How received support can help aid athletes with hamstring injuries adhere to their rehabilitation programme?’

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to extend existing sports psychology research into social support. The present study examines the influence that received support has on adherent behaviours upon a rehabilitation programme. The study examined eight athletes who engaged in Amateur/semi-professional level. Who had sustained hamstring injuries on a 3G surface that were shown to return to sport within six months of the injury onset. Cutrona and Russel (2010) framework on received support was used to study the affect received support has on adherence. This framework has allowed the current study to add to the current inconsistent body of research by illustrating similarities or differences on previous research (e.g Bianco, 2001; Johnston and Carrol, 1998; Rees and freeman, 2012). The findings from this study have reiterated the temporal nature (e.g. Johnston and Carrol, 1998; Bianco, 2001) of received support within an rehabilitation environment and how each dimension of support is utilised to facilitate adherence. Furthermore each dimension of support (e.g. Informational, esteem, emotional,& tangible) is shown to be indicicitive that certain members of ones support network are better suited to certain dimensions. The study concludes that when receiving support it is vital for athletes to receive the correct dimension of support from the most suitable provider in order to maximise the affects of received support. Future research should investigate whether the timing of the injury in relation to the season has implications on an athletes reaction to received support.