A longitudinal examination of athletes' emotional and cognitive responses to anterior cruciate ligament injury

• Published in: Clinical journal of sport medicine Vol. 9; no. 2; p. 63
• Main Authors: Morrey, M A, Stuart, M J, Smith, A M, Wiese-Bjornstal, D M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.04.1999
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adolescent; Adult; Affect; Analysis of Variance; Anterior Cruciate Ligament - surgery; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; Athletic Injuries - psychology; Athletic Injuries - rehabilitation; Athletic Injuries - surgery; Chi-Square Distribution; Female; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Pain Measurement; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; Sick Role; Surveys and Questionnaires; Wounds, Nonpenetrating - psychology; Wounds, Nonpenetrating - rehabilitation; Wounds, Nonpenetrating - surgery
• ISSN: 1050-642X
• DOI: 10.1097/00042752-199904000-00004

To determine the emotional and cognitive impact of injury and surgery on physical recovery in injured athletes. A prospective longitudinal study comparing the psychosocial and physical recovery of competitive and recreational athletes. Tertiary-care sports medicine center. Twenty-seven athletes (15 men and 12 women) who required anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery. A repeated-measures design used to compare the psychosocial and physical changes for 6 months after ACL surgery. Emotional (mood) and cognitive (coping) functions and physical recovery (range of motion, physician-rated level of recovery, and physician permission to return to sport). There was a significant time-effect difference in mood, with a greater mood disturbance and recovery rate for competitive athletes than recreational athletes. Differences in mood and pain coping were significant at 2 weeks and 2 months after surgery. Athletes experience significant mood changes throughout rehabilitation, which may hinder rehabilitation early in the process. Longer-term rehabilitation was not impacted by mood or pain coping. Future studies might focus on examining the process over a longer time period (1-2 years after surgery). Physicians should be aware of these findings and appropriately counsel and motivate athletes toward more favorable positive psychological and physical outcomes.