INJURY AND BURNOUT IN AUSTRALIAN ATHLETES

The relationship between injury and burnout in a sample of 264 local to international Australian athletes (124 men and 140 women) was studied. Injury call he it stressful experience for athletes Coupled with the demands of rehabilitation, it Could increase feelings of burnout. Experiencing more than One injury could have a cumulative effect Oil feelings of burnout, Alternatively, for some athletes the break front training or competing caused by all injury Could alleviate burnout symptoms. Participants completed it demographic questionnaire and it modified version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Independent sample t tests indicated thin currently injured athletes (n = 150) had significantly lower mean Burnout scores, than currently uninjured athletes (n = 113). Small, but statistically significant, positive correlations were found between number of injuries and Burnout scores. Possible explanations arc that injury provides it temporary break from intense sporting involvement and, thus, lower scores oil Burnout, but multiple injuries might have it cumulative effect on burnout.