Professional Sports - Injured Athletes and Early Retirement

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Injured Athletes and Early Retirement

The rise to become a professional athlete requires passion, dedication and years of preparation. To play a sport at such a high competitive level and intensity the athlete must be in excellent physical and mental health. Athlete's of "Magic" Johnson's and Bo Jackson's caliber had the dedication and determination to be the best. The negative feelings the athlete endures after injury or illness is overwhelming and can lead to early retirement, but if this all they invested in; most have not thought a lot about a career after sports. The athlete and the aftermath of injury or illness that leads them to retirement is a difficult issue. For those readers who are injured or suffer from a debilitating illness that prevents further participation in your sport you are not alone. Scientists and physicians are working hard to resolve the problem of early retirement due to injuries.

The emotional pain comes later for the athlete who has been injured during play. This pain is realized when the athlete is soaking and icing, their dislocated joints, bones and torn muscles. After a while, distress sets in as they consider the prospect of lost participation in their sport, says sports psychologist Albert Petitpas, Ed.D, of Springfield College, an expert on rehabilitating injured athletes. "They become anxious or confused, wondering whether they can ever play again and what they would do if they could not. Serious clinical problems, such as depression, alcoholism, and suicidal tendencies, may ensue", says Petitpas (p.1, APA Monitor) . His research suggests that 5 to 13 percent of injured athletes who develop clinical distress, are those who most identified strongly with the sport and who o...

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References

Lide, W. E. Forced Retirement Among Former Professional Football Players with Short-Termed Careers. The Ohio State University. Thesis, 1-181. 1981.

Scher, A. T.Intermittent High Intensity Exercise. (pp.543-567). Boundary Row, London: E & FN. 1993.

Murray, B. "Mending Battered Spirits Along with Broken Bones." [Homepage of the American Psychological Association], [Online]. Available: http.//www.apa.org/monitor/jul96/injury.html [1998, February 17].

Psychiatric News. (1997, April 18-last update). "Injured Atletes's Are Stressed Like Victims of Natural Disasters." [Homepage of the Psychiatric News], [Online]. Available: http://www.appi.org/pnews/apr18/sports.html [1998, February 16].

[No Author]. (1992). Magic Johnson Closes NBA Career After Testing Positive With HIV Virus And Vows: 'I'm Going To Beat IT'. Jet Magazine p.12

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