Ask any athlete what happens after six weeks without training, and the answer is rarely optimistic. Injury, the off-season, a heavy travel schedule, or simply a demanding period of life can all force time away from the gym, and strength often seems to disappear with it. This post explains why motor imagery can help, what the evidence shows, how to practice it properly, and who stands to benefit most.

When an athlete goes down on the pitch, the first responder's training kicks in immediately. They assess the mechanism, stabilise the injury, manage pain, and facilitate safe removal from the field of play. But in that same moment, something else is happening that rarely features in any emergency action plan.

When we think about physiotherapy, we often focus on physical recovery - strength, mobility, and pain management. However, the mental aspect of rehabilitation is just as crucial. Sport psychology techniques, such as goal setting, motivation strategies, and visualization, are increasingly being used by physiotherapists to help patients stay engaged and achieve better outcomes. Dr Sheeba Rosewilliam speaks to the SPRINT project on how she integrates sport psychology into her pr