Pychologically dealing with injuries.

[CapnAwesome]

A little background first, I am a full time self supported rock climber. I normally only work a small amount of time and go climbing the rest of the time. Even when I do work I climb an awfully lot.Here has been the problem lately, I'm now in my 30s and I've noticed that I get injured far more easily and heal way slower than before. I've always been rather fragile compared to many of my fellow full-time athletes and lately it's been a lot worse. Currently I have a high ankle sprain, a separated tendon in my ring finger and a few other more minor injuries.

Now I know that the logical path is to just stop climbing but it's just not that easy for me. Since I've been an adult I've done some sort of athletics almost every day of my life. I'm more or less psychologically addicted to exercise and risk. If I stop I get super depressed. Even toning things back (which I've done lately) leaves me irritable and agitated. I wonder if anyone here has any experience with the psychological withdrawal of dealing with injuries.

[bennyboy]

A little background first, I am a full time self supported rock climber. I normally only work a small amount of time and go climbing the rest of the time. Even when I do work I climb an awfully lot.Here has been the problem lately, I'm now in my 30s and I've noticed that I get injured far more easily and heal way slower than before. I've always been rather fragile compared to many of my fellow full-time athletes and lately it's been a lot worse. Currently I have a high ankle sprain, a separated tendon in my ring finger and a few other more minor injuries.

Now I know that the logical path is to just stop climbing but it's just not that easy for me. Since I've been an adult I've done some sort of athletics almost every day of my life. I'm more or less psychologically addicted to exercise and risk. If I stop I get super depressed. Even toning things back (which I've done lately) leaves me irritable and agitated. I wonder if anyone here has any experience with the psychological withdrawal of dealing with injuries.

Absolutely. I was running 6 minute miles a couple years ago at 200 lbs, not something I think most guys that weight can do. Then I started having hip problems. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu. . .

As for dealing with it-- there really is nothing to replace it until you know why it was so important to you. Is it adrenaline? Endorphins? The intellectual challenge and puzzle-solving? If you can replace those things in other activities, you might have a decent start to feeling okay again.

Good luck.

[*Deidre*]

Yes, injuries are hard to deal with sometimes more from a mental/emotional state than physical. I've been athletic most of my life, and the best advice that someone gave me recently was, everyone has setbacks. You have to tell yourself that this setback is temporary. And yes, when I sprained my ankle two years ago and couldn't run for a time, I was depressed. But, to overcome it, I worked on other things. I started cross fit, weight lifting, and did things that didn't aggravate my ankle, but gave me that sense of purpose, and momentum that I craved. You are not alone, but many people battle injuries. Look at pro athletes. I think setbacks and injuries are sometimes 'good' to test our will and drive. Our creativity, even. Sometimes, the injury can reveal who we are, more than the sport itself.

You posted this back in January, hope things are a bit better for you, now.

[FreeTony]

I'm a fanatic windsurfer and a similar age to the OP, but have been laid off recently by injuries (just starting to get back). The idea of life without it seems horrible, and it terrifies me that this could happen one day. However weirdly for a few months over the winter I don't do any windsurfing because it gets cold enough that the pleasure of doing it is offset by the discomfort. I don't miss it too much as I guess I know I'll be able to do some more in a few months and it'll be a lot more fun then.It also allows my body to recover.

If I got to the stage where I couldn't, I'd take up some new sports that would hopefully give me the same buzz and satisfaction. I'm hoping to go on into my 60's though. I guess after that it will be golf and bowls!

In some ways new sports are more exciting as the learning curve is fast.

[truthBtold]

I got a weak back... I got it about a week back!!

[ThePinsir]

I've had my fair share of weight room injuries. Each time I end up having to take several weeks off training. Hell, I have a lower back injury from over a year ago that still isn't 100% better.

Time off can be good. A day off training here and there is ok, but sometimes a week or so off is just what the doctor ordered. I have to repeatedly tell myself that no matter how bad I want to be in the gym...it's better in the long-term that I stay out. The worst thing I could do is to turn a 3-week injury into a 3-month injury.

I don't let it get me down at all (well, except for dealing with the physical pain lol). I actually enjoy having more time for reading or video games or fapping or whatever. You have to find peace in the pain...

[Cato]

I feel your pain. I'm not sure where to start.

I was a pretty good baseball player, but not good enough to get serious looks right out of high school (I grew three inches and filled out between graduation and age 21). I almost walked on at Auburn and got a couple pro call backs between 21 and 23, but nothing materialized (active duty Navy). I was good enough that I could pick up with any hardball team I wanted, no matter what town I was stationed in. The better teams were packed with guys that had minor league or college experience, but never quite made the bigs.

When I reached my mid 30s I started noticing the injury/heal rate characteristics that you describe. My wife kept trying to tell me to tone it down, but I couldn't. I tried, I wanted to, but I just couldn't. I played shortstop so when a worm burner went screaming up the middle just out of reach I instinctively dove for it. When I was younger I could do this all day, but at 35 it had consequences; typically in a joint somewhere. I wanted to relax, but I just couldn't. I then played class A softball for a few years, but actually found the game to be fucking boring. I thought that the games would be similar enough to satisfy me, but no. I got busted playing hardball at 40 because I aggravated an old knee injury. This resulted in an ultimatum from my wife. She was the smart one.

I gave it up. I cried/she cried with me. It hurt, to an extent it still does. My mind thinks I can still play at a certain level, reality is different. I love baseball. I watch more games now than I did while I was playing (this is false to an extent. Baseball is great to listen to on the radio in order to be simultaneously productive at something else).

Now for replacement therapy...
I was competitive, but more with myself than with the opposing team. If I can equate your experience climbing and my playing baseball it would be this. I replaced this with learning how to play guitar. Two years ago I was challenged to then play bass, so I did. My personal competitiveness against a standard applied. It didn't replace baseball, but it did satisfy that aspect. My wife and I are seriously contemplating taking dance lessons. The guitar replaced the fierce personal competitiveness part, perhaps dancing will serve to replace the physical part.

My former neighbor in Atlanta had to give up professional water skiing because of age/injury. He then became a competition event coordinator and at times a judge. He found a way to stay close to the sport even though he couldn't compete. He still loves to water ski, just at a more relaxed level.

My buddy was able to relax and enjoy his sport at a lower level. I couldn't and had to find another outlet. I know my reply is long. I hope there's something in here you can use.

[SteelCurtain]

I played football for 16 years, and I was never really prone to injuries. Then I tore my ACL my senior year in south bend (there used to be a YouTube video of it, but I can't find it...good, makes me vom). I tore it twice more after that, and since then it seems I've been rather injury prone. Little things like spraining my scapholunate ligament doing power cleans, torn labra in both shoulders, complications from scoliosis...

The point is, I cannot stop. I was lifting weights (upper body) like 5 days after a couple of my knee surgeries, I continue to do CrossFit even with the shoulders, back, and 7 knee surgeries. I just cannot be sedentary. It is not an option for me. I feel fat, lazy, and lethargic if I take just a week off. The risk of further injury is worth it. The key is to modify to minimize the risk.

So to address the original point, the way I've found to deal with this when it is necessary (when I had a meniscal repair and was in a a straight cast for 6 weeks, for example) is to occupy my brain, and talk about it. Literally I learned Python. I immersed myself in doing something that challenged me. And I talked about it with my friends. I bitched and complained, and they both commiserated with me and told me I was being a bitch. Sounds stupid but it helped immensely, because it got it out of my head.

[CapnAwesome]

Yes, injuries are hard to deal with sometimes more from a mental/emotional state than physical. I've been athletic most of my life, and the best advice that someone gave me recently was, everyone has setbacks. You have to tell yourself that this setback is temporary. And yes, when I sprained my ankle two years ago and couldn't run for a time, I was depressed. But, to overcome it, I worked on other things. I started cross fit, weight lifting, and did things that didn't aggravate my ankle, but gave me that sense of purpose, and momentum that I craved. You are not alone, but many people battle injuries. Look at pro athletes. I think setbacks and injuries are sometimes 'good' to test our will and drive. Our creativity, even. Sometimes, the injury can reveal who we are, more than the sport itself.

You posted this back in January, hope things are a bit better for you, now.

Thanks. Yeah I'm more or less healed up and back to rock climbing frequently. It was a weird winter dealing with injuries and actually bennyboys advice was pretty helpful in terms of me thinking about what I get out of climbing. Unfortunately for me I didn't really find a great alternative for the winter and did have a mentally challenging winter. I think I'm still looking for a good secondary activity to keep me sane during future injuries.

---

I feel your pain. I'm not sure where to start.

I was a pretty good baseball player, but not good enough to get serious looks right out of high school (I grew three inches and filled out between graduation and age 21). I almost walked on at Auburn and got a couple pro call backs between 21 and 23, but nothing materialized (active duty Navy). I was good enough that I could pick up with any hardball team I wanted, no matter what town I was stationed in. The better teams were packed with guys that had minor league or college experience, but never quite made the bigs.

When I reached my mid 30s I started noticing the injury/heal rate characteristics that you describe. My wife kept trying to tell me to tone it down, but I couldn't. I tried, I wanted to, but I just couldn't. I played shortstop so when a worm burner went screaming up the middle just out of reach I instinctively dove for it. When I was younger I could do this all day, but at 35 it had consequences; typically in a joint somewhere. I wanted to relax, but I just couldn't. I then played class A softball for a few years, but actually found the game to be fucking boring. I thought that the games would be similar enough to satisfy me, but no. I got busted playing hardball at 40 because I aggravated an old knee injury. This resulted in an ultimatum from my wife. She was the smart one.

I gave it up. I cried/she cried with me. It hurt, to an extent it still does. My mind thinks I can still play at a certain level, reality is different. I love baseball. I watch more games now than I did while I was playing (this is false to an extent. Baseball is great to listen to on the radio in order to be simultaneously productive at something else).

Now for replacement therapy...
I was competitive, but more with myself than with the opposing team. If I can equate your experience climbing and my playing baseball it would be this. I replaced this with learning how to play guitar. Two years ago I was challenged to then play bass, so I did. My personal competitiveness against a standard applied. It didn't replace baseball, but it did satisfy that aspect. My wife and I are seriously contemplating taking dance lessons. The guitar replaced the fierce personal competitiveness part, perhaps dancing will serve to replace the physical part.

My former neighbor in Atlanta had to give up professional water skiing because of age/injury. He then became a competition event coordinator and at times a judge. He found a way to stay close to the sport even though he couldn't compete. He still loves to water ski, just at a more relaxed level.

My buddy was able to relax and enjoy his sport at a lower level. I couldn't and had to find another outlet. I know my reply is long. I hope there's something in here you can use.

It's actually a very useful reply. Thanks.

[rsb]

Do a little more, every day.

that is all there is to it.

In science or being a hunk of muscular god.