Perceptions and Experiences of Psychological Readiness During the Return to Sport After Injury

UniversityAthletes are often given permission by health professionals to return to sport (RTS) after injury based primarily on physical competencies with limited emphasis on psychological readiness (PR). There is no definition of PR consistently used in the literature; therefore, it is imperative to explore perceptions and experiences of athlete PR to understand PR and its influence more accurately on rehabilitation and the RTS process. PR is broadly conceptualized as the dynamic psychological process including factors of realistic expectation, confidence, motivation, and focus (Podlog et al., 2015; Podlog et al., 2022). Athletes who are not psychologically ready to RTS, despite achieving physical healing and functional progressions, may lack motivation and confidence in their abilities (Podlog et al., 2015) and experience anxiety or feel depressed (Tracey, 2003). Some may also fear re-injury (Ardern et al., 2014), worry about future performance (Podlog Webster & Hewett, 2019), or drop out of sport (Ardern et al., 2014). In consideration of these complexities and inadequate evidence of physical parameters alone to determine readiness, the purpose of the study was to explore injured athletes’ perceptions and experiences of PR during rehabilitation and after return to competition (RTC). A qualitative phenomenological design employing semi-structured interviews focused on athletes’ experiences of PR surrounding the RTS process. Thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2019) with 15 collegiate student-athletes before and after RTC (30 interviews total) produced three themes: focus, confidence, and realistic expectations. Findings highlight the importance of facilitating a more inclusive understanding of PR from an athlete perspective and for researchers and practitioners to consider readiness comprehensively within RTS protocols.