Goal-setting: Reset (or suspend) your cycling goals. If they're out of synch with the reality of your recovery process, you're likely to create stress, frustration, or even hopelessness. Apply your goal-setting and goal-management skills to your recovery program. And, extending point No. 2 above, be careful of goal-creep!
Self-talk
What kind of coach would you like to have supporting you every step of the way through your recovery? Shamelessly paraphrasing Gandhi, who said, "be the change you wish to see in the world," I urge you to strive to be your ideal coach. Encourage and support yourself; don't decide that's the domain of other people on your recovery team.
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As you heal, use self-talk to reinforce your growing confidence and trust in the injured area of your body. If you're getting down on yourself, telling yourself you can come back sooner than you should, or freaking out because you're distorting what's happening (or what you think will happen) in your recovery process, it's time for an intervention. And you're the one to intervene. Stop those thoughts, replace them if necessary, and use your anxiety-reduction techniques to decrease the negative self-talk's fuel.
Managing Emotions
Injury tends to be a big catalyst for anxiety. You may be afraid that you'll miss a ride or race, miss the season, or never ride again. As you begin riding during your recovery, you may fear a re-injury, another crash, or not reaching your goals. Your anxiety may be a drain, and your energy, motivation, and confidence may suffer. Remember, anxiety (an "out of control" feeling) and control often go together; turning the screws on your healing process isn't the only way to exert control. So, if you notice yourself driving too hard to heal more quickly, it may be your unwitting response to stress. You may need to aim your control in a different direction--one that still reduces your anxiety.
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Bad crashes can occasionally create a more complex challenge than anxiety: true, clinical trauma. Judith Herman, in her landmark book Trauma and Recovery, notes that "recovery [from trauma] can take place only in the context of relationships; it cannot occur in isolation." If you feel it might be useful to be assessed for clinical trauma, your friends, your doctor, or (in the U.S.) the free Psychology Today service are examples of potential sources for a qualified mental health professional.
Concentration
It's critically important that you stay focused on your recovery plan. And yet there may be more distractors than ever: pain, thoughts fueled by your anxiety, pain, frustration, pain, and that list of honey-do's that's so much harder to avoid now that you're off the bike. Notice when you've lost focus (or listen to someone on your team when they tell you), identify the triggering factors (eg. a situation that stresses your injury or evokes your crash), and have ways to refocus that are matched to the triggers.
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Communication
This one's more important than ever. You'll need to be communicating well with your recovery team, managing the flow of information (and possibly pressure) with riding partners or teammates, and sharing what's happening with significant others. Decide who would benefit from hearing about the injury's effects on you and share that. Be respectful yet assertive with health care professionals. And be aware that your communication may be affected at times by any stress you experience.Here's to your health!
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