Gaining an injury from sport or exercise can be a real blow, in more ways than one. In our latest blog, Eva explains how the right steps can lead to a full recovery. Whether you’ve suffered a recent injury, are coping with a long term issue, or perhaps just received some bad advice in the past, this article is for you.
As a sport and exercise psychologist in training, I understand the many issues you may be facing both physically and mentally when set back by injury. Recovery is a process, and each step you take will be an important factor in getting you back up and running, lifting, or whatever it is you want to do! But taking the right steps is just as important, as going too fast or doing the wrong activity could end up making things worse.
For many, the first issue is learning to adapt to your injury and accepting your limits. This can be a difficult process to go through, especially if you feel held back or restricted. But I honestly believe that responding to the challenge can be a really positive transition, at the end of which you’ll know exactly what you can take on and what you’re capable of getting through.
Sports and exercise related injuries constitute approximately a third of all those seen by our doctors and physiotherapists. It’s also estimated that if you regularly exercise or play sports, you can expect an injury severe enough to take you out of the game for a while within five years.
As I say, the effects of such an injury are far reaching. Whereas the physical issues are usually obvious, many experience cognitive, emotional and behavioural side effects that they are less prepared for. These responses vary depending on individual circumstances and environmental factors, from simple adjustment difficulties to PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
However, it has been recently identified that a three-stage process in treating a sports or exercise related injury can have a hugely positive effect in countering these negative side effects. By looking at the onset of injury, rehabilitation and the return to sport and exercise separately, the mental and physical components or recovery can be built up and strengthened gradually.
The onset of injury phase has until recently been under-researched, but we do know that responding to this phase in a positive or negative manner will strongly determine the nature of the following two phases. Understandably, the onset of injury can be a traumatic event, triggering emotional responses such as helplessness, shock and confusion, followed by frustration, anger and depression. A common response to this event is what psychologists call attribution formation, which is when a person starts looking for reasons to explain why they were injured. It’s been suggested that those who blame external and uncontrollable factors for their injury are more likely to experience emotional responses such as helplessness, which is detrimental to their recovery. On the flip side, if an injury can be seen as controllable and stable, a quicker recovery is much more likely.
Moving on to the rehabilitation phase of sport or exercise injury, various psychosocial aspects such as motivation, social support and life stress can affect the rehabilitation process. During this phase, you may have to cope not only with physical pain but also psychological and emotional responses, such as depression and frustration. As you may know, rehabilitation is a demanding process that requires energy and psychological hardiness. This is because many important changes can occur, such as a shifting in identity (for example, going from a regular exerciser to a non-exerciser) and body status (i.e. an efficient body to an inefficient one). Such changes can lead to negative feelings, causing disruption to the rehabilitation process and leaving that person feeling isolated. However research has identified that those who seek social support, whether through family, friends or professional help, find rehabilitation more manageable. Social support can also help personal growth and establish new meaning in life. By developing new skills during rehabilitation which can positively contribute to exercise once recovered, many people end up feeling stronger and more capable both inside and out.
The final phase of injury is a return-to-sport and exercise. Research has identified several areas that can result in a negative experience here. Re-injury anxiety, fear of being unable to reach pre-injury performance, a sense of isolation and self-presentational concerns are all common concerns. All of these negative experiences can delay someone medically clear to return to exercise from actually doing so. Unfortunately, this can persist for years. The uncertainty of being able to reach pre-injury performance can be due to the loss of physical fitness and unrealistic expectations that lead to a vicious cycle of frustration, poor performance and low confidence coupled with pressure from within. However, the Self-Determination Theory has helped us understand that higher levels of intrinsic motivation influence positive emotions, good mental health and greater persistence, which are important for experiencing a positive return to sport. Research shows that social support is essential to increase intrinsic motivation. Therefore, to achieve a positive outcome, it is important to maintain a connection to the sporting and exercise environment and avoiding a sense of alienation.
So all this evidence shows that injury can, not just in the literal sense, be a pain! However there is plenty you can do to make the experience less negative and turn it into something far more positive. The main thing you can do is reach out to form social networks and support systems, and to be aware of how you can grow from the experience. These are simple but effective ways to turn the experience of injury in your favour.
If this is something you are going through, I wish you the best of luck and if you ever need to chat to someone, please don’t hesitate to pop in. We’re here to help!
Eva Toro-Freund
The Better Body Group, Sevenoaks
