Recreation or Re-creation? What are the effects of taking part in a group physical activity intervention on rugby sportspeople who have previously incurred a life changing injury?

Abstract

Abstract

Background

The number of people incurring life changing injuries playing or training in rugby union in England fall within Health and Safety Executive limits. The impact of such injuries, however, is significant for the player, family, and peers. The use of group sporting activity as an intervention to promote post-traumatic growth is developing but best practice and effect is not widely known.

Aim

To ascertain the effect of participation in a group physical activity intervention for a cohort of injured rugby players; and identify if the intervention has a lasting impact.

Method

A qualitative approach was utilised in this study. Field-based participation observations of two group physical activity interventions were followed up with semi-structured interviews three months later. All twelve members involved in the intervention participated in the study.

Analysis

Data from the interviews was reviewed utilising reflexive thematic analysis. This utilised the process steps of familiarisation with data, generating coding, generating initial themes, reviewing and developing themes, refining, defining and naming themes, and writing up the findings. In addition, field observations and an element of photo-elicitation was utilised as secondary data when discussing elicited themes.

Findings

Group Physical Activity was found to be a useful intervention for rugby players with incurred life-changing injury to reflect on their relationship with sport, their family and peers, and themselves. The experience was enjoyable at the time for the participants and acted as a catalyst for further lifestyle changes embracing physiological, psychological, and social aspects. The impacts were identified as being most profound when activity was normalised by the activity provider, with the individual, not the injury being central in delivery. The ability to undertake these interventions alongside other rugby players provided a significant supportive peer group.

Contribution to Knowledge

The benefits of physical exercise and specifically activity alongside others is developing a robust research basis. This study contributes to this knowledge by demonstrating that when group physical activity is used prescriptively, considering the needs of the participants, it is productive. Furthermore, rather than identifying interventions as ‘adaptive activity’, simply using appropriate equipment helps ‘normalise’ activity, removing stigma and handing risk and ownership to the participants. Social activity outside of instruction contact time is also a key component in any recovery activity intervention and should be considered accordingly.

Date of Award	4 Dec 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bath
Supervisor	Bryan Clift (Supervisor)