels according to PNSQ-15 and the ABQ with a precision of ±10%, using a 95% confidence level. Participants were selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling. Inclusion criteria were: (a) being a female futsal player aged 18 years or older; (b) currently competing in the first or second national division; (c) having at least one full season of competitive experience; and (d) having provided written informed consent to participate in the study. Exclusion criteria included: (a) incomplete or missing questionnaire data; (b) current injury preventing participation at the time of data collection; (c) refusal or inability to provide informed consent; and (d) insufficient comprehension of the questionnaires that could compromise the reliability of the responses.

All participants provided written informed consent prior to data collection, in accordance with the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of A Coruña-Ferrol (Approval Code: 2024-060).

Instruments

Injury history

A custom-designed questionnaire was used to record the presence of injuries. Injury data were self-reported by the participants and referred to previous injuries sustained during their sporting careers, with particular attention to common foot and ankle injuries in futsal. The questionnaire included ankle sprains, plantar fasciitis, fifth metatarsal fractures, Achilles tendinitis, and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures, as well as other ligament or tendon injuries. Clinical confirmation of injuries was not obtained, and the information relied on players’ retrospective self-report.

Psychological assessment

Two validated instruments widely used in sports psychology research were administered:

1. Psychological Needs in Sport Questionnaire (PNSQ-15),¹⁴ consisting of 15 items across four dimensions: concentration, confidence, motivation, and activation. Responses were rated on a 6-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 6 = strongly agree), with higher scores indicating a more favorable psychological profile for performance.

2. The Athlete Burnout Questionnaire (ABQ)⁴ includes 15 statements that assess three key aspects of athlete burnout: emotional and physical fatigue, feelings of reduced achievement, and a sense of detachment from sport. Responses were recorded on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = almost never, 5 = almost always), with higher scores indicating greater burnout levels. Both instruments demonstrated adequate psychometric properties. Spanish versions of the ABQ have demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties in multiple studies, including adaptations with confirmatory factor analyses and reliability estimates in Spanish-speaking athlete samples.¹⁵

Procedure

Data were collected during the 2023–2024 competitive season in scheduled sessions with participating teams. Questionnaires were administered either in person or digitally, ensuring anonymity and confidentiality.

Data analysis

Data analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics v30. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all variables. Continuous variables were expressed as means ± standard deviations (SD), medians, and ranges, while categorical variables were summarized using absolute frequencies and percentages.

The normality of the data distribution was assessed using the Shapiro–Wilk test. Depending on the distribution of the variables, group comparisons were performed using independent samples t-tests for normally distributed data or non-parametric tests (Kruskal–Wallis) when normality assumptions were not met. For categorical variables, Pearson’s χ² test or Fisher’s exact test was applied where appropriate.

Effect size measures were calculated to complement statistical significance testing. Cohen’s d was used for comparisons between continuous variables and Cramér’s V for categorical associations to estimate the magnitude of the observed effects.

All statistical tests were two-tailed, and statistical significance was established at p < 0.05 Given the number of comparisons performed, a Bonferroni correction was applied to adjust for multiple comparisons.

The reporting of this study follows the recommendations of the STROBE statement for cross-sectional studies.¹⁶ In addition, the interpretation of training load, recovery, and psychological outcomes was informed by existing consensus recommendations on recovery and performance in sport.¹⁷

Results

The sample consisted of 94 female futsal players, with a mean age of 25.31 ± 5.39 years (range: 18–40). Mean body weight was 62.03 ± 8.60 kg, mean height 1.65 ± 0.06 m, and mean body mass index (BMI) 22.71 ± 2.61 kg/m², consistent with a normal weight profile. Participants reported an average of 15.48 ± 5.26 years of sports practice, including 7.02 ± 4.90 years of professional experience, and trained an average of 8.91 ± 3.04 hours per week.

Regarding injury history, 85.1% of players reported having experienced a futsal-related injury, more frequently during matches (80.9%) than training sessions (74.5%). The most common injuries were sprains (73.4%), particularly ankle sprains (64.9%), followed by plantar fasciitis (35.1%). Less prevalent injuries included Achilles tendinopathy (11.7%) and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears (20.2%) (Table 1).

Table 1.

General characteristics of the sample.

Variable	n	Mean	SD	Median	Min	Max	(%)
Age (years)	94	25.31	5.39	25	18	40	–
Weight (kg)	94	62.03	8.60	61	47	100	–
Height (m)	94	1.65	0.06	1.65	1.54	1.80	–
BMI (kg/m²)	94	22.71	2.61	22.31	17.9	33.5	–
Years of sports practice	94	15.48	5.26	15.5	3	30	–
Years of professional practice	94	7.02	4.90	6	1	19	–
Weekly futsal hours	94	8.91	3.04	9	3	18	–
Injury history
Any futsal injury	80	–	–	–	–	–	85.1%
Injury during training	70	–	–	–	–	–	74.5%
Injury during match	76	–	–	–	–	–	80.9%
Fracture	16	–	–	–	–	–	17.0%
Stress fracture	3	–	–	–	–	–	3.2%
Tendon rupture	3	–	–	–	–	–	3.2%
Sprain	69	–	–	–	–	–	73.4%
Plantar fasciitis	33	–	–	–	–	–	35.1%
Ankle sprain	61	–	–	–	–	–	64.9%
Metatarsal fracture	26	–	–	–	–	–	27.7%
Achilles tendinopathy	11	–	–	–	–	–	11.7%
ACL rupture	19	–	–	–	–	–	20.2%

BMI: Body Mass Index; ACL: Anterior Cruciate Ligament; SD: Standard Deviation.

For psychological variables measured using the PNSQ-15, players had a mean total score of 59.59 ± 11.71. The highest scores were observed in activation (18.54 ± 4.32) and concentration (17.09 ± 3.99), while motivation (10.77 ± 2.72) and confidence (13.19 ± 3.96) scored lower. Classification by levels indicated that most players had high concentration (69.6%) and activation (81.5%), moderate motivation (61.3%), and low confidence (56.9%).

Regarding the ABQ, mean scores ranged from 11.71 ± 3.59 to 12.42 ± 3.10 across its dimensions (physical and emotional exhaustion [PEE], reduced sense of accomplishment [RSA], and sport devaluation [SD]). Most athletes were classified at low burnout levels: 80.7% for PEE, 76.3% for RSA, and 78.5% for SD, indicating a generally favorable psychological profile with high activation and concentration, moderate motivation and confidence, and low risk of burnout (Table 2).

Table 2.

Psychological characteristics and burnout levels of female futsal players.

Questionnaires	n	Mean	SD	Median	Min	Max
PNSQ Concentration	93	17.09	3.99	18	7	24
PNSQ Activation	93	18.54	4.32	20	6	24
PNSQ Confidence	93	13.19	3.96	14	5	22
PNSQ Motivation	93	10.77	2.72	11	5	18
PNSQ Total	93	59.59	11.71	61	27	82
ABQ Physical & Emotional Exhaustion (AFE)	93	12.11	2.69	12	6	20
ABQ Reduced Sense of Accomplishment (RSL)	93	11.71	3.59	11	5	21
ABQ Sport Devaluation (DPD)	93	12.42	3.10	12	7	22

	Category	n	%
PNSQ Concentration	Low (4–11)	9	13.04
	Medium (12–17)	12	17.39
	High (18–24)	48	69.57
PNSQ Activation	Low (4–11)	11	13.58
	Medium (12–17)	4	4.94
	High (18–24)	66	81.48
PNSQ Confidence	Low (4–11)	33	56.90
	Medium (12–17)	13	22.41
	High (18–24)	12	20.69
PNSQ Motivation	Low (3–8)	21	22.58
	Medium (9–13)	57	61.29
	High (14–18)	15	16.13
ABQ AFE	Low (1–2)	75	80.65
	Medium (3)	17	18.28
	High (4–5)	1	1.08
ABQ RSL	Low (1–2)	71	76.34
	Medium (3)	19	20.43
	High (4–5)	3	3.23
ABQ DPD	Low (1–2)	73	78.49
	Medium (3)	18	19.35
	High (4–5)	2	2.15

PNSQ: Psychological Needs in Sport Questionnaire; ABQ: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire; SD: Standard Deviation.

Associations between PNSQ-15 dimensions and personal, sports practice, and injury history variables are shown in Table 3. Older players showed higher concentration (p=0.046) and motivation (p=0.010), although the association with concentration should be interpreted cautiously due to the p-value being close to the significance threshold, with no significant differences for activation or confidence. Greater sports experience and professional tenure were associated with higher concentration (p=0.014 and p=0.015, respectively) and marginally with motivation (p=0.051). No significant differences were observed by BMI or weekly training hours. Players with a history of sprains exhibited higher concentration (p=0.036) and activation (p=0.003), and ankle sprains were specifically associated with higher activation (p=0.030). No significant relationships were found with other injuries such as tendon or ligament ruptures, plantar fasciitis, ACL tears, or Achilles tendon injuries.

Table 3.

PNSQ dimensions according to personal, training, and injury-related variables in female futsal players.

	Concentration	Activation	Confidence	Motivation
	Mean ± SD	Mean ± SD	Mean ± SD	Mean ± SD
Age	P=0.046	P=0.976	P=0.946	P=0.010
Low–Medium	23.86±6.27	26.13±6.85	25.41±4.84	24.67±5.23
High	23.37±5.15	25.79±5.13	25.83±7.22	28.67±5.30
Years of practice	P=0.014	P=0.209	P=0.686	P=0.211
Low–Medium	13.33±6.01	14.40±6.53	15.80±5.35	15.18±5.14
High	16.69±5.08	16.21±5.02	15.50±5.90	17.27±5.82
Years of professional practice	P=0.015	P=0.247	P=0.810	P=0.051
Low–Medium	5.71±4.99	6.47±5.67	7.00±4.70	6.55±4.68
High	8.33±4.58	7.67±4.86	7.50±5.37	9.47±5.63
BMI	P=0.256	P=0.375	P=0.134	P=0.490
Low–Medium	22.12±2.46	22.00±1.43	22.80±2.60	22.51±2.22
High	23.10±3.03	22.95±2.72	21.74±1.77	23.73±4.10
Weekly futsal hours	P=0.162	P=0.768	P=0.274	P=0.157
Low–Medium	8.38±2.82	8.53±2.85	9.52±3.40	9.09±3.08
High	9.75±3.37	9.09±3.18	8.33±2.93	7.93±2.81
Tendon rupture	P=0,342	P=0,400	P=0,606	P=0,440
Low–Medium	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (2.17)	3 (3.85)
High	2 (4.17)	3 (4.55)	0 (0)	0 (0)
Ligament rupture	P=0,579	P=0,476	P=0,227	P=0,69
Low–Medium	6 (28.57)	4 (26.67)	16 (34.78)	27 (34.62)
High	17 (35.42)	24 (36.36)	2 (16.67)	6 (40)
Sprain	P=0,036	P=0,003	P=0,077	P=0,196
Low–Medium	12 (57.14)	6 (40)	35 (76.09)	55 (70.51)
High	39 (81.25)	52 (78.79)	6 (50)	13 (86.67)
Plantar fasciitis	P=0,599	P=0,942	P=0,713	P=0,612
Low–Medium	7 (33.33)	4 (26.67)	14 (30.43)	21 (26.92)
High	13 (27.08)	17 (25.76)	3 (25)	5 (33.33)
Ankle sprain	P=0,096	P=0,030	P=0,411	P=0,491
Low–Medium	11 (52.38)	6 (40)	29 (63.04)	50 (64.1)
High	35 (72.92)	46 (69.7)	6 (50)	11 (73.33)
ACL rupture	P=0,804	P=0,489	P=0,235	P=0,964
Low-Medium	3 (14.29)	2 (13.33)	11 (23.91)	16 (20.51)
High	8 (16.67)	14 (21.21)	1 (8.33)	3 (20)
Achilles tendon	P=0,477	P=0,318	P=0,290	P=0,844
Low-Medium	4 (19.05)	3 (20)	4 (8.7)	9 (11.54)
High	6 (12.5)	7 (10.61)	1 (8.33)	2 (13.33)

PNSQ:Psychological Needs in Sport Questionnaire; BMI:Body Mass Index; ACL:Anterior Cruciate Ligament; SD:Standard Deviation.

Table 4 presents ABQ dimensions in relation to personal, sports practice, and injury variables.

Table 4.

Relationship between athlete burnout questionnaire (ABQ) dimensions and demographic, training, and injury variables in female futsal players.

ABQ	AFE	RSL	DPD
ABQ	Mean ± SD	Mean ± SD	Mean ± SD
Age	P=0,21	P=0,71	P=0,993
Low–Medium	24,89±5,08	25,17±5,32	25,3±5,35
High	27,06±6,52	25,77±5,83	25,35±5,79
Years of practice	P=0,861	P=0,314	P=0,216
Low–Medium	15,49±5,19	15,69±5,26	15,73±5,22
High	15,61±5,78	14,95±5,44	14,75±5,57
Years of professional practice	P=0,429	P=0,215	P=0,974
Low–Medium	6,69±4,48	6,7±4,87	7,01±4,92
High	8,39±6,47	8,05±5,11	7,05±5,1
BMI	P=0,712	P=0,79	P=0,633
Low–Medium	22,74±2,82	22,65±2,58	22,71±2,53
High	22,57±1,67	22,89±2,83	22,7±3,02
Weekly futsal hours	P=0,848	P=0,008	P=0,027
Low–Medium	8,93±3,15	9,35±3,18	9,27±3,11
High	8,78±2,67	7,45±2,04	7,55±2,42

	n (%)	n (%)	n (%)
Tendon rupture	P=0,533	P=0,688	P=0,357
Low–Medium	2 (2,67)	2 (2,82)	3 (4,11)
High	1 (5,56)	1 (4,55)	0 (0)
Ligament rupture	P=0,737	P=0,681	P=0,102
Low–Medium	26 (34,67)	26 (36,62)	29 (39,73)
High	7 (38,89)	7 (31,82)	4 (20)
Sprain	P=0,620	P=0,962	P=0,723
Low–Medium	54 (72)	52 (73,24)	54 (73,97)
High	14 (77,78)	16 (72,73)	14 (70)
Plantar fasciitis	P=0,083	P=0,036	P=0,055
Low–Medium	18 (24)	16 (22,54)	17 (23,29)
High	8 (44,44)	10 (45,45)	9 (45)
Ankle sprain	P=0,226	P=0,77	P=0,95
Low–Medium	47 (62,67)	46 (64,79)	48 (65,75)
High	14 (77,78)	15 (68,18)	13 (65)
ACL rupture	P=0,834	P=0,760	P=0,192
Low-Medium	15 (20)	14 (19,72)	17 (23,29)
High	4 (22,22)	5 (22,73)	2 (10)
Achilles tendon	P=0,479	P=0,764	P=0,620
Low-Medium	8 (10,67)	8 (11,27)	8 (10,96)
High	3 (16,67)	3 (13,64)	3 (15)

ACL:Anterior Cruciate Ligament; SD:Standard Deviation; ABQ: Athlete Burnout Questionnaire; AFE: Emotional and Physical Exhaustion; RSL: Reduced Sense of Accomplishment; DPD: Sport Devaluation.

No significant differences were observed for age, BMI, or years of sports experience. However, weekly training hours were inversely associated with RSA (p=0.008) and SD (p=0.027), suggesting that higher engagement in training and competition may protect against reduced accomplishment or devaluation. Players with plantar fasciitis tended to show higher scores in PEE (p=0.083), RSA (p=0.036), and SD (p=0.055). However, these findings should be interpreted with caution, particularly for PEE and SD, as the p-values were close to the significance threshold, indicating that chronic pain may increase burnout risk. No significant associations were observed between ABQ dimensions and other injuries or the number of previous injuries.

Overall, burnout levels were moderate in the sample, with chronic pain or repetitive injuries (e.g., plantar fasciitis) potentially increasing risk, while greater weekly training hours were associated with lower scores in some burnout dimensions, possibly reflecting better psychological coping or higher sports commitment.

Discussion

This study examined the relationships between psychological variables, sport experience, and injury history in female futsal players, identifying a profile characterized by high levels of concentration and activation and low levels of burnout. Age and sport experience, although not primary outcomes, were included as contextual variables due to their potential influence on psychological regulation, motivation, and responses to injury.

Overall, the results suggest adequate psychological functioning and effective adaptation to sport demands, which is consistent with previous research in female football players, where competitive participation has been associated with lower emotional exhaustion and reduced demotivation.^18,19

Although the available literature on women’s futsal remains limited, our findings are partially consistent with studies conducted specifically in female futsal players, which highlight the high physical and psychological demands of this sport and the relevance of contextual variables such as training load, competitive level, and match-related stressors.^6,7

Regarding the PNSQ-15, older players and those with greater sport experience showed higher levels of concentration and motivation. This finding may reflect greater psychological maturity and improved self-regulatory capacities developed through prolonged exposure to competitive sport. Previous studies have similarly suggested that sport experience enhances attentional control and coping efficiency under pressure,²⁰ while also supporting a more intrinsic motivational orientation associated with long-term engagement in sport.²

A relevant finding was the association between a history of ankle sprains and higher levels of activation and concentration. Although this may reflect increased attentional demands or competitive engagement, alternative explanations should be considered. In particular, athletes with prior injuries may develop heightened body awareness and preventive cognitive strategies to avoid reinjury. Conversely, greater exposure to training and competition could also contribute to both higher activation levels and increased injury risk. Therefore, these findings should be interpreted cautiously, and longitudinal research is needed to clarify directionality.

With respect to burnout, most players showed low levels of emotional and physical exhaustion, reduced sense of accomplishment, and sport devaluation, indicating a generally low risk profile. In addition, greater weekly training volume was associated with lower scores in reduced accomplishment and devaluation, suggesting that sustained sport engagement may be protective against certain burnout dimensions, although causal inferences cannot be established.²⁰

Interestingly, players with a history of plantar fasciitis exhibited higher burnout scores across all dimensions of ABQ. This result may reflect a bidirectional relationship between physical injury and psychological strain, where chronic or recurrent injury contributes to increased stress, frustration, and reduced perceived competence, while elevated burnout may also negatively affect recovery processes and injury perception. Similar patterns have been reported in previous literature, where persistent musculoskeletal conditions are associated with reduced motivation, emotional distress, and feelings of inefficacy.^21–28 From a practical perspective, these findings highlight the importance of integrating psychological monitoring into injury prevention and rehabilitation strategies in female futsal players.

Taken together, these results support the notion that psychological factors, sport experience, and injury history are interrelated components influencing athlete well-being and performance. Maintaining adequate levels of motivation, concentration, and activation, together with appropriate injury prevention strategies, may be relevant for reducing burnout risk and promoting sustained participation. However, these associations should be interpreted with caution due to the cross-sectional design, self-reported injury data, and potential confounding variables such as training load and competitive level. Age and sport experience were considered contextual explanatory variables, and future research should further explore their developmental role in psychological adaptation and injury risk using longitudinal designs.

These findings underscore the value of multidimensional approaches that integrate psychological, physical, and contextual factors when addressing athlete well-being in women’s futsal.

Limitations

Several limitations of this study should be acknowledged. First, the cross-sectional design precludes causal inference between psychological variables, injury history, and burnout. Longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the temporal and potentially bidirectional relationships among these factors in female futsal players.

Second, injury history was self-reported, which may introduce recall bias or misclassification. Although this method is widely used in sports science, future studies would benefit from prospective injury surveillance and medical verification to improve data accuracy.

Third, the sample was obtained through convenience sampling and included players from first and second national divisions, which may limit generalizability to other competitive levels or contexts. In addition, the relatively modest sample size may have reduced statistical power to detect smaller effects.

Finally, age and sport experience were analyzed as contextual variables rather than primary outcomes. While theoretically justified, future research specifically designed to examine developmental and career-stage effects would provide deeper insight into their role in psychological well-being and injury risk.

Conclusions

1. The majority of players reported a history of injuries, mainly sprains, reflecting the physical demands of the sport.

2. Activation and concentration levels were generally high, while confidence and motivation were moderate.

3. Age and sports experience were positively associated with concentration and motivation, indicating a potential relationship rather than a causal effect.

4. Greater weekly training hours were associated with lower burnout levels in the dimensions of reduced sense of accomplishment and sport devaluation.

5. Plantar fasciitis showed a tendency to be associated with increased psychological strain, suggesting that chronic pain may be related to higher burnout levels.

Supplemental material

Supplemental material - Psychological needs, burnout, and injury history in women’s futsal players: The role of age and sport experience

Supplemental material for Psychological needs, burnout, and injury history in women’s futsal players: The role of age and sport experience by Gonzalez-Martin C, Vila-Gomez R, Balboa-Barreiro V, Fernandez-Lopez U, Seijo-Bestilleiro R and Garcia-Rodrigez Mt in Women's Health.

Footnotes

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the athletes and clubs who voluntarily participated in this study.

ORCID iD

Gonzalez-Martin C

Ethical considerations

The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of A Coruña-Ferrol (Approval Code: 2024-060)

Consent to participate

All participants provided written informed consent prior to participation.

Consent for publication

Not applicable. This study does not include any identifiable personal data or images requiring consent for publication.

Author contributions

All authors contributed to the conception and design of the study. Data collection was performed by RVG. Data analysis was conducted by VBB. The first draft of the manuscript was written by CGM, TGR, RSB, UFL, and all authors critically revised the manuscript for important intellectual content. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article

Declaration of conflicting interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Data Availability Statement

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.*

Supplemental material

Supplemental material for this article is available online.

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