van Niekerk M, Matzkin E, Christino MA. Psychological Aspects of Return to Sport for the Female Athlete.
Arthrosc Sports Med Rehabil 2023;
5:100738. [PMID:
37645384 PMCID:
PMC10461158 DOI:
10.1016/j.asmr.2023.04.021]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Female athletes represent a unique population of competitors who face distinct stressors when compared with male athletes. These include sport inequities, violence, abuse, body image concerns, disordered eating, relative energy deficiency, family planning challenges, hormonal challenges, and mental distress. When combined with sports injuries, these stressors can negatively impact the mental health of female athletes as well as their injury recovery and return to sports. It is essential for orthopaedic surgeons to be familiar with the unique aspects inherent to being a female athlete, along with the psychological aspects of sports injuries. By integrating questions about female athletes' psychological well-being into their routine practice and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team, orthopaedic surgeons can better address these unique stressors, support female athletes in achieving optimal outcomes, and enhance return to sport rates.
Level of Evidence
V, expert opinion.
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