Don’t Keep Your Injury a Secret!
Physical therapists are experts in dealing with injuries, but your PT can’t help if they don’t know about your injury!
You might be wondering who would keep an injury secret. It may be surprising, but the answer is – a lot of people!
The first thing that comes to your mind might be an athlete, like a football player, or maybe a baseball pitcher. But athletes aren’t the only ones that keep injury secrets. Performers, like dancers, tend keep injury secrets, and so do workers in all types of jobs.
Why would anyone want to keep their injury secret instead of getting it treated and letting it heal?
To answer your question, read on…
One very common answer is stigma.
Although there have been big improvements in the culture around sports, athletics, performing arts, and worker’s compensation, some people still have the old “no pain, no gain” attitude.
To some people, reporting an injury is an act of weakness, or a way of letting the team down. There can also be external pressure from coaches, parents, teammates, supervisors, coworkers, or fans to keep playing or working.
Another common answer is fear of loss.
With the focus on head injuries in recent years, athletes that get hit in the head know if they report concussion symptoms, they’re coming out of the game. Workers who get hurt on the job often fear loss of pay, or potentially the loss of their job and subsequently their well-being.
Performers who get hurt might fear that their replacement or understudy will outshine them on the stage and take their place. Commonly workers may share the same fear by fearing that their substitute may have better ideas or perform job tasks better or may be liked better by their colleagues.
Competitive Advantage is yet another reason that someone may hide an injury.
While the first two reasons can apply to athletes, performers, workers and most any other group that might be hiding an injury, this one is mostly limited to athletes. If an opposing team knows a player is injured, and what the injury is, they might be able to take advantage of it.
For example, if a football team has a running quarterback that has an ankle injury, it will likely change how the opposing defense plays. They may even attempt to target that athlete because the injury may make that athlete slower and less agile.
All of these reasons make some sense, but they’re also all very shortsighted. Finishing a game, dancing tomorrow night, or working one more shift are never worth your long term health. Hiding a minor injury can turn it into a major one.
It is never weak to report an injury and you’re not letting your teammates, or coworkers down. You can not compete or perform at your normal level if you are in pain or weaker due to an injury.
If you’re not up to your best, you owe it to the people counting on you to let them know. Letting a healthy player, performer, or worker take your place is the right thing to do.
If you’re injured, don’t hide it! Let the right people know, then go to the right person for help – your physical therapist!
Contact our clinic to schedule your appointment today! 406-502-1782
Not in Helena? Not a problem. Do you live in a small Montana town without access to physical therapy? Not a problem! As long as you are in Montana, all of our physical therapists can evaluate your injury and help create an individual rehab program designed specifically for you via a telehealth appointment!
