What if Injuries never existed?

By J. Frussa

In a world where sports injuries never existed, the games we know today would be completely different. With athletes playing longer, records are constantly being rewritten, and the limits of human performance are being pushed far beyond what we see now.

Without injuries, athletes like Lionel Messi or LeBron James would rule the sports world for decades, as they would be able to play at their peak for much longer, and athletes like them would never have to worry about having to retire early because of injuries and sprains. This would probably mean that the same top athletes would stay at the highest level for ages, which would completely change our definition of longevity and greatness in sports.

In this world, records would completely change. More goal points, and matches would happen, completely shattering how we see our records today. If players could not get injured, it would also change our views on the best players today, as players like Derrick Rose and Marco van Basten might dominate the courts until today. This would mean that historical records could possibly be rewritten, as fouls, for example, would probably not be as serious and wouldn’t impact the game so much.

Another point to consider would be the new players. If top athletes could play at their peak condition even after aging, wouldn’t that make it much harder for new players to rise to the top? In a world without injuries, substitutions would presumably happen much less often, which would likely end up with players getting much less time on the court.

While sports without injuries may seem ideal for athletes, the lack of injuries may also cause even more difficulties in sports. If older players never had to stop playing, that would probably make it much more difficult for younger athletes to make it into professional teams. This could reduce opportunities, and it would undoubtedly take away some of the excitement from the change and surprise in competition.
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In conclusion, a world without injuries would definitely be a world where less athletes had to retire and forfeit their careers early. However, it would also probably mean that younger athletes had less chance of making it into professional teams, and it most likely makes sports lack the unpredictability that makes sports exciting. Overall, while such a world might benefit individual athletes, it could change the balance and fairness of the competition in ways that are not entirely positive. ​