The art of recoverying: benchmarking and identity salvaging among injured athletes

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] This study explores sense-making and identity strategies of athletes managing pain and injury both personally and socially. In- depth interviews were conducted with athletes from either organized sporting leagues or corporate sport programs. This study suggests that athletes may utilize the sense-making resources of "apocryphal assessment" and "shock testing" in order to interpret their pain and/or injury. In addition, the identity strategies of buffering, eclipsing and eulogizing are used by athletes to socially manage pain and injuries in their sports with regard to his/her role as athlete. The sense-making resources and identity strategies articulated in this study have potential application to other social contexts outside of sports.