Psychological effects of sporting injuries

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Psychological effects of sporting injuries
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Objectives

• To identify
• Stages of response to injury
• Needs of the athlete during and after injury
• The coaches roles

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• If you think youre beaten, you are,
• If you think you dare not, you dont,
• If you like to win but think you cant, you
  wont,
• If you think youll lose, youve lost.
• Success begins with a persons will
• Its all in the state of mind.

4

• Think of an athlete who has spent many years
  and countless hours training in the hope that one
  day he/she would be able to represent his/her
  country in the Olympic games.

5

• Imagine the feelings of pride and
  accomplishment associated with making it through
  the many competitions and qualifiers that is
  necessary to earn a berth on the Olympic team.
• Now picture that same athlete sustaining an
  injury a month before the Olympics that literally
  shatters his or her dreams.

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• Research has shown that the athletes often
  react to injury with a grief response similar to
  Kubler-Rosss stages of death and dying

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5 Stages

• D-----
• A----
• B---------
• D---------
• A---------

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5 stages

• Denial of what?
• Anger at who?
• Bargaining of what?
• Depression - leading to?
• Acceptance leading to?

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Needs

• Throughout this healing process the athlete
  has a wide range of needs, depending on the
  scenario and the severity of injury. There are
  also a variety of coping mechanisms and
  strategies that athletes use to fulfil various
  needs, and deal with the trials and tribulations
  of injury.

10

• In looking at the basic human needs identified
  by Glasser (1984) (acceptance, success,
  sensation, and control) one could anticipate some
  needs that an injured athlete may have.
• Try and identify those needs.

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Needs of the athlete

• Support
• Need for expression
• Knowledge
• Care
• Prompt Medical attention
• Strategies
• Rehab
• Distractions