REHABILITATION PSYCHOLOGY

GOAL SETTING FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE IN

SPORT AND REHABILITATION

By Dr Edmund O’Connor, PhD, sport psychologist

Goal-setting is a skill that can greatly enhance an athlete’s sport performance as well as provide an action plan for reha- bilitation. It is a skill that focuses attention and improves confidence as well as physical outcomes. In short, goal-set- ting provides the most effective means to enhance motiva- tion, increase intensity, strengthen commitment and offer direction in rehabilitation to maximise recovery.

This article gives an overview of guidelines for setting goals as well as identifying the four main barriers to effective goal-setting. It represents the first in a series of psycholo- gy-based articles on the subject of rehabilitation and per- formance.

Injury is an ever-present risk in sport. Goal-setting enhances ath- letic performance and is also easily applied to the rehabilitation setting. Both injured athletes and treatment providers indicate the value of setting goals to increase motivation and adherence to rehabilitation programmes (1).

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Also from the athlete’s perspective goal-setting brings a familiarity to injury rehabilitation since it is routinely used in sport and the athlete often finds that rehabilitation is just another type of train- ing where their skills can be effectively transferred.

This familiarity enhances a sense of control over the injury and the rehabilitation process, improves confidence and reduces anxiety.

Goals also provide an action plan for rehabilitation. They tell the injured athlete what needs to be done every day to return to sport. This minimises worry about the future or attention to the negative consequences of injury, both of which slow progress.

In short, goal-setting provides the most effective means to enhance motivation, increase intensity, strengthen commitment and offers direction in rehabilitation to maximise recovery.

10 goal-setting guidelines Many authors offer suggestions on the most effective way to set goals (1,2,3). These guidelines apply equally to sport performance and rehabilitation.