Fitness enthusiasts, especially athletes, almost feel compelled to carry a larger-than-life persona in the public eye. These individuals are esteemed as modern-day warriors who brave numerous obstacles in pursuit of victory.
Such a feat and recognition is scarcely achieved without many obstacles and downfalls. The most common threat is that of exercise or strength-training-related injuries.
Be it weightlifting or kettlebell, no exercise is completely free of the risk of injuries. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) shares a 20-year injury analysis among adolescents involved in weightlifting.
Close to 15,000 cases were identified. What’s most dangerous is that these injuries are a double-edged sword. They not only affect physical health but also carry psychological consequences.
In this article, we will discuss the latter aspect of exercise injuries and four ways to overcome them.
What Are the Psychological Effects of Exercise Injuries?
As Forbes puts it, when it comes to sports, it’s not a matter of if an athlete will get injured but when. All kinds of games can have a psychological toll on the players.
First, there is the pressure of the game itself, which tends to linger even during the strength training sessions. However, a much greater fear is that of physical injuries that may leave the athlete questioning their capabilities and the possibility of returning to the game.
Let’s walk through the usual thought pattern that occurs in an injured strength trainer’s mind –
- They may start reflecting on the incident, trying to understand what exercise and movement mean to them.
- Be it an athlete or a non-athlete, most strength trainers tie their identity and self-worth with their exercise. This may lead to a resolve for compulsive training after recovery.
- Since there is some sense of a loss of control, the injured trainer may feel helpless. This is a vulnerable stage where many resort to eating disorders.
- There may be intrusive disorderly thoughts relating to exercise, food, and body movements. Some tend to jump back to exercising even before they’re healed. This increases the risk of re-injury.
- There may be self-loathing and feelings of inadequacy.
- One’s inner dialogue may include negative thoughts like, “My body betrayed me,” “I got injured because I am weak,” or “ I need to work out or I will lose my hard-earned physical fitness.”
4 Healthy Ways to Cope and Overcome Exercise Injuries
It has been found that athletes weigh their mental health against the demands of their sport and the pressure to perform. Even if one is a non-athlete, associating one’s identity with exercise can make it difficult to deal with an injury’s psychological impact.
Such an association is not all wrong, provided one adopts healthy ways of overcoming psychological consequences. Listed below are four of them.
Be Gentle on Yourself
The natural urge following an exercise injury is to blame and be hard on oneself. This is not a healthy, but a pretty warped view of the event. Now, exercise injuries happen for a variety of reasons.
Some may not be under our control. However, if a strength trainer gets injured due to improper technique or weight-related errors, they may resort to questioning their judgment.
Even if it all seems like you’re at fault, extend grace to yourself. Remind yourself that at the time, you didn’t know any better. Now that you do, you can do better once you recover.
This goes hand in hand with fighting the urge to spring back to exercising as soon as possible. Allow your mind and body the time they need to heal from the trauma of the injury. That way, your comeback will be louder and stronger.
Get Professional Support
Would you get a sprained ankle or injured back checked by a qualified medical professional? Then, what’s stopping you from doing the same for any psychological injuries sustained from the incident?
There’s no shame in admitting you need help. A mental health practitioner will prescribe healthier coping mechanisms and medications that may accelerate healing. Nurse practitioners (NPs) specializing in mental health can help you manage your emotions better.
Such professionals have attended psych NP schools online or offline for qualifications to help patients recover from conditions like anxiety, depression, and more. They will help you identify and stop negative thought patterns.
According to Cleveland State University, psych nurses have clinical competencies in extending evidence-based care for acute, chronic, and episodic mental health disorders. In other words, you will find support in the form of –
- Stress management strategies
- Healthy coping mechanisms
- Active listening and validation
- Full confidentiality
Make Healthy Lifestyle Changes
Another way to overcome mental health issues exacerbated by exercise injuries includes making certain lifestyle changes. As a regular gym enthusiast, you may be following a healthy diet.
However, your post-injury dietary requirements may slightly differ. Keeping this in mind is crucial as it can affect your brain chemistry as well. Ideally, a post-injury diet should include plenty of lean protein and complex carbohydrates.
Since injury increases inflammation in the body, you should consume foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Let’s look at the main food items to consume for faster recovery, both physically and mentally –
- Lean protein sources like eggs, beans, chicken, tofu, and fish
- Complex carbs like whole grains, sweet potatoes, brown rice, oats, and quinoa
- Colorful fruits and vegetables like leafy greens, purple cabbage, broccoli, beets, carrots, and more
- Healthy fats such as walnuts, flaxseeds, and fatty fish (salmon and sardine)
- Proper hydration through plenty of water throughout the day. Harvard Health states that fluid needs vary among individuals but men should ideally have 15.5 cups a day. For women, the same amounts to 11.5 cups.
Have a Community
Besides your professional support group, you need a community of friends and family as well. We’re sure your loved ones will be more than willing to lend a helping hand for daily tasks.
They will also be around to cheer you up and listen to your concerns. Let them care for you during this vulnerable time. Also, you can connect with other sportspersons or non-athletes who have experienced similar struggles.
This is possible to find online or offline. There are numerous forums and group chats where people ask questions, share progress, and offer support. Even educational videos and infographics may be available to gain insights and recovery strategies.
Community events on injury prevention, mental wellness, etc. are conducted. Perhaps an online group may organize the same. If in your local area, you can attend such workshops to further aid recovery.
In all of this, remember that you’re not alone. Many before you have faced exercise injuries and many after you will; it’s only a matter of when.
What’s important is the fact that regular exercise is beneficial for the body. MedlinePlus states that it is largely safe for almost everyone.
Even after injury, you can get back to exercising, albeit after complete recovery. As you focus on your body, don’t forget to allow your mind the time it requires to heal.