Injuries are a natural part of physical activity or manual labor, but when an injury occurs, what is your first response? Do you immediately let someone know, or do you try to hide the injury and push through the discomfort? Many people think that they aren’t worse off if they can just grit their teeth and power through the pain, but this can lead to bigger issues down the road. We want you to be comfortable bringing up your injury to your trainer or your human resources department, and we understand why some people may shy away from reporting their injuries. In today’s blog, we explain why people sometimes hide their injuries, and why this can end up causing more issues for your health.
Why People Hide Injuries
People hide or downplay the extent of their injuries all the time. Some of the most common reasons people may opt not to report their injuries include:
- Removal From Activity – Competitive athletes may realize that they’ll be taken out of the game if they report their injuries, and manual laborers may fear a financial hit if they are unable to work as a result of their injuries. Many people try to hide their injuries so that they don’t have to miss time from the activity they are performing.
- Stigma – Unfortunately, there is sometimes a stigma attached to reporting an injury. Some coaches or bosses still believe the injuries are a sign of weakness, but that’s simply not true. Some athletes and workers may not want to report their injury out of fear that they will be seen as weak or not a leader if they can’t perform due to an injury.
- Being At A Disadvantage – Some people also think that they’ll be at a disadvantage if they let their injury be known. Perhaps they fear that a co-worker will outperform their production metrics or that the opposing team will target them if they know the athlete is pushing through a sprained ankle. You may fear other people capitalizing on your limitations, and while there is some legitimacy to this line of thinking, let us explain why pushing through the pain isn’t the answer.
Why You Shouldn’t Hide An Injury
It’s normal to have some hesitation about reporting an injury, but it is absolutely in your best interest to do so. The main reason why you need to be open and honest about your injuries is because you need to consider your long-term health. Far too often we’ve seen athletes try to push through an injury and end up suffering a much more severe injury because they were stressing a weakened area of their body. Instead of missing a game or two, their season and even their scholarship is in jeopardy because they put their short-term interests ahead of their long-term health.
The same scenario applies to workers on the job. If you hide an injury and it gets worse, it may prove much more difficult or even impossible to earn workers’ compensation down the road because you didn’t report the injury at the time of the accident. Your company’s workers’ compensation provider will look for any reason to minimize or deny your claim, and if you wait months to report an injury, it’s going to be much harder to prove that your injuries happened as you say they did. Don’t put yourself in a worse financial situation because you only considered the short-term impact of your decisions. Report your injury, even if it doesn’t result in time away from work or a costly surgery. Having a documented record of a work-related injury can make all the difference if you end up needing additional medical care or you decide to file a claim.
When you’re injured, don’t just think about how the injury affects the next few minutes, the next game or the next shift at work. Consider your long-term health and your future interests before letting a coach, trainer or management know about your injuries. And if you’re worried about missing time from work or athletics, consider connecting with a physical therapist, as PT has been shown to help injured adults make faster recoveries. Let us help you get back on the field or back to work in a safe capacity following an injury. For more information, or for help overcoming a lingering physical issue that you’ve been dealing with, reach out to the team at OrthoRehab Specialists today at (612) 339-2041.
PT of Costa Rican National Soccer Team for 2007 World Cup in Victoria, CAN. Clinical Instructor for University of Minnesota Doctor of Physical Therapy Affiliations
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