Graduate Research Papers

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Open Access Graduate Research Paper

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to review the literature on the subject of psychological factors related to the rehabilitation of injured athletes. The study attempted to answer questions concerning athletes' perceptions of injuries, experiences with grief response to injury, self-blame, irrational thinking, and alienation. The issues of stress and levels of self-esteem were also discussed in the review.

Research into the literature revealed that athletes may experience many psychological problems and barriers during recovery from sports injuries. Grief was found to be a very natural and healthy aspect of injury rehabilitation. Feelings of guilt, fear, lowered self-esteem, and alienation appear to have negative effects on the recovery rates of athletes. Research findings also revealed that many athletes indulge in self-defeating thought processes (e.g., irrational thought, self-blame, and internalizing negative thoughts) that could significantly inhibit the rehabilitation of their injuries.

Sportsmedicine professionals (e.g., athletic trainers, physicians, and sport psychologists) and coaches are encouraged to become informed on the problems athletes face during rehabilitation so they can understand what athletes experience. Understanding athletes' situations and taking the correct steps to help them along in the process of rehabilitation appear to be necessary priorities for anyone working with athletes.

Coaches, trainers, and sports physicians can do a great deal to assist injured athletes that are experiencing psychological problems during rehabilitation. Athletes that are having difficulty coping with their injuries may be aided by personal counseling to help them learn to accept the situation. Injured athletes should be informed about the nature of their injuries and encouraged to keep open the lines of communication with coaches, trainers, and teammates. Sportsmedicine professionals must work with injured athletes to guide them through periods of self-doubt, depression, internalizing of negative thoughts, and feelings of alienation. It is also the responsibility of the sportsmedicine professionals and coaches to keep athletes actively involved with the team and the rehabilitation process. Active participation and involvement of injured athletes in the process of rehabilitation appear to have positive effects on the physical and psychological recovery of injured athletes.

Year of Submission

1992

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

School of Health, Physical Education, and Leisure Services

First Advisor

Sharon Huddleston

Comments

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Date Original

5-1992

Object Description

1 PDF (iii, 48 pages)

Language

en

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