Psychological Precursors and Responses to Injury

admin January 22, 2025 0 Comments

As much as the Olympics brought glory to us, it also brought us moments of tears as the campaigns of some athletes ended tragically with injuries. Indian wrestler Nisha Dahiya battled severe pain and injury but lost her quarter-final bout in the women’s 68kg division at the Paris 2024 Olympics wrestling competition. Murali Sreeshankar managed to breach the qualifying standard in the men’s long jump but did not travel to Paris as a knee injury ruled him out for the entire 2024 season. Even the mighty Neeraj admitted that the fears of aggravating his injury slightly held him back during the Paris Olympics. 

As discussed in the previous blog, Injuries are not just physical wounds for athletes, but a realm where no athlete wants to be. Sport injuries, although not very uncommon in the field, have tremendous effect on an athletes’ sporting career as well as on their wellbeing. Recovering from a sports injury entails more than just healing the wound, the athlete has to undergo many psychological stressors ranging from bearing the constant pain, the emotional pain of not being able to play or missing out on important competitions, loneliness, even anxiety and depression at times. In these times understanding the psychological antecedents and responses to injury becomes a crucial step in appropriate rehabilitation of that injury.

From a sport psychology perspective, here’s our take on why and how athletes sustain injuries and what are some common reactions to them. 

Psychological Precursors to Sport Injury

Although an injury is defined as any physical harm caused to one’s body, it may have its roots in one’s psychology. Research conducted over the past decades suggests that both external (physical) and internal (psychological) factors, or their interaction could lead to an injury. This means that a person’s psychological state, which could be positive or negative, may have an effect on the chances of an athlete sustaining an injury. This can be understood with the help of an example, a long jumper competing in his first National tournament, is under tremendous pressure of performance. As  a consequence, his focus keeps shifting constantly to the opponents, to their scores, constantly feeling nervous about his jump, which leads to him missing a step in his run up before the jump and causing an ankle twist. 

A reason why this happens lies in the cognitive appraisal that one does of the situations that they face. In simple words, how one perceives a situation determines their psychological state while facing that situation. The more the athletes perceive it as a stressful situation, higher are the chances of the athlete sustaining an injury. The perception of stress is determined by many underlying factors such as the athlete’s personality, their life experiences, their upbringing and so on. These factors are instrumental in deciding one looks at a situation as a challenge or as a danger. Athletes may experience poor muscular coordination as a result of stressful situational assessments, which can also cause negative effects like peripheral constriction (missing task-relevant inputs), increased muscle stiffness, and loss of attention. Additional factors include worse situational cue recognition, delayed decision-making, increased reaction latency, or other sensorimotor abnormalities.

Responses to Sport Injury

Along with physical distress, an injury brings a lot of emotional distress for the athletes. Sustaining an injury entails a break from the respective sport, which alone is distressing enough for an athlete. Along with that, it brings considerations such as rehabilitation period, attaining the pre-injury fitness, return to the sport, missing out on important tournaments. An injury can alter the path of an athlete’s sporting career which may cause heightened distress such feelings similar to grief, or even anxiety or depression at times. Here too, individual differences in personality, life experience, coping skills as well as available coping resources play a huge role in the rehabilitation journey of the athlete. 

This idea views injury as a dynamic process that considers situational and individual factors in relation to rehabilitation adherence, and it describes the behavioral, emotional, and cognitive reactions to sports injuries. Since recovery results are focused on the athlete’s cognitive evaluation, emotional reactions, and behavioral reactions, it is inferred that all three can directly affect recovery outcomes.

In order to help athletes cope better with injuries, it is vital that professionals understand the stressors that may lead to an injury, and how the athletes may respond to it. 

Rasika Kalgutkar, Sports Psychologist, Mindsports

Athlete Injury: Unseen Challenges

admin December 22, 2024 0 Comments

“Injury is a part of the game, but it’s how you respond that matters.” – LeBron James. 

This quote resonates deeply with athletes who have faced injuries. It’s a reminder that injuries are an opportunity to grow, learn and come back stronger. As athletes thrive to excel, injuries are a potential challenge that they come across. A single misstep can instantly lead to an injury thereby affecting their season or even their entire career. Injury recovery is not just about rehabilitating the body but also overcoming the mental hurdles of injury. Although physical challenges are well taken care of, psychological challenges often remain unaddressed. Athletes with injury need to confront the psychological challenges such as fears related to the injury, handling self-doubt, dealing with isolation from teammates etc. In today’s blog article, we discuss the mental challenges that athletes with injury commonly face as the first part of our “Athlete Injury” series. 

Injuries come with its own challenges. Psychologically, athletes come across fear of reinjury, self-doubt, isolation, loss of identity and demotivation. Many elite athletes have experienced fear of re-injury. One example is Rafael Nadal, one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Nadal has suffered from recurring knee injuries, particularly in his tendons forcing him to miss significant time on the court, including several Grand Slam tournaments. He has spoken publicly about his fear of re-injury, stating that it’s a constant concern that affects his game. He has mentioned that he’s always thinking about his knees, worrying about when the next injury might occur. However, Nadal didn’t hold back his fear, rather he figured out a way to overcome it and adapt his game. He developed coping mechanisms to manage his anxiety and stay positive, including visualization techniques and mindfulness practices. By doing so, he was able to mitigate the psychological impact of his injuries and continue competing at the highest level. 

Injuries often lead to self-doubt and athletes question themselves whether they will ever be able to return to their original best form. “Will I ever be able to regain my strength, speed, and agility?” “ Will I be able to perform at the same level as I did before the injury?” are some of the common thoughts that athletes encounter. Overcoming self-doubt requires a supportive network, including coaches and parents. Athletes must also develop coping strategies, such as positive self-talk, visualization and mindfulness. By reframing their mindset and focusing on their abilities, athletes can begin to rebuild their confidence and overcome self-doubt. 

Athletes often define themselves by their sport. They have been known as a “cricketer”, “athlete” or a “badminton player” etc. for most parts of their lives. When their career is abruptly disturbed due to injury, they face a serious loss of identity. This void can manifest as an emotional disturbance, uncertainty about the future and a loss of purpose. Athletes may struggle to come to terms with their new reality, questioning their sense of self-worth and wondering who they are without their sport. Prioritizing their physical and emotional well-being is essential for athletes navigating an identity crisis. By focusing on well-being and seeking support when needed, can help in successful transition. Additionally, cultivating a growth mindset can empower athletes to view their injury as an opportunity for growth and learning. 

Injuries can also lead to demotivation, causing athletes to feel disconnected from their sport and unsure about their future. The physical limitations imposed by an injury can make athletes feel like they’re losing their edge, leading to feelings of frustration and hopelessness.

For instance, an athlete who is used to training intensively may feel demotivated when they’re forced to take their time off. Additionally, the uncertainty surrounding their recovery and self-doubt regarding return to their original best performance, can lead to decreased enthusiasm and drive. To overcome demotivation, athletes can focus on small, achievable goals during rehabilitation, and reframe their mindset to find ways in staying engaged. Athletes can thus maintain their motivation and momentum, even in the face of injury. 

In conclusion, injuries can have a profound impact on athletes, extending beyond physical pain to psychological challenges. Fear of re-injury, self-doubt, isolation, loss of identity and demotivation are just a few of the unseen challenges athletes face. However, by acknowledging these challenges and seeking support, athletes can overcome them and emerge stronger.

Kiran Salunkhe, Sports Psychologist, Mindsports