Injury Grief: Why It’s More Than Just Physical
When we talk about injury, the focus is nearly always on the physical: diagnosis, treatment, rehab timelines. But there’s a side of recovery that’s rarely spoken about - the emotional toll that comes with it.
It’s time we talked about injury grief.
what is Injury Grief?
I first saw this term used by Adam Rutter at Injury Armour, who summarised it perfectly:
“Injury grief is real and often overlooked.
When you’re recovering, you’re not just healing your body.
You’re dealing with a shift in routine, identity, independence…
and that can hit harder than you expect.”
If you’ve experienced it, you’ll know exactly what he means, and it definitely can hit harder than you expect.
it’s Not Just Losing Game Time
For many of us, sport isn’t just something we do - it’s part of who we are. It gives us structure, identity, and purpose. So when injury hits, it’s more than just a physical setback, it’s a form of loss. Suddenly, your routine disappears, and your rugby goals feel out of reach.
When you’re not able to train, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by frustration, sadness and self-doubt. It can be especially tough if exercise is usually a way for you to process stress or stay mentally well. Losing that outlet can leave you feeling lost. For many there can also be an emotional impact of watching your body change - whether that’s muscle loss, weight gain or loss, scarring or swelling from surgery, or just not feeling like yourself when you look in the mirror.
You might also feel disconnected from your team or feel unsure where you fit in when you’re not on the pitch. Alongside the physical aspects of suffering an injury this can feel quite isolating. And beneath it all, you may be feeling guilty about your emotions, telling yourself others have it worse, or that you should just “get on with it.”
These feelings can be associated with injury grief, and if they resonate with you, you’re not alone. These are all very normal emotional responses to losing something that matters deeply to you - your sport, your role, your routine, your identity. These feelings don’t make you weak. They don’t mean you’re handling recovery badly. They mean you’re human.
Tips to help manage Injury Grief
Just as we carefully ice, rest, rehab and monitor physical symptoms, we need to make sure we care for the emotional ones, too.
That might look like:
Talking to a teammate, physio, or coach about how you’re feeling
Finding a new routine that gives you purpose while you're off-pitch
Celebrating the small wins when it comes to physical recovery
Letting yourself feel sad or frustrated without guilt
Seeking support from someone who’s been through it
Speaking to a sports phycologist
remember Recovery Isn’t Linear
It’s normal to grieve what your body used to be able to do, and to worry if you’ll ever get that back again, particularly when your recovery faces set backs.
But just like when you were training before you got injured, you’ll go through times when your progress plateaus or seems to go backwards. Injury recovery is no different. Some days will be harder than others, and that’s normal. It’s okay to feel angry, frustrated or hopeless.
Focus on each day of recovery as it comes, and do what you can on that day, but don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. Progress isn’t always obvious day to day, so take time to reflect on how far you’ve come overall.
It’s ok to Mourn the Familiar
One of the things that I found really helpful when recovering from surgery was this quote from Injury Armour:
“You’re allowed to feel loss for what was familiar.
That’s not weakness — that’s human.”
I had been trying to focus on the positives and how much worse it could have been, which left me feeling silly when I still felt so sad about losing my routine and my progress. But actually, as the quote above says, missing how things were before isn’t weakness, and knowing this helped me to acknowledge what I lost and to start to heal from it.
Whilst it’s great to try and stay positive, focussing only on the positives can make the sadness or frustration you’re feeling very confusing. It’s ok to mourn the familiar. It’s a not a set back, it’s just part of the process.
Stay Connected
For many, staying involved with the team during recovery can be a great way to feel connected and keep your rugby identity alive. At community level, this might mean taking on roles like match day manager, planning the pre-game songs, or helping with kit and logistics. These roles keep you close to the action and your teammates, even if you’re not able to play.
At the elite level, players like Kelsey Jones have shown how leading something like a post-game song can be a meaningful way to stay part of the squad spirit.
That being said it’s okay if this feels too difficult. Injury grief affects everyone differently, and sometimes stepping back to focus on yourself might be the best thing to do. There’s no right or wrong way to be with your team when you’re recovering.
SEPARATE self worth from sport
When injury takes you off the pitch, it’s easy to feel like you’ve lost a part of your identity. Rugby is an incredible game and it can be easy to find a sense of achievement, confidence and self-worth in it, but it’s important to remember that you are more than your sport. You’re not just a rugby player, you’re a teammate, a friend, a sibling, a partner, a mother, a daughter. The people that love you value you for your character - for your compassion, your humour, your determination, your honesty and much much more, not for your tackle stats or how many tries you’ve scored!
It can be hard to untangle your identity from the game, but try to separate who you are as a player from who you are as a person. One may be on pause, but the other is still every bit as valuable.
know You’re Not On Your Own
We see it all the time - players who feel invisible after injury, or who downplay how hard it’s been because “it’s just part of the game.” Whilst injury is unfortunately part of the game, that doesn’t mean we should suffer through it in silence.
The one good thing about the prevalence of injuries in sport is that there will always be people who understand what you’re going through! From players who have suffered with their own injuries, to physios and sports psychologists there are lots of people out there who will be more than happy to lend an ear (or a shoulder to cry on) while you recover both physically and mentally.
Going through rehab with others can help you stay motivated and feel less isolated. If teammates are also injured, try linking up to share progress, check in on each other, or even do sessions together as part of a rehab club. If you’re dealing with an ACL injury, Trailfinders’ Charlie Willett has created an “ACL Survival Club” YouTube Channel which offers helpful advice from someone who's been through it firsthand.
Final Thoughts
Injury recovery is rarely just physical - it’s emotional, and deeply personal. The grief that comes with losing your routine, your role, or your sense of self deserves just as much care and attention as the physical healing. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or just not like yourself, know that it’s not a sign of weakness - it’s a sign of how much your sport means to you.
Allow yourself to grieve, stay connected in ways that feel right for you and reach out when you need to. Injury might have taken you off the pitch, but it hasn’t taken away your place in the game.
Important note
Whilst we believe these tips can be really useful for those recovering from injury, they do not constitute medical advice.
If you are struggling with your mental health, there is always help and support available.
In an emergency call 999 or immediately go to your local Accident and Emergency department;
If your life is in danger (for example you are at risk of taking your own life or have seriously harmed yourself).
If the life of someone else is in danger (for example they are at risk of taking their own life or have seriously harmed themselves).
If you or someone else needs immediate help and you are worried about safety.
When it’s not life threatening but you need urgent medical advice;
Call 111.
Book an emergency GP appointment.
For non-emergency situations please visit looseheadz.co.uk where further information on the support available can be found.
