You tweaked your knee. You sprained a wrist. Or worse. Another ski season is upon you, but you don’t feel confident facing the slopes again. Unfortunately, many winter athletes are all too familiar with this scenario. But the good news is that there’s hope in regaining your mojo on skis or a board following an injury.
Just as you’ll have to do the proper physical work to recover and get your body back in working order, certain mindset tools can help put you in the right headspace to return to the sport.
City and Slopes spoke with Dr. Raafat W. Girgis, MD, a triple board-certified psychiatrist at The Rehab Center Moment of Clarity in Newport Beach, California.
Dr. Giris specializes in psychosomatic medicine, or as he calls it, mind-body medicine.
“It is important to treat both [the mind and body] simultaneously in order to ensure that healing is taking place,” Giris tells City and Slopes.
He encourages patients who are anxious about returning to a sport to be their own best advocates and seek all necessary medical attention, not just for the most pressing physical issues.
“In addition to retraining your body, it’s also essential to train your mind,” says Dr. Giris.
He recommends “seeking a mental health professional that has training and insight into working with athletes on the topic of anxiety and tentativeness about getting back to the slopes.”
Don’t be a Hero
“Many athletes have a ‘tough guy’ mentality,” says Dr. Giris, “which also means they hesitate to admit to feeling fearful of anything, or they think they have something to prove.”
This mindset can be a recipe for further distress because it can prevent athletes from admitting that they need help.
“Communication is the answer. It’s important to be willing to talk openly and honestly about how you’re feeling. In reality, a true tough guy can be direct and asses all aspects of his condition. Talking about the injury and your feelings is often the first step to preparing yourself to return to your sport.”
Stay Focused on a Goal
It can also be helpful to keep a clear goal in mind. Your goal can be as simple as returning to the slopes injury-free for several runs.
Dr. Giris recommends making a list of what you want to achieve and the clear steps you plan to take to get there. This can help you identify and focus on what you care about most, and the factors that contribute to it, including your mental and physical wellbeing.
“A successful person in any area of life uses mindfulness and preparedness to obtain their intended goals. Prepare your body and your mind first,” says Dr. Giris.
Remember, your injury is a learning experience.Use it as an opportunity to identify what you can do differently this time around.
Ultimately, you’re out here for the love of the sport, so take things slow, take a deep breath, and enjoy the ride!
Lizzy Briskin is a food, travel, and lifestyle writer with bylines in Real Simple, Runner's World, Women's Health, Best Products, Insider, Well + Good, and more. She is a professionally-trained chef at Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and lives in New York City, but gets to the mountains of southern Vermont as much as possible.
This article was originally published in the Winter 2024 edition of City and Slopes Magazine
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