🎙️ Episode 8 The Mental Load of Injury: A Conversation for Runners and Clinicians with Freya Bronwin

 

Running is rarely “just exercise”. For many runners, it becomes identity, routine, community, stress relief, and self-worth all rolled into one. So when injury hits, the impact can feel bigger than pain or lost fitness. It can feel like losing part of who you are.

​

In this episode of The Rehab Runway, Luke Nelson sits down with psychotherapist Freya Bronwin from Reframe Sessions to unpack the mental load of being sidelined, especially with longer-term injuries like bone stress injuries. Freya shares why runners often struggle more than they expect, how fear of re-injury and hypervigilance can persist even after healing, and what clinicians can do to support the psychological side of rehabilitation without turning the consult into a therapy session.

​

This is a practical, grounding conversation for runners and health professionals alike.

​

🧠 What You’ll Learn in This Episode

​

• Why injury can feel like a loss of identity, not just a physical setback

• The “high bar” runner mindset: goal-driven, disciplined, and vulnerable to comparison

• When a healthy running identity becomes fragile or too singular

• The role of Strava, watches, and social media in fueling comparison and “outsourcing trust”

• Why bone stress injuries often create stronger fear of re-injury, phantom pain, and doubt

• How to rebuild confidence with graded exposure and better self-talk

• How clinicians can validate distress without pathologising it

• A simple clinician question that opens the conversation: “What percentage is your battery at today?”

• The emotional toll on clinicians, over-responsibility, and burnout risk

• Masters runners and the challenge of comparing to your younger self

​

🏃 Take-Home Messages

 

For runners

• If it matters to you, it matters. Injury distress is normal when running is a major pillar of your life.

• Build a “multi-storied” identity so running is important, but not the only thing.

• Rebuild trust gradually. Fear of re-injury is a nervous system response, not weakness.

​

For clinicians

• Normalise the emotional response early, without making it “a mental health problem”.

• Encourage a team approach: physical rehab plus mental and emotional support when needed.

• Protect your own bandwidth. A high bar clinician mindset can quietly lead to overrun and burnout.

​

🎧 Listen to the Episode

Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major podcast platforms.

 

If you found this episode useful, please consider sharing it with a runner or colleague, or leaving a review. It genuinely helps the podcast reach more people.

​

👉 Listen on Spotify

👉 Listen on iTunes

​​​​​​​

🎙️ Mentioned in the show

Phrase Book for Health Professionals

🎙️ Connect with Freya

• Instagram: @reframe.sessions

• Website: https://reframe-sessions.com/

• Email: freya@reframe-sessions.com

​

🎙️ About the Host

Hosted by Luke Nelson, Sports & Exercise Chiropractor, running coach, and strength coach.​​​​​​​

• 📱 Follow Luke on Instagram: @sportschiroluke

• 🌐 Learn more & explore upcoming courses: www.healthhp.com.au​​​​​​​​