Don’t Keep an Injury Secret

Hidden injuries cause pain in more places than sport. 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. The answer is – lots of people!

The first thing that comes to your mind might be an athlete, like a football player, or a baseball pitcher. But athletes aren’t the only ones that keep injury secrets. Performers like dancers keep injury secrets, and so do workers in all types of jobs. These groups might seem diverse. However, they have a lot in common when we look at the reasons they hide injuries.

So, why would anyone want to keep their injury secret instead of getting it treated and letting it heal?

Injury Secret #1 Reason: Stigma

Stigma is the first reason people hide injuries. Although there have been big improvements in the culture around sports, performing arts, and worker’s comp, 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.

In addition to this internal pressure, there can also be external pressure from coaches, parents, teammates, supervisors, or fans to keep playing or working.

Reason #2: Fear of Loss

Secondly, people hide injuries because they’re afraid of what they’ll lose. With the focus on head injuries in recent years, athletes know if they report concussion symptoms, they’re coming out of the game. Workers who get hurt on the job fear loss of pay, or loss of their job. Performers who get hurt might fear that their replacement will outshine them on the stage and take their place.

Injury Secret #3: Competitive Advantage

While the first two reasons apply to athletes, performers, workers and most any other group that might be hiding an injury, this one only applies to athletes. There is a third incentive to not report an injury – competitive advantage. If an opposing team knows a player has an injury, 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 change how the opposing defense plays. 

These reasons all make some sense, but they’re also all 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’s never weak to report an injury and you’re not letting your teammates, or coworkers down. 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 have an injury, don’t hide it! Just like your physical therapist can’t do your exercises for you, they can’t help if you don’t tell them what the problem is. Let the right people know, then go to the right person for help – your physical therapist!