ReviewChildren (Basel, Switzerland)2026
Sports Injuries and Mental Health in Child and Adolescent Athletes: A Systematic Review.
Review in Children (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
backgroundSports injuries in children and adolescents may affect physical health, emotional well-being, sleep, quality of life, confidence, sport participation, and readiness to return to sport.
objectiveThis systematic review synthesized evidence on the relationship between sports-related injuries and mental health in athletes aged 19 years or younger, considering both psychological factors associated with injury vulnerability and psychosocial outcomes following injury.
methodsThe review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched from inception to 8 July 2026, with eligibility restricted to studies published between 2021 and 2026. Risk of bias was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools, and findings were synthesized narratively.
resultsTwenty-one studies were included. Lower well-being, anxiety, stress, fatigue, sleep disturbance, kinesiophobia, and reduced psychological readiness were associated with injury occurrence, symptom burden, recovery, or reinjury. Conversely, injuries were associated with anxiety, depressive symptoms, sleep problems, reduced health-related quality of life, lower confidence, disrupted athletic identity, and return-to-sport difficulties.
conclusionsThe findings suggest a potentially bidirectional association between sports injury and mental health within a broader biopsychosocial context. However, heterogeneity and predominantly observational designs limit causal inference.
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