And often, despite proper rehabilitation, athletes are not psychologically equipped to return to the rigors of competition. While advances in sports medicine have led to remarkable recoveries, many observers of collegiate sports urge greater attention to the psychological aspects of treating injured athletes. Initially, sports psychology was a vehicle to enhance performance in healthy individuals. Currently, however, there is a growing awareness of specific psychological risk factors that are a part of athletic performance. More frequently mental health professionals are summoned to assist coaches in helping an athlete adjust to injury or career termination.
Sports culture is guided by a unique set of principles.
Risk of injury is said to be influenced by assumptions regarding pain tolerance. Still at the heart of some coaching strategies is the expectation, or sometimes encouragement, that an athlete continue to test his limits, even in the face of pain. There is not a member on the team who has not been injured. Feats of pain tolerance are lauded by fans, athletes, and coaches. At first, most athletes will not admit they might be hurt and continue to risk even greater injury.