by Dr. Michael Oberschneider of Ashburn Psychological and Psychiatric Services
Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears ~ Marcus Aurelius
No matter how prepared and careful your child is, injuries are an unfortunate reality in youth sports. And whether your child is playing soccer recreationally or competitively, if he or she is on the soccer field for practices and games, the risk of getting hurt is always there. Thankfully, most soccer injuries for kids are minor, and while your child may miss a game or two, the disruption usually isn’t great. There are, however, times when an injury can sideline your child for the season or even the year.
An injury sometimes requires a longer break from soccer, and here are some ways you can help your child to manage the situation when that occurs:
Seek professional help for your child ASAP. If you’re concerned about your child’s injury, the first thing you should do is see a specialist for an evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment plan. Patient First is great on the fly, but it’s important that your injured child see an orthopedic and sports medicine specialist as soon as possible. ELITE WELLNESS PERFORMANCE & RECOVERY is a partner of VRSC and a great place to start for quality and informed care.
Support your child. Helping your child manage and process their emotions during an injury is important. An injury is a form of loss, and like any loss, your child will likely experience a wide range of difficult emotions to varying degrees – denial, anger, sadness, anxiety – while he or she takes a forced break from the sport they love. Talk with your child, listen to your child, and while they can’t play soccer, encourage your child to engage in activities and social moments that bring them joy.
Help your child to reframe the moment. Sure, an injury is a setback, but it also gives your child an opportunity to reset their thinking and improve on their mental growth during recovery. Taking a break from soccer gives your child a chance to develop greater resiliency, flexibility, compassion and mental toughness. Preparing your child to return to sports after injury is also important, as your child could experience anticipatory anxiety about several things – missing so much time, being able to play again, getting re-injured, etc. Visualization, relaxation, stress management, positive self-talk strategies and eating healthily and sleeping well are some of the best ways to manage emotional upset and anticipatory anxiety.
Encourage your child to stay engaged with the team. An injured teammate is still a teammate. So, as much as possible support your child’s continued involvement with the team. Your child may not want to attend every practice or game if injured, but showing up for practices and games when possible, will help him or her stay connected to his or her team and the game.
Get your child help if needed. Physical distress can cause emotional distress, so as parents, closely monitor your child’s emotional wellbeing during an injury. While a therapeutic intervention (i.e. psychotherapy and/or psychiatric medications) isn’t usually necessary for an injured child, sometimes it is. If you find that your child is struggling significantly across the important areas of his or her life post injury – his or her academic life, social life and family life – seeking a consultation with a child psychologist or child psychiatrist is probably a good idea.
