Overcoming Sports Injuries: A Mental Health Perspective
By Ellie Duncan
Many athletes often live and breathe their sport, and can’t begin to imagine what life would be like if they were no longer able to participate in that sport - even if only for a short period of time. Injuries are therefore an aspect that athletes may fear the most, whilst those suffering with injuries often find that the mental battles during that period supersedes the physical pain of the injury they are facing. Research has even shown that combating the psychological aspects of an injury could be key to improving the physical healing time.
When injured, athletes often experience emotions such as anxiety, frustration, isolation, lack of motivation and identity loss. Nonetheless, these psychological challenges are often downplayed, leaving athletes feeling like they are facing this battle alone. In my personal experience of long-term injury as a track athlete, I feel there is a lack of guidance and awareness around the psychological hardships of injury. So I’d like to shed some light on this tough period of time, and provide some top tips and alternative points of focus to help make the recovery process more manageable.
1. The sooner you accept the injury, the sooner recovery can begin
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.Acceptance is often the most difficult psychological aspect of injury. Many athletes continue to train or compete in denial that they are injured with the hope that it will just ‘get better on its own’. Unfortunately this is rarely the case, and this mindset can put an athlete in danger of a more serious injury. For example, I remained in denial for an extended period of time and continued to compete to a high level, resulting in my injury intensifying and multiple years out of my sport.
Therefore, I strongly encourage athletes to pursue medical help as soon as they feel that anything might be off regardless of if they feel they can push through the pain or not. It is easy to be blinded if your performance remains relatively unaffected but seeking medical attention early on is vital for reducing recovery time and avoiding further injury. Whilst it can be daunting to seek medical attention alone, especially if it might impact your ability to participate in something you love, confiding in someone close to you about your concerns first can help you feel more supported in the process. Moreover, having someone who can attend the medical session/s with you can give you the extra confidence and support you might need.
2. Set new goals and use the time to focus on what you can do
Readjusting to your new reality can be a difficult process, and it can be easy to focus on what you can’t do instead of what you can still do. However, this period is a unique opportunity to work on aspects of your training you have previously put to the side. This could be anything from strength work, non-impact cardiovascular work, to specific skill work. Use this time to see recovery as an opportunity to make yourself a better athlete, and create new goals specific for this period. This also provides purpose for your recovery, helping with the potential loss of motivation too.
You could start with writing a list of what you can do with the guidance of a coach and a physio for example, and then start setting small goals for each skill or aspect that you’ve chosen to work on during that period. It is important to remember you are on your own journey and being able to work on these aspects will make you a better athlete in the long run.
3. Find new ways to get involved in your sport
Experiencing a loss of social identity and immense isolation is common among injured athletes. This can often come from feeling detached from the sport or club. My top tip for combating this isolation is to find new ways of participating in your sport. For example, coaching, officiating/refereeing, creating a social media page for your club, sports photography, or supporting at competitions. This gives you an opportunity to experience the sport from a different view and to enhance your knowledge whilst enabling you to still feel connected to the sport and people involved in it.
4. Do things you wouldn’t normally be able to
During the injury period, an athlete may find themselves with an abundance of time they are not typically used to. Thus, my recommendation would be to use this time to rekindle old passions or start new ones. Examples include art, writing, music, or even a different sport if you can. This provides a new focus of energy and the opportunity for new social connections to be formed. These hobbies can also be indirectly related to making you a better athlete. For example, engaging in mindfulness activities such as meditation or journaling can be useful skills to help you manage the emotions and pressures that might arise during your sporting journey and beyond.
To conclude, experiencing an injury can be one of the most challenging situations an athlete can face. Sometimes this period of uncertainty can lead to more clinical psychological problems such as anxiety and depression, so it is important for athletes to know that these feelings are normal and that there is no shame in reaching out to psychological professionals if needed. For those who may be struggling with a loss of identity, I recommend reading our article on ‘Finding an identity outside of sport’.
But at the very least, it’s vital to talk to a trusted person about how you are feeling to help provide a sense of relief and support. As a final note, here is one of the most valuable reminders I received from a coach during my injury that I would like to leave you with: