Coventry darts player and psychologist on dealing with injuries in sport

A psychologist specialised in supporting professional athletes with pain and injury believes they have to grapple with more than just physical rehabilitation when injured, as they often face “profound psychological hurdles.” 

UK research shows that athletes often experience elevated stress and career uncertainty post‑injury, impeding their progression and increasing the risk of further setbacks.  

However, psychiatrists like Professor Steve Peters, who is renowned for his work with British Cycling and England’s national football teams, argue that athletes must learn to perceive themselves from a more logical perspective, rather than an emotional one, to channel resilience into adversity. 

Jenson Walker is an 18‑year‑old darts player from Coventry, who earned £25,000 for winning the 10th MODUS Super Series tournament back in April. 

When speaking to CovFeed, he said: “I haven’t experienced any injuries so far in my career, but I know plenty of darts players who currently suffer from dartitis.” 

“Because dartitis is a mental condition, I try to divert my mind away from thinking about it. But it’s something I never want to deal with,” Jenson adds. 

According to Doctor Carl Bescoby, a UK‑based injury psychologist, he believes that “suffering long‑term injuries can be very difficult where athletes feel many different emotions similar to grieving: such as shock, denial, anger, low mood, depression and acceptance, in no particular order.”  

Dr Bescoby went on to highlight other common psychosocial responses like “identity loss, anxiety about re-injury and frustration,” emphasising the need for more tailored support, including visualisation, structured goal‑setting, and normalising emotional processing during an athlete's rehab. 

He also made sure to state that recovery frameworks emphasise “psychological flexibility, self‑compassion, and stress‑management techniques,” approaches that could help injured athletes not only return stronger physically, but emerge more confident and assure of themselves mentally.