As a player, I was fortunate to work with coaching and medical staffs that underscored the importance of utilizing injury prevention exercises, which contributed to my healthy and long playing career.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
After I suffered a labral tear in my hip while playing soccer, I realized that many sports-related injuries can be prevented and I dedicated myself to helping young athletes learn more about injury prevention.
I never had a serious injury that kept me out of a big competition. Now everyone has injuries - to their feet or their knees or their backs.
Injuries are part of the game, but sometimes we can avoid them by just practicing our techniques.
Coping with injuries is always difficult for athletes because all we want to do is, basically, to have our best performances unhindered.
As an athlete, my health has always been important to me.
For most of my career I've been very lucky to have avoided major injuries.
I try to encourage all my teammates, and I sure hope that some day all athletes - my kids, high school kids - get the same level of care I get. Because you can play for a long period of time without having knee replacements, without having all the major head trauma that people are dealing with.
My good health, coupled with joy of tobogganing and my desire to be the best, has helped me stay in professional sport for so long.
I've had a couple of years where injuries have not let me develop in the way I wanted. When I was 21, after the European Championship, I had more injuries. Everything has been less continuous and it has cost me more progress. Continuity is what got me where I am.
Injuries is a part of a sportsmen life; you have to live with it. You can't be down with that; it is not gonna help you.