Episode 6: Embrace Injury with a positive mindset
If you haven’t read and watched episode 5 in this series, you can do that here
The aftermath of a serious injury can be gloomy
For professional athletes something like an ACL rupture, shoulder dislocation or tendon tear can be catastrophic. Uncertainty about the future and fear cause anxiety that can rob you of your sense of self and identity. For non-professionals, holding onto your superpowers for as long as possible is the ultimate goal of training. Whoever you are, losing your powers even temporarily can have a major impact on your mental wellbeing.
Sometimes in the days, weeks and months of rehab, you come to question everything. If you have had a surgery, it can be such an effort even to just have a shower, get dressed and get into the car. The struggle demotivates you and it is easy to spiral downward.
The antidote to this is creating mental resilience through a combination of humour and winning habits.
Humour
The great gift of humour is that it can be profound at the same time as diffusing almost any situation. Humour is our escape from all the bleak and miserable things in life because it allows us to laugh at ourselves and therefore see the bigger picture. As soon as I had injured my bicep, I informed a group of close friends via WhatsApp.
“Your arm will be as small as the rest of you now. Might as well pack it in and take up knitting, your training days are over etc..”
When I first had my cast off and saw my withered little arm, covered in stubble where it had been shaved prior to surgery, I sent a picture straight to that group. Instantly, my phone buzzed and there was a picture of a blind, hairless rat accompanied with the text “Your finger looks poorly in that photo”.
You might be wondering why on Earth I think this sort of abuse is funny, but if you don’t have people in your life who will say this sort of thing to you (or would do, but they don’t) then, as crazy as it sounds, you are missing out on an untapped resource for psychological health and wellbeing.
Don’t take yourself too seriously, find the humour in your situation and let your friends hold up a mirror to the absurdity and irreverence of life. Let them pop the bubble of your insecurity and dissolve your ego with a well-aimed dart of humour. Use a family member or romantic partner for empathy and emotional support, but let some trusted friends connect you with the big picture and give you some perspective.
Winning Habits
I stressed the importance of maintaining a routine in episode 3. In addition to this, you must commit to doing things you enjoy and that are beneficial to you every day.
Examples are:
· Walking outside. I did a lot of outdoor walking when my arm was out of action. I enjoy this activity anyway but the combined benefits of fresh air, sunshine, exercise and green space are huge. If you have a leg injury, you can still get outside to a lovely place and enjoy some green space.
· Reading. If you have a period of enforced rest, make the most of it and read a book (or 3) that you have been putting off or haven’t got around to. If you don’t have one in mind, ask your smartest friends what they recommend.
· Help someone else. This is a deceptively high yield activity. For athletes and active people, being unable to work out or play sport leaves you feeling helpless and useless. Turn this around by seeking out ways to help someone. Examples are reading to a child, helping your partner round the house, tutoring someone for free or offering to coach/support teammates.
· Set short term goals, write them down and put a line through them when you complete them. It makes me sound like a dinosaur, but I think it is better to do this on paper, not a fancy to-do list app. Your goal can be “read two chapters of my book today” or “complete 5 sets of my range of motion stretches today”. Being able to put a line through that before you go to bed is winning.
· Maintain high standards of personal presentation. This may seem an odd addition to the list, but it has a powerful effect when implemented. Perhaps, if you are recovering from surgery or injury, you are off work. Certainly, you are on reduced duties, maybe with more time around the house. If you have a cast or brace on, it’s harder to wear many of your clothes. Resist the temptation to laze around in shorts and flip flops. I’m not saying go to extremes and hop around in high heels, but wake up, shower and dress as if you had a morning meeting (even a coffee with a friend). Maintain professional standards of personal presentation, not for other people, for you.
Keep owning the injury by relentlessly pursuing your goals, personal development and favourite pastimes. Practicing resilience in this way will allow you to look back on this recovery period with pride at how you overcame adversity, rather than as a bleak period in your life.
If you want to know more about managing injury or you need a custom designed return to play programme, contact me here
About the author : Edward Baker
Edward Baker is a University Lecturer, Researcher and Strength and Conditioning Coach with over 15 years’ experience working in elite sport.
