The Psychological Impact of Sports Injuries on Return to Play: Analytical Study of Football Players
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25130/Keywords:
- Modern Administrative Methods - School SportsAbstract
Introduction: This study aims to explore the psychological impact of sports injuries on football players, focusing on levels of sport anxiety, self-confidence, and social support during the recovery process. The significance of the research lies in the substantial role the psychological aspect plays in players' return to play (RTP) after injury. Methods: Questionnaires consisting of three psychological scales were administered to a sample of 20 professional players who sustained sports injuries and were in the recovery period. The surveys were conducted before and after returning to play (a pre-post design) to collect data on anxiety, self-confidence, and social support. Data were analyzed using statistical methods, such as the T-test. Results: The results showed a significant decrease in anxiety levels, from an average of 4.1 (pre-return range: 3.5-4.3) to 3.4 (post-return range: 3.0-3.5), with strong statistical significance (p < 0.05). Self-confidence scores significantly increased from 3.7 (pre-return) to 4.2 (post-return), indicating a significant improvement after resuming match play. Social support levels also rose from 4.0 to 4.5 post-return, reflecting the role of the team and coaches in enhancing psychological state. Discussion: These findings are consistent with the literature, indicating that psychological and social support are important for reducing anxiety and enhancing self-confidence during post-injury recovery. The results also support the importance of psychological programs integrated within the physical therapy plan to accelerate the return to play. Conclusion: The study concluded that psychological factors play a crucial role in accelerating the return to play. Psychological support must be included in sports rehabilitation programs to improve players' performance post-injury.
References
Abdullateef AbdulJabbar, M., M. Ali, M., Ali Khalaf, Y., Hadi Hammad, S., Khalid Awad, A., Jaber Mushref, A., & Adham Ali, O. (2025). The effect of mental training (mental visualization and attention focus) on the accuracy and speed of offensive performance in fencing players. Retos, 70, 1097–1113. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v70.117026
Ali, O. A. (2022). Measuring The Psychological Attitudes of Non-Specialist Academic Staff of Al-Maarif University College Toward Practicing Sports. Journal of AlMaarif University College, 33(1), 55–64. https://doi.org/10.51345/.v33i1.441.g260
Ali, O., & Hamid, H. (2021). Building of Psychological Directions Parameter for Anbar Educational Directorate Teachers for non-specialty Towards Practicing Classroom and Extracurricular Activities. Anbar University Journal of Physical Sciences and Sports, 12(23), 23–46. https://doi.org/10.37655/uaspesj.2021.175083
Ali, O., Mushref, A., & Ali, B. (2024). The Role of Supplements in Improving Muscular Strength and Endurance in Professional Soccer Players: A Systematic Review. American Journal of Social and Humanitarian Research, 5(12), 485–497. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.31150/ajshr.v5i12.3116
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W.H. Freeman.
Brewer, B. W. (1998). Adherence to sport injury rehabilitation regimens. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 10(1), 70–82. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413209808406353
Clement, D., Granquist, M., & Arvinen-Barrow, M. (2013). Psychological aspects of athletic injuries as perceived by athletic trainers. Journal of Athletic Training, 48(4), 512–521. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-48.4.10
Cohen, S., & Wills, T. A. (1985). Stress, social support, and the buffering hypothesis. Psychological Bulletin, 98(2), 310–357. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.98.2.310
Ekstrand, J., Hägglund, M., & Waldén, M. (2011). Injury incidence and injury patterns in professional football: The UEFA injury study. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 45(7), 553–558. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2009.070249
Fayyad, F. H., Hammood, Y. M., Ali, O. A., Mushref, A. J., Awad, A. K., & Shanta, A. (2025). Building and legalizing a test to measure the level of football agility of young players. Retos, 68, 1578–1590. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v68.116368
Hammood, Y. M., Awad, A. K., Ali, O. A., Mushref, A. J., & Hummadi, J. N. (2024). Measuring the aggressive behavior of the teams in the Iraqi Premier League in football and its relation to the results and ranking of the league for the 2022-2023 season. Sportske Nauke i Zdravlje, 14(2), 127–134. https://doi.org/10.7251/SSH2402127H
Khalaf, Y. A., AbdulJabbar, M. A., & Ali, O. A. (2025). The effect of sports job burnout on the performance of workers in student activities departments in Iraqi universities | El efecto del agotamiento laboral deportivo en el rendimiento de los trabajadores de los departamentos de actividades estudiantiles de. Retos, 66, 86–95. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v66.113271
Martens, R., Vealey, R. S., & Burton, D. (1990). Competitive anxiety in sport. Human Kinetics.
Podlog, L., & Eklund, R. C. (2007). Professional coaches’ perspectives on the return to sport following serious injury. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 19(2), 207–225. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200701222826
Rees, T., Mitchell, I., Evans, L., & Hardy, L. (2010). Stressors, social support, and effects upon performance in golf. Journal of Sports Sciences, 28(1), 11–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410903194369
Tripp, D. A., Stanish, W. D., Ebel-Lewis, P., Brewer, B. W., & Birchard, J. A. (2007). Fear of re-injury, negative affect, and catastrophizing: Relationship to post-surgical pain among athletes. Journal of Pain, 8(6), 454–460. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2007.02.015
Wiese-Bjornstal, D. M., Smith, A. M., Shaffer, S. M., & Morrey, M. A. (1998). An integrated model of response to sport injury: Psychological and sociological dynamics. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 10(1), 46–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413209808406335
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2025 عثمان ادهام علي، امير جابر مشرف، احمد خالد عواد
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
© THIS IS AN OPEN ACCESS ARTICLE UNDER THE CC BY LICENSE. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/