ABSTRACT
Recovering and returning to sport following injury is a social process usually involving many stakeholders. As such, social support may be one factor influencing the experience of injury and return to sport outcomes. Consequently, understanding and enhancing the social support that is provided to injured athletes is an important consideration for practitioners. The purposes of this chapter are to (a) outline the conceptual considerations around social support and return to sport following injury, (b) discuss types of social support injured athletes may require, (c) outline the different providers of social support to injured athletes, (d) outline and discuss the how social support may benefit injured athletes and (e) explain evidence-informed strategies to enhance social support.
