The Real Reason Most Sports Injuries Happen 🤔
In this YouTube monologue, Dr. Jeffrey Gladden argues that the leading cause of sports injuries is a brief mental lapse—athletes are often aware a split‑second before injury that they are in the wrong position, moving too fast, or landing improperly, but their attention is elsewhere (e.g., on a partner, phone, or other distraction). He advises athletes to treat training sessions as "play" rather than a "workout," eliminate all external distractions (phones, media, music), and focus intensely on internal cues such as heartbeat, muscle sensations, and perceived limits. By cultivating self‑awareness and using the body as the primary coach—rather than relying on wearables like Fitbits—athletes can both prevent injuries and achieve greater training effects. The speaker emphasizes that the mind is both the greatest ally and the biggest enemy when it comes to injury risk.
