During the SNF Matchup between the Miami Dolphins and the Philadelphia Eagles, WR Jaylen Waddle had to leave the game with what looked like an apparent back issue in the second quarter of the game.
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He was ruled questionable to return by team officials. However, at the beginning of the third quater he was back on the field, sprinting at full speed and catching balls.
So what outerworld treatment do pro athletes receives that make them recover from such injuries?
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Mostly steroid or opioid injections so they can’t feel the pain any more. Not like they’re actually healing in 30 minutes..
There’s no magic treatment they get that suddenly fixes their injury; it’s still there and it’s going to hurt for a *long time*. What will usually happen is that the player will be examined by the medical team to determine the extent of the injury. If it’s something that’s “just sore”, then they’ll be pumped full of whatever painkillers are allowed by the league and sent back out, maybe after doing some stretches or other exercises to loosen things up (e.g. if someone’s had a leg cramp or something else minor, you might see them on an exercise bike on the sideline working through it).
You’d be amazed what someone in good physical condition can play through when they can’t feel the pain anymore.
The docs determines is it structural injury, like an ACL tear, or just sore/bruised.
If structural nothing they can do as if the player attempts to play, they will break their body even further, and it will break further
If it is just sore, then pain medication. Wait for it to kick in, and then the player can play.
Then sometimes it is just momentary injury like wind knocked out of you or like a quick pain like you stubbed your toe so no pain meds needed.
When I was young it was called Miospray. No idea what it did but every football player came running back after that shit was sprayed on his aching muscles. Obviously didn’t do much in case of injuries, but it was great for sore contusions.
Often, leaving the game and getting treatment is primarily about assessing type of injury and whether the player needs imaging or not, or whether it’s more about being able to play through any pain. They might get it wrapped or taped up, there are so cooling sprays, maybe a cortisone shot. Sometimes it’s a stinger or cramp that goes away after a few minutes.
I remember a question from a football movie.
“Are you hurt or injured?”
In addition to drugs and medication that everyone is pointing out, they can do things like massage, chiropractic adjustments, heat and pressure treatment, icing, wraps and braces, assisted stretching, and so on. It’s not all shooting them up with cortisone, slapping them on the ass, and telling them to get back out there.
Some of the most painful, but treatable in a short time, injuries are things like pinched nerves. That can cause muscle spasms that create cramps. That’s often what you get when you experience back pain and the like. Sitting in essentially a pressure cooker can help the muscles relax and allow the nerve to return to position, which can be aided by massage, realigning the bones, assisted stretching, and the like.
A physical therapist could tell you all the different things they do, and many of them are able to be done in 30 minutes when you have many millions of dollars to spend on having all of the equipment and experts there waiting to go to work immediately.
The first thing they do, though, is evaluate the injury and determine if it is something that can be treated in time to get them back in the game, or if it is too severe or could be made worse through continued play. They have X-rays, CT, sonograms, ECG, EMG, EEG, maybe even MRIs, and all kinds of medical devices on hand at the stadium to rapidly evaluate and diagnose players, as well as tons of physical therapy and rehab equipment on hand.
The difference between this case and anyone else getting an injury is that during the game they have these healthcare professionals standing by on full alert to instantly go into action.
It would sort of be like having a heart attack in the middle of an ER. You have all of the equipment and personelle at the ready and on hand to immediately spring into action.
Pain management. An injection of an anti-inflammatory steroids or an NSAIDs and an opiate/opioid pill. They are not getting injections of opiates or opioids. Its usually oxycodone or hydrocodone with acetaminophen. Heat compress, massages, a brace. Maybe ice. Jalen Hurts had a knee brace for the second half. He didnt really talk about it so who knows what other type of treatment he got.
Keep in mind, sometimes nothing works. Waddle was ineffective after the injury. He had a catch or two after but didnt do enough to help get that offense going. Collinsworth even pointed it out that he wasnt moving at his normal pace.
Ice hockey and American football players are seemingly not human in regards to pain tolerance. Have known hockey players to play with broken facial bones and football players to play with broken limbs or torn ligaments.
Maybe they just cuss a lot and rub some dirt on it, then get back out there.
they get shot up with painkillers if they need but they just go fucking play through the pain. Think of Jordan’s flu game, emmit smith playing with a separated shoulder, ronnie lott having his pinky cut off, and unfortunately tons of guys having great games with concussions. the greatness of sports is giving it your all even if they have to carry you off the field when its all over
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