Fending for Yourself: Making Sense of Long Term Injury in University Student Footballers

Abstract

Background: Footballers especially those in stressful environments aged 18-25 are at high risk of injury (Jones et al., 2019; Clement et al., 2018). Current literature suggests sports injury produces many negative psychosocial effects (Leddy, et al, 1994; Heaney, 2006). However little study has been qualitatively conducted into the experiences of UK university student footballers. Method: This study used IPA to explore the experiences of 6 long-term injured student footballers through semi-structured interview by Zoom with particular focus on the lifeworld dimensions identity change and embodiment (Todres & Galvin, 2010). Results: Student footballers in the UK experience long-term injury as pressure to play, attempts to fill the void left by lack of football, atypical identity, emotional turmoil from injury through rehabilitation and fallen expectations. Conclusion: From long-term injury the student footballers learned resilience: how to stand up for themselves in the footballing environment, and a better idea of how to ease the adversities of injury.