Returning From Injury Psychology

Overview → The Superstar → Session Notes
Session Notes The Superstar
Addressing:

Playing Scared

The tentative, half-committed movement pattern that emerges when you don't trust your body yet. You find yourself pulling out of challenges, avoiding certain positions, and performing at half your normal pace, knowing you're playing scared but unable to override the hesitation.

How The Superstar Can Overcome Playing Scared When Returning From Injury

Posted on December 13, 2025 ~ min read
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For: The Superstar athletes in Returning From Injury
Focus: Session Notes - Playing Scared
Read Time: ~9 min
Session Notes December 13, 2025
Profile: The Superstar
Sport: Returning From Injury
Challenge: Playing Scared

In returning from injury, playing scared is the tentative, half-committed movement pattern that emerges when your body has healed but your mind remains stuck in protection mode. You pull out of challenges. You avoid positions that once felt natural. You perform at half-pace, knowing something is off but unable to override the hesitation.

For The Superstar, this fear response creates a unique crisis. Athletes with extrinsic motivation and opponent-referenced competition styles derive their energy from outperforming others in high-stakes moments. Playing scared strips away everything that makes competition meaningful to them. The stage is set, teammates are counting on them, rivals are watching. And they cannot perform.

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Vladimir Novkov

M.A. Social Psychology | ISSA Elite Trainer | Expert in Sport Psychology for Athlete Development

My mission is to bridge the gap between mind and body, helping athletes and performers achieve a state of synergy where peak performance becomes a natural outcome of who they are.

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