138 | Coach Carrie Answers a Question from Josée: Managing Jealousy and Burnout

“ I have had the worst luck in the last two years. I had a knee replacement in April 2022 for a left knee that had at least 6 scopes over a 10-year + period and it was finally ready to be redone. At last, I would be pain-free. I worked extremely hard to rehab so I could get back on my mountain bike and on the ice. I did, eventually, but with a constant nagging pain. It turns out I had a fungal infection in the joint from the first surgery and now I am facing two major surgeries and possibly another knee replacement after that. I know you have a bunch of podcasts out there with athletes and their stories, but those types of stories don’t make me feel better, they make me feel jealous of their teams of helpers and everything else I don’t have. Maybe I am just so frustrated and tired of hearing about all the happy-ending stories. I know I have to keep positive and put in the work, I just feel exhausted. Rehab has been my sport for two years... any suggestions? I am open!”

—Josée

 

In season 8 of The Injured Athletes Club podcast, mental skills coach Carrie Jackson answers a question every other week about the mental side of overcoming injuries. 

 

This week, we hear from listener Josée about struggling to absorb other athletes’ success stories. Coach Carrie reassures Josée that all these feelings are valid and normal, even when it’s no fun to go through them.

 

Taken the right way, these emotions can serve as messengers, Coach Carrie continues—pointing the way toward an area in which you need more support during your recovery. She also explains the concept of psychological flexibility and how accepting that you’re not always supposed to feel positive can, somewhat paradoxically, make the harder times feel easier to bear.

 

Resources/links:

• Navigating the Medical System webinar

 

A huge thank you to LEVER Movement, the exclusive sponsor of season 8 of The Injured Athletes Club podcast! The LEVER system is an innovative way to reduce your body weight, and the impact on your joints, while exercising on a treadmill. Use the code “TIAC20” to get 20% off your purchase. 

 

You can subscribe to The Injured Athletes Club on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or a review in Apple podcasts. That helps other injured athletes find the show.

 

To access more resources for injured athletes:

• Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook!
• Buy Injured Athletes Club merchandise, including .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}