They can hinder a lucrative career, haunt players for months prior to competition, and may even leave their uncertainty about whether they’ll ever reach their peak again. But, in sports history, we’ve heard startling tales about athletes who didn’t quit and put in the hard yards to come back.
The best example is the American football player named Alex Smith. Having sadly been sidelined injury-wise in 2018, belief was that his career was over for good. He had several surgeries and spent a few months in rehab before finally returning triumphantly to the NFL, a testament to the strength of his will to rise above adversity.
Virgil van Dijk was also immensely durable in football. The Dutch defender lost almost an entire season due to a serious knee ligament injury. Patience, disciplined recovery and hard work has seen him go through great efforts to become one of the top defenders in the world once more and to put Liverpool on par with the best of the game.
We saw this play out in a similar manner with basketball fans and Klay Thompson. But many wondered whether he could ever get back his shooting form and defensive skills, but he returned to court and played a vital role in his next championship winning season.
Tennis also has a number of memorable stories of come back. During his career, Nadal endured the complications of numerous injuries like having long absences from playing with knee and foot problems. He never hesitated to come back and, through so many comebacks, we saw a true champion of mental resilience as he continually won the big competitions despite facing wave after wave of physical dysfunction.
Resilience is the sole thing all these athletes have in common. Physical therapy, mental strength and fearlessness are all natural needs for recovery after a major injury. It’s not easy, is rarely a breeze, and may come with some soreness, some aggravation, some confusion, but for all of that, there are amazing outcomes on the other side.
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