The Psychology Of Sports Injuries

The Psychology Of Sports Injuries

DenialThe bereavement process defined by Dr. Elisabeth KublerRoss as the stages of grief can be applied to the rehabilitation process following a serious sports injury. The sense of loss experienced when unable to take part in sport leads to the first two stages of denial and anger. At top competitive level, an athlete considers himself to be superior in terms of physical prowess so he is mentally unwilling to accept that he could be injured. The realization that an injury has occurred leads to a period of being angry at himself for having allowed the injury to occur.

DepressionAn athlete facing months of relative inactivity can slip into a state of selfpity and become increasingly withdrawn. At professional level, an athlete lives and breathes his sport so an injury creates a void that leaves him feeling out of sorts with life. At recreational level, an amateur or hobby sportsperson often has a social life connected to his sporting interest so being unable to participate can lead to a sense of isolation in other areas of life. It at this stage that he might lose hope of ever fully recovering and could even decide to give up on his sport completely.

RehabilitationStudies carried out by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece have concluded that psychological interventions positively influence athletic injury recovery. As a result, sports psychologists now advocate the use of mental skill training, including the technique of goal setting, to aid physical recovery after injury. In an article titled Up or Psyched Out, Keith Henschen, professor of exercise and sport science at the University of Utah states, people forget that the mind is just as important as the body is now known that an athlete mental response to an injury will affect how his body responds to physical rehabilitation. google_ad_section_end >

I am a 35 year old stay at home Mom and Guest Teach for my children s school. An injury from isolated biceps to my elbow caused me so much pain during exercise, playing catch with my son and daughter, basket ball with them, walking the dog on a leash, washing and brushing my daughters hair as well as my own, that I became depressed. I finally went to the doctor 7 months after the injury and was told that I had tennis and golfers elbow to not use it for a year and it may get better. I was told to open doors with my other arm, not type on the computer very long or write too much with my right dominate arm. The doctors have not once asked how I am doing mentally. There are no studies I can find on how and injury affects the general public or how to cope with the loss of mobility. I am sure I am not the only mom, dad, husband, wife, sister or brother that has had an injury and felt this kind of loss. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. LIVESTRONG is a registered trademark of the LIVESTRONG Foundation. Moreover, we do not select every advertiser or advertisement that appears on the web sitemany of the advertisements are served by third party advertising companies.