Competitive athletes' psychological and emotional experiences of injury rehabilitation: a scoping review.

Hazel R Jaekel, Courtney A De Barro, Alyson J Crozier, Grant R Tomkinson, Nicola D Ridgers

Abstract readScoping Review

In one paragraph

Article in Systematic reviews, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

1citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

The mediating role of body appreciation between injury/illness history and quality of life among retired Japanese female athletes.Women's health (London, England)
Article

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

5 authors.

Hazel R JaekelAlliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, PO Box 2471, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.

Courtney A De BarroAlliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, PO Box 2471, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.

Alyson J CrozierAlliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, PO Box 2471, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.

Grant R TomkinsonAlliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, PO Box 2471, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.

Nicola D RidgersAlliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, PO Box 2471, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia. nicky.ridgers@unisa.edu.au.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSporting injuries have a psychological impact on competitive athletes, though most research focusses on the time of injury and returning to play. A greater understanding of the impact of injury rehabilitation programs on athletes is required. This scoping review synthesised the current peer-reviewed literature on the psychological and emotional experiences of competitive athletes undergoing injury rehabilitation.

methodA systematic search of the PsycInfo, SportDiscus, MEDLINE, and Scopus electronic databases was conducted using keywords relating to psychology, rehabilitation, athletes, and injuries from January 1980 to April 2024. Studies that focussed on mental or psychological wellbeing during injury rehabilitation among competitive athletes aged ≥18 years who had suffered a musculoskeletal or soft-tissue injury were eligible for inclusion.

resultsIn total, 64 studies were included, with 61% using a cross-sectional design. There was considerable variability in the definitions of injuries, competitive athletes, and injury severity in the included studies. The results highlighted the injury rehabilitation process is an emotional experience and while minimal psychological support was offered during rehabilitation, the level of social support received by athletes may positively and/or negatively impact their experience. Numerous coping strategies used during rehabilitation were identified, including goal setting.

conclusionThe findings suggest that despite injury rehabilitation resulting in a range of emotions for athletes, minimal psychological support is offered, though positive social support can benefit experiences. Due to significant variation in definitions, including injury severity, it is difficult to draw consistent conclusions about athletes' rehabilitation experiences. Future research should explore dynamic responses to injury throughout rehabilitation where possible. This information is critical for supporting competitive athletes' mental or psychological wellbeing during injury rehabilitation.

Indexed as

AthletesAthletic InjuriesEmotionsAdaptation, PsychologicalHumansSocial SupportAthletesAthletic injuriesCoping skillsEmotionsGoalsMental healthSocial supportSport

Identifiers

PMID41361498

DOI10.1186/s13643-025-02986-x

PMCPMC12683862

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata

LicenceCC BY-NC-ND

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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.