A Qualitative Investigation into Dancers’ Use of Psychological Skills During Injury Rehabilitation / Anna O’Leary (2022)

Injuries are a significant concern. Thus, research related to injury rehabilitation would be of great benefit to dancers. While psychological skills used during injury rehabilitation have been studied within a sports context, little is known about them in the dance world. This study aims to examine whether psychological skills were used during rehabilitation and how these skills were perceived to have influenced injury recovery. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five participants to qualitatively explore dancers’ experiences during recovery. The results revealed that participants’ psychological responses to injury were negative, and psychological skills helped manage these responses. The psychological skills used by the participants during recovery included goal setting, imagery, self-talk, and relaxation techniques. Additionally, implementing psychological skills also became a source of motivation for the participants during rehabilitation. The study’s findings indicate that psychological skills benefit recovery; however, future research should explore them further. Overall, this study emphasizes that psychological skills provide injured dancers with tools to enhance recovery through increased motivation and ways to manage emotions and self-expectations surrounding recovery. Future implications of these results indicate that increased awareness of psychological skills may enhance recovery and aid a successful return to dance following an injury.