Readiness Outcomes Affecting Return to Sport 2.0: An Intervention Feasibility & Pilot Study

Approximately 350,000 individuals undergo anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery with using allograft or autograft in the US annually. Even with successful ACL surgery, subsequent ACL tear occurs at a rate of 2-24% in physically active population. Most published reports focused on the young adult population, but few studies have focused on physically active young athletes and their return to sports (RTS) after surgery. As successful RTS following ACL reconstruction can be physically and psychologically challenging, increased attention has been directed to better understand the role a patient's psychological readiness to RTS plays in the rehabilitation phase, but there is an overall need to establish effective tools to help improve psychological readiness to RTS during this phase.

Mental skills training aims to improve athlete performance. Individuals involved in collegiate-level sports face the challenge of balancing rigorous athletic and academic demands. Given these demands, there is increasing need for programs to help athletes at varying levels and ages develop the skills necessary to maintain optimal performance. Such programs speak to the need for student-athletes to train their mental game much in the same way they train their physical game. They emphasize the value of and the ability to teach confidence, adaptability, and resilience.

Researchers have employed both mindfulness- and psychological skills-based techniques as means to promote student-athlete mental toughness and improved performance outcome. Mindfulness increases nonjudgmental awareness of the present, and is an effective treatment in non-sport related arenas. Psychological skills training educates athletes on how to improve strategies such as imagery, self-talk, goal setting, and arousal regulation. While these interventions may vary somewhat in terms of approach, there is evidence that both tactics positively impact athlete performance. We believe that these theories can be translated to athletes who are recovering from injuries and be used effectively to get patients back to their sports confidently.

The goal of mental skills training is to help athletes maximize performance, reach self-determined goals, and build confidence in their fields of play. Many of the same tools that benefit athletes in sport performance also translate to their injury experience. Mental conditioning helps athletes navigate the many ups and downs that accompany ACL injury and recovery. Athletes are taught techniques to maintain their sport mindset by capitalizing on motivation, consistency, and resilience. One-on-one sessions are athlete-centered, and are designed to encourage exploration and growth through tangible mental skills strategies. Topics that may be addressed include mindset awareness, goal setting, stress management, mental imagery, cognitive restructuring, and positive self-talk.