Injury to Insight: Exploring the Influence of Media on ACL Rehabilitation Experiences of Female Soccer Players

Participation in soccer inherently carries a risk of injury, with female athletes facing a significantly higher susceptibility to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries (Campbell et al., 2014; Le et al., 2025; Silvers-Granelli, 2021). The increasing participation in women’s soccer, coupled with the growing demand for its consumption through spectatorship, has contributed to a rise in ACL injuries, and increase in media coverage on this phenomenon (Parsons et al., 2021). Understanding how media narratives surrounding ACL injuries and recovery may influence rehabilitation experiences can educate coaches, mental performance consultants, athletic therapists, and female soccer players to better understand and navigate ACL injury experiences. However, research on the intersection of ACL injury and media influence remains underexplored. This study examines how media and social media surrounding female soccer ACL injuries shapes the psychological rehabilitation experiences of female soccer players recovering from or having recovered from anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Drawing on Wiese-Bjornstal et al.'s (1998) Integrated Model of Psychological Response to Sport Injury, the research utilized semi-structured interviews and data-prompted interviewing to engage female soccer players at various recovery stages. Participants reflect on their rehabilitation journeys, interactions with media content, and the perceived impact of media narratives on their recovery processes. The findings will contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the psychological dimensions of injury rehabilitation, informing strategies to foster a more supportive media environment for injured female soccer players, offering a deeper understanding of the interplay between female soccer players experiences and broader sociocultural dimensions of sport injury rehabilitation.