HOLISITIC REHABILITATION:
There needs to be a push for collaboration between sports medicine doctors and orthopedic surgeons with sports psychologists. The former can only address the issues of the athlete physically, but a psychologist can better help to understand the position the athlete is in, providing the patient with a coping plan catered to his specific needs and circumstance.
The biggest perceived gap in this field is the lack of emotional understanding between doctor and patient, whereas a sports psychologist is trained to address the sensitivity behind such a catastrophic injury. They can provide some of the quintessential social support needed for athletes to make a successful recovery, curbing possible depressive episodes and post-injury anxiety.
While there are many studies examining the physical success rates of athletes post-ACL reconstructive surgery, there are far less studies catered particularly to the psychological rehabilitation of these injured athletes. Many sports psychologists have examined the impact of major vs. minor injuries by degree of commitment to sport, but there remains to be an academic gap that is reflective in the surgeons and sports medicine: emotional understanding. Because the psychosocial effects of injury are underemphasized, if not disregarded completely, athletes are left questioning their possible psychological/emotional instability in the wake of injury. The athletic mindset and identity can easily identify this as weakness, which is why many may not seek out help. It is absolutely necessary to incorporate the mental health risks to athletes, so that they can be provided the greatest mental recovery with lower rates of re-injury anxiety and depression.
The biggest perceived gap in this field is the lack of emotional understanding between doctor and patient, whereas a sports psychologist is trained to address the sensitivity behind such a catastrophic injury. They can provide some of the quintessential social support needed for athletes to make a successful recovery, curbing possible depressive episodes and post-injury anxiety.
While there are many studies examining the physical success rates of athletes post-ACL reconstructive surgery, there are far less studies catered particularly to the psychological rehabilitation of these injured athletes. Many sports psychologists have examined the impact of major vs. minor injuries by degree of commitment to sport, but there remains to be an academic gap that is reflective in the surgeons and sports medicine: emotional understanding. Because the psychosocial effects of injury are underemphasized, if not disregarded completely, athletes are left questioning their possible psychological/emotional instability in the wake of injury. The athletic mindset and identity can easily identify this as weakness, which is why many may not seek out help. It is absolutely necessary to incorporate the mental health risks to athletes, so that they can be provided the greatest mental recovery with lower rates of re-injury anxiety and depression.