Dealing with Frustration and Injuries
As the pain began to subside and I wrapped my head around my predicament, one emotion came: sadness.
Olympic lifting had been my mainstay for the past 3 years. When injury puts me on the sideline, it’s always a mental and emotional battle. This is generally the case for any athlete who loves his or her sport and spends time on the DL. There have been studies that show that the psychological toll of an injury tends to be greater than the physical toll. There’s an uncertainty that comes with an injury and recovery and this can lead to psychological impacts.
With any injury, there are additional components that are included:
physical damage from an injury that can limit an athlete from training as desired
medical appointments - time normally spent training is now dedicated to physician/PT appointments
psychological experiences - anger, anxiety, frustration, sadness
When this occurs, it can lead athletes to lose a sense of identity, purpose, and/or connection. Personally, my lower back injury caused me so much pain initially that I could not even brush my teeth. Any type of forward flexion would emit intense sharp pain. I lost a sense of purpose because I couldn’t train or pursue my goals, which also impacted my overall well-being. Training not only served as a stress reliever, but also as a hobby.
There is always a struggle between the mind and body, but I believe that improving the mind-body connection will drastically improve an athlete’s recovery.
We do need to listen and respect our bodies, but we also need to understand that being injured does not negate your identity as an athlete. We need to focus our mental energy towards healing and rehabbing. If allowed and cleared by your healthcare provider, maintaining movement is important. Meditation or mindfulness can also be helpful - visualizing recovery and healing.
I started to practice mindfulness about a month after my injury because things didn’t seem to be improving. I worked on changing my mindset and word swapping. Instead of constantly thinking, “My back really hurts. I can’t do this or that.” I started to think, “I am not as comfortable as where I’d like to be. I notice the nagging or the dull pain, but I will do mobility and core work today and re-assess.”
Months later, I am now able to train to the extent that my body allows me to, while staying mindful. I definitely experienced bouts of sadness and frustration, but focusing my energy on recovery and returning to the sport has helped me come out stronger not just in the body, but more importantly, the mind.
Happy Thoughts!
-C