Sports Medicine

Sports psychology

“I never had an injury until this year and when I got the injury I didn’t know what it was about. When I came back the first time I was a nervous wreck. The psychological side is the worst.”
Michael Owen (Man Utd & England, The Times, 24/5/00)

What is Sport Psychology?

Sport psychology is based on years of research into the mental strengths and skills of world-class athletes, world champions and Olympic medallists. This knowledge has been used to develop strategies and techniques, which anyone can learn, to improve their performance in sport or in everyday life.

Sport Psychology at Wimbledon Clinics

Our resident Sport Psychologist, Dr Anna Waters has extensive experience with a wide spectrum of people recovering from injury and surgery; from elite athletes to ordinary patients. Her doctorate, at the prestigious Sport Psychology Department of Bangor University, examined the central role of confidence in injury and rehabilitation. Anna is now one of the leaders in the field of sports injury research.

Why Use Sport Psychology in Rehabilitation?

Psychological factors play a large role in rehabilitation from injury and many athletes now use sport psychologists along side their medical team to assist their recovery and to return to sport as successfully and quickly as possible. But you don’t have to be an elite athlete to benefit from working with a sport psychologist, as one of Dr Waters’ clients explains:

“Following having a knee replacement, my consultant encouraged me to work with Dr Waters. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the techniques and strategies she went through with me really helped me to gain confidence in using my new knee. Talking through any concerns I had with Dr Waters really helped me to cope with the surgery and rehabilitation as well as possible. I would definitely recommend working with Dr Waters to anyone recovering from a major operation.”
Michael Owen (Man Utd & England, The Times, 24/5/00)

Injury affects the mind as well as the body. That’s why rehabilitation can be a time of great emotional distress. Dr Waters uses interventions specifically designed to minimise the negative affect of injury and facilitate your swift and complete recovery.
She will work with you during rehabilitation to promote your psychological, as well as your physical, recovery. This will enable you to effectively manage your return to fitness, feel more in control and ready to get back into sport or general physical activities, as soon as possible.

What does it involve?

An initial session with Dr Waters to discuss your injury and identify the level of physical activity you aim to get back to - be it walking to the shops, playing golf at weekends or professional sport. She will then develop a personal programme specifically for you.

Dr Waters will work with you on this programme to successfully speed your recovery and rehabilitation. She will also regularly monitor, modify or adapt the programme as required.

Programmes may include techniques to help with: