By Hannah Whittenly
Athletes put an incredible strain on their bodies when they compete in sporting events. However, you never see the results of that stress and strain. Athletes have surgeries that leave scars, they play sports that leave them nearly crippled and they sacrifice their health to play their game and make money. Each sport has its scars, and they are listed below.
Sport #1: Baseball
Baseball see the smallest amount of contact among the major sports, but baseball players still have scars from sacrificing themselves for the game. Tommy John surgery is the most often referenced surgery in baseball circles. Players suffer other injuries, but pitchers are having Tommy John surgery done so frequently that it is no longer news. The scars alone tell a tale of too much stress put on one’s arm over a short period of time. Here is Sean Jarrett’s Tommy John scar, who pitches for the Colorado Rockies minor league team:
Sport #2: Football
Football players make violent contact with each other once a week during the season. Concussions, contusions, bruises and scrapes are all a part of the game. However, the most common injury for football players is knee ligament damage. ACL reconstruction surgeries are performed routinely on football players, and even the smallest contact can warrant this surgery. Here is Christian Ponder’s bruises after an intense game with the Vikings:
Sport #3: Basketball
Basketball players are the most recognizable and glamorous players in major sports, but they are tall people who put incredible stress and strain on their joints. These joints can only stand so much pressure, and the toll of the game is enough to render many of these players motionless.
My friend’s husband has seen the results of athletic wearing up close with Charles Barkley. Barkley is a hall of fame basketball player who now works for TNT doing basketball broadcasts. He saw Barkley at a local eatery a few summers ago. Barkley is a pleasant gentleman, but he put so much strain on his knees and hips during his career that he cannot walk without a small limp! Charles Barkley is certainly not the only victim of this condition as basketball requires constant movement and physical contact.
Athletes of all shapes and sizes need a good trainer to help them get through the rough road of an athletic career. Sports physical therapy is half of what these athletes do to stay at the top of their game. After their career is done, they have some remarkable scars to take with them throughout the rest of their life.
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