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This is the first of a three part series on Managing Sports Injuries

What do Michael Jordan, Michael Owen, Tiger Woods have in common?

They are both the outstanding athletes in the world. They earned millions of dollars in salaries and endorsements. And they have all suffered injuries that kept them out from playing in the sport they love for a considerable period of time

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan was chosen as the number 3 pick in the 1984 NBA draft. He was expected to make an impact as the 3rd overall draft pick but few could imagine just how sensational he was. In his first season, he captured the imagination of fans all over the country with his gravity-defying dunks.

However in just his second season,  he would suffer a knee injury that would kept him out for most of the season. Although we know later that Michael Jordan would go on to remain healthy for the most part of his career, we also know that even the greatest of NBA legends could not escape the backlash of injuries.

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods’ most recent activity was of course at the U.S Open at Torrey Pines. His heroics there must rank amongst the greatest golf games of all-time. In winning his 14th major with a limping left leg, Woods personified the quality that “if you believe you can, you can“, despite how adverse the situation could be.

However two days after winning the U.S. Open, Woods announced that he would be required to undergo reconstructive anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery on his left knee. His injury was so bad that after Torrey Pines, Woods would have to miss the remainder of the 2008 golf season including the final two major championships.

Michael Owen

Michael Owen was sensational for Liverpool and England in his early days. Who could forget the wonder goal he scored against Argentina or the hat-trick against Germany? Owen was also the first England player in 20 years to win the Ballon d’Or (European player of the year) in 2001.

However despite his remarkable scoring ability, he could not display his talent and help his team to win games, because he was missing games with various injuries most of the time!

Injuries are truly an Athlete’s worst nightmare

All professional athletes want to compete and take part in games, and usually the only thing that stops them is sports injuries.

To athletes like Jordan, Woods and Owen, they are considered the lucky lot who recovered and continue to play the sport. There have been many promising athletes who had to end their career because of injuries.

To most athletes, playing sports is the only thing they know. It is their way of life and defines who they are. Sitting out for the rest of their life because of career ending injuries not only could make them lose their sense of identity but also their chance at financial independence.

Sports Injuries Are Inevitable

As much as we would like things to go our way every time, it is just not possible to avoid sport injury. The very nature of sport involves an extensive internal movement of joints, tendons, expansion and contraction of muscles to perform the actions required.

Since sports injuries are inevitable, it is critical to know how to administer proper treatment of the injury and an even more important part - how to prevent such injuries from happening again.