The Effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxation in Enhancing Athletes' Concentration: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Concentration is essential in individual and team sports and crucial to success. Athletes require high levels of focus in competitive environments. Those with good concentration perform optimally, while those struggling with focus may encounter difficulties during competitions. Current training programs often emphasize physical conditioning, technique, and tactics, while mental health training remains underexplored, including strategies to enhance concentration. One effective intervention for improving concentration is relaxation, particularly Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), which combines muscle contraction and relaxation across different body regions. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of PMR in enhancing athletes’ concentration.

Methods: This study employs a Systematic Literature Review approach. Articles were retrieved from Google Scholar, PubMed, and Semantic Scholar using the PICO framework: “Athlete” AND “Progressive Muscle Relaxation OR Jacobson’s Progressive Muscle Relaxation” AND “Concentration.” Articles were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The risk of bias was assessed using the PEDro Scale, and findings were synthesized using narrative synthesis.

Results: A total of 839 articles were identified, with five meeting the final selection criteria. The studies reviewed indicate that PMR effectively enhances athletes' concentration.

Conclusion: PMR significantly improves concentration and may be considered an integral part of mental training programs for athletes. Improved concentration enhances decision-making efficiency and reduces errors during competitions. Individual factors, such as stress levels and prior experience, should be considered when implementing PMR.

Keywords: Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Concentration, Athlete