Sport related injuries in children and young adults (ages 5-24) account for over 2.6 million visits to the emergency room each year in the United States alone (Goldberg, Moroz, Smith, Ganley, 2007, pg. 265). The increase in sport participation among junior high, high school and college sports, which has led to the rise in injuries, strains for improved rehabilitation and better injury prevention. As the sport world ever changes and the societal demand for more efficient athletes becomes prominent, one must recognize but criticize sports sciences’ impact on athletes’ overall health, their deprivation of human-like qualities, and its disenchantment as society dives further into the science’s mechanics. There is an ongoing scientific challenge
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The high societal pressure for athletes to perform exceptionally is increasing the risks of injury and re-injury, as athletes push themselves harder than their bodies can take, thus causing an inherent need for support for the athlete’s psyche. (Durso Cupal, D. 1998). Durso Cupal highlights a study performed by J. Davis involving stress management interventions within collegiate swimmers and football players. This experiment resulted in a 52% decrease in swimming injuries and a 33 decrease football injuries (Durso Cupal, D. 1998, pp. 105). In addition to injury prevention interventions, rehabilitation interventions have assisted athletes in a faster recovery time. Durso Cupal records a study, composed by Wise, Fiebert and Kates, on athletes with patellofemoral pain which resulted in “reduced pain and return to sport functions,” (Durso Cupal, D. 1998, pp. 107). Researchers have spent years creating and assessing new sport science techniques to aid athletes for present and future generations. These discovers are imperative to the health of athletes and they must continue to recognize all the benefits they encompass. Unfortunately, as results of benefit become more frequent among studies, it is forgotten that injury prevention and rehabilitation, both physically and psychologically, entail many negative side effects. In order to accurately evaluate sport science one must dive further …show more content…
For example, stretching, commonly performed prior to physical activity, is frequently associated with performance enhancement and reduced risk of injury. In actuality, there is insufficient evidence linking the positive effects of stretching for the athletes. In a study performed by Van Mechelen, cross country runners were provided with a standardized program of stretching and assessed 16 weeks later. The results of the study concluded that there was no reduction in injury incidence per 1,000th hour (Fradkin, Gabbe, Cameron, 2006, pp. 203). Additionally, rehabilitation mechanisms such as massages have been commonly relied on to help reduce muscle injury and soreness after injury. Fradkin, Gabbe, Cameron share reports from Rodenburg who found that although massage can help with some negative effects, it did not reduce the severity of the muscle soreness among patients (Fradkin, Gabbe, Cameron, 2006, pp. 199). Stretching is just one of the common myths of sport science practices assumed to assist in athletes’ health. In fact, new studies have proved that therapeutic stretching for tight muscles can actually weaken muscles and progress injuries (Gangemi, 2011). Without questioning and lambasting sport science techniques, the side-effects of these improper practices subsequently creates more opportunities
The high societal pressure for athletes to perform exceptionally is increasing the risks of injury and re-injury, as athletes push themselves harder than their bodies can take, thus causing an inherent need for support for the athlete’s psyche. (Durso Cupal, D. 1998). Durso Cupal highlights a study performed by J. Davis involving stress management interventions within collegiate swimmers and football players. This experiment resulted in a 52% decrease in swimming injuries and a 33 decrease football injuries (Durso Cupal, D. 1998, pp. 105). In addition to injury prevention interventions, rehabilitation interventions have assisted athletes in a faster recovery time. Durso Cupal records a study, composed by Wise, Fiebert and Kates, on athletes with patellofemoral pain which resulted in “reduced pain and return to sport functions,” (Durso Cupal, D. 1998, pp. 107). Researchers have spent years creating and assessing new sport science techniques to aid athletes for present and future generations. These discovers are imperative to the health of athletes and they must continue to recognize all the benefits they encompass. Unfortunately, as results of benefit become more frequent among studies, it is forgotten that injury prevention and rehabilitation, both physically and psychologically, entail many negative side effects. In order to accurately evaluate sport science one must dive further …show more content…
For example, stretching, commonly performed prior to physical activity, is frequently associated with performance enhancement and reduced risk of injury. In actuality, there is insufficient evidence linking the positive effects of stretching for the athletes. In a study performed by Van Mechelen, cross country runners were provided with a standardized program of stretching and assessed 16 weeks later. The results of the study concluded that there was no reduction in injury incidence per 1,000th hour (Fradkin, Gabbe, Cameron, 2006, pp. 203). Additionally, rehabilitation mechanisms such as massages have been commonly relied on to help reduce muscle injury and soreness after injury. Fradkin, Gabbe, Cameron share reports from Rodenburg who found that although massage can help with some negative effects, it did not reduce the severity of the muscle soreness among patients (Fradkin, Gabbe, Cameron, 2006, pp. 199). Stretching is just one of the common myths of sport science practices assumed to assist in athletes’ health. In fact, new studies have proved that therapeutic stretching for tight muscles can actually weaken muscles and progress injuries (Gangemi, 2011). Without questioning and lambasting sport science techniques, the side-effects of these improper practices subsequently creates more opportunities