How a sports injury can affect your mental health

When it comes to sports injuries, we’re most likely to focus on the pain and how it affects our physical health. But injuries can also have a profound impact on our emotional well-being. When I went for my first ever run in 2015, I never wanted to go again. I set off at full pelt, only to limp back home five minutes later, sweating, aching and out of breath. The next day I forced myself to try again – and surprised myself by continuing to go each day until it got easier. Over time, I actually began to enjoy running . My mood felt lifted and my anxiety felt more manageable. I was fitter than ever before and I had more energy and confidence. I wanted to push myself, so I signed up to a half marathon the following year. I trained hard, running longer distances each week and eating healthily . I also raised a large sum of money for charity. I felt prepared and ready. Then two weeks before the big day, I tripped over an uneven pavement on an early morning run and fell, hitting my kneecap on the concrete. The pain was unbelievable. Over the course of the day, my knee ballooned out and turned a deep shade of purple. After a few days of ice packs and knee supports, I visited my doctor to see if I had done any permanent damage. I hadn’t, thankfully – but I wouldn’t be able to run for the foreseeable future. People experience far worse injuries and accidents, of course, but I still felt devastated. All the time and effort I had spent preparing for the half marathon felt wasted and I felt anxious about not being able to run each day. Running was a lifeline for my […]

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