Athletes are commonly taught the “No Pain No Gain” mantra. Coaches often insert this saying when athletes complain about pain. In some cases this is very true, and you need to push through the muscle burn and fatigue, in order to make the progress you need to be your best. In many cases however, it’s taken too far.
Athletes with real injuries, are told to push through it–and in doing so, injure themselves to the point of no longer being able to participate. Many coaches will ask, “are you in pain or are you hurt?” Athletes do not want to let their coaches and teammates down, so they try and push through–which may be the worst thing they can do. The rate of injury increases dramatically, and is not worth the risk.
We advise our athletes to get a Doctor’s and/or Physical Therapist’s recommendation before pushing through pain. Pain is our body’s natural way of letting us know that something is wrong and is not functioning correctly. We can choose to figure out what it is and how to fix it, or take a gamble and risk further injury in doing so.
We have been on both sides of this issue, as athletes and as coaches. We know that there is a fine line between pushing through things and foregoing complaining about every little discomfort. However, athletes must communicate everything with coaches, physical therapists, and (in pertinent circumstances) their parents.
If you have ever had an injury, or dealing with some discomfort, call us now and discover your potential!
Sincerely,
Donny Mateaki& the DM Athletics Team
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