By Ellie Spinosa

A&E Editor

    Whether it’s a nagging shin splint or a season-ending broken bone, injuries are a painful reality most athletes want to avoid at all costs. In sports ranging from lacrosse and track to football and soccer, prevention is the ultimate key to staying on the field.

    The physical impact of an injury is often immediate. Shin splints, for instance, are most commonly found in runners, causing sharp pain with every stride. They can be caused by several things, ranging from old shoes to slight tumbles.

   “Wearing worn-out running shoes or the wrong type of shoes are factors contributing to getting shin splints,” R.J. Reynolds High School cross country coach Jamie Gaspari said. “Some of the injuries can be an accident from tripping, falling, or rolling an ankle, but most often, these injuries come from doing things that are just too challenging on the body at the moment.”

    Overworking the body can lead to lingering issues that diminish performance, if left untreated can extend time spent on the sidelines. However, the toll isn’t just physical; it’s mental.

    “Watching everyone play while being unable to participate took a toll on me,” junior lacrosse player Garrett Vernon, who was forced to sit out his sophomore year with a torn ACL, said. “Having to spend a lot of time in PT took a toll on me.”

    For athletes like Vernon who hope to play at the collegiate level, a major injury can feel like a roadblock. According to RJR Athletic Trainer Heather Dietrich, the focus must shift immediately to smart rehabilitation.    

    “The main part of it is recovery,” Dietrich said.

    Vernon took that advice to heart to ensure he wouldn’t face a repeat injury.

    “I moved forward with trying to prevent a future injury by lifting heavy weights and doing [resistance] band work,” Vernon said.

    To avoid major injuries like ACL tears, Dietrich suggests that athletes look at their habits off the field. Prevention is often found in daily lifestyle choices: 

• Fueling your body: Eating enough of the right nutrients to repair tissue. 
• Staying hydrated: Maintaining  fluid levels to keep muscles functioning properly.
• Getting enough rest: Prioritizing sleep to allow the body to recover overnight.

    “A lot of overuse injuries come from athletes doing one sport year-round and never having a break,” Dietrich said. “So giving your body that chance to recover and fueling it appropriately are probably two of the most important things.” 

    Finally, a proper warm-up is non-negotiable. This means activating the specific muscles used in a particular sport. For example, Dietrich recommends baseball and softball players use resistance bands to prime their shoulders before throwing. 

    While high-contact sports often have the most gear, they also see the highest injury rates. No matter the sport, following safety protocols and listening to your body is the best way to ensure your season ends on the scoreboard, not the training table. So make sure you follow protocol and take care of your body, especially if you participate in a contact sport.