Return to Play: Guide to the Mental Aspects of Rehabilitation for Injured Athletes

When you get injured, it's not just your body that suffers; there are psychological repercussions, as well. What's more, this mental aspect of an athletic injury can be even more difficult to overcome than the physical limitations that it causes; it encompasses the social, emotional, and personality effects that an injury can have on an athlete. Kathleen Kickish, a certified athletic trainer with a master's degree in sport and exercise psychology, can help you get back on the top of your game- physically and mentally. You can learn how to: ask the questions that can help you navigate the recovery process; increase self-confidence through positive thinking; trust and have confidence in your athletic trainer and other health-care professionals; and return to your sport ready to play both mentally and physically. This guide can also help you determine how your personality type and other characteristics affect the ways you should approach the psychological and physical rehabilitation processes. You can't erase your injury, but you can control your attitude and perception of it and ultimately Return to Play.