Helping Athletes with Mindset Physical Therapy

There has been a lot of talk about “mindset” in athletics over the most recent decade. Some providers position it as if it’s proprietary, but it has evolved to become a genericization in the field of natural performance enhancement. In essence, mindset in fitness refers to an athlete’s collection of thoughts and beliefs that shape their way of thinking. An optimal mindset allows an athlete to move forward and make progress in their efforts, even in the presence of challenges (strong competition) setbacks (injuries) or temporary loss of motivation. It is achieved holistically by combining disciplines. One such discipline is physical therapy, and in some cases one clinic provides a greater contribution to the development of mindset than most others. When it comes to the Burnaby BC area, that clinic is Absolute PhysioCare. Read ahead to find out why.

Overview of Absolute PhysioCare’s Mindset Physical Therapy Services to Enhance Athlete Performance

Freedom from Injury Clears Path for Self Assurance

As alluded to in the introduction, mindset is defined as an athlete’s belief about themselves. While components such as talent, intelligence, and personality all factor into this feeling of self-worth, physical wellness and readiness is extremely important to fostering a positive and sustainable belief about oneself. If an athlete is plagued by chronic pain and musculoskeletal malfunction, thoughts, beliefs and attitudes about their capabilities are compromised.  They can hinder an athlete’s proficiency, resilience, and performance.

For this reason we suggest (insist) that a comprehensive physical therapy assessment is required as the foundation of any mindset program. The assessment will uncover underlying issues that already show symptoms (pain, inflammation, lack of mobility) and others that are on the brink of doing so. The assessment will dictate if and where physiotherapy and chiropractic treatments are required.

Alternative Treatments That Also Support Mindset

In addition to physiotherapy and chiropractic interventions to manage pain and malfunction, there are alternative treatments that are known to support mindset programs. For instance, the National University of Health Sciences reports that in addition to treating pain symptoms, acupuncture has significant benefits for mental health. This includes reducing anxiety which if left unchecked has a direct and negative impact on athlete performance. Anxiety is also associated with inflammation and muscle tension, even if the latter may (or may not) be psychosomatic. View more on the benefits of acupuncture for mental health, mindset included.

Clinical Counseling and Mental Health Services