THE PART OF REHAB NOBODY TALKS ABOUT
Rehab is usually explained in numbers.
How strong you are.
How far you can bend your knee.
How many weeks post-op you are.
When you’re cleared to play.
And all of that matters.
But the part of rehab nobody really prepares athletes for…
is what happens in your head.
The fear before your first jog.
The hesitation before your first cut.
The moment your body is “cleared,” but you don’t trust it yet.
On the outside, everything looks fine.
The swelling is down.
The strength is back.
The timeline says you’re ready.
Inside, it’s different.
You’re hyper-aware of every sensation.
You replay the injury in your head.
You wonder if you’ll ever feel like yourself again.
This is the part that doesn’t show up on MRI reports.
Or strength tests.
Or return-to-sport checklists.
But it’s often the difference between an athlete who goes back to play…
and one who never truly feels confident again.
In my clinic, some of the most important moments don’t happen during exercises.
They happen in between.
When an athlete finally admits they’re scared.
When they say they don’t trust their body.
When they wonder if they’ll ever be the same.
That’s where real rehab starts.
Not when the swelling goes down.
Not when the strength comes back.
But when an athlete begins to believe again.
GET TO KNOW ME:
DR. TIFFANI
After my own journey through sports injuries, setbacks, and rediscovery, I started The Athlete’s Experience build a community for anyone looking for guidance in their health journey.
Here you won’t be treated as another number or just an injury. We’ll treat the whole you.