The multi-dimensional impacts of injury on physically inactive women's participation in sport and physical activity: insights from concept mapping

Objectives: To explore how injury, as a primary barrier, impacts physically inactive Australian women's engagement in sport and physical activity. Design: Concept mapping. Methods: Participants used online concept mapping to brainstorm the meaning of injury, then sorted and rated statements for impact and importance (1 (low)–5 (high) scale). Multi-dimensional scaling, hierarchical cluster analysis and descriptive statistics were applied. Results: Forty-five Australian women, aged 25–64, brainstormed 94 statements representing the meaning of an injury. Nine clusters emerged from analysis of the sorting data (highest to lowest mean cluster impact order): Fear and frustration; Physical implications of injury; Activity restrictions; Financial implications; Modification and management; Recovery; Mental and emotional wellbeing; Impact on daily life; and Social impact and engagement. A high correlation was found between rating scales (r = 0.92). Conclusions: A holistic approach is fundamental to understanding how the multi-dimensional impacts of injury and recovery affect physically inactive women. This approach should extend beyond the medical/physical aspects to other challenges and contextual factors (i.e. environmental and personal) impacting women's functioning. Understanding the diverse needs and experiences of physically inactive women is crucial for tailoring interventions that can effectively support recovery and sustained engagement, through person-centred strategies focused on injury prevention/management. Furthermore, this understanding is essential to fostering collaborative system-wide understanding and change, involving diverse stakeholders (e.g. health practitioners, those in delivery/practice settings, insurance) to improve long-term health and wellness outcomes, and promote greater participation in sport/physical activity.