In 2001, September was established as “Pain Awareness Month.” As a college athlete, you are probably no stranger to pain. It's almost certain that you're going to encounter some type of injury throughout your career. Sometimes, our first instinct is to brush it off and think we can play through it, when really it should be letting the injury heal.
This can be a painful process, as the eagerness builds up and we want to jump back into action as soon as possible. But, it's important to consider the long term impact of doing so. For instance, if you have a sprained ankle and decide to push through rather than take time to heal, you're risking a potential long-term injury that could affect your ability to play in the long run. In fact, the time taken off to nurse these injuries can be extremely beneficial and you can learn valuable lessons in the meantime.
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Take it from former NBA player Kyle Korver who said of his injuries, “It hasn't always been easy… Sometimes you learn from injuries. Sometimes you learn the most through the hard things. If you can keep a good attitude and keep on working, eventually situations change, and you can put those things to use.”
Related: Step-by-Step Guide to Handling Acute Muscle Injury
Injuries are tough, but the toughest people are able to fight through the adversity and come out on the other side twice the person they were before. Keep your head up and appreciate everything around you. You got this!
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* Originally published on September 9, 2022, by Brayden Koch
