THE REHABILITATION PROCESS OF INJURED ATHLETES: UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES

Abstract

Introduction: Every sports injury leaves both physical and psychological effects on the athlete; a physical injury is inevitably accompanied by a psychological impact. Goals: To understand the psychological processes of injured athletes and identify the most important psychological interventions for them. Methods: This empirical, descriptive study used a qualitative, cross-sectional approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with injured elite athletes via the Zoom platform. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze the interviews. Results: Analysis of the interviews categorized the psychological processes experienced by the athletes into three thematic categories: fear and anxiety, motivation and confidence, and willingness to give up. Additionally, all participants emphasized the importance of psychological intervention during this period. Conclusions: It is hypothesized that these results may support future considerations and interventions in sports psychology related to injury rehabilitation.