Being young and invincible, most high school student-athletes don’t think about the long-term consequences of sports injuries. But an injury a student-athlete suffers this weekend could still affect them 10 years from now.

There are an estimated 8 million students playing high school sports every year, and an estimated 2 million sports-related injuries.

One of the most common and dangerous sports injuries is concussions. Although they heal, if repeated brain damage goes unnoticed, it can lead to serious future health problems.

TAHS freshman volleyball player Sarah Zimmerman notes that after she recovered from a concussion, she did not play as well as she had before the injury.

“A lot of people get injured in volleyball, there’s usually at least one person out at every practice,” said Zimmerman.

Other injuries that can affect students later in life are stress fractures, muscle tears, and strains.

There are many injuries a person can get while playing a sport, but most of these injuries are preventable if the correct steps are taken, says Tyrone High School sports trainer Dave Bokulich.

“Some important things to consider in regards to preventing sports injuries include conditioning, warm-up, stretching, cool down, hydration and diet. Also, athletes that tend to specialize in one sport have shown to cause a higher injury risk compared to multi-sport athletes,” said Bokulich.

Other important things to avoid sports injuries are wearing the proper gear, stretching, following the rules, and keeping in shape, said Bukulich.

The feeling of being unstoppable when playing a sport can be helpful when it comes to an athlete’s performance, but it can lead to lifelong injuries if the correct precautions aren’t taken.

However, this shouldn’t make anybody completely shy away from playing high school sports.

Playing a sport in high school can help students meet new people and improve their overall well-being.

As well as making new friends, getting exercise from playing a sport can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.

“Through my sport, I have met many new people, and I have become more confident in myself. I enjoy spending time after school doing it,” said Tyrone student-athlete Nora Hoy.