Overview
The objective of this study is to investigate differences in postoperative pain, physical health, and mental health outcomes between participants receiving evidence-based mindfulness training and those who do not.
Over 200,000 injuries are estimated to occur among National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes annually. For many, these injuries can be season-ending, exacerbating physical, mental, and social well-being. Student-athletes face distinctive challenges compared to traditional students, such as balancing academic and athletic demands, pressures to perform well on and off the field, and the physical demands of competition, all of which can lead to worse mental and emotional outcomes if not properly managed. Injuries heighten stress levels among athletes, remove them from competition, and force students to integrate treatment regimens into already packed academic schedules.
Description
In this study, researchers will investigate how student-athletes can enhance their recovery following surgery for an injury by incorporating mindfulness-based practices.
Athletic performance, physical output, and overall wellness have been shown to improve when athletes incorporate evidence-based mindfulness and cognitive skills. Yet, minimal research has examined how cognitive and mindfulness skills can be leveraged specifically by injured student athletes to facilitate return to play, mitigate stress, and support academic performance following surgery. This randomized clinical trial will recruit college athletes undergoing surgery due to injury and randomize them to work with an expert on implementing skills from the Community Resiliency Model® (CRM).
Over the span of three months after surgery, the interdisciplinary research team will compare patient-reported outcomes and objective recovery measures from wrist-worn actigraphy devices to determine the impact of educating athletes on incorporating CRM skills that enhance well-being following surgery, compared to standard of care (SOC) written discharge instructions. Participants will complete questionnaires in person and/or via email about their general health and their pain at each appointment.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- College student athletes 18-26 years old,
- Scheduled for orthopedic surgery due to sports medicine injuries (e.g., anterior cruciate ligament tears, meniscus injury, rotator cuff injury, etc.)
Exclusion Criteria:
- Individuals unable to provide consent
- Undergoing revision procedures
- Individuals without access to an internet-connected device.
- Unable to speak English