“And Taylor gets up, saying Theismann is hurt!  I don’t believe Taylor would’ve reacted that way unless Theismann is really hurt!”  Joe Theismann, an NFL quarterback, was the victim of a very gruesome injury back in 1985.  The result of this freak accident was a broken fibula and tibia, and an end to a promising career.  Injuries are difficult to overcome, let alone those suffered at high speeds and odd angles.  Athletes contort their bodies in all sorts of ways to accomplish the goal of their individual sport, and these positions can often have an effect on their bodies later in life after sports.  These unfortunate wounds can happen at any level: professional, collegiate, or high school.  Whether it be to the head, legs, arms, or anywhere in between, these injuries are all serious, and technique for prevention and rehabilitation should be considered equally as serious as the injury itself. Even though the adverse long-term effects of athletic injuries may cause arthritis, potential memory loss or bone deformity, and a slow decrease in range of movement, these injuries can be significantly decreased through correct technique, training, and advancement in medicine and sports science.      

 

           Many people develop arthritis with age.  It is not simply specific to athletes or those who have sustained significant injuries in their childhood and young teen years.  Sometimes, arthritis can spring from overuse or incorrect technique in movements such as typing.  However, athletes and those with previous injuries seem to be more susceptible to arthritis and joint pain or swelling.  Kristina Munoz is the author of the article titled, “Sport-related injuries leave lasting, painful effects”.  In this article, the author writes, “Softball players suffer fewer injuries to the elbow and shoulder than baseball players do because of the natural motion of underhand pitching. However, most pitchers and players of both sports will develop arthritis in their hands from the constant strain on their joints. The long-term effects of these injuries are joint stiffness, swelling, and pain in the affected areas” (Munoz 1).  The constant awkward motion of throwing a baseball may lead to arthritic symptoms down the road and cause pain to those who have done the motion for quite some time.  Pitchers often experience these types of injuries more so than other position players on the field because they are known to throw with plenty of velocity, and sometimes over one-hundred times in a single game.  Gary Caldwell, my grandfather, is a former pitcher for the Ball State Cardinals.  During his tenure at Ball State University, he suffered many injuries to his pitching arm, including a torn rotator cuff, which brought his baseball career to an unfortunately early end.  In an interview with Gary Caldwell, he states, “I have numbness in my hand from time to time.  However, my (current) profession does not bother me in that regard.  I still have pain every day.  It’s not just my shoulder, it’s my back and shoulder and stuff like that.  It continues to gradually get worse as you get older.  I had ankle injuries, but they didn’t bother me till I hit 45 or 50.  Things like arthritis tend to set in as well” (Caldwell 1).  Caldwell then goes on to speak about ways in which he would have prevented his injuries from occurring.  “I would have just tried to get stronger.  The stronger you are, the most muscle you build around your joints.  These kids playing today are so much stronger than we were.  But, to some degree, that is creating problems as well.  The more you have, the more you do.  Also, flexibility.  They tried to do quite a bit of that, but in addition to strength exercises, you have to stay flexible.  That’s a key to preventing injuries” (Caldwell 1).  Caldwell puts emphasis on stretching and flexibility as a key to preventing injury, or at the very least, helping to numb the pain post-athletics. 

 

 

 

 

"Also, flexibility.  They tried to do quite a bit of that, but in addition to strength exercises, you have to stay flexible.  That’s a key to preventing injuries."

 

 

 

            Muscle and joint pain seem to be the most spoken-on abrasive topic in the world of sports, leading to elements such as brain damage and bone deformity being overlooked.  These issues, however, are as important, if not more important, than muscle and joint pains.  Concussions are typically looked at as a minor inconvenience that will heal over time and cause no further harm.  That couldn’t be further from the case.  In an article written through Liverpool Training Solutions, the author writes, “According to a study published in the January 2009 issue of the medical journal “Brain,” athletes who sustained one or more concussions during their athletic careers were more likely to experience a decline in physical and mental performance 30 years later in life compared to those who did not experience a concussion” (Liverpool 1).  That simple statistic shows the severity to which brain injuries are taken.  The author goes on to write, “The study tested the cognitive, neurological and physical performance of 19 former athletes with a history of concussion and 21 athletes with no concussion history. The researchers theorized that a concussion can damage the memory and attention portions of the brain” (Liverpool 1).  The damage that concussions can cause on the human brain is astounding, and there must be some action taken to prevent these potentially fatal brain injuries from ever occurring.  Another portion of overlooked athletic injury includes bone deformity.  The author goes on to write, “If an injury is sustained to a child’s bony growth plate (the area where new bone cells grow) the child may experience a bone deformity because the bone can no longer grow properly, according to the ‘European Journal of Pediatrics.’ In addition to slowed growth, an improperly healed bone may take on a crooked appearance or have a visible extra notch of bone. Broken fingers not properly set may result in these bone-deformity types” (Liverpool 1).  Young children participating in sports are most susceptible to these types of bone deformity injuries due to their growing process and tendencies.  “According to physical, psychological, and cognitive development, a child should be at least 6 years of age before participating in an organized team sport, such as soccer and baseball” (Merkel 1).  There are plenty of ways to prevent these problematic athletic deteriorations, if only those participating take steps to ensure their safety, both current and future.

 

            Athletic movement often is the culprit in injury to athletes who currently are involved in such activities, but only for a short period of time.  They often recover and return to normal activity in a few weeks or months.  Examples of this include soreness, sprained ankles and so on.  However, down the road, these small injuries can lead to a decrease in flexibility, coordination, and balance.  In an article written by Donna L. Merkel, she states, “During the adolescent years, some athletes may experience a decrease in flexibility, coordination, and balance, which not only increases the risk of injury, but also impacts sports performance, placing more stress, anxiety, and social pressure on the young athlete” (Merkel 1).  Young athletes tend to be the main culprits in injuries involving overuse.  In a statistical article written by "Stop Sports Injuries", an outreach community dedicated to preventing injuries with emphasis on overuse, it states, "Overuse injuries are responsible for nearly half of all sports injuries to middle and high school students" (Advanced).  This can be seen as expressed in Figure 1 below.  These injuries in young athletes often don’t just cause performance issues and bodily function failure in elderly years, but sometimes begin to show up in early stages as a teenager and young adult.  Adults often times enjoy being physically active in a sport that they once enjoyed playing in their “hay-day”.  However, these past memories of athletic competitions are causing increasing amounts of both psychological and physical injury to adult athletes.  “As with adult injuries, overuse injuries in the young athlete are the result of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors are those which are physiologic and often nonmodifiable, whereas extrinsic factors can be altered by outside influences. Adults involved in youth sports have an important role in influencing extrinsic factors, which can lead to injury reduction or exacerbation” (Merkel 1).  As Merkel mentions in the final statement of the quote, the control that adult athletes have over extrinsic factors may lead to a decrease in the rate of injury.  This leads to the point as to how, perhaps, young athletes could potentially learn how to control extrinsic factors, as well.  This may, in turn, lead to a decrease in the rate of injury on the field and save aches and pains from the young athlete as they grow older and retire from athletics.

 

            Correct technique is a very important asset in not only athletics but daily activities such as sitting or walking, as well.  The correct technique may help to prevent arthritis, bone deformity, and loss of strength and flexibility.  There are many things that people can do to increase strength and flexibility and prevent horrid elements such as arthritis.  While some of the battle may be simply purchasing and using the correct protective equipment, often times objects are not enough to keep athletes injury-free.  While there is no 100% guaranteed way to keep all athletes on the field injury free both early and late in life, there are preventative measures to help lower the number of injuries.  One of these measures includes warming up.  In an article written by Patrick Mannix, who is a part of the US soccer program, the author writes, “Players should spend at least 20 minutes stretching and warming up at the beginning of practice or before a game. Guided warm-ups prepare the body for more strenuous activities and may include a variety of exercises meant to stimulate the body and simulate game-play skills” (Mannix 1).  Mannix goes on to write, “Training and strengthening will enhance the body’s natural protection systems, especially for ankles and knees. Muscles around the joints can be strengthened through the consistent practice of specific training exercises, like walking lunges, single toe raises and single leg hops. The affected muscles stabilize the joint and reduce the risk of injury” (Mannix 1).  However, despite all of the evidence that warming up and strength training does prevent injury and long-term effects post-athletics, there are many sources denying these factual claims.  “You will also be told that warming up prevents injury, but again the evidence is inconclusive” (Chivers 1).  There are so many factual pieces of evidence that debunk Chivers’ view that warming up does not work, however.  The hypothesis stated by Chivers is easily debunked by a statement in an article written through Mayo Clinic Staff, a foundation for medical education and research.  The author writes, “Warming up helps prepare your body for aerobic activity. A warm-up gradually revs up your cardiovascular system by raising your body temperature and increasing blood flow to your muscles. Warming up may also help reduce muscle soreness and lessen your risk of injury” (Mayo 1).  While Chivers says that there is inconclusive evidence as to how warming up is beneficial, Mayo Clinic Staff clearly states plenty of factual and intriguing evidence as to truly how beneficial warming up can be to the body.  While warming up cannot completely eliminate the risk of injury, there are many benefits.  Warming up as been a large part of my experience in athletics.  Coaches have stressed the importance of warming up in order to prevent injury and increase performance.  Simply put: warm up, prevent injury, and lower the risk of future bodily degradations.

 

            Injuries of all kinds are not appealing to any person.  Whether it be a torn ACL in a game of basketball or a broken a toe on the side of a table, the feeling is untemptingly horrible.  Athletes and those amongst the world’s population can do all of the thinking and research the heart desires, but no change will truly occur until action is taken.  Act, use correct technique, strengthen bodily elements, and teach correct warm-ups and cool-downs.  Only then will injuries to current athletes and retired athletes exponentially decrease.  In a world where athletes and retired athletes seem to be getting hurt more and more often, it is especially important to react to these problems with solutions.  While freak accidents do occur, these can be limited with correct training and medical advice.  Listen to factual evidence, create a barrier between pain and a “best life”, and perform the tasks necessary to create a better life and future for all people, athletes and non-athletes alike.