close
LOGINPsychological Red Flags: A Clinician's Guide
Carl Bescoby explores the psychological red flags that can hinder athletes’ recovery journey, such as low mood, catastrophic thinking, avoidance, and non-adherence. He offers practical strategies for recognizing these warning signs and providing effective support, ultimately promoting physical recovery and emotional resilience.
Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Tia Clayton, Germany’s Nele Jaworski and Jessica-Bianca Wessolly in action during the women’s 4x100 metres relay - heat 2 REUTERS/Tingshu Wang
Injury rehabilitation is often viewed through a physical lens, focusing on tissue healing, functional gains, and the eventual return to sport. Yet, the psychological journey is just as critical, influencing how athletes engage with rehabilitation and whether they ultimately achieve a full recovery. When clinicians encounter inconsistent participation, emotional withdrawal, or resistance to rehabilitation, these behaviors often signal deeper psychological struggles. The capacity to recognize and address the obstacles hindering successful injury recovery is what determines effective rehabilitation support.
Psychological Red Flags
Psychological red flags in injury recovery can significantly impact an athlete’s rehabilitation journey. These include low mood, catastrophic thinking, avoidance and withdrawal, and non-adherence. Each of these can hinder motivation, disrupt engagement, and slow progress.
You need to be logged in to continue reading.
Please register for limited access or take a 30-day risk-free trial of Sports Injury Bulletin to experience the full benefits of a subscription.
TAKE A RISK-FREE TRIAL
Latest Issue
Subscribe Today
Newsletter Sign Up
Subscriber Testimonials
Dr. Alexandra Fandetti-Robin, Back & Body Chiropractic
Elspeth Cowell MSCh DpodM SRCh HCPC reg
William Hunter, Nuffield Health
Subscribe Today
Newsletter Sign Up
Coaches Testimonials
Dr. Alexandra Fandetti-Robin, Back & Body Chiropractic
Elspeth Cowell MSCh DpodM SRCh HCPC reg
William Hunter, Nuffield Health
Subscribe Today
Latest Issue
Be at the leading edge of sports injury management
Our international team of qualified experts (see above) spend hours poring over scores of technical journals and medical papers that even the most interested professionals don't have time to read.
For 17 years, we've helped hard-working physiotherapists and sports professionals like you, overwhelmed by the vast amount of new research, bring science to their treatment. Sports Injury Bulletin is the ideal resource for practitioners too busy to cull through all the monthly journals to find meaningful and applicable studies.
*includes 3 coaching manuals
Get Inspired
All the latest techniques and approaches
Sports Injury Bulletin brings together a worldwide panel of experts – including physiotherapists, doctors, researchers and sports scientists. Together we deliver everything you need to help your clients avoid – or recover as quickly as possible from – injuries.
We strip away the scientific jargon and deliver you easy-to-follow training exercises, nutrition tips, psychological strategies and recovery programmes and exercises in plain English.
