Perceptions of coping with an injury in sport at the NCAA Division I level: Perceptual continuity between student athletes and their athletic trainers

How an athlete responds and recovers from an injury varies with each unique situation. One's reaction to their sport injury can be an influential determinant of their return to sport. Those working directly with injured athletes are in a unique position to administer both physiological and psychological rehabilitation. Research has surfaced regarding the need of athletic trainers (ATs) to also focus on the mental aspects of recovery. The objective of this narrative study was to focus and uncover the perceptions of coping with an injury among four NCAA Division I athletes and also the ATs with whom they work. A thematic structure of the lived experience of an injury from two varying perspectives was revealed using a comparative narrative approach. The concept of 'perceptual continuity' was introduced and the relationship between the lived experiences of the injured student-athlete and the perceptions of these experiences by their AT provided a new and interesting insight into the psychological rehabilitation process. With this investigative research, health and sport professionals will be able to approach both the mental and physical sides of rehabilitation with a better understanding of the emotions and thoughts of their athletes.