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Students hide injuries despite trainer benefits Emily Goldstein ’23 Broadcast Director
Ella Shi ’23
Web Arts Editor
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lmost every athlete has heard “Push through the pain” and “no pain, no gain” from a coach, parent or teammate. Athletes are conditioned to deal with minor injuries, soreness and discomfort, but there’s always a chance that the pain won’t just go away. These seemingly small injuries can result in bigger athletic consequences without receiving the proper treatment. That throbbing hip or aching knee means a dreaded trip to the athletic trainers and unfortunately, an almost guaranteed spot on the bench during practice and games. As
much as athletes try to avoid your injury is serious,” Geller the trainers to prevent miss- said. “I know a few friends ing their seasons, listening to who have done this as well.” But ultimantley, she the trainers can be essential to chronic-injury prevention. learned to accept the trainrecommendations. For Cailen Geller ’22, an ers “In the long run, I realized achilles injury her freshman that hiding and sophmy injuomore year ry from the took her out If you have a serious of multiple problem, it is hard to trainer was harmful,” cross country, track and avoid protocol and still Geller said. “The trainlacrosse seaperform at a high ers could sons. When level.” have helped the injury - Zach Brody ’23 my injufirst arose, the trainers were able to provide ry heal and could have premeaningful recommendations, vented it from getting worse.” Now she and others, such but as the seasons went on and her injury still didn’t heal, as Zach Brody ’23 on the she began hiding her injury. boys’ basketball team, wel“I have hid an injury from come the trainers’ advice. “If you have a serious the trainers only because sometimes it can be annoying problem, it is hard to avoid to have to get all the doctors protocol and still perform notes when you don’t think at a high level,” Brody said.
Photos by Jalen St. F o (middle) Photo ma rt ’22 nipulation Charley G by uthartz ’2 2
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Staples athletic trainers, Gaetana Deiso and Corey Iamonico, have specific protocols put into place to ensure athlete safety in the case of an injury. “If an athlete has been out with an injury for a prolonged period of time or has gotten cleared from an injury,” Deiso said, “they would need a full contact practice prior to entering back into a game per our school policy.” They take injuries seriously, providing specialized treatment and recommendations regarding play time for each individual athlete. “Each injury is handled on a case by case basis and we determine the level of participation for that day. We, as the athletic trainers, will notify the coach and parents,” Deiso said. “We determine how an injury is handled based on the situation and severity.”
ATHLETIC TRAINERS Gaetana Dieso (left) and Corey Iamonico (right) help students treat injuries, such as shoulder pain and shin splints.
