Let’s talk about what happens when your body gets the all-clear but your mind didn’t get the memo.
My recent thesis research explored the experiences of three amateur female ice hockey players who were physically healed from injuries but still dealing with the psychological aftermath. Using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), I investigated how addressing these mental barriers could improve their performance and well-being.
The Hockey Injury Context
The study participants had different levels of hockey experience, ranging from 1 to 28 years, and all competed at local amateur levels in both female-only and co-ed teams. Despite being medically cleared to play, each reported decreased performance levels and altered psychological engagement following their injuries.
One participant perfectly captured this disconnect:
“Hoping that hockey’s safer, and you go in, and kind of logically you maybe understand that, but then you see somebody fall backwards, and all of those feelings are right back there.”
What Psychological Injury Actually Looks Like
Using standardized assessments (Sport Anxiety Scale-2 and Impact of Event Scale-Revised), I measured each participant’s psychological state before intervention. Their symptoms included:
- Increased anxiety regarding play
- Desire to prevent aggravation of physical symptoms
- Anxiety directly linked to potential physical harm
These weren’t just feelings—they were measurable performance barriers.
EMDR: Getting Your Brain Back in the Game
Each participant underwent between four and six EMDR sessions lasting 50-70 minutes each. During these sessions, they followed the researcher’s hand movement or a dot on a screen while recalling traumatic memories, with guidance throughout the process.
The results were significant:
- Anxiety improvements ranging from 21-33% on SAS2
- Impact of Event Scale scores improved dramatically: 75% for participant 1, 84% for participant 2, and 94.74% for participant 3
One participant who began with a disturbance level of 10/10 finished at 3/10, noting: “And that’s kind of where I’m at now. It’s more of a neutral spot. I don’t get as teary-eyed about it as much.”
Another who previously thought about her injury “at least once a day” reported after treatment: “I’m not really thinking about it as much. It doesn’t pop into my head. Or anything.”
The Performance Changes
All participants reported meaningful improvements, including:
- Adjustments in risk assessment
- Ability to take more calculated risks
- More flexible decision-making during gameplay
- Reduced limitations based on excessive caution
- Moving from black-and-white thinking about safety to more detailed risk evaluation
Interestingly, the effectiveness of EMDR remained consistent despite variations in delivery methods (in-person vs. virtual), suggesting flexibility in how this intervention could be applied.
Implications and Limitations
While the results are promising, it’s important to acknowledge the study’s limitations. With only three participants who self-selected into the study, generalizability is limited.
Nevertheless, the consistent improvement across participants suggests EMDR could be a valuable tool in helping athletes overcome psychological barriers to performance after injury.
This blogpost is based on my thesis research “Use of EMDR for addressing post-injury subclinical anxiety in three recreational female hockey players over 35” conducted at Setanta College in 2025.
Yulia Tsarenko CareyLicensed Professional Counselor in the state of Oregon
Bilingual and bicultural in Portland, OR
