Mindfulness aplications in sport injury

Abstract

The mindfulness construct, defined as “paying attention on purpose, in the present moment and nonjudgementally to the present experience” (Kabat-Zinn, 1982) and considered part of the third generation techniques in cognitive-behavioural therapies, is being applied in several fields with benefits in important variables such as stress or anxiety levels, pain or life quality. It’s been recently used for the first time in sports psychology to increase the performance levels of athletes with very well defined programs (Birrer, 2012). The aim of this article is to analyze the mindfulness-based interventions and see the potential benefits and advantages that mindfulness could bring in the prevention and rehabilitation of sports injuries.