INTEGRATING ACCIDENTS

Sports reintegration programs after injury

1. Decreased self-confidence, thus leading to a decline in athletic performance
2. Re-injury
3. Feelings of stress and anxiety due to lack of confidence in their physical condition
4. Fear of injury and fear of returning to sport

How can athletes be helped mentally to return to sport?

Here are a few simple mental strategies that can be incorporated into a recovery program 

1. Incorporating imagery: One method of keeping athletes focused ("in the game") is to implement "imagery" training during recovery sessions. Athletes can practice specific sports skills, game plans, and game strategies during recovery sessions. The best time is considered to be the end of recovery sessions, when they start to feel stuck. For example, a basketball player might imagine (as if watching themselves on television) successfully handling 5 consecutive attacks by the opposing team.
2. Specific sports skills: Whenever possible, we must be creative and keep the athlete active in their sport, despite the fact that they may be immobilized, in one form or another. Think outside the box and modify sports skills so that the injured athlete continues to practice the qualities specific to the sport they play. This way, they will receive crucial help in terms of motivation to return to sport, in terms of mental preparation to return to the sport they practice, keeping their interest and enjoyment in continuing to attend recovery sessions. For example, a basketball player recovering from ligament reconstruction surgery can easily work on game passes, shots, and ball-handling exercises while seated in a chair. In addition, during training sessions, the athlete can watch their teammate who plays the same position, who continuously provides them with positive feedback.
3. Incorporating goals: The athlete in recovery should set a series of weekly, if not daily, goals regarding the recovery of playing skills. A goal represents a standard they would like to achieve by a deadline. Keep a record of these goals, as well as of when the athlete achieves that particular goal. This way, the physiotherapist will be able to keep a record of all the goals achieved, thus providing evidence of the athlete's progress during recovery. Finally, by providing positive feedback at the end of achieving these goals, we can help injured athletes maintain their motivation throughout the long months of recovery.

The mental side of sports injuries

The functions of sport in your life

1. A sense of identity – if you are a serious performance athlete and have been participating in sports competitions for a long time, then very soon you will identify with the sport you practice. It's who you are and what you do! Through the enormous investment of time and the commitment you've made, through the energy spent and the pain felt over the years, your sport has become an integral part of you. It's how you see yourself and how others see you.
2. The main source of self-esteem – for most performance athletes, the sport they practice provides them with a continuous source of positive feedback. There is joy and personal satisfaction when you improve your game qualities, when you overcome challenging obstacles, and when you become stronger and better. In addition, the recognition of your achievements by friends, family and the community boosts your self-esteem.
3. A constructive way to cope with stress – there is no doubt that physical exercise helps you cope with stress of any kind. Individuals who don't have any sports activity tend to internalize their stress. Since they don't have any method of releasing stress, problems such as digestive issues, headaches or other physical symptoms can occur. In addition, many athletes find that their involvement in their sport represents a constructive way to escape stress or family problems. Sport gives them a safe and constructive way to channel their frustrations and aggression.

The consequences of an injury

Healthy strategies for athletes dealing with injuries

1. Allow yourself to be sad! – Allow yourself to be sad and to feel any sense of loss you experience. Being "strong" by hiding or "burying" your feelings will interfere with coping with the injury and with the actual recovery. Your feelings represent an important part of the recovery process.
2. Work with what is – Injured athletes have a tendency to focus on "what could have been" or "what should have been" and "if only" they hadn't gotten injured. Spending time and energy on these aspects will only take you further away from your goal of successfully getting through the injury. Unfortunately, this is your reality now, and you need to allow yourself to confront what is!
3. Set new, realistic goals – As you begin the recovery process, you need to start measuring your success very differently than before, perhaps in millimeters now instead of meters, as you did before the injury. This may mean that you might have to start from scratch to regain the strength of your arms or legs and your endurance. Focus on the new goals and leave the old ones behind, where they belong.
4. Maintain a positive attitude, no matter the situation – However difficult it may be, try to stay as positive as you can. Understand that everything depends on you. In other words, your attitude represents absolutely everything. When you maintain a positive attitude, it can speed up the healing process and reduce the emotional pain you have to go through. However, when you are negative, you will slow down the healing process, while feeling miserable at the same time. Everything depends on you. Avoid being negative because nothing good comes from negativity.
5. Take an active part in the healing process – Be conscientious about physical therapy. Follow the doctor's advice carefully. Don't try half measures. Work at maximum intensity during recovery sessions, just as you did during training.
6. Keep training – If your injury allows you to continue any part of your training from before it, keep training. Use your imagination daily (for 5-10 minutes) to see, hear and feel yourself performing wonderfully and without mistakes in the sport you practice. Regular mental rehearsals of your playing skills will keep your neuromuscular connections active, so that when you're able to do actual physical training, you won't have lost so much.
7. Seek the help and support of teammates – Fight the urge to isolate yourself. You may suddenly feel worthless and different, but you're probably the only one on your team who thinks so. The worst thing you can do when you're in a vulnerable state is to separate yourself from the group.
8. If needed, seek out a counselor – If you feel depressed for an extended period of time, have lost interest in things that used to excite you, have noticed that your sleep and eating patterns have changed, and/or have suicidal thoughts, seek emergency help. If you have these symptoms, it means you've lost perspective and need qualified outside help. Seeking the help of a professional therapist or counselor is not a sign of weakness. On the contrary, it is actually a sign of strength.
9. Be patient – If the injury is temporary, give yourself enough time to heal properly. If you're impatient to get back to playing and rush the healing process, there's a risk of getting injured again, perhaps even worse than before. This way, you might get back on the field a few days earlier, but because you didn't wait those extra days to heal properly, you might end up developing a chronic injury that could keep you sidelined for several weeks or months.