‘’It was the end of the world” – The lifeworld of elite male rugby union players living with injury. An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Abstract

Background: Professional rugby is an aggressive sport. Consequently, injuries are an inevitable part of a rugby player's career. It is therefore crucial for sports medicine professionals to understand the subjective experience of injured athletes in order to optimise their care. Objectives:The purpose of this study was to take a lifeworld perspective to explore how living with injury was meaningful to professional rugby players.Methods: A purposive sample of 5 participants were recruited and data collection undertaken via semistructured interviews. Audio-recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology to develop the themes.Findings: Three master themes emerged from the analysis, each comprising of two subthemes; 1) Sense of uncertainty (1a. Fear of the unknown, 1b. Lack of control), 2) Experienced Change in Relationships (2a. Lived human relations, 2b. Coping), 3) Sense of Self (3a. Isolation and Belonging, 3b. ''Being'' an athlete). Conclusion:Participants' described the challenge to their sense of sense of self and 'being' athletes', as the isolation from the team deprived them of their sense of belonging. Participants illustrated the experienced significance of their relationships, the uncertainty over their lives and the unique strategies to cope. Emotions of anxiety, grief, anger and shock reverberate throughout their accounts.

Mental Health and Wellbeing of Retired Elite and Amateur Rugby Players and Non-contact Athletes and Associations with Sports-Related Concussion: The UK Rugby Health Project

“…Elsewhere, retirement from an elite sports career, particularly if involuntary, has been associated with increased depressive symptoms [35][36][37]. In the current study, depression and anxiety were more prevalent in rugby players who retired because of injury when compared to those who did not retire due to injury.…”

“…One possible contributing explanation for the greater prevalence of adverse mental health in former elite players, is injury-forced retirement. Elsewhere, retirement from an elite sports career, particularly if involuntary, has been associated with increased depressive symptoms [ 35 – 37 ]. In the current study, depression and anxiety were more prevalent in rugby players who retired because of injury when compared to those who did not retire due to injury.…”

Creating cultures of belonging on collegiate athletics teams

“…It can be damaging to an individual's sense of belonging when they have established bonds but as a result of circumstances, those bonds are changed and the frequency of contact between individuals is decreased. Athletes who have experienced a career ending injury have reported a sense of loss, a change in their sense of self, and a lessened feeling of belonging (Murray et al, 2022). Therefore, coaches who seek to create a culture of belonging, must take in to account those athletes who may be disconnected from the group as a result of injury or other circumstances.…”