Determining predictor variables for running-related pain

The purpose of this study was to determine whether specific predictor variables exist for particular running-related injuries. Data on 134 patients with running-related injuries were evaluated to establish the factors that were associated with specific pain sites. Patient data consisted of a brief running history and measurements of 72 anatomical variables that have been cited in the literature as predisposers to running-related injuries. The descriptive statistics indicated certain associations of variables with each pain group. A factor analysis was used to eliminate multicollinearity and to reduce the 72 variables to 9 factors. The results of a discriminant function analysis using factor scores indicated that patients' membership in one of six pain groups could be predicted correctly in 29.1% of the cases. We concluded that the factors used in this study were not good predictors of pain groups. Physical therapists, however, should publish their data on runners' injuries, treatment, and rehabilitation to supplement the published data that relate anatomical and biomechanical factors to running-related injuries.