Injury is a persistent and inevitable concern among athletes - amateur and professional. "It is estimated that 3 to 17 million people are injured each year in the United States in sports, exercise, and recreational settings." (Weinberg, 2007, p. 448). Even with great advancements in safety equipment, constricting of rules and regulations, and knowledge of prevention, being seriously injured is still a major concern for athletes of all ages. .
It's important for the general public and professionals to understand the psychological reactions to these injuries because emotions play a key role in how an athlete deal with thier injury. Emotions such as fear, anger, and depression are normal responses to injury and the emotional responses peak during the initial phase of injury. "The instant an athlete is injured, much of what he or she has worked for is taken away. This has a devastating impact, because, for athletes, physical condition and athletic ability are the major components of self-worth."" (Quackenbush, 1994, p. 2) .
There are many variables that can affect an athlete's emotions and how he or she views their injury in the initial stages of recovery. What point in the season the athlete is injured in, how the athlete views their injury and the type of social support an athlete receives after the injury are all vital components of how the athlete will view and begin to recover.The initial-illness phase of recovery is the most important phase because this is where the athlete begins to overcome psychological barriers and begin the physical and emotional rollercoaster back to the playing field. .
Initial-illness phase deals with the stress of uncertainty of undiagnosed conditions and the emotional battle at the beginning of recovering from an injury. The timing of the injury during an athlete's career and the timing of injury during the athletic season plays a major part in how an athlete views his injury psychologically.
