Serious injuries can disrupt daily routines and impact confidence and sense of identity. Elite athletes know the challenges of recovery, and their experiences can teach us about resilience and perseverance.

Recognizing Physical Limits

Athletes must learn to recognize their physical limits and listen to their bodies. This means understanding the relationship between pain and performance, and knowing when to push through and when to back off. Liv Paxton, a former runner, learned this lesson after dealing with shin splints, quadricep strains, and a partially torn Achilles tendon.

Paxton said she has a better understanding of when to slow down and prioritize her health. “I’m so much better about keeping in tune with my body,” she said. “That’s not something that I focused on in college. I just thought I was bulletproof.”

Grieving Losses and Adapting to New Challenges

Recovery can be a difficult and emotional process, especially when an injury forces an athlete to re-evaluate their identity and purpose. Former Baltimore Ravens cornerback Kyle Arrington spent nearly two decades with every hour of his day organized around football, but a severe concussion ended his career.

Arrington said he struggled to come to terms with the loss of his football career, but with the support of his family and friends, he was able to find a new sense of purpose. He now puts his energy toward the E.V.O.L.V.E. Foundation, which he founded to mentor young people.

Looking Beyond the Past

Recovery often turns a corner when people stop trying to reclaim the past and begin building a new future. American freestyle skier Jamie MoCrazy, who suffered a traumatic brain injury, had to let go of her elite competition career and find a new sense of purpose.

MoCrazy said she still chases the exhilaration she got from sports, but now through public speaking. “I take some deep breaths and then walk out on stage,” she said. “That’s the closest of a mimic for me.”

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.