The body is an athlete’s main capital in his chosen profession. Improved with skills and training, an athlete can definitely be at his peak as long as he takes care of his body. With proper diet, exercise and education, an athlete can be at his prime but this does not mean that he will not be prone to any injury while performing his well-loved sport. This part in an athlete’s career is inevitable. Aside from the physical pain caused by an injury, the emotional and psychological effect is also something that must be look into and dealt with accordingly. The response of an athlete to an injury varies. It depends on the gravity and how long the recovery will be. An athlete may feel depressed or angry, but at the end of the day, there should be an acceptance on his part and make his move to recuperate whatever it takes.
Acceptance of the outcome of an injury is not as easy as it may seem. First and foremost, an athlete needs a very strong support system among his family, friends, coaches, teammates and everyone surrounding him. When the support is stronger than the injury itself, recovery is next in line. But of course, the sport professional must also help himself.Some athletes may take this approach positively, while some will deal with the condition much differently. Coping differs and here are some tips for the people surrounding the athlete that may help him to manage his injuries:
- Always involve the injured athlete with the sport. Asking for their opinion or recommendation if their physical movement is limited will play a very vital role in their recovery. The sense of belongingness and the feeling that they are of help to the team is really important.
- Encourage and support the athlete. Reassuring words will go along way and listen to how he speaks his mind with no judgement at all.
- Inspire an athlete to engage in activities that may stimulate his mental health to avoid boredom while recovering.
- Remind the athlete to undergo the needed rehabilitation at the right time to speed up his recovery. If the time permits, accompanying him to treatments will also be very helpful.
Most injuries are temporary and treatments are available almost everywhere. An osteopaths in Melbourne, Australia is known for their services to help athletes by using a holistic approach that will help any them to bounce back on track in no time. Aside from regaining the lost physical strength, it is also very important for any athlete to learn a thing or two from that injury. As said by Vince Lombardi, “ It does not matter how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get up.”
