4 Steps to Finding Your Comeback
How to take your setback from “heartbreak” to “the best thing that ever happened to you.”
For those of us who enjoy moving our bodies, finding exercise we love and maintaining the ability to continue can become on of the most important and fulfilling tasks in our lives. Physical exercise can help with mood regulation, health management, sleep hygiene, social engagement, and more.
That’s why it can be so devastating to experience an injury that requires you to pump the breaks on the activity that you love most. As an athlete, I’ve been there. I was a softball pitcher in college and tried to push through what I thought was standard aches and pains. I ended up tearing my biceps and labrum on the field, ending my senior season and requiring surgery.
More recently, after having my two children, I decided to find myself again by training hard for my favorite race distance: the half marathon. Mid-training cycle for my second race of the year, I sustained a stress fracture in my foot requiring my to hang up the running shoes and slip into an orthopedic boot.
When I tell patients that I understand what they’re going through, it’s because I truly understand what they’re going through.
As I’ve come to grips with the end of my running season and the “wasted” miles that I poured into training all year, I’ve been forced to look back at how I rose to the challenge of coming back from my would-be career ending injury in college. As easy as it’d be to crawl into a hole and pout over the loss of my favorite pastime, it’s time to embrace the situation in front of me — here’s how you can, too.
Step 1: Handle the Logistics
The first thing that happened after I was injured in college was that the Athletic Director found out that I could still get a medical red shirt and maintain my NCAA eligibility for another year during grad school. I also spoke with my professors immediately — because I was in PT school at the time, I needed to be able to use my body to prepare for and take tests. By handling these stressors first, I was able to focus all of my energy on healing.
Take the time early to put your ducks in a row. Most races will offer deferrals or refunds for injuries. If your work requires you to be physical, you can talk to your boss or coworkers about shifting duties or looking into short-term disability. If you suspect your injury is related to your footwear, you can either throw it away or try to return or replace problem items (most running shoe stores have a return policy within one month).
Step 2: Listen to the Professionals
Even if you’re educated in the field pertaining to your injury, it’s extremely difficult to look at your own injury and maintain objectivity. It’s crucial to find someone you trust to help guide you through your recovery, whether it’s a PT, orthopedist, sports medicine specialist, or PA. Hint: if they tell you that you should never return to that activity, find someone new!
While it may feel like listening to “doctor’s orders” is going to keep you away from getting back to what you love for an impossible amount of time, it’s often the most efficient route to feeling like yourself again. Too often I see folks getting rid of their slings or crutches too early because they “feel good,” only to end up setting themselves back much further than if they’d just followed instructions in the first place.
After my shoulder surgery, I committed to my home exercise program and following the instructions to a T. They days seemed long but the months felt short and before I knew it, I was ready to start throwing again.
Step 3: Make a New Goal
Most runners hate strength training (I said what I said). Most people who prefer lifting weights don’t care for a long run. An injury can be a great opportunity to fill in the missing pieces to your fitness routine.
Strength work can help support your athletic goals, no matter what they are. I highly recommend finding a trusted sports physical therapist who can put you on a specific program dedicated to getting you safely and efficiently back to your original goals, but in the meantime, set a more achievable goal to keep you engaged!
I had to drop from my half marathon and set my goals aside for the time being. And sure, my foot fracture precludes me from lunging and squatting — but it doesn’t mean I can’t row (in my boot), lift upper body, or strengthen my core.
Some good new goals could be a certain number of workouts per week, increasing your overall lifting volume, or achieving a certain number of push-ups or pull-ups. Perhaps you want to build up to finishing a longer workout than you can currently achieve. Whatever it is, make it measurable, timely, and (most importantly) fun! This will help keep you from going totally stir crazy in the meantime.
Step 4: Trust the Process
This is the toughest part, but it’s where the magic really happens. You have to wrap your brain around the idea of taking this opportunity to take time to build yourself back up from the absolute basics. Maybe you’re a runner but you’ve always struggled with hills.Perhaps you’re a weightlifter who wants to increase the depth and mobility of you’re squats. Or, maybe you’re an athlete that’s always struggled with the explosive nature of your game.
Now is your time!
When you’re in season or training for a certain event, there often isn’t time to break down areas of weakness and address them. It’s also just plain not fun to go back to the building blocks sometimes — to lift a bar with no weights or to work on single leg balance or hops.
Whatever it is that would make you superior when the time comes to resume your sport, you’ve got all the time in the world to dedicate to it now. Find your regimen, make your plan, and come back stronger than you’ve ever been.
