Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37726848›Full record

ArticleBMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation2023

Athletes' experiences of using a self-directed psychological support, the BAck iN the Game (BANG) smartphone application, during rehabilitation for return to sports following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Magnus Ringberg, Ann Catrine Eldh, Clare L Ardern, Joanna Kvist

Registry-linked trialOpen access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03959215 (Back in the Game), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
0.6field-weighted citation impact, top 29% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03959215 naunknown statusnot on this map

Back in the Game: a Smartphone Application to Support Athletes Returning to Sport After Serious Injury

TypeinterventionalSponsorKarolinska InstitutetRan2019 to 2024Enrolled169ConditionsAnterior Cruciate Ligament InjuryArmsBack in the Game, Usual rehabilitation care
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed, 2 citations in OpenAlex.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.

Magnus RingbergUnit of Physiotheray, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Science, Linköping University, Linköping, SE-581 83, Sweden.
Ann Catrine EldhDepartment of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Box 564, Uppsala, SE-751 22, Sweden.
Clare L ArdernUnit of Physiotheray, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Science, Linköping University, Linköping, SE-581 83, Sweden.
Joanna KvistUnit of Physiotheray, Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Science, Linköping University, Linköping, SE-581 83, Sweden. joanna.kvist@liu.se.
Linköping University · SELa Trobe University · AUUppsala University · SE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFollowing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), many athletes do not return to their sport, often driven by concerns about re-injury. Psychological support strategies might help, but are not routinely included in rehabilitation after ACLR. The BAck iN the Game (BANG) intervention is a 24-week eHealth program delivered via smartphone application (app), beginning directly after ACLR, with a self-directed approach that aims to target the specific challenges athletes encounter in rehabilitation.

aimTo describe athletes' experiences of using the BANG app during rehabilitation, to support returning to sport following ACLR.

methodParticipants were athletes, in contact and/or non-contact pivoting sports, who had ACLR with the goal to return to sports. Semi-structured, individual interviews were conducted 6-10 months after their ACLR; all had access to the BANG intervention. Verbatim transcripts were analysed with a qualitative content analysis.

resultsThe 19 participants were 17-30 years, mean 21.6 years (SD 3.5); 7 men and 12 women. The analysis generated three main categories. (A) Interacting with the app illustrated how, when, or why the participants engaged with the app. The app was helpful because of its varying content, the notifications served as reminders and participants stopped using the app when no longer needing it. (B) Challenging experiences with the app illustrated that the app itself came with some difficulties e.g., content not appearing with the right timing and material not tailored to their sport. (C) Supportive experiences with the app reflected how the app facilitated the participants' rehabilitation progress; it included positive aspects of the app content and navigation, boosting their confidence to return to sport, and motivated them to continue with rehabilitation.

conclusionThe analysis of the interviews illustrates athletes' awareness in interacting with, and the challenging and supportive experiences of using the app. The BANG app might provide support for returning to sport, primarily psychological support, as an adjunct to regular physiotherapy-guided rehabilitation. Athletes' experiences of the BANG app could be improved by healthcare professionals providing additional advice about when to use which content and why.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03959215. Registered 22 May 2019.

Indexed as

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstructionAthleteseHealthMobile phonePsychological supportRehabilitationReturn to sportsSports injury

Identifiers

PMID37726848
PMCPMC10507891
OpenAlexW4386846346

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.