Maintaining a positive mindset through injury

Mindset is a critical determinant of both physical and mental recovery following an injury. When athletes experience an injury taking them out of sport, they often first feel a sense of shock or even denial that this is happening to them. Once the shock wears off, a variety of mixed emotions typically arise such as anger that it happened, frustration with next steps, sadness with being unable to play, anxiety with what it’s going to be like to come back, and many more. Although we cannot control how we feel about our injury, we can control how we respond to it. Keeping a positive mindset focused on post-traumatic growth is critical to the experience of the injury as well as the outcome.

As devastating as the injury is to an athlete, it is imperative that athletes understand the power of injury recovery and the strength that grows as a result of struggle. A lot of positive psychological changes can occur as a result of experiencing an injury. For instance, many injured athletes report experiencing greater awareness of their body as a result of the injury. An unwanted injury can change your perspective on the meaning of sport in your life as well as your perspective on your ability to navigate a difficult situation. Injuries can also amplify your passion for your sport as well as increase your gratitude for being able to play, deepening your appreciation for what your body is able to do. Because navigating recovery can be arduous and challenging, many athletes find that once they’ve returned to their sport, they are both mentally and physically stronger because of what they have experienced. Shifting your mindset to seeing this injury as an opportunity for growth rather than an all negative situation will not only make the day-to-day more manageable but will also help you see the mental and physical improvements more quickly.