Psychological Effects of Injury on University Athletes and Their Return to Sport

Psychological Effects of Injury on University Athletes and Their Return to Sport
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Literature Review
The Popularity of Organized Sports
Researchers have demonstrated that sports involvement is a beneficial extracurricular activity, particularly among adolescents (Zaff, Moore, Papillo, and Williams, 2003). Students nagging in sports have positive outcomes like social support and increased academic performance (Jewett et al., 2014). Likewise, Loprinzi, Cardinal, Cardinal, and Corbin (2018) associate sports with increased physical activity levels. Further, researchers indicate that children and adolescents involved in sports have better mental health outcomes (Li et al., 2021). While students have tight schedules due to the demanding nature of studies, they find sports critical in helping them socialize. Athletes get an opportunity to network, which is instrumental for learners. Through sports, learners learn the important skill of social interaction. Here, they discover the importance of associating with peers, conflict management, and communication. Such social skills are important for learners because they prepare them for their future world, which values such social skills. Membership in a sports team increases the net worth of university students, especially where the emphasis is on team success (Zaff, Moore, Papillo & Williams, 2003). For instance, students can receive trophies for participating in sporting activities. According to Tirodimos et al. (2009), receiving trophies gives university students a sense of accomplishment and recognition.
Additionally, recognizing the importance of sports has led to the popularity of organized sports in schools. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022) demonstrates that 54.1% of children aged six and 17 participated in sports in 2020. When these adolescents proceed to the university, they continue engaging in sports. Sports have become popular in US colleges, attracting players from different institutions. Pope and Pope (2009) agree that colleges use the popularity of their teams to increase their enrolments and tuition. Sports expose universities to many potential learners, increasing the demand for education in particular institutions. Siegfried and Getz (2006) point out that learners tend to choose colleges or universities based on limited information about reputation. Hence, athletics becomes one of the most important tools institutions of higher learning can utilize to affect the prominence of their schools. Universities encourage learners to participate in sporting activities by providing the necessary environment for athletes. Consequently, coaches and facilities lure more university students into becoming athletes (Cross and Fouke, 2019).
The Prevalence of Sports Injury
To understand the psychological effects of the injury on university students, it is instrumental to appreciate the prevalence and impact of sports injuries. Despite being critical for learners, participation in university sports has the adverse implication of leading to injuries. Tracy (2003) observed that the increased number of people participating in sports increased the number of injuries (Tracy 2003). For instance, in the 2020 academic ...