Psychosocial Determinants of Health in Recreational, Tactical, and Competitive Athletes: Implications for Physical Therapists

Neuromusculoskeletal (NMSK) injuries are ubiquitous in recreational, tactical, and competitive athletes. Many athletes who sustain a NMSK injury progress to develop chronic conditions that can limit physical activity and result in substantial long-term disability. Both social and psychological factors may drive care-seeking and treatment compliance following NMSK injury, as well as contribute to the chronification of injury. In turn, each of these factors could result in long-term cardiovascular consequences that contribute to morbidity and mortality over a lifetime. Physical therapists have a professional duty to work in communities, operational military units, and in competitive athletic programs to increase accessibility, foster care-seeking behaviors, and mitigate potential long-term consequences following NMSK injury. All practitioners should be aware that successful rehabilitation includes consideration of many complex biopsychosocial, technical, and operational factors. In this educational session, we will discuss the unique psychological and social determinants of health in recreational, tactical, and competitive athletes. This session will include specific suggestions about techniques physical therapists can employ to facilitate care-seeking following NMSK injury

Psychosocial Determinants of Health in Recreational, Tactical, and Competitive Athletes: Implications for Physical Therapists

Neuromusculoskeletal (NMSK) injuries are ubiquitous in recreational, tactical, and competitive athletes. Many athletes who sustain a NMSK injury progress to develop chronic conditions that can limit physical activity and result in substantial long-term disability. Both social and psychological factors may drive care-seeking and treatment compliance following NMSK injury, as well as contribute to the chronification of injury. In turn, each of these factors could result in long-term cardiovascular consequences that contribute to morbidity and mortality over a lifetime. Physical therapists have a professional duty to work in communities, operational military units, and in competitive athletic programs to increase accessibility, foster care-seeking behaviors, and mitigate potential long-term consequences following NMSK injury. All practitioners should be aware that successful rehabilitation includes consideration of many complex biopsychosocial, technical, and operational factors. In this educational session, we will discuss the unique psychological and social determinants of health in recreational, tactical, and competitive athletes. This session will include specific suggestions about techniques physical therapists can employ to facilitate care-seeking following NMSK injury