Why Pushing through an Injury is BAD

Physical therapists are experts in dealing with injuries, but your PT can’t help if they don’t know about your injury! You might be wondering who would keep an injury secret. The answer is – lots of people! The first thing that comes to your mind might be an athlete, like a football player, or maybe a baseball pitcher. But athletes aren’t the only ones that keep injury secrets. Performers like dancers keep injury secrets, and so do workers in all types of jobs. Why would anyone want to keep their injury secret instead of treating it and letting it heal? Read on…

Stigma Although there have been big improvements in the culture around sports, performing arts, and worker’s comp, some people still have the old “no pain, no gain” attitude. To some people, reporting an injury is an act of weakness or a way of letting the team down.

There can also be external pressure from coaches, parents, teammates, supervisors, or fans to keep playing or working. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy and “hope it will get better”. Fear of Loss With the focus on head injuries in recent years, athletes that get hit in the head know if they report concussion symptoms, they’re coming out of the game. Workers who get hurt on the job fear the loss of pay or job. Performers who get hurt might fear that their replacement will outshine them on the stage and take their place. Competitive Advantage While the first two reasons can apply to athletes, performers, workers, and most any other group that might be hiding an injury, this one is limited to athletes. If an opposing team knows a player is injured, and what the injury is, they might be able to take advantage of it. For example, if a football team has a running quarterback that has an ankle injury, it will change how the opposing defense plays. These reasons all make some sense, but they’re also all shortsighted. Finishing a game, dancing tomorrow night, or working one more shift is never worth your long-term health. Hiding a minor injury can turn it into a major one. It’s never weak to report an injury and you’re not letting your teammates, or coworkers down. If you’re not up to your best, you owe it to the people counting on you to let them know. Letting a healthy player, performer, or worker take your place is the right thing to do. If you’re injured, don’t hide it! Let the right people know, then go to the right person for help – Optimal Physical Therapy. 920-648-2400

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Why Pushing through an Injury is BAD

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