Sport Psychology Institute Northwest

The Mind-Body Connection: Mental and Physical Health

Sports injuries are physical setbacks with physical causes which can be cured by physical means. Sprained ankles, pulled muscles, or broken bones are all caused by the normal rigors of training and competition, right? Wrong. More and more contemporary sport psychology research is uncovering the relationship between an athlete's mental health and the physical well-being. As documented in a January 4 New York Times article, stress in an athletes life can be a primary factor in the cause of injury. For example, a stressed athlete may be less observant or alert during competition, resulting in a physical mistake which leads to injury. The same mistake may not have been made had the same athlete been in peak condition mentally. Furthermore, as we all know, our muscles tense up during periods of stress. Athletes experiencing abnormal muscle tension due to stress are more susceptible to injury, since tense muscles are more likely to strain or tear.

How can stress related injuries be avoided? Lowering stress is one way. However, since removing all stress in life is clearly impossible, perhaps the best way is to learn how to handle stress better. According to Dr. Stanley Herring, team physician of the Seattle Seahawks, the impact of stress is determined at an individual level - "One man's stress is another man's vacation...Those at risk are the ones whose stress exceeds the resources they have to cope with it." How are you at handling your own stress? Recommended coping methods are visualizations and relaxation techniques.

To read the NYT article, click here.

For more content on the impact of stress on athletic performance, check out our December 11 post.