From my days at university, I learned that an athlete carries him/herself uniquely and in a way that is relative to the culture and environment of his/her sport whether footballer, volleyballer, golfer, runner etc.
When an athlete comes in for their initial evaluation with me for their injury, I not only get to know the details of their injury but I slip in opportunities to better understand the personality and temperament of the individual with whom I hope to be working. Understanding these elements helps to frame an approach in dispensing their plan for recovery thus affording me a better chance at a smooth, complete recovery.
The first thing I take note of is whether the individual is part of a team sport or an individual sport. An individual’s character is what lends him/her to be more of an individual player or a team player. Of course, this is not a “catch all” interpretation to understanding the individual as there are selfish and/or cocky team sport athletes as there are team-oriented individual sport athletes.
However, it is one way to build a very basic profile on what can be expected while working with the individual through their time of injury, a time when most people tend to be quite fragile. The key is to keep them active in some way while they may need to stay away from their sport of choice temporarily.
Regardless of their academic background, an athlete’s obsession with their sport will usually put that athlete in a position to teach a therapist operating in a clinical setting more about their sport while they work together. The athletic trainer/therapist who works specifically with a sport has a greater likelihood of developing a more in-depth understanding of the intricate nature of a particular sport, beyond just the rehabilitative and training aspect of it.
As I have said in columns before, in coping with an injury an athlete goes through many mental stages of recovery, just as the body goes through different physical phases of healing. Between the therapist and athlete, there must be a sense of trust and faith in each other. The client must have some measure of confidence in the therapist’s ability to lead him/her to full recovery while the therapist is assured of the client’s commitment to recovery.
Although some cases may be more complicated than others, effective communication and a solid sports medicine team approach helps to maintain a sense of control. This reassurance helps maintain that confidence while allowing the athlete to stay focused on his/her recovery.
The mental fortitude of recovering from injury is not to be underestimated, regardless of age or status. Whether an individual is aiming for professional glory or just trying to stay healthy, the limitations brought about by injury can be a point of mental conflict for a competitive or health conscious person alike.
While the stakes for a professional athlete will be weighed differently for a health enthusiast, for each person the burden exists and it has moved many a person to tears during their rehab session when they see themselves being challenged to do what may appear to be a fundamental and quite simple rehabilitative exercise.
Celebrating milestones in their recovery is something to be recognised and celebrated even if only with words of praise. To be honest, sometimes a therapist too feels a sense of pride and accomplishment thinking that he/she may have played a small part in the journey towards getting to that point. For both parties it is symbolic of having gotten another step or two closer to returning to full activity or maybe just resuming training again.
The unique advantage that exists most times when working with members of the active population is that they are very well aware of their bodies. They know when something does not feel right from mild tightness in a particular area to recognising when “pain” has become “discomfort.” This, however, is age relative. With the younger adolescent athlete (14 years and below) a bit more time is needed to get the relevant feedback that will sometimes come not just through words but actions, assessing them during their rehab session.
Athletes/enthusiasts who spend a significant amount of time being supervised by their therapist directly, feel like they are constantly progressing. Communication comes in many forms during a session and it is only if the therapist is around to observe them all that they are able to address the deficiencies, concerns or questions of what should be their first priority, their client.
Asha De Freitas-Moseley is a certified athletic trainer with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association of the USA. She has over ten years of experience working with athletes and other members of the active population, rehabilitating and returning them from injury to full play. She can be reached at #17 Henry Pierre Street, St James. Tel: 221-4237.