Skip to main content

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Sport Psychology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1511840
This article is part of the Research Topic Exploring Motor Imagery Across the Lifespan – Gaps Between Practical Applications and Theoretical Frameworks View all articles

The Differential Effects of First-Person and Third-Person Motor Imagery on Anxiety and Psychological Readiness in Athletes Recovering from ACL Reconstruction: A Longitudinal Study

Provisionally accepted
Nobuchika Yamaki Nobuchika Yamaki *
  • King's College London, London, United Kingdom

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Introduction: Psychological factors, such as anxiety and fear of reinjury, play a pivotal role in the recovery process following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Motor imagery (MI), particularly first-person and third-person imagery, has emerged as a potential tool to enhance psychological readiness and reduce anxiety during rehabilitation. This study examines the differential effects of first-person and third-person imagery on psychological readiness and anxiety in athletes recovering from ACL reconstruction. Methods: This longitudinal study included 100 athletes (50 male, 50 female) aged 18 to 25 years. First-person and third-person imagery abilities were assessed using the Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire-2 (VMIQ-2). Psychological readiness was evaluated using the ACL-Return to Sport after Injury scale (ACL-RSI), and anxiety levels were measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Assessments were conducted at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months post-return to sport. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA and regression analyses. Results: First-person imagery was significantly associated with increased ACL-RSI scores (p < 0.001) and decreased STAI scores (p < 0.01) across all time points, emphasizing its role in enhancing psychological readiness and reducing anxiety throughout rehabilitation. Third-person imagery, on the other hand, showed a significant effect on reducing situational anxiety at 6 months post-return to sport (p = 0.05). Regression analysis identified first-person imagery as a significant predictor of psychological readiness (β = 0.46), while third-person imagery was significantly associated with reductions in situational anxiety (β = 0.28). Conclusion: The findings underscore the complementary roles of first-person and third-person imagery in ACL rehabilitation. First-person imagery is essential for enhancing psychological readiness, while third-person imagery effectively mitigates situational anxiety as athletes approach full return to sport. Integrating both imagery types into rehabilitation programs can optimize psychological recovery and support athletes' overall well-being during their recovery journey.

    Keywords: Motor Imagery, Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, Psychological readiness, Anxiety reduction, Rehabilitation interventions

    Received: 15 Oct 2024; Accepted: 03 Jan 2025.

    Copyright: © 2025 Yamaki. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Nobuchika Yamaki, King's College London, London, United Kingdom

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.