Imagery for Rehabilitation From a Severe Injury
Phases of Injury Consideration
Using imagery during rehabilitation for an athlete with a severe injury can be helpful if executed well, adequately utilized by the athlete, and as many variables that can be accounted for are taken into account. The variables of personal and situational and phase of rehabilitation are three examples that have been shown to play a role (Hare et al., 2008). Furthermore, when looking at the phase or the chronology of imagery, three phases need to be considered in how they may help the athlete. Green and Bonura (2007) ask helping professions when working with athletes to consider pre-injury, immediately following the injury, and rehabilitation and their potential use of imagery. For pre-injury, they suggest that this is the time for preventive medicine, where the focus is on relaxation and self-regulation. Often we are taught that we have to keep pushing and doing at the expense of relaxing and regulating. These skills, however, serve us in many more ways than just in injury rehabilitation. When dealing specifically with a severe injury, if these skills are in place, it may help athletes cope with the influx of intense emotions that can come with injury. For the time immediately following the injury, they suggest that the focus is on developing awareness where imagery can help with maintaining a positive attitude and reinforcing the efficacy of treatment. Especially when dealing with a severe injury, it is easy to become deflated and imagery can help combat that and stay focused. Finally, during the rehabilitation phase, the focus shifts to creating the mindset for recovery, where imagery helps in coping with pain, facilitating goal setting, and eliminating counterproductive thoughts. Rehabilitation can be a long and hard process. With imagery in this phase, having the additional benefits already suggested can take the edge off this journey.
Type of Imagery
Besides phases and variables, the type of imagery needs to be thought out to be as impactful as possible. When it comes to specific types of imagery, motor imagery, the mental representation of an action without the concomitant movement, can be considered a reliable adjunct therapy for an injured athlete in their recovery journey of motor functions (Lebon et al., 2012). Again, for an athlete with a severe injury, this type of imagery would be useful at the appropriate time to help the body remember while it heals.
Relationships
The relationships that exist within the use of imagery need also to be accounted for but can ultimately be used to strengthen the imagery process. For example, Wesch et al. (2012) found that a moderate to strong reciprocal relationship exists between self-efficacy and adherence to rehabilitation but that a weak to moderate relationship exists between imagery use and rehabilitation adherence. Knowing this, it becomes vital that the imagery used be strategic to target the appropriate theme, characteristic, or variable. Furthermore, imagery needs to be sport-specific that is related to sport skills and strategies but not arousal imagery, as it may elevate somatic anxiety (Monsma et al., 2009). Additional recommendations include the need to consider the cognitive and motivational functions of imagery (Monsma et al., 2009).
These variables and thoughts are a lot to consider. However, taken all together it becomes clear that, when a well thought out imagery plan is crafted, athletes benefit!
A foot made of rock or metal in the foreground with rocks in the background.
take action today moment:
Imagery is a pretty useful tool whether you are rehabilitating from injury or wanting to improve a skill. Imagery related to relaxation and regulation can be used at any point, not just in injury rehabilitation. Take some time to consider if you could benefit from addressing relaxation/recovery and regulation. If that is the case, consider building more time into your schedule to work on building regulation and relaxation skills base. Seek out the support of a counselor, coach, mentor, or sport and performance coach to help in addition to doing any research.
Learn More About Deliberate Practice:
Using the Mind to Heal the Body: Imagery for Injury Rehabilitation
References
Green, L. B., & Bonura, K. B. (2007). The use of imagery in the rehabilitation of injured athletes. D. Pargman (Ed.), Psychological bases of sport injuries (3rd ed.) (pp. 305-316). Fitness Information Technology.
Hare, R., Evans, L., & Callow, N. (2008). Imagery use during rehabilitation from injury: A case study of an elite athlete. Sport Psychologist, 22(4), 405-422.
Lebon, F., Guillot, A., & Collet, C. (2012). Increased muscle activation following motor imagery during the rehabilitation of the anterior cruciate ligament. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 37(1), 45-51, 45–51. doi 10.1007/s10484-011-9175-9
Monsma, E., Mensch, J., & Farroll, J. (2009). Keeping your head in the game: Sport-specific imagery and anxiety among injured athletes. Journal of Athletic Training, 44(4), 410-417. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-44.4.410
Wesch, N., Hall, C., Prapavessis, H., Maddison, R., Bassett, S., Foley, L., ... & Forwell, L. (2012). Self‐efficacy, imagery use, and adherence during injury rehabilitation. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 22(5), 695-703. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2011.01304.x