Psychology of injury Flashcards
Injury definition
Trauma to the body or its parts that results in at least temporary, but sometimes permanent, physical disability and inhibition of motor function
Differences between muscle soreness and pain
Muscle soreness - onset is within 48hrs of pain, where as injury pain is suddenly (acute) or gradually (overuse)
MS - location is generalised - IP - localised to a single region
Duration - MS - peaks 1-3 days after ex - IP - weeks, months or longer
What are some psychological reactions to injury?
Depression
Anxiety
Sleep disorders
Anger
Isolation
What are some predictors of athletic injury?
Psychological factors e.g. stress, pressure and burnout
Social factors - peer pressure, cultural norms, (e.g. playing through pain) support systems
Cognitive and behavioural factors - perceived risk of injury, denying/ignoring developing health problems, (‘shake it off’) continuing to play and failure to report concussion symptoms
Physical factors - muscle imbalance, overtraining, lack of flexibility
The stress-injury relationship
Studies show that of all the psychological predictors of injury, stress response was the strongest predictor of injury
High stress = more sport/exercise related injuries
Some studies say that positive life events can also cause stress and increase injuries such as receiving a scholarship, doing better academically, getting married
2 theories that explain the stress-injury relationship
Attentional disruption - stress disrupts an athletes attention by reducing peripheral vision
Increased muscle tension - high stress causes muscle tension that interferes with normal coordination and increases chance of injury
In a classic study, Smith and colleagues (1990) Life stress was associated with athletic injuries
ONLY in athletes who had both ________ and _____
Both low levels of social support and low coping skills
Studies have shown that individuals sustain more injuries or lose more time as a result of their injuries under the following circumstances
They have low self-esteem
They are pessimistic
They have higher levels of trait anxiety
They have low mental toughness and low family social support
They have higher levels of daily hassles
The greatest stress sources for injured athletes were not the physical aspects but the psychological ones, for example
Fear of reinjury
Shattered dreams
Watching others get to perform
Isolation
What is the grief response and how does it relate to injury response?
After injury, the athletes first thought reactions are similar to people facing imminent death
njured athletes may exhibit some of these emotions, but do not follow a
set pattern/move through these inflexible fixed 5 stages
1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance and reorganization
the concept of a “grief response” can be applied to injury situations because an injury can be perceived as a loss of function or ability, leading to similar emotional responses like sadness, anger, and denial, essentially experiencing a “grief” over the lost capability of the injured body part
How is social support important in injury recovery?
Injured athletes need to know their coaches and teammates care and feel confident that people will listen to their concerns without judging
The need for social support is greatest when setbacks occur or when other life
demands place additional stress on athletes.
What are some recommended procedures for coaches and or psychologists to follow with athletes during their rehab process
Create a supportive environment
Encouraging open communication
Setting realistic goals
Providing regular feedback
What are some social factors related to injury prevalence in sport (e.g. are certain types of
people/athletes more likely to play through pain)
Importance of playing leads to athletes pushing bodies beyond limits
Social pressure
those in contact sports, athletes with a strong competitive drive, individuals with a high pain tolerance are more likley to play through pain
What are some reasons why people play through pain?
Strong desire to win
Pressure from teammates and coaches
Fear of losing playing time
Financial concerns
What are reasons athletes do not return to play after injury?
Fear of re-injury
Lack of confidence in their ability to perform at the same level
Persistent pain
Negative experiences during rehab
