The psychosocial impact of career-ending injuries in elite rugby union players : a qualitative study

2014

Retirement from sport can be a difficult transition for an athlete, particularly when participation in sport has formed a significant part of their identity and life as a whole. In the case of professional sport, athletes who retire because of a career-ending injury may have to deal with the unexpected double impact of losing their career and income and recovering from a serious injury, thus potentially making this exit from sport particularly problematic. This transition can be made all the more difficult since the athlete may be unprepared for it. Research on career-ending injuries among professional athletes, however, is limited. The purpose of this study was to document the lived experi…