ABSTRACT
There’s an overachiever in every social circle. It’s that person who seems to have their life completely under control or the one who excels at everything without even trying. Most of us find this person annoying, largely because we’re frustrated by our lack of success despite out best efforts. The same phenomenon occurs in sport. There are superstars in every league who, regardless of training, have natural talents that set them apart. Interestingly, we see this in injury rehabilitation as well. Some athletes, following incredibly serious injuries, manage to fully recover and sometimes return to sport stronger, more driven, and in better shape than ever before. Compared to their peers who struggle to return to form after similar injuries, these individuals are held up as examples of “luck” or incredible inner strength. This chapter explores the fundamental reasons why some athletes have such positive rehabilitation experiences and what lessons can be learned from these cases. It highlights key psychological skills that may be enhanced through intervention to improve injury outcomes and identifies gaps in our understanding that need to be addressed by future research.
