The psychological implications of football-related injury and psychological rehabilitation among athletes

Abstract

This research aims to answer the questions: What is the experience of footballers who had experienced a sports-related injury and sought psychological and/or counselling support? What interventions did athletes find helpful/not helpful for coping with such an experience? Drawing upon the principles of phenomenology, hermeneutics, and ideography, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to provide insight into the athletes’ experience and their personal perception of the injury. Semi-structured interviews with six Maltese top-level football players who have sustained and overcome a sports-related injury were used for the collection of data. The athletes’ appraisals of the injury were explored and their attitudes towards the different forms of support received and the psychological interventions used were identified. Despite the psychological support sought and received on a personal level, the participants suggested that their mental health was often overlooked by their clubs, leaving them with feelings of helplessness and insecurity. Recommendations which can be adopted to create sports environments that promote the psychological wellbeing of athletes have been presented. These include the recruitment of professional service providers such as counsellors and psychologists within the clubs, as well as the promotion of such services to diminish the stigma around athletes’ mental health. Recommendations for further research and the implementation of a holistic sport education programme promoting psychological wellbeing at national level have been discussed.