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Keywords

biomechanics, goal setting, positive self-talk, mental imagery

Abstract

The biomechanics of an injury is the typical focus of athletic trainers and coaches. Surgery is often the result of sports injury and is routinely followed by a rehabilitation plan. This plan usually includes physical therapy and focuses on the return of mobility and function of the injured anatomical structure (Rodriguez et al., 2019). Athletic trainers are usually not properly trained on the psychological aspects of injury recovery (Bennett et al., 2016). Sometimes the involvement of a sports medicine professional (SMP) or sport psychology consultant (SPC) is necessary to help the athlete fully recover. Because there is a psychological change for every physical change (Green, 1992), the application of psychological interventions should be used throughout the rehabilitation process. Some of the most commonly used interventions to help improve and maintain athletic performance are goal setting, positive self-talk, and mental imagery (Arvinen-Barrow et al., 2015). The use of such psychological interventions is thought to have a positive impact on recovery efficiency and how effectively athletes return to play.

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