Predictors of Recovery Time

Abstract

Objective:To explore predictors of recovery time.Design:Repeated measures on 4 occasions throughout recovery included injury appraisal, demographics, emotional responses, and psychological variables.Participants:Elite injured athletes (N= 136).Main Outcome Measure:Recovery time.Results:At all phases, being a team athlete was a significant predictor of faster recovery. At partial recovery (approximately one-third of the recovery time), significant predictors were active coping, confidence of reaching full recovery in the estimated time, not completing rehabilitation, and having less social support. By semirecovery (approximately two-thirds of the recovery time), vigor and using denial significantly predicted quicker recovery. At recovery, having previously suffered a serious nonsporting injury or illness, vigor, more confidence, and intensity of effort significantly predicted faster recovery.Conclusions:This study has expanded on and refined the work in this area and will help increase understanding of the role that psychological variables play in decreasing recovery time, which has important implications for those implementing rehabilitation programs.