Challenge

“regardless of obstacles or barriers”

The stress response for humans shows that how the body reacts to excitement and fear the same way: racing heart, sweating palms, or fast breathing. So when faced with an injury, rehabilitation, or returning to sport an athlete can view it as a challenge or a threat. Based on The Model of Integrated Responses to Sport Injury (Weis-Bjornstal, 1989), by viewing the injury/rehab/return to sport as a challenge, a more positive cognitive appraisal, they are more likely to attend rehabilitation sessions (behavioral response), with a more positive attitude with more intensity which can provide more positive outcomes in therapy. These outcomes can provide more positive return to sport at pre injury levels and less risk for re-injury when they are able to return.

The main skills presented in this section will be largely in how athletes appraise activating events by developing positive thought appraisals, becoming more comfortable with stressful situations, contingency plans, and reflecting on past successes to see how challenges give opportunity for growth. Because challenge is a cognitive appraisal to an injury, it is important to address early in the rehabilitation experience, and then continue to build on throughout rehab. This timing is important because viewing each phase of injury (reaction to injury, reaction to rehab, and reaction to return to play) as a challenge will improve outcomes throughout the process and long term.