How to trust your body again after an injury

You've waited so long to get to this point, been so disciplined in your rehabilitation and been thinking about when you can just get back to doing and moving in ways that you love.

And yet, when it does arise, when the time comes to finally go for a run (albeit slowly), or to lift (albeit lighter), or to push again...

The handbrake comes on.

When the handbrake comes on

Physically you've been given the all clear, but psychologically, there's a resistance. A hesitation or doubt that stops you in your tracks. The fear of re-injury surfaces, whether it's for an ACL, a hamstring or an ankle. And if it had a voice, and it may be a quiet one: 'what if...'

'What if I do it again?'
'What if it's not actually healed?'
'What if I do do it again and that time it's even worse?'
'What if I've not strengthened it enough?'

As you approach the moment of 'return', that subtle fear of re-injury can drip away at your confidence in the rehabilitation process, in the successes you've earned over the previous months and the sense of trust you have re-earned in your body.

What if....

Why fear of re-injury matters

Unchecked, it could ruin anyone’s return to sport and exercise. It may lead you to fearing it happening again, holding back when you get back out there, losing enjoyment in the activity, withdrawing over time, or even making a re-injury more likely.

But acknowledged and worked with - there's possibility, confidence, and a return to sport that's enjoyable.

Three things that can help

So three ideas that people who've struggled with fear of re-injury have found helpful:

1. Notice when the mind is doing this. You don't have to go along with it. You don't have to agree with it, entertain it or try and rationalise it away. It's something the mind is doing. See it for what it is. Thank it and move on. "Ah, my mind is 'what if-ing' - cheers mind".
2. Drop the struggle with the doubt. It's there, and you've been given the all clear, so do whatever you're going to do anyway and bring it along for the ride.
3. And if you're dialling up the willingness to bring the doubt along with you, others have found that committing their energy and attention onto clearly defining and articulating to someone (like a psychologist, or to themselves through journaling) exactly what they'd be pleased to notice when they do start to run, lift or push that wee bit more again.

You’re not alone with the doubt, and there are ways through it. If you’d like to talk any of this through, I’m always happy to have a conversation.