Anxiety and Muscle Tension in Athletes

August 12, 2024 | By Kindbridge

Do you as an elite athlete feel anxious, nervous, and unable to relax prior to (or during) a game, competition, tryout or important practice? Do you notice rigidity, stiffness, and pain in certain parts of the body as soon as these negative feelings occur? This is problematic for an athlete given that it can significantly impact performance on the court, track, field, pool, or arena.

While you’ve tried to calm your mind to abate the physical discomfort you have not had much success and have come online to explore options. Below is a breakdown of the anxiety and muscle tension connection, why you may feel the way you do, and what can be done to get you back on track for competitive success.

Overview of Anxiety and Muscle Tension in Elite Athletes and What Can Be Done to Correct it and Prevent Future Occurrence

Anxiety Disorder is Common to Elite Athletes

A wide body of research has found that anxiety is one of the most common mental health concerns for competitive athletes. One study conducted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in elite athletes ranges from 6% (diagnosed by a clinician) to 14.6% (self-reported by athletes). Anxiety tends to be higher in female athletes than male athletes. There are different types of anxiety disorders, with the IOC reporting the following statistics among elite athletes:

14.7% with social anxiety
5.2% with obsessive-compulsive disorder
4.5% with panic disorder.

Research on the cause-and-effect relationship between anxiety and muscle tension is limited, but one study has confirmed that GAD group showed higher levels of muscle tension during stressful situations (such as those surrounding athletic competition) when compared to the non-GAD group. Another study comparing members of the military with diagnosed anxiety against those without found the following:

“The mean muscle tension score of the former was 9·59 counts, min. (S.D. 514) and of the latter 5-23 counts, min. (S.D. 3-01). On testing for a significant difference it was found to be 3·86, which is highly significant (P > 0C001). The anxious patients, therefore, showed more muscle tension than the healthy subjects and the method discriminated well between the two groups.” (Symptoms of Anxiety and Tension and the Physiological Changes in the Muscular System)

While more research is recommended, the most important thing is that you (and a number of athletes) report muscle tension after feelings of anxiety. Whether or not it’s psychosomatic is beside the point, and if anything, validates the need for counseling intervention.

Where Anxiety Induced Muscle Tension Commonly Occurs

The Anxiety Centre indicates that anxiety muscle tension symptoms can affect any muscle or group of muscles in the body, and can migrate to various muscles or groups of muscles. That being said, muscle tension is commonly reported in the following:

Abdomen
Hip flexors
Lower back
Neck
Upper Thighs

Pain and compromised function in these areas has a direct and negative impact on athletic performance. Consequently, intervention is required for those who are not able to get through it on their own.

What if Anxiety Medications Aren’t an Option?

Regarded as the greatest-of-all-time in gymnastics, Simone Biles has been open about her struggles with anxiety and how a combination of counseling and medication has been instrumental to her return to gold medal form in the Summer Olympic Games. While therapeutic-use exemptions allow some athletes to use substances normally banned by the bodies that regulate their specific sports, the process may be problematic for some. Further, athletes with mild to moderate forms of anxiety may prefer to avoid prescriptions altogether out of fear that side effects may impact performance. Or it may just be a personal preference. If anti-anxiety medications are not for you, or you want to supplement use, these alternatives to anxiety medications may provide relief.

Specialized Counseling and Therapy for Elite Athletes

Whether or not anti-anxiety medications are for you, counseling for anxiety disorder in all of its forms can be greatly beneficial. Counseling for anxiety (and cooccurring disorders) typically involves cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). CBT has also shown to be effective in treating inflammation, which can contribute to muscle tension. Moreover, counseling services should be sought from providers with explicit experience in working with elite athletes, ensuring that you receive support from someone who understands exactly what you’re going through. More to be revealed at the conclusion of this article.

Physiotherapy Intervention to Supplement Counseling

The same IOC study referenced in above also found that athletes suffering from injuries have more severe symptoms of anxiety than non-injured athletes. This leads us to another point regarding holistic intervention for anxiety and muscle tension. Instead of causing (per se) muscle tension, negative feelings may be aggravating preexisting chronic musculoskeletal injuries and impairments. If so, counseling, while helpful, will only go so far in returning you to peak performance. Be sure to work concurrently with a physiotherapist and a mental health provider.

Performance Coaching to Supplement Counseling

Kindbridge Behavioral Health is America’s preeminent online counseling support platform for athletes. We have entered into a partnership with Momentum Labs to expand towards a more holistic offering. The Momentum Labs sports performance coaching platform that will help athletes of all-ages improve their mindset and mental health, with support from Kindbridge on the issues such as anxiety disorder and cooccurring conditions. Reach out via the contacts provided below to discuss a customized mental health strategy. Alternatively, you may click the banner below to learn more about this exciting new sports performance coaching platform.