Helping the Injured Athlete Return to Play

The Injured Athlete: Getting Back: in the Saddle, on the Slopes, on the Field, on the Track (You Get The Idea!): A talk presented at the Vail Summit Orthopedics CATA conference, Edwards Colorado, November 17, 2012

Take a moment to imagine the following: You've been playing your sport as far back as you can remember. You’ve built strength, and endurance and you’ve perfected your technique. Your entire life revolves around practice, performance and competition. You love your sport. It’s who you are! It’s the most important part of your life and your identity.  Its how you spend your time and what you’ve built your plans and dreams around. 

Then the unimaginable happens. Suddenly you're injured and you can’t play.

For a serious athlete the physical pain of an injury is only one VERY small part of the suffering experienced as a result of that injury. The severity and impact of the emotional pain and the temporary or permanent loss of your sport can far exceed any physical discomfort from the physical injury. Emotional suffering must be addressed for rehabilitation to be successful. Coaches, trainers and rehab professionals who are sensitive to these issues facilitate the rehab process. Professionals and loved ones who don’t recognize the importance of emotional issues in recovery can further traumatize the injured athlete and may compromise the healing process.

To better understand what happens psychologically when an athlete is kept out of action because of an injury, it's important to consider three major roles that sports play in the life of a serious athlete.

•       Sports fulfill multiple needs for athletes

•       The injured athlete experiences multiple losses:

•       Sense of identity / role / teammate

•       Loss of physical health / invincibility

•       Loss of Independence

•       Sense of alienation and isolation

•       Loss of recognition / esteem

•       Loss of major way they spend time

•       Loss of constructive outlet for stress

•       Sports fulfill multiple needs for athletes

Identity – For serious athletes the sport is their life. They’ve invested years of time, energy and pain. It's how they see themselves and how others see them.

Self-esteem - For most dedicated athletes, sports provide ongoing positive reinforcement and feedback. The enjoyment and self-satisfaction that come from mastering new skills, overcoming new challenges and progressively growing stronger and better is a central source of self-esteem. The recognition of your accomplishments by friends, family and members of the community feed the athlete’s sense of joy and accomplishment. A well-played game, race or match feels fantastic and provides tangible evidence that the athlete’s hard work has paid off.

Stress-managment - Physical exertion is a great stress reliever. When people have no physical outlets they tend to internalize their stress, often leading to headaches, GI complaints or other physical symptoms. Many athletes find that their involvement in sports also provides an escape from family, school or relationship problems. Participation in sports is also a healthy way for athletes to manage frustration and anger.

Normal Reactions to Injury may include: Initial denial / minimizing  - Grief and mourning - Sadness - Anger - Questioning - Frustration- Loneliness- Helplessness - Disillusionment - Boredom - Anxiety - Fear

Worrisome Reactions to Injury

•       Prolonged denial of the injury itself, injury severity and / or response to recovery or limitations

•       Obsession with return to play

•       Extreme guilt

•       Rebelliousness

•       Impatience and Irritability

•       Rapid mood swings

•       Hopelessness

•       Suicidal Ideation

•       Apathy

•       Panic Attacks

•       Depression

•       PTSD

•       Aggression and Raging

Depression: What to Watch For: Low self-esteem - Sadness - Irritability - Hopelessness -Tearfulness - Indecisiveness - Difficulty Concentrating - Guilt - Lack of Motivation - Agitation/anxiety - Loss of sex-drive - Suicidal thoughts - Loss of interest - Lack of Energy - Unexplained Aches and Pains - Disturbed sleep or appetite - slowed speech or movement - Social withdrawal - impaired school or work performance

Negative thoughts often accompany depression: Why me? -  It’s not fair - Why now? - If only… - But now I can’t / won't - I’ve worked too hard for this to happen to me! - I’ve let everybody down - Nobody cares - Nobody understands - Nobody can help me - I can’t handle this -  It will never get better - I’m being punished for my sins -  I’m a loser - It’s hopeless - I can’t take it anymore - Everyone would be better off without me - I’m a burden -The future holds nothing. - What now?

Depression in Athletes after Injury: Statistics

–      Over half become depressed

–      10-15% seriously depressed

–      80 % experience symptoms of depression

–      Suicide is rare

–      Time frame determined by physical recovery time frame

–      Highly treatable with psychotherapy

PTSD

•       Intense memories, dreams, nightmares

•       Uncontrollable strong feelings

•       Flashbacks

•       Avoidance

•       Pushing people away

•       Negative thoughts

•       Hyper-arousal and agitation

•       Concentration problems

•       Sleep disturbance

•       Fear of re-injury

Substance Abuse Issues in Athletes Recovering From Injury
Alcohol abuse
Illicit drug abuse
Prescription drug abuse: easy for professionals, coaches and trainers to be complicit in prescription drug abuse or even encourage it.  Must challenge the athlete about abuse

Psychotherapy can be highly effective in helping people cope with injuries, overcome depression or PTSD from their injuries and recover more quickly and completely from their injuries.  Of course, psychotherapy is very cost-effective too.  A course of psychotherapy to assist an athlete in recovering from injury will often cost less than a single MRI.

Psychotherapy techniques to assist athletes in recovery from injury

•       Supportive listening

•       Cognitive-restructuring

•       Coping skills training

•       Problem solving and planning

•       Self-management

•       Relaxation skills

•       Communication skills

•       Mood regulation

•       Visualization and hypnosis to facilitate recovery and return to play

Advice for the Athlete Recovering From Injury

•       Accept your feelings

•       Learn about your injury

•       Learn about your treatment

•       Be an active participant in your care

•       Take responsibility

•       Set achievable goals

•       Maintain a positive attitude

•       Follow treatment recommendations

•       Self monitor

•       Work hard within guidelines

•       Practice patience, with yourself and with your body

•       Seek and accept social support

Social Support after Injury Can:

•       Maintain a connection with the team during rehabilitation and recovery

•       Help with treatment

•       Help with daily tasks

•       Make the athlete comfortable asking for help

•       Provide education and answers

•       Offer empathic listening and opportunity to vent

•       Be encouraging

•       Provide a positive opportunity for distraction / fun / pleasure

Suggestions For Recovering Athletes

•       Bring a list of questions to your doctor’s appointment or therapy sessions

•       Participate with your team in non-active ways

•       Have friends / team mates / coaches check in with you

•       Schedule activities with friends

•       Plan ahead and ask for help if you will have mobility issues

•       Get assistance with transportation needs

Set Appropriate Goals

•       Injury can be another training challenge

–      Focus on recovery rather than performance

•       Maintain motivation

•       Focus on small incremental improvement

•       Work closely with therapist or doctor

•       Obey doctor’s orders about pace of rehab

•       Accept injury and know your limits

•       Maintain fitness while injured

•       Knowing what to expect can facilitate sense of control and agency

How can medical professionals facilitate recovery in injured athletes?

•       Build trust and rapport with the injured athlete

•       Listen to concerns and provide honest answers

•       Assess and monitor the athlete’s emotional state

•       Educate the athlete about the injury

•       Identify misinformation

•       Involve the athlete’s family, coach and trainer

•       Prepare the athlete and coach for the recovery process

•       Encourage the development and use of coping skills

•       Recognize return to play issues

•       Screen for depression and other mental health concerns

•       Refer to a psychologist with expertise in sports psychology and / or rehabilitation psychology     if needed

How can Trainers and Coaches Facilitate Recovery?

•       Be empathic and caring

•       Build up the athlete’s self-esteem

•       Discourage self pity

•       Take an interest in the recovery process

•       Encourage realistic goals

•       Offer general encouragement and emotional support

•       Listen to the athletes concerns and feelings

•       Encourage optimistic ways of thinking and discourage pessimism

•       Discourage maladaptive ways of thinking such as “no pain-no gain” or “suck it up”

•       Monitor athlete for depression, substance abuse or other mental health problems

•       Encourage acceptance of help from a psychologist if indicated

•       Encourage patience and realistic expectations

How can Trainers and Coaches Facilitate Recovery?

 Reach out to the athlete, do not wait for him to reach out to you

–      If the athlete is in the hospital, visit, bring greetings from the team

–      Participate in family conference if invited

–      Visit at home during recovery

–      Accompany to physical therapy if appropriate

Keep the athlete involved with the team

–      Keep athlete in touch with team activities and issues

–      Give the inured athlete achievable team related tasks

–      Have the injured athlete participate in team activities in non-injurious ways

–      When appropriate expect the athlete to participate in practice (with modifications) 

Do not allow social isolation and withdrawal
–      If necessary assign team mates to check up on or provide practical help
Make the athlete accountable for participation in rehab

Participate in return to play issues and decisions
Encourage athlete to maintain fitness during rehabilitation

How can Trainers and Coaches Facilitate Recovery?

Gently help the athlete get in touch with other areas of personal strength, creativity, interests and ways to participate in their sport in new ways if they are faced with a long-term recovery or permanent disability

I hope you help the athletes you work with fulfill their dreams.  I hope some of the information I’ve shared today will help you do that even better than you might have imagined. 
I will end with another quote from the same person who’s quote introduced this talk.

Wise words for recovering athletes:

 “Speak quietly to yourself and promise there will be better days. Whisper gently to yourself and provide assurance that you really are extending your best effort. Console your bruised and tender spirit with reminders of many other successes. Offer comfort in practical and tangible ways — as if you were encouraging your dearest friend. Recognize that on certain days, the greatest grace is that the day is over and you get to close your eyes. Tomorrow comes more brightly.”

 *** Mary Anne Radmacher:

I hope in your work you help athletes have tomorrows that come more brightly.

That is the most precious gift you have to give.  Thank you for your attention and may your tomorrow burn more brightly too.

drjsquyres@mac.com

www.drjillsquyrespsychologist.com

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Text copyright 2012 by Jill Squyres, PhD.  All Rights Reserved