Redefining Strength: How to Love Your Body Through Injury and Recovery
An injury changes everything. Whether it’s a torn ligament, a broken bone or something more invisible like nerve damage, the impact isn’t just physical. It can leave you feeling frustrated, helpless and even disconnected from your own body.
These six lessons are all about how to emotionally deal with an injury and give yourself space to process everything that comes with it.
1. Your Body Didn’t Fail You
When you’re used to being active, strong and independent, an injury can feel like betrayal. It doesn’t mean your body is broken though. It just needs some extra care.
Learning how to deal with an injury emotionally often starts by shifting the way you talk to yourself. Instead of thinking, “Why is this happening to me?” consider whether your body is telling you it needs something from you. That simple mindset change can go a long way toward healing.
2. It’s OK to Be Upset
No one enjoys watching from the sidelines. You might feel angry, sad or impatient. Challenges happen, and it’s OK to feel upset or hurt. Your feelings are real, and there’s no need to bottle them up. One of the most important parts of emotionally dealing with an injury is permitting yourself to feel all of it.
When those feelings get heavy, the mental side of healing kicks in. Figuring out how to psychologically recover from an injury isn’t just about pretending everything’s fine. It’s about acknowledging your mental health matters just as much as your physical recovery.
3. Prioritise Rehab
If your injury requires rehab, make it a priority. Skipping sessions or trying to push through the pain won’t help you heal faster. It can make things worse. Whether you’re seeing a physiotherapist, chiropractor, physiatrist or another specialist, consistent rehab helps you get stronger, improve mobility and track your progress in a real and encouraging way.
Whether you’re working with a physiatrist who focuses on injuries affecting bones, joints, muscles and the nervous system or a physiotherapist who might guide you through exercises to rebuild strength and prevent future injuries, it’s important to stick to your care plan. Knowing you’re doing everything possible to support your recovery can be encouraging.
4. Your Progress May Look Different Now
Your wins will look smaller when you’re injured, but that doesn’t mean they’re less important. Things like standing for a few more minutes, sleeping through the night without pain or taking a full breath without wincing are still milestones.
Tracking those small wins is a key part of psychologically recovering from an injury. They remind you that healing is happening, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
5. Ask for Help and Let Yourself Accept It
You don’t have to go through this alone. Surrounding yourself with people who care makes a difference, whether they’re offering physical support or just someone to talk to. They may be able to say something that could help you, providing emotional support on your recovery journey. Sometimes, just venting to someone is enough to lift some of the weight.
Talking to a therapist, journaling or simply opening up to a friend can help you process everything in your head. Mental recovery takes time, and asking for help along the way is OK.
6. You’re Still You
It's easy to feel like an injury has taken something from you, your routine, confidence and sense of control — but you’re still you, even when you're not at your full strength. Part of emotionally dealing with an injury is recognising that healing means growth. You’ll likely have more appreciation for your body than ever before.
Psychologically Recovering From an Injury
There’s no perfect way to recover. Some days will be better than others. If you’re showing up, doing what you can and giving yourself grace, you’re already doing more than enough.
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Beth, the Managing Editor and content manager at Body+Mind, is well-respected in the mental health, nutrition and fitness spaces. In her spare time, Beth enjoys cooking and going for runs with her dog.
