Once Inspired

As athletes our training schedules, competitions, opponents, coaches and other related events and people form a very significant part of our lives. For this reason dealing with an injury is, on a smaller scale, similar to dealing with a significant loss.

An injury can be a traumatic time for an athlete when returning to full fitness becomes a waiting game. The lack of control and the uncertainty can get the athlete feeling depressed and anxious.

There can be 5 stages involved in the injury process:

• Denial and Isolation – Refusal to recognise the injury
• Anger
• Bargaining – I will do anything (Willing to risk further injury just to compete)
• Depression
• Acceptance

This process can vary in several ways depending on the seriousness of the injury and the personality of the athlete.

Although not competing in the physical aspect of the sport relative to the specific injury, the athlete can use that time to focus on other aspects of the sport.

One of the biggest things in injury recovery is goal setting. These goals need to involve objective measures. Graded sport specific movements can be replicated in several ways which will contribute to rehabilitation. These activities mean that the athlete starts by performing basic sport specific drills with no contact and slowly progresses towards to full fitness.

On the other hand is the mental side of recovery. Visualisation should be employed in ensuring that the athlete is not only physically ready to return to competing, but also mentally. Fear of re-injury can range from mild concern to maladaptive psychological disorders and outcomes. Visualisation involves three processes.

Emotional Visualisation creates internal states of positivity. By using past success and/or ideal future outcomes these states can be achieved. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Become completely relaxed.  Allow your mind to drift back to one of your best sporting performances.  Rather than being in that race, become a spectator witnessing your amazing performance. Pay attention to every visual detail of the experience. Be wowed by your very own performance.

Physical Visualisation allows you to recreate the sport specific movements without moving a muscle. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Become relaxed and notice the physical sensations of your mechanic as if you were competing, paying attention to how each of your technical actions physically feels whilst adding sight, sound and taste elements.

Fast Healing Visualisation allows you to catalyse the healing process. Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Become completely relaxed. Drift towards the injured part of your body and shine a bright magical light on that body part. Feel it healing you. Feel that part becoming stronger. Notice how the pain subsides.

Do all of this with a smile on your face!