College Athletes` Experiences with Suffering a Re-Injury: A Phenomenological Investigation

Location

Waters College of Health Professions (WCHP)

Session Format

Poster Presentation

Co-Presenters and Faculty Mentors or Advisors

Dr. Megan Byrd, Faculty Advisor

Abstract

When an athlete sustains an injury, fear of re-injury is a salient emotion athletes experience and is more prevalent in athletes who sustained a severe injury (Cassidy, 2006; Covassin et al., 2015). Fear of re-injury is also a risk factor to suffering a subsequent injury (e.g., An et al., 2019; Paterno et al., 2018). Epidemiology studies have highlighted that re-injuries are of high prevalence and that return-to-play rates are significantly lower with re-injuries as compared to a primary injury (e.g., Gans et al., 2018; Webster et al., 2019). However, there is a lack of research that has explored the psychological and emotional response to a re-injury that may explain these low return-to-play rates. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to understand college athletes lived experiences in regard to the psychological and emotional response to a re-injury. In this phenomenological qualitative study, participants (currently n = 2) completed a semi-structured interview. Presumed themes are thought I was invincible, recovered once, I can do it again, and was mentally prepared the second time. The findings will provide sport personnel with information to optimize the injury experience and outcomes of athletes who have endured a re-injury.

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Presentation (Open Access)

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College Athletes` Experiences with Suffering a Re-Injury: A Phenomenological Investigation

Waters College of Health Professions (WCHP)

When an athlete sustains an injury, fear of re-injury is a salient emotion athletes experience and is more prevalent in athletes who sustained a severe injury (Cassidy, 2006; Covassin et al., 2015). Fear of re-injury is also a risk factor to suffering a subsequent injury (e.g., An et al., 2019; Paterno et al., 2018). Epidemiology studies have highlighted that re-injuries are of high prevalence and that return-to-play rates are significantly lower with re-injuries as compared to a primary injury (e.g., Gans et al., 2018; Webster et al., 2019). However, there is a lack of research that has explored the psychological and emotional response to a re-injury that may explain these low return-to-play rates. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to understand college athletes lived experiences in regard to the psychological and emotional response to a re-injury. In this phenomenological qualitative study, participants (currently n = 2) completed a semi-structured interview. Presumed themes are thought I was invincible, recovered once, I can do it again, and was mentally prepared the second time. The findings will provide sport personnel with information to optimize the injury experience and outcomes of athletes who have endured a re-injury.