Using Sports Injuries to Improve as an Athlete
How to Continue Athletic Training after Sustaining a Sports Injury
Mar 10, 2009
Every athlete dreads injury, but there’s no reason to allow a temporary sports injury to stop improving athletic performance. Depending on the severity and area of a sports injury, an athlete can use the time away from his or her sport to continue athletic training in a number of ways. These include physical therapy, cross training, strength and/or weight training, mental training, and a reassessment of athletic goals.
Have a Sports Injury? Start by Reassessing Athletic Goals
All athletes should use goal-setting tactics to enhance and improve performance, and this holds true for those with sports injuries as well. First of all, adjustments should be made in at least short-term athletic goals, if not medium and long-term athletic goals, too. A physical therapist, doctor, or trainer can help with assessing an athlete’s current physical state and creating a list of realistic athletic goals to focus on.
Improve as an Athlete with Mental Training
Because athletes are already so focused on and committed to training to reach athletic goals, using the mind to concentrate on the list of injury-related athletic goals shouldn’t prove that challenging. In addition, athletes with sports injuries can use the time off — whether it’s one week or six months — to adopt and/or perfect a variety of effective mental training tactics that may often get pushed aside in favor of physical training.
Get Help Healing Injuries with Physical Therapy
While usually not nearly as exciting as actually participating in a sport or even training for it, physical therapy can often help athletes heal injuries without surgery. According to a study published in the American Journal of Medicine in August 2008, physical therapy can also reduce an athlete’s risk of sports injury by 41 percent. Be sure to explore this option before electing to have surgery.
Continue Athletic Training with Cross Training
While the athlete with a sports injury might not be able to participate in his or her chosen sport for some time, cross training is often a great way to maintain fitness. For example, an injured runner might be able to swim to stay in shape. Just be sure to consult with a physician, trainer, or physical therapist to pursue cross training activities that will not interfere with healing the sports injury.
Improve Athletic Performance with Strength or Weight Training
An injured athlete might even find that strength or weight training for the uninjured part(s) of the body during the recovery time will ultimately result in improved athletic performance. For example, some rock climbers with hurt ankles or legs have spent their recovery time improving upper body strength through strength and weight training. Likewise, any athlete with a sports injury who can strength or weight train other parts of the body should consider doing so.
Don’t Let Sports Injuries Stop Athletic Training
Athletes with sports injuries need not stop athletic training while they heal injuries. Start athletic training again by reassessing athletic goals with the help of a qualified expert. Spend time focusing on mental training to improve athletic performance. Then, get active again as soon as possible without causing further damage, using physical therapy, cross training, and/or strength/weight training. Just be sure not to do anything that will prolong the sports injury’s healing time.
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