Injury 101
Would you believe me if I told you that the double Olympic champion from Sochi 2014, gold medalist in the skiathlon and 15k skate, started their Olympic season by taking five weeks off from skiing? Sounds unbelievable but it’s true. Dario Cologna was out for a quick jog in mid-November of 2013 when he slipped on some ice, damaging the tendon in his ankle. Dario was forced to have surgery and skip all the World Cup races in November and December.
I’m sure at the time this seemed like a devastating blow. This was the Olympic season after all, and Dario was the defending 15k Olympic champion. Right when most World Cup athletes are ramping up their training to fine-tune their fitness before the season, Dario was heading into surgery and would spend three weeks almost completely immobilized and an additional 3-6 weeks using a sit ski and working through PT exercises. In fact, Dario didn’t start a World Cup race that season until 2.5 weeks before the start of the Olympic Games.
This is a story I tell injured athletes all the time. When highly competitive athletes get injured, sick, or must take unexpected breaks from training or racing it can seem devastating at the time. I experienced the same feeling when I herniated a disk in my back in 2019 just five weeks before World Championships. Injured athletes can sometimes think irrationally because of the tremendous amount of stress these setbacks create mentally. To a highly motivated person with big goals, a major setback can seem like the end of the world.
When Dario was interviewed after his injury he didn’t say much to the press and was visibly disturbed by this unexpected disruption to his Olympic season. Cologna said in a statement that “this injury hurts not only physically but also mentally.”
We all know that physical and mental stress go hand in hand. In fact, our body’s nervous system can almost never tell the difference between a physical stress and a mental stress. This is why the recovery process can be so tough for some athletes; it’s really hard to heal physically when we are stressed and depressed mentally.
An athlete and coach (or parent) relationship is a crucial part of productive recovery, and unfortunately, more often than not, the coach/parent can infuse more stress into the situation rather than promote healing.
When an athlete is forced to take time off from training, I like to remind them of two things right off the bat.
First, you are not going to lose fitness. The Dario Cologna scenario is a great example. Most athletes could take 2-3 weeks completely off from activity and not lose an ounce of fitness. In most cases athletes respond really well to forced recovery which is why there are plenty of examples of athletes coming back stronger than ever after an injury. Forced time-off provides extra recovery so when the athlete does begin training again, they absorb that training like a sponge.
Second, recognize that this is a stressful situation. Chances are athletes do not need to be reminded of their goals in sport to be ‘kept on track’ in their recovery. Instead, it’s important that athletes realize there is more to their existence than skiing. Injuries can be more stressful for athletes because our identity is tied to our sport and when that is cut off, whether it’s for two months or two years, it can be incredibly tough mentally. Our self-worth is compromised. Try to help athletes focus on non-athletic daily goals in addition to their recovery.
An interesting resource I’ve used is the injured athletes tool box which is a website run by injury recovery consultant Heidi Armstrong. Although the majority of what Heidi does is consulting there is still some valuable info on the website and she has some great podcast interviews that go over her recovery principles.
A brief synopsis of Heidi’s steps for recovery are below:
1.) Fire the shoulds and coulds
None of us should like Should: “I should be able to…” Phrases like this devalue your actual capabilities and any improvements you’ve made. Should dishonors what you can do. Should demoralizes and denigrates. When you “get the shoulds” your mind is flushed down a negativity toilet.
None of us should like Should: “I should be able to…” Phrases like this devalue your actual capabilities and any improvements you’ve made. Should dishonors what you can do. Should demoralizes and denigrates. When you “get the shoulds” your mind is flushed down a negativity toilet.
Make a promise to banish these words from your vocabulary. These words lead to self-flagellation and drain your energy because all of a sudden your focus and attention move to the litany of things you cannot do. Understand that when you resume your sport, you will be slower, you will have less endurance, and your edge will be dull. Try not to beat yourself up over it. The edge will come back, sharper than ever.
2.) Fear inventory
You may value your body as your strongest weapon, but your mind is more powerful.
You may value your body as your strongest weapon, but your mind is more powerful.
During uncertain times your mind latches on to fear. You are filled with anxiety about the future. If you are lucky, you have the innate tools to look beyond the fear, maintain your focus, and make consistent forward progress on your recovery and everything else important to you. If you are not so lucky, you have to work at it. You have to find tools that keep you out of the downward spiral toward depression. Talk to old friends. Form a bond with someone in a similar situation. Look for inspiration and write it down when you find it. Hug your dog, or hug your friend’s dog. Take pride in the efforts you make to heal your body and your mind. Remember that recovery is not something you do, it’s something you become.
Sometimes you have to fall all the way down to the floor before you can get up and walk again. Fear is well-equipped to knock you on your ass and leave you curled up in a corner screaming for your Mom. You want to avoid it, so you make bad decisions, doing things to sabotage your recovery. When you feel the pain from training you don’t have to face your real fear.
Address your fear and honor what you can do. Your fear will get you nowhere. Your freedom is how you interpret your fear.
3.) Have at least one person who tells you the truth (and listen to them)
This person needs to be someone who doesn’t have a dog in the fight (so not your doctor or PT or therapist).
This person needs to be someone who doesn’t have a dog in the fight (so not your doctor or PT or therapist).
When you are in a bottle you can’t read the outside label. Your one person tells what you need to hear. If you find yourself discounting your one person’s advice…red flag!! STOP. Ask yourself what you are afraid of. Why are you so invested in your sport or a certain race? This person loves you enough to tell you the truth. Listen.
Energy and using it wisely–Your mind is your sharpest weapon
You pride yourself on physical ability and mental fortitude. Your mind helped you power through pain to reach top form.
You pride yourself on physical ability and mental fortitude. Your mind helped you power through pain to reach top form.
The more your brain and body fight, the more precious energy you waste. Decide how you choose to spend your energy: thrashing and fighting or healing and recovering.
Don’t look back! Forward: Life is a lot like riding a mountain bike. If you keep your head up and look forward, your body follows. The second you look down you crash. Forward isn’t bound by time and doesn’t establish failure traps. Your body will follow your mind.
Helping your spirit helps your body. Suffering (the inability to accept what is) and fear waste energy. Both lead you to bad choices leaving you susceptible to further injury.
4.) Celebrating progress
Celebrate small successes and baby steps forward. The trap of injury leaves you feeling you aren’t doing enough, haven’t made enough progress or aren’t busy enough. You are enough and you are doing enough right now. You have made enough progress and you will heal. Remember, the biggest part of your journey is healing your mind, silencing your negative internal voices and controlling your daily attitude choice.
Celebrate small successes and baby steps forward. The trap of injury leaves you feeling you aren’t doing enough, haven’t made enough progress or aren’t busy enough. You are enough and you are doing enough right now. You have made enough progress and you will heal. Remember, the biggest part of your journey is healing your mind, silencing your negative internal voices and controlling your daily attitude choice.
Would you judge an injured friend for taking care of him or herself? Would you belittle them for not progressing fast enough? Probably not. So stop doing it to yourself. Always treat yourself every bit as kindly as you would treat a friend.
5.) Fake it until you make it
It’s easy to revert back to what’s comfortable. Sometimes it’s easier to choose bitter, angry and pissed off. Negative thoughts suck your energy. Ask yourself if what you’re thinking is really true, or just in your head. Chances are, your negative thoughts relate to a prediction of the future that will probably not occur. Fear is often just borrowing trouble from the future. Choose a different mindset. Choose gratitude and peace. What you focus on grows.
It’s easy to revert back to what’s comfortable. Sometimes it’s easier to choose bitter, angry and pissed off. Negative thoughts suck your energy. Ask yourself if what you’re thinking is really true, or just in your head. Chances are, your negative thoughts relate to a prediction of the future that will probably not occur. Fear is often just borrowing trouble from the future. Choose a different mindset. Choose gratitude and peace. What you focus on grows.
Changing your mindset is like training for a race. You have to exercise your new mindset. Sometimes, like on long training days, you will struggle. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, faking your new mindset until it becomes your permanent mindset. Show up and keep showing up.
