Disability and pain in capoeira practitioners.

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Musculoskeletal Health
• Physical Therapy

Background:

• Capoeira is a physically demanding martial art with potential for musculoskeletal strain.
• Understanding pain and disability in athletes is crucial for injury prevention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the prevalence and severity of pain and functional disability among capoeira practitioners.
• To identify specific body regions most affected by pain and disability in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study design was employed.
• Data were collected from capoeira practitioners at their training sites.
• The Self-Estimated Functional Inability because of Pain for athletes (SEFIP-sport) questionnaire was utilized.
• Descriptive statistical analysis, including mean, standard deviation, and percentages, was performed.

Main Results:

• The study included 65 capoeira practitioners.
• A significant proportion, 64.61% (42 participants), reported experiencing pain or discomfort.
• The average SEFIP-sport score was 2.28 (SD=2.65), indicating a mild degree of functional disability.
• Knees, lower back, and wrist/hands were the most frequently reported sites of pain and disability.

Conclusions:

• Capoeira practitioners frequently experience pain and disability, particularly in the knees, lower back, and wrist/hands.
• Despite frequent reports, the overall level of functional disability among these athletes is mild.
• The findings highlight the importance of targeted interventions for common sites of discomfort in capoeira.