You’re playing the game of your life. It’s the fourth quarter, and your team has come back from 30 points down against your rival school, to only four points.  The fans are going crazy, and you have played a huge role in the comeback.  With a little under two minutes left, you jump up and grab an important rebound, but land heavily on your ankle, rolling it badly.  Your team calls a time out. You try to walk it off, but you know it serious. 

In this type of situation, athletes may ignore injuries they know might be serious because they don’t want to come out of the game and let their team down. Your coach asks you if you want to come out; you say no. So you go on, limping through the rest of the game, and with 3 seconds left and your team down by 1 point, a teammate passes you the ball on a breakaway. You have a chance to win the game and be a hero. As the ball comes to you, you realize you’re gonna have to reach out for the pass. Leading with your bad ankle you reach for it, but your ankle gives out. You fall to the ground, and the ball bounces off your fingertips, slowly rolling out of bounds as the buzzer sounds. Game over!

In this example, you have taken an ankle injury that may have lasted a week or two, and strained it so badly that it may now sideline you for over a month. Although playing with an injury can embarrass you and let your team down, the permanent effect your injury could have on your body is much more serious. There will be second chances to show up for your team and strengthen your reputation, but an ignored injury could have lasting effects on your body for the rest of your life.

Scary, huh?  Many of you may think this example is ridiculous, and it could never happen to you. That may be true. The bottom line is sports are supposed to be fun, right?   Well, they can be, but it’s up to you. Will you take the short-term pain of sitting out a few games and letting yourself heal, for the long-term gain of avoiding a permanent injury?

It’s always a good idea to seek help or to see your trainer when you have an injury.  Many school athletes ignore minor injuries everyday for a number of reasons, including their fear that the injury will sideline them from their sport and cause them to miss some games. In most cases, these minor injuries can be treated right away with ice, heat or bandages, and you can still play in games. But when they are ignored, they can often lead to far more serious injuries.