Navigating Injuries in Pairs and Ice Dance Figure Skating

The study explored the relational and psychological dimensions of injury recovery in pair and ice dance figure skating; disciplines built on interdependence, trust, and shared performance outcomes. While most sport injury research focuses on individuals or teams, far less is known about how athletes in highly interdependent dyadic sports experience injury as a shared disruption affecting both partners. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with competitive pair and ice dance skaters who had either sustained an injury or supported an injured partner. Reflexive thematic analysis produced five interconnected themes: injury experience and recovery, psychological factors, partnership dynamics, goals and performance, and supports. The findings reveal injury recovery in dyadic sports is deeply relational, and co-constructed, influencing not only physical rehabilitation but also the emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal factors of the partnership. Both injured and non-injured partners navigated changes in trust, motivation, and communication, emphasizing recovery as much about relational repair and adaptation as physical healing. These results extend existing models of sport injury by demonstrating recovery cannot be fully understood without considering the shared psychological processes and collective coping within partnerships. This research is important because it highlights an often-overlooked dimension of athlete care; the relational dynamics shaping how recovery unfolds. By recognizing the needs of both partners, sport organizations, coaches, and support teams can better design interventions fostering communication, relational efficacy, and cohesion. Integrating these principles into Safe Sport and coaching education may not only improve athlete well-being and partnership longevity but also strengthen the foundation for sustainable high-performance outcomes in figure skating and other dyadic disciplines.