While reading this article, I felt that I had a great understanding of what was being discussed. Since I am a division 1 college athlete, the article was definitely relatable. The article was titled “Sports Medicine and Ethics.” It went on to discuss the roles of the athletes, coaches, and team-employed physicians. The article discussed football, but many of the same issues apply to virtually every sport. Interning at the orthopedic clinic has provided me with a better understanding of the complexity of injuries and the necessary recovery periods. Being an athlete who has sustained multiple injuries has given me the best understanding of the issue of injured athletes and the amount of time it takes to return to the sport. The article
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There are other scenarios besides an athlete being forced back into competition prematurely. The athlete may feel fine and want to return, but the training staff may feel otherwise. It is hard to decipher when an athlete is truly recovered or they are going back too soon in fear of losing their preferred spot on the team. Often times the athletic staff gets caught in the middle by trying to find the best option for the athlete and coach. They don 't want to risk sending an athlete out to compete and risk another injury, but they also don’t want to hold the athlete back if they 're feeling normal. Although athletics is a business, there needs to be more thought and consideration that goes into the decision making process. I feel athletes, coaches, and the team physician/athletic trainer should all sit down together and weigh the pros and cons of returning to sport. This would provide everyone with a better understanding of the severity of the injury and allow for the beset decision to be made. Often times athletes put their trust into the trainers hoping they would have their best interest at heart, but this isn 't always the case. From personal experiences, I believe trainers tend to side more with coaches and less with the athletes. I don’t intend for this to make trainers look bad, but just state that bias clouds judgement
There are other scenarios besides an athlete being forced back into competition prematurely. The athlete may feel fine and want to return, but the training staff may feel otherwise. It is hard to decipher when an athlete is truly recovered or they are going back too soon in fear of losing their preferred spot on the team. Often times the athletic staff gets caught in the middle by trying to find the best option for the athlete and coach. They don 't want to risk sending an athlete out to compete and risk another injury, but they also don’t want to hold the athlete back if they 're feeling normal. Although athletics is a business, there needs to be more thought and consideration that goes into the decision making process. I feel athletes, coaches, and the team physician/athletic trainer should all sit down together and weigh the pros and cons of returning to sport. This would provide everyone with a better understanding of the severity of the injury and allow for the beset decision to be made. Often times athletes put their trust into the trainers hoping they would have their best interest at heart, but this isn 't always the case. From personal experiences, I believe trainers tend to side more with coaches and less with the athletes. I don’t intend for this to make trainers look bad, but just state that bias clouds judgement