The Injured Athletes Club

Latest Episodes:

180 | 3 Top Mental Tips for Dealing With Injury from Coach Carrie This Season Jul 09, 2026

Show notes

" You already got hit with an arrow, right? You got hit with the first arrow. Don't hit yourself with another arrow. Don't contribute to your suffering by judging yourself and being mean to yourself and creating narratives that are unhelpful."

We're wrapping up our ninth season, after 7.5 years of podcasting. Don't worry—the Injured Athletes Club isn't going anywhere.

But we are taking our regularly scheduled podcasting break. To send you into the off-season, we're going back over three of Coach Carrie's clips that co-host Cindy found most valuable this year.

These include:

How to consider other versions of your story
The difference between comparison and clarity, and why it matters
Why second arrows make injury or any other obstacle worse, and how to avoid them

We also share a bit about what's ahead for the show and the whole Injured Athletes Club endeavor—watch this feed, your email, and our social media for ways to share your feedback and shape our future.

Resources/links:

A huge thank you to LEVER Movement, the exclusive sponsor of season 9 of The Injured Athletes Club podcast! They're the creators of the LEVER system, a portable, lightweight device that attaches to a treadmill to reduce your body weight. Use the code INJURED20 to get 20% off your purchase here.

You can subscribe to The Injured Athletes Club on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or a review in Apple podcasts. That helps other injured athletes find the show.

To access more resources for injured athletes:

Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook!
Buy Injured Athletes Club merchandise, including hoodies, stickers, patches, journals, mugs, hats, and gift cards
Access webinar videos, mental rehab e-courses, and more great resources for injured athletes while supporting our work
Join The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updates
Join The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderie
Like The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodes
Email us at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback

DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational & informational use only and & does not constitute medical advice. Do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have heard in an episode of this podcast. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified medical professional for proper evaluation & treatment. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experiences, and conclusions, and The Injured Athletes Club podcast hosts nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular treatment option discussed in the episodes of this podcast and are not responsible for any actions or inactions of listeners based on the information presented. The use of any information provided is solely at your own risk.

179 | Coach Carrie and Cindy Talk the Talk (Again) Jul 02, 2026

Show notes

"It's so important to pay attention to how you are talking to yourself, because your words influence everything. So you really need to understand your self-talk and start to dive into it a little bit and know, OK, is the way I'm talking to myself right now—is that helping me or is that actually hurting me?"

Imagine you're walking past two sets of coaches and athletes on the tennis court, track, or soccer pitch. One coach is yelling at an athlete for her poor performance, telling her it's all her fault and she'll never improve. The other is offering encouraging words, letting the athlete know she may have fallen short this time, but if she tries again, success is achievable.

Which coach would you rather play for—and which athlete do you predict will do better in the long run?

Most of us would gravitate toward a leader who's empathetic and builds athletes up rather than tearing them down. But so often, and especially when we're injured, we serve as our own nightmare coach—blaming ourselves for any setback and constantly pointing out our own shortcomings.

Coach Carrie sees this all the time in her clients, and in this replay of an episode from season 5, we're dedicating a whole episode to turning this equation around. Your self-talk matters, and there are many ways to notice that inner dialogue and shift it so you're nourishing your inner athlete, rather than feeding the monster of self-doubt and criticism.

To access more resources for injured athletes:

Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook!
Buy Injured Athletes Club merchandise, including hoodies, stickers, patches, journals, mugs, hats, and gift cards
Access webinar videos, mental rehab e-courses, and more great resources for injured athletes while supporting our work
Join The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updates
Join The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderie
Like The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodes
Email us at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback

178 | Coach Carrie Answers a Question on Dating While Recovering from Injury Jun 25, 2026

Show notes

"How do you date as an injured athlete when you identify strongly with specific sports and are drawn to others who also do those things … but you can't do them at this time? It becomes a source of anxiety and insecurity. Like, who would want to date a fellow runner who can no longer run? Or someone who seems to be perpetually in physical rehab?"—Evan

Navigating relationships can feel difficult as you're riding the roller coaster of injury recovery, Coach Carrie explains in this week's listener Q&A. And there are good reasons to consider not dating for a while: For example, you don't want to spend the time and energy, or you're feeling angry or jealous.

But if you're truly seeking companionship, it might just be a better moment than you think to get out there, she says. After all, your physical ability as an athlete is only one of many things you have to offer.

Because you know what it means to strive for big goals, you also understand how to support someone else in doing so, something athletes tend to appreciate in a partner. If you find a person you're compatible with when you're injured—something that can happen to any athlete or human, at any time—you can feel a lot more confident that your relationship can go the distance (pun intended).

Resources/links:

To access more resources for injured athletes:

Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook!
Buy Injured Athletes Club merchandise, including hoodies, stickers, patches, journals, mugs, hats, and gift cards
Access webinar videos, mental rehab e-courses, and more great resources for injured athletes while supporting our work
Join The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updates
Join The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderie
Like The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodes
Email us at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback

177 | Olympic Ski Jumper Matt Petri on Pivotal Moments and Controlling the Controllables Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

" I got to the bottom after that jump and I started having thoughts of—'I've come this far, it's all gonna slip away if I can't compete and do well in this competition.' And as I walked across to the bottom of the jump to go back up the stairs, I basically said, 'I'm not gonna let that happen.'"

The first formative moment of Matt Petri's ski jumping career was probably when a coach convinced him to try the sport, rather than pursuing only alpine skiing. At that point, the event went from the scariest thing he'd ever done to something he couldn't wait to do again.

The second was at the 1984 Olympic Trials, when he bounced back from a bad first jump to take his longest leap ever, along with first place and a spot on Team USA headed to Sarajevo in 1984.

But then there was another, when a serious crash before the Games even began that year threatened to take all he'd worked for away from him. On this week's episode, Matt shares what all these experiences taught him about the importance of focus and mental health—lessons that shaped his life, both on and off the slopes.

To access more resources for injured athletes:

Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook!
Buy Injured Athletes Club merchandise, including hoodies, stickers, patches, journals, mugs, hats, and gift cards
Access webinar videos, mental rehab e-courses, and more great resources for injured athletes while supporting our work
Join The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updates
Join The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderie
Like The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodes
Email us at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback

176 | Coach Carrie Answers a Question on Embracing Change as a Masters Athlete Jun 11, 2026

Show notes

"How do I adjust my training mindset now that I'm a masters athlete? I have a hard time accepting that my body is no longer 20. I'm 35, about to turn 36."

—Kelly

Society often tells us that getting older is something to be feared and refused—think about the concept of anti-aging. For athletes, there's an added layer of performance changes as we move into the masters categories.

The problem, Coach Carrie says in this week's Q&A episode, is that aging isn't an optional activity. By fighting against its reality, we often keep ourselves miserable and stuck. If instead, you accept that your body is shifting and has different needs and vulnerabilities, you can then take active steps to make the most of your current capabilities.

Rather than comparing yourself to others or to a past version of the athlete you were, seek clarity. Then, the focus isn't on how you measure up, but on what you need to make meaning of your athletic experience. That choice—to define what success means to you, and celebrate it—is always yours to make, and gives you the freedom to enjoy new and glorious paths forward.

Resources/links:

To access more resources for injured athletes:

Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook!
Buy Injured Athletes Club merchandise, including hoodies, stickers, patches, journals, mugs, hats, and gift cards
Access webinar videos, mental rehab e-courses, and more great resources for injured athletes while supporting our work
Join The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updates
Join The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderie
Like The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodes
Email us at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback

175 | Elite Bench Presser Tony Carlino on Resilience, Recovery, and Raising the Bar Jun 04, 2026

Show notes

"One thing that helped me—and I don't know if I really thought about doing this, I think I just did it when I was in the hospital—was just taking it a day at a time. Taking the day for what it is, not trying to look too far ahead. Obviously, you want to hit that goal of getting better, but take the day for what it is and what you can do that day."

As one of the world's most accomplished equipped lifters, Tony Carlino is used to hoisting huge weights over his chest and on his back.

But in 2019, he faced a challenge no gym session could have prepared him for: A bout of swine flu that led to a lengthy hospitalization and a 16-day medically induced coma. Afterward, with much of his muscle melted away, he had to relearn to walk before he could even contemplate lifting again.

When he did go back, the bar alone felt heavy. He wasn't sure he'd get back to competing, but he did, within five months. And just two years later, he officially benched 1,000 pounds for the first time, a feat he's repeated several times since (including earlier this year at a meet called Holy Wars, where he also squatted more than 1,000 pounds—the second person ever to do both at the same equipped meet).

Resources/links:

Tony's Instagram and TikTok
Everstrong, his clothing and supplement company

To access more resources for injured athletes:

Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook!
Buy Injured Athletes Club merchandise, including hoodies, stickers, patches, journals, mugs, hats, and gift cards
Access webinar videos, mental rehab e-courses, and more great resources for injured athletes while supporting our work
Join The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updates
Join The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderie
Like The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodes
Email us at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback

174 | Coach Carrie Answers a Question on Coping with Feeling Left Out May 28, 2026

Show notes

"I'm feeling left out, although I know it's not intentional. I joined a racing team this year, but have had to withdraw from several races already due to recovering from a bone stress injury. I did too much, too soon last year, and it finally caught me right after team training started—go figure!

There's another race this weekend that most of the team is running, and I'm always happy to support them, but it also sucks feeling like a wasted spot on the roster and not being able to attend any group runs or races while I'm recovering. Do you have any advice on handling this?"

—Jacob

Even if your teammates are welcoming and supportive—which, Jacob told us in a follow-up message, his definitely are—it isn't easy to feel a part of things when you're sitting on the sidelines.

In this week's listener Q&A, coach Carrie validates those feelings of anger, disappointment, and even guilt and shame. But as she reminds Jacob, being a good teammate is about far more than what you contribute to the race times or final scores.

While you're healing, your role shifts from training and competition to taking care of your body. Often, there are ways to do that that deepen your connection rather than strain it—for instance, joining for the team warm-up, doing your rehab exercises alongside them at practice, or simply showing up to cheer and support when it counts.

Resources/links:

Episode 139 | Professional Soccer Player Civana Kuhlmann: Strength in Vulnerability

To access more resources for injured athletes:

Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook!
Buy Injured Athletes Club merchandise, including hoodies, stickers, patches, journals, mugs, hats, and gift cards
Access webinar videos, mental rehab e-courses, and more great resources for injured athletes while supporting our work
Join The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updates
Join The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderie
Like The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodes
Email us at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback

173 | Swimmer Lyn Jutronich on Surviving a Shark Attack and Moving Forward May 21, 2026

Show notes

" It's not going to be a linear journey, which is something that's been hard for me to wrap my head around. I have bad days and I have good days … I've had to learn that sometimes it's two steps forward, one step back."

Lyn Jutronich has been swimming since she was a child in the Chicago suburbs, and as an adult living near San Diego, she fell in love with the open water. But in November 2022, she experienced every swimmer's worst nightmare when a juvenile great white shark attacked her.

With help from her swimming partner, Lyn returned to shore. Her wounds healed in the weeks and months afterward. But what surprised her most were the psychological symptoms, including social anxiety and what was eventually diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Time and treatment helped her manage. Then, on the third anniversary of the attack this past November, what was supposed to be a reclaiming of the day—and a triumphant return to the ocean—turned into another trip to the hospital with serious injuries. Now that she's starting down the next road to recovery, Lyn graciously shares the surprising approach that's helping her take things day by day and why she feels compelled to tell her story.

To access more resources for injured athletes:

Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook!
Buy Injured Athletes Club merchandise, including hoodies, stickers, patches, journals, mugs, hats, and gift cards
Access webinar videos, mental rehab e-courses, and more great resources for injured athletes while supporting our work
Join The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updates
Join The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderie
Like The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodes
Email us at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback

172 | Coach Carrie Answers a Question on Pain Management and Recovery May 14, 2026

Show notes

"I am nearly 8 months post-op after a femoral osteotomy to correct my knee. One of my biggest challenges is trying to figure out if my knee hurts because it 'should' as part of my recovery—or if it hurts because my body isn't used to this level of training after 7 months of not doing much. Can you help?"—Aaron

Sometimes, pain sends a clear signal to your brain that there's tissue damage or danger. But when you're recovering from an injury, those messages can get muddled, with an overactivated central nervous system firing off warnings even though there's nothing structurally wrong. And emotional stress, so common among injured athletes, can make the pain feel even more intense.

As Coach Carrie explains in this week's listener Q&A, one of the biggest challenges injured athletes face is telling the difference between pain that's a normal part of recovery and sensations that mean you're doing further damage.

Getting to the bottom of it is an individualized process that should involve your healthcare team. One thing many athletes find helpful is to enlist their physical therapist in writing a specific, personalized pain protocol—a way to plan what you might feel and how to react. Breathing exercises and soothing self-talk can also help reduce panic and tension, so you can make a clear, informed judgment about how to move forward.

Resources/links:

Worksheets for Rebound, which include a pain log

To access more resources for injured athletes:

Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook!
Buy Injured Athletes Club merchandise, including hoodies, stickers, patches, journals, mugs, hats, and gift cards
Access webinar videos, mental rehab e-courses, and more great resources for injured athletes while supporting our work
Join The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updates
Join The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderie
Like The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodes
Email us at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback

171 | Author and Athlete Dimity McDowell on the 27th Mile and Charting a New Path Forward May 07, 2026

Show notes

" You don't want to think about a friend dying or going through a divorce or anything like that—you kind of don't want to even put that energy in the world. Same thing with running. You don't want to think about what it looks like, but the reality is, most of us are going to have to think about that. Not everyone can stand on the podium at age 70."

Dimity McDowell was first on our show back in 2022, when she'd just written a series of articles for (the late, great) Women's Running magazine about what happens when you can't run anymore.

As she describes in her return appearance this week, the overwhelming response to those pieces convinced her that there was more to the story. And a few weeks ago, her new book—The 27th Mile: How to Smooth the Rough Transition Out of Your Running Years—arrived to give athletes a literal handbook for how to move on.

Though it's focused on running, the advice she gives in this episode, and the book, can apply to anyone contemplating a shift in their athletic identity. She doesn't gloss over the grief—in fact, she explores different models of it, and how writing a running obituary can serve an important role. But she also makes it clear that there's a life of adventure and possibility on the other side, if you're patient and deliberate about getting there.

Resources/links:

Dimity's Instagram
The 27th Mile: How to Smooth the Rough Transition Out of Your Running Years
Many Happy Miles
Her previous appearance here, episode 75: Another Mother Runner's Dimity McDowell: Adventures Ahead

To access more resources for injured athletes:

Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook!
Buy Injured Athletes Club merchandise, including hoodies, stickers, patches, journals, mugs, hats, and gift cards
Access webinar videos, mental rehab e-courses, and more great resources for injured athletes while supporting our work
Join The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updates
Join The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderie
Like The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodes
Email us at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback

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