Fear of Injury - August 2021
As a gymnast, most of my fear stemmed from fear of injury. Injury is every gymnast’s worst nightmare; something we try to avoid throughout our entire gymnastics career. Throughout my career, I suffered some small, minor injuries and a few larger injuries. Right as I hit my elite career, I was held back by a nagging elbow injury. I ended up having to have 2 screws put in and was out of the gym completely for an entire month. The month felt like an eternity and I had many of the same thoughts that many of the gymnasts I work with: Will I be able to get my skills back? My teammates are going to be way ahead of me? How long will the pain last? When will I be able to get back fully into practice? I could go on and on, but I want to share with you some tips to help you get through your injury and make a comeback.
First, it is completely normal to feel devastated, disappointed, and sad. Your injury has taken you out of the sport you love and one you dedicated so much time to. Having a strong mindset and being mentally healthy will only make your comeback that much better! As stated above, the feelings of sadness, anger, and disappointment are normal and before you can start your injury comeback you need to ACKNOWLEDGE all the emotions and be compassionate with yourself. An athlete also needs to make sure their mindset is in a place that will help them recover and make the best comeback possible. What does that look like? Here are a few tips…
1. Ask yourself the right questions …ex. What do I want to happen? What is going to help me now? Those questions keep you focused on good results!
2. Set Goals! Work with your doctor and coaches to set realistic goals so you feel as if you have a purpose and a direction in your recovery.
3. Be PATIENT. I cannot stress this enough! I know with an injury we are antsy to get back to pre-injury ASAP. So often we want to get back so fast that we re-injure ourselves. Like learning a new skill, be patient and focus on the PROCESS of getting back.
4. Use MINDFULNESS! If you need help being patient and being in the present moment, practice mindfulness! This should be incorporated into an athlete’s daily life, but if you have not started yet, now is the time! Some great apps are Insight Timer, Calm, and Headspace, to name a few!
5. Imagery! I know I talked about all the benefits of imagery in my last newsletter (If you missed it you can find it on my webpage (www.themindfulgymnast.com). Imagery is an incredible tool to use, as the same brain networks are being fired when you imagine the skill as when you are doing the skill.
6. Focus on all the things you have control over and make a list of them. Put that list somewhere where you can see it! Whenever you get anxious or feel out of control go back to that list. For example, things you can control are doing your PT exercises and/or icing your injury. Things you can not control are your teammates’ success or if the injury takes longer to heal than expected.
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