This resource stems from a Case Study found in the “What Do You Do When?” chapter of Jim Thompson’s book, Elevating Your Game.

I’ve been injured pretty badly. My team needs me, and I want to get back to playing as soon as possible. What should I do?

Getting injured and riding the pine can be one of the most frustrating experiences for any athlete. It can also be a time of growth. How can you make the most of it?

Get great advice for how to get back to your sport: Sports trainers, your doctor, and physical therapists are your best source of rehabilitation information.

Approach your rehabilitation like you do practices and games: Work hard in rehab, just like you do in practice. Listen to your rehab “coaches” (the medical experts). Chart your progress, no matter how small. Celebrate “wins” along the way.

Recognize that injuries can have an upside: When I was sidelined in high school with a broken rib on my right side, I spent hours dribbling and shooting a basketball with my left hand. I also learned to open my locker and brush my teeth left-handed. Use injury time to work on areas that you can improve on without compromising your recovery.

Resist the pressure to come back too soon. People may encourage you to rejoin the team before you are fully healed. Resist this pressure. Listen to your doctor or trainer and return only when you are fully healed. Your lifelong health may be at stake, and risking it to come back too soon will be seen as crazy later in life.

To read the full response, including more ideas on how to deal with injuries, download the book excerpt found below.

To purchase the entire Elevating Your Game book, and to learn more about other PCA books, click here.

These books are used in PCA’s live workshops. To learn more about our interactive student-athlete workshops, click here.