Newswise — As millions watch skater Michelle Kwan jump, spin and spiral on the ice in the Turin Olympics next week, they also will be watching an elegant example of the growing importance competitive athletes and trainers attach to mental toughness and emotional conditioning, according to Jenny Susser, Ph.D., a sports psychologist at Hospital for Special Surgery.
More than anything else, Kwan's powerful recovery from painful groin and hip injuries allowing her to petition officials, demonstrate excellence in her skating programs and re-join the U.S. Olympic Team at nearly the last moment is an example of the healing power of having a clear, attainable goal, Dr. Susser said.
An examination of Kwan's experience and her bid for the one prize that has so far eluded her, an Olympic Gold Medal, can offer helpful insights and tips for all athletes, whether weekend warriors or elite competitors, according to Dr. Susser, a onetime All American swimmer and former assistant swim team coach at UCLA.
"Many times when we work with athletes at Hospital for Special Surgery on their post injury recovery, looking out ahead and seeing what they want to have happen post injury is really one of the most powerful things that can pull them through the rehabilitation process," Dr. Susser said.
For Michelle Kwan, a healthy emotional recovery from an injury may also even give her some advantages. While Dr. Susser has never met Michelle Kwan, athletes with injuries like Kwan's would be counseled to work on developing positive mental imagery to replace negative visions. They would spend extra time developing additional flexibility or strengthening other parts of the body. They would study videos closely and very importantly, work on developing a positive "self talk."
"The biggest thing an athlete can work on is self confidence. That is the platform from which other things can go well or go awry. Once you are at the Olympic Team level of performance, the top athletes' physical abilities are not that different. It is the one who has the mental edge who wins," Dr. Susser said.
A licensed clinical psychologist at the Women's Sports Medicine Center at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, Dr. Susser offered the following tips to amateur athletes who have suffered a debilitating injury and who are also troubled by fears about returning to sport or risk of re-injury:
"¢ Start with resolving the physical issues of your injury. Get the best doctors, trainers, massage therapists that you can find to handle the physical part. Find people you have confidence in and if you have concerns, seek other help because if you don't have confidence in your doctor, it can affect your healing."¢ Determine what you want as an end result. Some injuries will allow you to return to sport. Some will not. Talk with your doctor and determine what is realistic."¢ Find a good sports psychology practitioner. Word of mouth referrals from people you trust are useful and there are also the websites of the American Psychological Association (http://www.psyc.unt.edu/apadiv47/choosing.htm) and the Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (http://www.aaasponline.org), which now has more than 1,300 members."¢ Check your insurance. Policies vary but usually if a provider is a licensed clinical psychologist, an insurance policy will cover the cost."¢ Stick with the program. A serious injury can sometimes be emotionally devastating and trigger a psychological response identical to the sense of loss comparable to losing a loved one. Recovery takes time and it can vary from two sessions to two months or more depending on variables. Patients are usually the best judge of when they are emotionally prepared to return to sport.
How will Michelle Kwan fare in Turin at the Olympics?
"She seems really positive. She went through something that was very challenging, even petitioning to get back on the team and remove another athlete can be devastating. I would love to see her win the gold. I wouldn't be surprised if she did. I think I might be surprised if she didn't," said Dr. Susser.
About Hospital for Special SurgeryFounded in 1863, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) is a world leader in orthopedics, rheumatology and rehabilitation. Hospital for Special Surgery is nationally ranked as No. 2 in orthopedics, No. 3 in rheumatology and as among the best in geriatrics and neurology by U.S. News & World Report, and received Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. In the 2006 edition of HealthGrades' Hospital Quality in America Study, Hospital for Special Surgery received five-star ratings for clinical excellence in its specialties. A member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System and an affiliate of Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Hospital for Special Surgery provides orthopedic and rheumatologic patient care at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital at NewYork Weill Cornell Medical Center. All Hospital for Special Surgery medical staff are on the faculty of Weill Medical College of Cornell University. The hospital's research division is internationally recognized as a leader in the investigation of musculoskeletal and autoimmune diseases. Hospital for Special Surgery is located in New York City, http://www.hss.edu.
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