Psychological Effects of ACL Injuries on an Athlete’s Return to Sport

While much attention is paid to physical rehabilitation, a review of the literature indicates that it is the psychological return to sport post-injury that most significantly determines a successful return. That is, with proper rehabilitation and strength training an athlete can achieve a successful physical return however, psychological factors are often unseen, unreported, or ignored and consequently have the greatest impact on performance. Fear of injury is something all athletes face, however, post-injury this fear intensifies impacting an athlete’s cognitions, confidence, and performance. Results from the current inquiry indicate that the ACL injury has specifically been shown to have greater psychological consequences, than other injuries. Factors such as a long recovery time and significant amounts of rehabilitation as well as several months away from competitive sports, are all contributing factors to psychological stress