Being an athlete means always being at-risk for injury, but did you know that athletes more often than not struggle with the mental aspects of injuries more than they do the physical pain? Interestingly, it is the emotional anguish, anxiety, and uncertainty that usually bogs down athletes over the injury recovery period as the physical pain and discomfort typically diminishes quite quickly. Still, we spend substantially more time invested in physical therapy and other medical procedures than we do making sure kids have the opportunities to work through the emotional pain they experience while dealing with the injury.
It is important for coaches and parents to pay close attention to the mental aspects of injury recovery as the consequences can sometimes be catastrophic. For example, it is not uncommon for athletes to feel isolated from the team, worry about losing their starting position, or even become panicked at the thought that their sports career could be ending. In situations like these, even the best student athletes can be at-risk for depression and anxiety, leaving them at a greater risk for substance abuse, reckless behaviors, or even self-harm.
Fortunately, there are warning signs of distress to watch for when dealing with a student athlete rehabilitating from an injury:
- Does the athlete have an exclusive athletic identity? In other words, does the athlete only see him- or herself as an athlete, or is the identity more broad-based and anchored by multiple interests and values? Kids who are exclusively tied to athletics may be at more risk for a difficult injury recovery.
- Are there looming sport retirement complications? Athletes who are near the end (potentially) of their careers often have a tougher time exiting their sport because of injury, therefore making them a more at-risk population.
- Is there potential loss of starting position? In the old days athletes never lost their position because of an injury, but today not every coach ascribes to that philosophy. When kids feel like they may lose their starting spot because of injury it can lead to even greater stress.
- Is there uncertainty about the rehabilitation prognosis? Not knowing what the real problem is, or how long it will take to get better, are two big factors when it comes to successfully dealing with injury stress.
What you can do help an injured athlete:
- Talk to the athlete, but listen more. Often athletes simply want to vent and be heard when it comes to the stress associated with a sports injury, and listening can prove to be invaluable and quite cathartic to the athlete.
- Keep the student athlete with the team. Being a part of practice (helping on the sidelines), traveling with the team, and being involved in other team meetings and functions can be very healthy and therapeutic.
- Find people who have suffered similar injury. Ask around to see who else has suffered a similar injury, and see if you can link up with that person to help answer questions and minimize anxiety.
- Cull from athletic transferable skills. Skills that athletes use in sports that can be used in all other areas of life are called athletic transferable skills. Some of these skills, like dealing with pressure, communicating effectively, and setting goals can be very important when dealing with an injury.
- Seek professional help. Sport psychologists and other helping professionals are trained to assist with emotional issues – be sure to learn about who is in your community that is trained to help athletes dealing with injury.
For more information on this topic please visit Advanced Human Performance Systems.
www.drstankovich.com
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