Sports Injuries and Recovery

About This Episode

You can’t talk about sports without talking about injuries. They’re an occupational hazard on every level from weekend warrior to elite professional athletes. If you’re an athlete in any capacity, it’s likely at some point you’ll be injured. On this episode of Playing with Science, hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly investigate the world of sports injuries and the science of recovery. They are joined by Dr. Joshua Dines, physician for the New York Mets and New York Rangers, and, Dr. Jim Taylor, sports psychologist. 

Find out what the most common injuries are in sports. Explore how technology has advanced the field enough to drastically shorten the recovery timeline on what used to be career-ending injuries. Gary gives us a player’s perspective throughout the episode as he describes his experiences dealing with serious injury during his playing career. You’ll hear how the culture has developed, and stayed the same, around player injuries. Chuck and Joshua recreate a typical conversation between doctor and general manager that demonstrates the cold-blooded and honest nature of teams dealing with long-term injuries. Chuck tells us why he could never coach. We discuss how the balance of rest and physical exercise constitute a good recovery. You’ll learn about the dangers of re-injury, and how injuries can vary depending on the player. 

Joshua tells us the three main areas he sees surgical procedures progressing. Find out more about the use of stem cells to rebuild ligaments. We discuss if high-level surgical procedures ever make their way to the general public. You’ll hear why wearing braces for extended periods of time might weaken strength. Jim takes us inside the brain of an athlete and explains why an injury to the body is also an injury to the mind. Discover the steps of mental rehabilitation and the cognitive dissonance that can occur after a major injury. You’ll also learn why the best option for recovery is always to stick with the program. All that, plus, we investigate the best ways to prevent injuries. 

NOTE: All-Access subscribers can watch or listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: Sports Injuries and Recovery.