When it comes to players getting injured, many pundits, commentators, and even trainers have a cavalier attitude. It comes with the territory, so it is expected. Even so, that fact doesn’t make it any less devastating. An injury for anyone is a net loss, but for a sports personality, it is even more debilitating because their career depends on it.
Athletes go to extreme lengths to avoid injury. However, even their best efforts aren’t always good enough. Eventually, grueling training schedules and lack of match fitness catch up with them, and they start to suffer.
The Physical Toll Of Injury
The physical toll of injury can be significant. A pulled muscle is more uncomfortable than many people imagine, mainly because most aren’t active enough to experience one. Getting back to normal can require weeks of gruelling rehabilitation movements, which can be painful in themselves.
The impact on daily life can also be significant. Injured sports stars might struggle to sit down on the toilet or get out of bed without assistance, particularly if they injure their back, knees or hips.
According to Demand the Limits, a car accident lawyer, the actual physical discomfort of an injury is significant and can prevent people from going about their regular lives.
“It’s something we see all the time in our line of work,” the firm says. “People arrive with terrible injuries that prevent them from living their lives to anything like the same standard as before. It’s crazy some of the things we see. That’s why the courts are often generous with their compensation. Judges can see the impact that injuries are having on the victim’s life and are willing to intervene to compensate them financially.”
In sports, most injuries are reversible. However, some aren’t. Victims must often recast their injuries as “lifelong” issues that will be with them for decades.
This knowledge can be challenging for some. The idea of living with physical pain forever is not something that people want to endure. But it is something many sports stars must simply deal with if they want to continue with anything that might resemble a normal life.
The Mental And Emotional Struggles
“The mental and emotional struggles of an injury can be significant,” according to Demand the Limits. “Not only does damage to the body cause physical discomfort, it also has an unwanted effect on the mind. In our line of work, people ask themselves questions like, “Why me?” But the same is true of sports stars. They may wonder why they got injured but their teammates are fine.”
In many ways, the mental and emotional struggles that accompany an injury are the most challenging aspects of the entire process. People don’t receive training on how to deal with injuries and sickness, so when they occur, they feel ill-equipped.
The emotional struggle can take the form of a general sense of unease. But it can also lead to diagnosable conditions, such as depression and anxiety. If these problems persist, they can compound the underlying physical trauma and make a complete recovery less likely. Some sports stars never return from their injuries and have to retire early, often years before their natural playing days would be over.
The Isolation
Commentators and pundits often fail to talk about the isolation many sports stars face after an injury. Most have to spend months away from their teammates which, again, isn’t helpful for their well-being.
“We see something similar in our clients,” says Demand the Limits. “Many people who come to us had active social lives up until the point of their injury. Then, some sort of accident occurs, usually not their fault, and they wind up having to spend months away from colleagues and friends while they recover. Even if they are in the hospital, it can be a lonely experience with nothing but the occasional nurse visit and beeping machines.”
The majority of sports stars are natural team players and want to work and cooperate with others. As such, these periods by themselves can be particularly gruelling.
The Financial Burden
Believe it or not, sports stars face heavy financial burdens when injured (which explains why top-flight players receive such handsome incomes). Taking time out from matches unpaid and paying hefty medical bills can leave many without the resources to take care of themselves, particularly those in lower tiers or leagues.
“The issue for sports stars is often more severe than for our clients,” Demand the Limits admits. “While people injured on the road can claim compensation, sports stars simply don’t have this opportunity. As far as the clubs and teams are concerned, their body is their responsibility, and they need to deal with it.”
Insurance may pay some of these costs, but many sports personalities face large deductibles for medical treatment. Again, while the high-flyers can usually soak up these bills with no problem, those lower down in the rankings can struggle.
The Uncertainty Of The Recovery Time
Another big problem for injured sports stars is the uncertainty of the recovery time. Many simply don’t know how long they need to be off.
Hamstring injuries can recover in as little as two months. However, some players need to take entire seasons off and go through painful physical rehabilitation to get the muscle to recover in the right way. When it goes, it can take a long time to recover.
This uncertainty is another unfortunate reality of sporting injuries. Players are often raring to get back on the field but can’t because doing so would risk further injury and complications. The amount of time recovery takes also depends on the star’s individual biology. Some players get better faster than others, and it is hard to tell ahead of time how long such a recovery will take.
The Career Uncertainty
Finally, even when recovery goes well, it can lead to career uncertainty. Even a few weeks out of the top flight of sport can lead to a reduction in skill level and lack of ability. Therefore, players may find their contracts coming to an end.