The Possibilities of a Sports Injury 

In a post (ish) pandemic era, with a war in Ukraine, climate change-induced natural disasters, and the regular stresses of high school, there is so much out of our control that it can feel like the world is crashing down on us. Sports are a wonderful coping mechanism for many students, an escape from the chaos of school life and the weight of today’s current problems. When an athlete is injured, that outlet is no longer accessible, which can negatively impact their mental health. However, a sports injury can also provide the perspective and patience necessary for change in other aspects of our lives. Due to the fast paced, high pressure nature of high school, we rarely take the time to reflect on what is going well and what we are thankful for. The reality is that many students and student athletes are under constant stress and are struggling to meet expectations. Injuries can provide the opportunity to step back and reassess what true wellness looks like, force us to be more self-aware, and redefine the standards we measure ourselves by.

Franklin cross country athlete and team captain Donagh Palmer (12) suffered a stress reaction injury which prevented him from competing and from leading in the ways he’d envisioned, because he couldn’t race and train with the team for the majority of his season. Although the outcome of his season changed, as did the process of getting there, Palmer stayed optimistic despite his disappointment. “I’ve had times when it seems like the next day isn’t going to be any better, but I’ve realized it always is.” He explained that the pandemic had taught him to remain patient even when faced with difficult circumstances, and to seek comfort in friends. Even though they couldn’t run together, Palmer’s teammates helped him bounce back from hard days: “Whenever I came to school the next day or saw my friends the next day they were always really supportive and reminded me why I wanted to keep doing my exercises and taking it easy.” Palmer was able to run districts, helping the team qualify for state, by staying patient and focused on what he could control throughout his recovery process: “You can’t change what happened… all you can do is make the best out of what still is to come.” 

Franklin’s athletic trainer Gerilyn Armijo addressed the enormity of the grief that comes with an injury. Armijo was a collegiate soccer player; she has had several knee injuries and has experienced firsthand what it means to be torn from a sport wrapped up in her identity. “I lived, breathed, slept, and ate soccer,” she stated jokingly. Armijo described feeling useless after being injured, and how she felt as though her identity was gone. “I was so distraught,” she expressed. 

“You are okay to feel every emotion that you have. But just remember that there’s this whole other side of being injured. . .you can still contribute in so many ways.” Armijo understands how hard it can be to feel like a part of the team when injured, but still encourages athletes to stay involved in their athletic community. “Even though you’re hurt and you’re not playing, you can be such a huge impact to your teammates,” she says. “You’re still a part of the team and you could be a huge [asset], I’ve seen injured athletes be really pivotal to their teammates.” Athletes who aren’t focused on their individual pursuits can be a grounding resource: “You can sit there and be a beacon for the rest of your team,” Armijo explained. She urges us to remember that presence will always be a valuable contribution, no matter what kind of space you are occupying, on or off the field.

Another thing that sports injuries can give athletes is a better understanding of the body. Armijo mentioned the greater understanding of anatomy and physiology that injured athletes develop surrounding the areas of the body that were injured. “[People] end up being more in tune with their [bodies], [learning] to understand their own limits, and understand their own pain,”Armijo explained. “When people are aware of how their own bodies work, it helps them in the long run.”

Many people who have suffered sports injuries have to adjust how they interact with the world, even switching their sport. Franklin physics teacher Anna Sky spoke about the effects of her many ACL and MCL injuries: “I absolutely feel like it’s changed my ability to recreate and to feel comfortable in the sports that I play.” Sky was forced to stop playing high impact sports and switch to slower paced strength-based activities such as rock climbing. She reflected on her cautiousness as she recovered: “I remember that there was a solid year after my second surgery when I first jumped, and I went, ‘Oh! Both my feet just left the ground for the first time.’” Sky felt a pervading fixation on her injured knee throughout the many months of her recovery process. Sky explained that she did not gain any further self-awareness through her injury: “I do not feel like I have a better understanding of myself through it.” Sky is still limited by her past injuries, and for many injured athletes there is simply no getting around that. By contrast, Armijo says that athletes can sometimes experience “significant biomechanical improvements” (such as strength, range of motion, and proprioception) in the formerly injured area, if the athlete participates in consistent physical therapy. It’s not an uncommon experience to have athletes coming to her describing in surprise that their formerly injured body part is now stronger than their uninjured side.

Armijo also described a moment in her recovery process, coming back to workouts with her team after being out for months, and coming in dead last in a conditioning drill. Going from top five to absolute last was a huge change, and for her it contributed to a shift in her expectations, which began to allow for other factors such as time missed while injured. When asked what she would say to herself looking back on that moment, “I would tell myself it’s okay to be in this position,” she explained. “It’s okay to be sad. It’s okay to be angry. It’s okay to be frustrated. It’s okay to be out of shape.” Many student athletes pride themselves on their pursuit of excellence, their drive to become better, but the manifestations are expectations of excellence, often excluding all other factors. “I’m very hard on myself, and so that’s something I would always go back and tell myself, that it’s okay, you’re okay to feel like this because you’re not the only one that’s going through this.” It can be humbling, but injuries can push us to give ourselves more grace and lenience.

Armijo also emphasized that taking a break from solely prioritizing a sport can be a positive: “Student athletes forget that they’re also students [who also] have lives [outside of sports].” She illustrated how an injury can free up time for schoolwork or time to explore other interests. “You can take care of yourself, focus on yourself, [and] do things that make you happy and healthy. Then you end up coming back even better and stronger.” Sky echoed this point as well, explaining that sports injuries are a time to be “evaluating hobbies outside of the sport.” She added that “an injury provides us [with] the chance to go in a different direction, whether that’s permanent or temporary.” Sky found a passion for rock climbing and says that it has grown into a big part of her identity. She also practiced art when she couldn’t participate in physical activities. “[I] did some Bob Ross painting with friends,” she said. “When I was younger, I was a very artistic person and I’ve kind of [moved away from that as I got older].”

Even though sports injuries can be devastating, and many athletes feel like they’ve lost all the fitness and training they have worked so hard to build up, injuries have the power to make us stronger. Although some people’s injuries do change who they are and the activities they are able to participate in, these changes can also shape new qualities and new passions. Even when a “first love sport” is lost, athletes often end up finding comfort and joy from other places, different than they may have previously imagined. The adversity we deal with allows us to empathize with one another, reevaluate our wellness, and to cope by staying present and being grateful for the things we still have.