Introduction
The Psychology in Long-Term Injury Masterclass, taught by Simon Pearson and co-hosted by Mick Hughes provides a complete overview of the management of patients with long term injuries. This executive summary provides clinically relevant, actionable information that may be useful to health professionals.
Part 1 - Relevance of Psychology in Sport, Performance and Injury
Sport and performance psychology focuses on developing mental skills to enhance performance, wellbeing, and enjoyment in sport. Psychological factors such as fear, anxiety, and self-doubt significantly influence injury recovery and prevention. Prioritising mental health alongside physical rehab is essential, particularly in high-pressure athletic environments where expectations are high and identity is often closely tied to sport.
- Integrate mental skills training (e.g. focus, self-talk, visualisation) into rehab to support performance and build emotional resilience.
- Assess psychological readiness before returning to sport through validated tools or open conversations around fear, confidence, and motivation.
- Foster a trusted support network by involving coaches, teammates, and family who can reinforce recovery goals and offer emotional backing.
Part 2 - Tools for Optimising Rehab
Optimising rehab goes beyond physical healing, it involves emotional validation, understanding pain narratives, supporting mental health, setting values-based goals, and using mental skills to stay engaged. Empowering language and bite-sized pain education help patients make sense of their experience, reduce fear, and build confidence throughout the rehab journey.
- Validate and explore emotional responses by actively listening, summarising genuinely, and creating a safe space for open dialogue.
- Introduce pain science early to reduce fear, challenge unhelpful beliefs, and improve understanding of pain as a protective, not purely damage based experience.
- Use values-based goal setting and mental skills such as mindfulness, visualisation, and the ACE (Acknowledge–Connect–Engage) technique to boost motivation and rehab engagement.
Masterclass Preview
Enjoy this free preview of Simon talking about connecting with values and values informed goal-setting.
Part 3 - Psychologist Interviewing an Athlete
The athlete presents with persistent groin pain lasting several years, impacting daily function and sleep. Despite the severity, they have continued training and competing in soccer. Education on pain neuroscience has helped the athlete understand the influence of psychological factors, including stress and mindset, on their pain experience.
- Support emotional processing by helping the athlete reflect on how their feelings and beliefs may influence pain.
- Increase self-awareness through discussion of the cognitive model, how thoughts, emotions, and behaviours interact and affect recovery.
Part 4 - Referral to Psychology
Referring to psychology becomes essential when patients experience persistent pain, fear of re-injury, or emotional distress, especially when their sporting identity is impacted. These conversations require empathy and clarity. Emphasise that referral is about building mental strength and resilience, not a sign of failure or weakness.
- Recognise red flags such as fear-based avoidance, emotional withdrawal, or language suggesting identity loss or distress.
- Introduce referral supportively, framing it as a proactive, strength-based choice to enhance recovery and mental wellbeing.
- Guide the next steps by helping the patient access a suitable psychologist (e.g. via the APS) and normalising the process and expected outcomes.
