Perceived motivational factors for female football players during rehabilitation after sports injury - a qualitative interview study

Abstract

Compliance with a rehabilitation program is significant among athletes following a sports injury. It is also one of the main factors that influence the rehabilitation process; moreover, the outcome is also influenced by the athlete's motivation. It is primarily an autonomous motivation, result-ing in rehabilitation adherence. The aim of this study was to investigate the perceived motivation of female football players during rehabilitation after a sports injury and the extent to which these motivating factors were autonomous. Qualitative interviews, based on a semistructured interview guide with injured female football players undergoing rehabil-itation, were analyzed using content analysis. The motivational factors that were described were their set goals, social support as well as ex-ternal and internal pressures during rehabilitation. The perceived au-tonomy varied somewhat but overall, they experienced external motiva-tion; therefore, the behavior was not entirely self-determined. Results are expected to provide a better understanding of women football play-ers' motivation in relation to their rehabilitation; hence, physiotherapists and coaches who are part of the rehabilitation process can contribute by increasing the autonomous motivation, thus, improving the compli-ance and outcome of the rehabilitation.