Beyond Physical Recovery: A Biopsychosocial Examination of Sports Injury Recovery and Rehabilitation in Cricket

Abstract

Background: Sports injuries are inherently complex experiences. They do not merely damage tissue or impair physical functioning; they disrupt mental and emotional equilibrium and fracture the social structures that sustain a player’s identity, motivation, and daily life. The growing volume of competitive sport globally has intensified both injury prevalence and the demand for recovery and rehabilitation approaches that address the full complexity of the player’s experience. Objective: This paper looks at sports injury recovery and rehabilitation in cricket through the Biopsychosocial (BPS) framework, integrating evidence from sport psychology, sports medicine, recovery and rehabilitation sciences, and cricket-specific injury research. Methods: A narrative integrative review of literature was conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Google Scholar, synthesizing findings relevant to biological recovery, mental and emotional adaptation, and social context in athletic recovery and rehabilitation. Findings: Recovery and rehabilitation outcomes in cricket are shaped by a dynamic interplay of biological factors such as injury severity and pain perception, mental and emotional variables including fear of reinjury, self-efficacy, and athletic identity disruption, and social determinants encompassing coach relationships, team dynamics, family support, and media pressure. No single domain operates in isolation. Conclusion: Integrated, player -centered recovery and rehabilitation approaches informed by the Biopsychosocial Model hold important promise for improving return- to-play outcomes and long-term well-being in cricket. Future research must prioritize cricket- specific mental and emotional interventions, female cricketer representation, and cross-cultural perspectives.