Injuries are always going to be a part of sports, there is no denying that. It’s a given that at any moment in the game, an athlete will get injured.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, 3.5 million children out of a total of 30 million American children and teenagers suffer from injuries each year related to organized sports.
When athletes get injured, the first thought in their heads is how soon they can get back to playing. In most instances, that mentality could cost them their career.
A recent example of an athlete who came back from an injury way sooner than he probably should have was Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Tagovailoa suffered a concussion playing against the Buffalo Bills in 2022. He struggled to get back on his feet and he was taken out of the game.
In a shocking moment, Tagovailoa returned to the field when everyone knew he was not fit to return. In the next game, he suffered a severe concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The NFL and the Miami Dolphins medical staff made a huge mistake by letting Tagovailoa return in the Bills game.
This season, Tagovailoa suffered yet another concussion in the second game of the season against the Bills. With all these concussions he is suffering, I have serious doubts that he will be able to perform at the highest level for much longer.
According to the University of Michigan Health, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that five to 10 per cent of athletes will experience a concussion while playing sports.
Concussions are not the only injuries that keep athletes out for long periods.
Humber Hawks women’s basketball player Maezell Del Mundo said when she tore her Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL), her journey back to playing basketball was tough.
“I tore my ACL in my first year playing for Humber, that recovery was a nine-month process, and I had to sit out for the whole year,” Del Mundo said.
“I had to get full reconstructive surgery for my knee. I had to relearn how to walk. I had to relearn how to do daily things again that are easy to do prior to surgery,” she said.
“I had a great recovery and a great support system around me throughout my recovery. I actually got back to playing around seven months post-surgery, when the usual time period is around nine months to a year,” Del Mundo said.
Another example of a star athlete suffering a torn ACL is soccer player Rodri, who plays for Manchester City.
After winning the league title for Manchester City and the UEFA Euro 2024 for Spain, he suffered a torn ACL and is out for the remainder of the season.
It raises many concerns about the number of games Rodri had to play last season and not getting enough rest needed to go into a new season.
Athletes need to take more rest and recovery days so they don’t overwork themselves and they can remain healthy for a longer period.
Del Mundo said the recovery aspect for young athletes goes unnoticed and is important for them if they want to continue to play sports as they get older.
“The recovery process is not really looked upon in the younger ages, but it’s really important to focus on it at a young age and build up to learning how to treat your body well because it helps in the long run,” she said.
The sports fan in me always wants to see the best players play, but if a couple of days of rest for athletes means they will be healthy in the long run, I can live with that. And so should team owners. They should protect their players, who are worth millions.
