Fear. Fear stops you from trying out something new, from moving forward with an injury, or from moving at all.
Rather than using an injury, per se, as a lesson on how to perform an activity better and with improved mechanics to prevent injury, fear stops you from even doing the activity.
Sometimes that fear is more anticipation of what could happen instead of what did happen. That anticipation is usually worse than the action itself. You get yourself so worked up about it and then you do the activity and think – “oh that was not so bad.” The mind played it out to be worse than it is. (As my jazz teacher likes to say-“give it a juice box and send it off”.)
I will admit I really do not like roller coasters. I do not like being dropped. One year for my birthday we decided to go trapezing at Inner Harbor. Everyone at the trapeze center told me it was not like a roller coaster, so I went with it. I climbed up the ladder to the platform, got a hold of the trapeze, and froze.
This never happened to me before. I literally could not move and the guys helping on the platform were trying to give me instructions, which I was following, but could not jump off the platform.
Finally I asked them to give me a minute to settle my mind and then I jumped off. Once I was off the platform I had no issues with continuing with the “acrobatics” and went into my ballet form. The people below who were monitoring my ropes couldn’t believe it. I actually wished they didn’t have as much control over the ropes so I could swing more.
Our minds can “play” with how our bodies react. It can restrict our movements, our enjoyment, and our ability to move forward in an activity we love. We try to make ourselves feel better by saying it may just be for the best so we don’t get injured or injured again, but then we lose that enjoyment of adding something new in our lives (you know like getting a new dog).
I love NYC. I grew up outside of the city and was in the city every week dancing. I did my Physical Therapy rotations in the city. One day I was hit by a cyclist during rush hour crossing 5th Ave. He broke my face and I was unconscious in the street. I eventually had to have surgery when the swelling decreased.
My father told me about 2 weeks later we were going into the city for an appointment. I said we’re going to take public transportation when in the city and he said no. We were going to walk because that is how I always got around.
I was terrified! I did not want to go back in. My father was gentle with me and he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Because my father had me walk in NYC again, I got over my fear and have never had a problem going back in. I needed to take that first step, get over the hurdle, and see that it is OK. Thank goodness because, like I said I love NYC and it was and is a huge part of my life.
So if you fell and fractured your arm on a hike or tore a muscle trying to ski or twisted your ankle while dancing, get the help you need to recover from your injury and guidance to help you through the fear of returning to the activity you love to do. I will “hold” your hand through whatever is stopping you from moving forward. That is what we specialize in, getting you functional again, here at Wellness Rehabilitation Inc.
We not only help you recover, but inform you why this injury happened, the root cause of the injury, and how to prevent it in the future. We help you get back to improving your quality of life by making you fully functional, independent, and mobile again.
Are you ready to participate again in your daily life and the activities you love to do? Click here to schedule a FREE 20 minute Discovery call to discuss your issues and how we can help you.
To Your Health,
Cynthia
