Injuries sideline athletes every single day, but some injuries are more difficult to overcome than others. But which injuries are most devastating to an athlete, and which ones are more difficult to make a full recovery from? In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the most difficult injuries for athletes to recover from.
The Most Challenging Injuries To Recover From
It’s important to remember that there is some subjectivity to this list. You shouldn’t feel despair because you’re dealing with an injury on this list, and you shouldn’t assume your rehab will be a breeze because your specific injury isn’t listed here. Injuries are always specific to the athlete, so it’s important you connect with a professional and really commit to a recommended treatment plan. With that said, here’s a look at some injuries that can prove more challenging for a recovering athlete.
Achilles Tears – Derived from the only injury able to fell the mighty warrior Achilles, a tear to the largest and strongest tendon in the body will set athletes back a year or more in their recovery. Even professional athletes will find it hard to return to the highest level of performance 9-12 months after an Achilles tear, and oftentimes they just aren’t quite as explosive on the field as they were prior to their injury. Surgery and months of physical therapy are standard for any athlete looking to make a strong recovery after an Achilles tear.
Concussion – Although our management of concussions has improved greatly on the professional and amateur level over the last few decades, a concussion can still be very difficult to fully put behind you. Everyone responds differently to head trauma, and if you don’t fully recover from your concussion, you may experience lingering symptoms like fatigue, headaches, sensitivity to light and dizziness, all of which can greatly affect you on the field. There’s no such thing as a “minor” concussion, and even though you may not end up missing a lot of time due to your head injury, don’t take a concussion lightly.
Major Ligament Tears – You can also expect to be staring down the barrel of a months-long rehabilitation if you tear a major ligament in your body. A UCL injury in your elbow or an ACL tear in your knee will likely require surgery and months of physical therapy to get back close to game shape. You can make a strong recovery after these injuries, but it’s going to take a lot of time and effort.
Hamstring Injuries – One of the most common injuries that lingers because of improper treatment is a hamstring tear. Moderate to severe hamstring tears require months of protection and gradual strengthening to get back to full health, and if you push yourself too hard too soon, you can suffer a setback. Because the hamstring endures a lot of stress when running and moving during athletics, it remains susceptible to re-injury if the original injury isn’t carefully managed.
Ankle Sprains – An ankle sprain isn’t usually as devastating as an Achilles injury, but like a hamstring injury, an ankle sprain can linger for months or longer if you don’t seek out the right course of treatment. Without the right care, your supportive ankle ligaments can remain weakened, leaving you at risk for what’s known as chronic ankle instability. This condition means your ankle ligaments are unable to provide a normal level of stability to your ankle joint, leaving you at a heightened risk for recurrent sprains. Many athletes have seen their seasons end because of a poorly managed minor ankle sprain, so don’t let the same happen to you.
If you need help overcoming a foot or ankle injury so that you can get back to athletics, connect with Dr. Silverman and his team!