One of the biggest challenges college athletes face are injuries. They can ruin a career even at the youth level, but don't lose hope! Many athletes are able to overcome them. As a competitive athlete, there are not many ways to avoid injuries altogether but Alex Ferrara, a senior soccer player at Baruch College in New York City, gave some good advice on how to recover quickly from an injury.

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Understand the Emotional Toll of Injuries 

Alex knows how to recover from an injury because he's been there before–he tore his MCL last fall and ended up missing most of his junior season. This was a devastating loss to the team but hurt Alex even more. He said it obviously hurt physically but it hurt more emotionally as he knew his season was done and possibly his career. Once this happened, he really wasn't able to do much. He luckily didn't need surgery but was in a cast for a good amount of time. The cast was a burden, but he said it was the only way his leg felt better. In the process, he learned a lot about his injury and himself.

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Listen to Your Doctor

When talking to Alex, he was always looking for a faster way to recover and after a few months in the cats, he decided that just listening to the doctor was the easiest thing to do. Now that does sound very obvious, but a lot of people will think they know more than the doctor and just try and fight off the pain. He was able to get cleared for physical therapy and started as fast as he could. Early on Alex was in no condition to walk. He said that even laying down hurt his leg during his sleep. It was a real struggle for him, but he is now back to normal and looking forward to hitting the field for next season. 

Injuries suck but like most things, they fade with time. If you're dealing with one, it's best to understand the emotional toll they can take, don't fight these feelings, take your time with recovery, and listen to your doctor. You'll be back in playing shape in no time!

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* Originally published on September 12, 2022, by Chris Russo