Athletic Director Tammie Parker tapes the wrist of middle school volleyball player Kate Hill as precaution to avoid further injuries
Sports are always fun to play or watch, but they can also be dangerous for the players. Getting injured can not only affect a player's physical body, it can also affect their mental health as well.
Most high school athletes have to deal with minor injuries such as sprains and knee pains, but for the unfortunate few, their injuries are much more serious.
Any injury relating to broken bones and the joints could cause major problems weeks or months after the incident and possibly even years later. “Anything joint related can still give issues to an extent,” said Helix P.E Teacher and Coach Rory Simpson.
In a serious injury, the joints can swell and suffer from inflammation and redness, which can make them imobile, limiting the range of movement. Any form of a break or fracture can limit or stop a player from playing. The most common fractures that athletes suffer are in the ankle, foot, hand, wrist, and collarbone. According to PubMedical Central, about 5% to 10% of all sports injuries are from acute fractures, and make up one of the longest return times of sports injuries.
All sports can cause injuries, maybe some injuries worse than others. But, if approached with the right care and caution, some major injuries can be avoided. Often, all it takes is for the coach to be more proactive and discuss the possibilities of injuries with their athletes. “A reminder (to athletes about) how serious injuries can be and that they're there,” said Simpson.
A fracture or broken bone that is not healed properly and undergoes continued use before it is healed will have serious consequences. If not healed properly, it can lead to a malunion, which is when the bone does not heal together properly, resulting in longer periods for the bone to heal, damages the muscles around the broken bone, or the bone doesn’t heal at all.
One factor to players getting injuries is not stretching enough or at all. “If you don’t stretch it out now, you could be in a hospital bed later,” said senior volleyball and basketball player Gabriella Simpson.
Stretching helps muscles and joints get ready for the tremendous activities of practice or games. by doing so, helps a player become more flexible and reduces the risk of cramping or straining of muscles during activities.
Not only do injuries affect the players physical condition, but they can also affect their mental health as well. The thought of not being able to play and the worry of letting down the team can lead many athletes to depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to the Sport Science Institute. These are only some of many mental issues that can be suffered from being injured. These issues come from a loss of a physical outlet and change in exercise schedule, as being injured causes a big change in an athlete's daily routine.
Sometimes a teammate being injured wouldn’t exactly let the team down, but could affect the success of a team. For a coach, it can be a worry with the possibility of filling positions or having a player out for the season. A key player being injured can cause the whole team to redo formations, plans, or someone might have to play more in place of the injured teammate. “If one of you gets hurt, the whole team goes down,”
said Gabriella Simpson.
Being injured at away games can lead to some issues. Depending on where the game is being held, if a player is seriously injured, it could require a long ambulance ride or being life flighted to get to a distant hospital.
When being in a new area and hospital, there's a risk of anyone of any background saying they are medically trained. “You don’t always know who the people are and their background, “ said Rory Simpson. “Anyone can come and say ‘Hey I’m the medical trainer here’ and all we can do is take their word for it.”
Most high school athletes have to deal with minor injuries such as sprains and knee pains, but for the unfortunate few, their injuries are much more serious.
Any injury relating to broken bones and the joints could cause major problems weeks or months after the incident and possibly even years later. “Anything joint related can still give issues to an extent,” said Helix P.E Teacher and Coach Rory Simpson.
In a serious injury, the joints can swell and suffer from inflammation and redness, which can make them imobile, limiting the range of movement. Any form of a break or fracture can limit or stop a player from playing. The most common fractures that athletes suffer are in the ankle, foot, hand, wrist, and collarbone. According to PubMedical Central, about 5% to 10% of all sports injuries are from acute fractures, and make up one of the longest return times of sports injuries.
All sports can cause injuries, maybe some injuries worse than others. But, if approached with the right care and caution, some major injuries can be avoided. Often, all it takes is for the coach to be more proactive and discuss the possibilities of injuries with their athletes. “A reminder (to athletes about) how serious injuries can be and that they're there,” said Simpson.
A fracture or broken bone that is not healed properly and undergoes continued use before it is healed will have serious consequences. If not healed properly, it can lead to a malunion, which is when the bone does not heal together properly, resulting in longer periods for the bone to heal, damages the muscles around the broken bone, or the bone doesn’t heal at all.
One factor to players getting injuries is not stretching enough or at all. “If you don’t stretch it out now, you could be in a hospital bed later,” said senior volleyball and basketball player Gabriella Simpson.
Stretching helps muscles and joints get ready for the tremendous activities of practice or games. by doing so, helps a player become more flexible and reduces the risk of cramping or straining of muscles during activities.
Not only do injuries affect the players physical condition, but they can also affect their mental health as well. The thought of not being able to play and the worry of letting down the team can lead many athletes to depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to the Sport Science Institute. These are only some of many mental issues that can be suffered from being injured. These issues come from a loss of a physical outlet and change in exercise schedule, as being injured causes a big change in an athlete's daily routine.
Sometimes a teammate being injured wouldn’t exactly let the team down, but could affect the success of a team. For a coach, it can be a worry with the possibility of filling positions or having a player out for the season. A key player being injured can cause the whole team to redo formations, plans, or someone might have to play more in place of the injured teammate. “If one of you gets hurt, the whole team goes down,”
said Gabriella Simpson.
Being injured at away games can lead to some issues. Depending on where the game is being held, if a player is seriously injured, it could require a long ambulance ride or being life flighted to get to a distant hospital.
When being in a new area and hospital, there's a risk of anyone of any background saying they are medically trained. “You don’t always know who the people are and their background, “ said Rory Simpson. “Anyone can come and say ‘Hey I’m the medical trainer here’ and all we can do is take their word for it.”