As a result of many athletes spending hours engaging in rigorous training programmes and competitions, the prevalence of sporting injuries has increased (Kraus & Conroy, 1984). Regardless of their level of involvement, a vast majority of athletes will experience an injury that will keep them away from their sport for an unwanted period of time, it is an evitable risk associated within partaking in sport. A general notion amongst most athletes suggests returning to sport sooner than later is the right course of action, due to a pre-existing stereotype challenging their competitive nature and willingness to sacrifice for the team (Weiss, 2003). Moreover, this sentiment is also portrayed in the current sports media, where an estimated recovery time for an injured athlete is always reported; highlighting the importance of their return to their respective sport and importantly team (David et al., 2018). Therefore, those athletes who take longer to rehabilitate can often be criticised; resulting in the athlete being questioned abou
t their mental toughness, devotion to the sport and if their contractual salary is proportional to their diminished value (Meyers, 2015). However, a major factor of rehabilitation that an injured athlete is challenged with but is often overlooked, is the psychological aspect of injury. Some athletes have been known to rush their rehabilitation due to their competitive mindset, not placing importance on their readiness to return to action, affecting both performance and daily life. The psychological effects resulting from an injury can vary depending on an athletes mental approach and the severity of the injury (Taylor & Taylor, 1997). The rehabilitation process is a crucial period for an athlete to recover both physically and mentally. Therefore, this paper will delve into the psychological challenges athletes face when rehabilitating. This includes exploring effective approaches in mental rehabilitation post-injury, allowing for an athlete to achieve an efficient level of readiness and perform to the best of their abilities.