Being an athlete comes with many harsh challenges, and an injury could be considered one of the greatest tests in any sport. Being able to identify an injury is crucial: here is a deeper dive into how athletes handle injuries.
Healing from an injury
Injuries are common for athletes, and while some can be more severe than others, proper treatment and recovery is essential. Regardless of the season or the cause of the injury, there are always critical treatments for that specific injury.
Being a college athlete can come with its perks for healing from an injury. For some athletes, healing resources may not come as easily as they would for a college athlete who has access to athletic training and personal training options. Athletic trainers often recommend treatments like icing the injury or applying compression, so following these remedies can be essential for recovery.
Cleveland Clinic gives advice on treating an injury:
"When you first get a sports injury, you can treat it with the RICE method for immediate relief. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation," the article wrote.
The importance of a healthy body in athletics
Keeping your body healthy is a key element for any athlete. While you cannot necessarily control when an injury occurs, there are ways to prevent common injuries.
Senior club football player Jackson Smith discussed the physical preparation needed to stay healthy.
"As a team, we have to stay hydrated and keep our electrolytes high so we can recover, replenish, and rejuvenate," Smith said. "Staying healthy is very important. Don't take your health for granted—your body is a temple.
Recognizing and dealing with an injury
Whether you are playing on the field or the court, recognizing the early signs of an injury is crucial. This awareness gives athletes extra time to prevent the injury from worsening or even occurring at all. It's also important to identify what type of injury it might be and what could be causing it.
Nationwide Children's offers information on the differences between common injuries:
"Most sports injuries are from either injury or overuse of muscles or joints. Most are caused by minor injury involving muscles, ligaments, tendons, or bones, including: Bruises, sprains, strains, fractures [and] dislocations," the article wrote.
This serves as a great guide for any type of athlete.
"Typically, when you wake up in the morning and don't feel the same way as you felt the other day, you can tell what pain is and you can tell what soreness is. You know your own body and can recognize when something doesn't feel right," Smith said.
By learning to listen to their bodies and understand these warning signs, athletes can take proactive steps to protect themselves and maintain peak performance.
