2.2 Does it aid recovery or worsen the situation?

Sport offers a nonverbal way to participate when talking feels unsafe or overwhelming.

Supports Recovery

Regular participation supports motivation, confidence, and healthy habits.

Reinforces power imbalances through exclusionary or dominant group dynamics.

Movement practices help rebuild body awareness and autonomy.

Overwhelms the nervous system through high-intensity activity without grounding or choice.

Misinterprets trauma-related behavior when distress is treated as lack of effort.

Group activities reduce isolation and rebuild a sense of belonging and trust.

Triggers hypervigilance in environments that feel exposed or unsafe.

Shared routines provide structure and predictability, supporting emotional stability.

Sport can help people shift from survival mode to reconnection through safe, shared activity.

Recreates pressure or coercion through forced participation or conditional expectations.

Heightens shame or fear of failure when performance or winning is emphasized.