10 Strategies for Coping with Injury and the Rehabilitation Process.

Ten specific behaviors for positive coping with injury stress and time away from your sport. Injury is not only a difficult physical experience, but a mentally challenging process as well. Here are 10 suggestions to help anyone facing injury rehabilitation.

Coping: The best definition of coping and the facets that affect coping abilities involve the cognitive and behavioral efforts of the individual regarding the changing demands from external and internal sources of their injury situation. Those sources can either be positive or negative, depending on the progress of the athlete, the individuals’ appraisal of the situation and their personality factors. All of these affect the positive or negative behavioral and cognitive reactions of the athlete to the stressful situation of injury, surgery and rehabilitation.

Stress: When an injury demands more of an individual than they have resources, knowledge, experience or understanding to draw from will create an environment of great stress to an athlete. Without proper education, experience, information or positive cognitive and behavioral coping behaviors an athlete may find themselves overwhelmed to the point of exhaustion, frustration, despondence and depression. These types of stress make it very difficult for them to comprehend recovery and deal with the pressures of the injury situation.

1. Educate yourself, about your injury, your rehabilitation and your progress. You are the most important part of the recovery team.

2. Attitude is everything. Being injured does stink, but a stinky attitude will only make it more difficult for you to heal.

3. Be enthusiastically involved and focus on another role in the team. Be the best supporter, help the coach and be involved.

4. Goals help improve focus and focus improves attitude. Work out your goals, each week, or month that step you toward success.

5. Visualize your achievement. Whether you see yourself at the attainment of your ultimate goal, or each week’s progress toward recovery, see those moments of achievement in your mind each night.

6. Guided relaxation and meditation improve blood circulation and strengthen the immune system.

7. Optimism is as important as your physical work in the rehab room. Optimism and a hopeful outlook for a positive return to your sport, improves the body’s ability to heal.

8. Track your progress and note all improvements with celebration. The hard work is paying off and it is important to see your work is paying off.

9. Socialize and enjoy a group of friends as well as a group who are also working toward healing and understand how you feel. Encouraging one another is important to healing.

10. Talk it out and communicate your feelings with your trainer, coach or sports psychologist. We are here to help and support your physical and emotional progress. Believe in yourself and your healing; we do.