Being an ex-athlete myself I think it is safe to say that when you are in the middle of a game nothing, but
that game matters. I believe that this is influenced by both psychological reasons and adrenaline. Being
a dedicated athlete at any age, in any sport you are capable of doing things that many people aren’t.
You eat, sleep, and breathe your sport. You do not only play it, but you make it your life, and I have
always felt it takes a certain kind of person to be such a dedicated athlete. Of course, some people are
born with great talent and don’t have to put as much effort into it, but others who are not genetically
privileged in the sport, and psychological may have to work a little harder. People who carry a gene that
boosts the availability of endorphins are less bothered by pain, and their gene their brain is less
responsive to pain (Zubieta et al., 2003). Others who carry a mutated gene that disrupts pain cicuit
neurotransmission experience little pain (Cox et al., 2006). The training process or “off season” of an
athlete is rigorous, painful, a chance at recovery, or a chance to improve. For the most part it’s an
athlete’s opportunity to get stronger both psychologically and physically. This will play an important part
when it comes to an injury being minor, or critical.
With that being said, every athlete is different. What one feels is painful, another may not. “Individual
pain sensitivity varies, too, depending on genes, physiology, experience, attention, and surrounding
culture” (Gatchel et al., 2007; Reimann et al., 2010) . In Ryan’s case although this may sound
stereotypical being that he was the star football player we can predict that he is in good shape. When he
was sacked right before half time causing an injury to his ribs no matter how in shape he was stated by
the pain circuit (Meyers 2005) impulses were still sent to the spinal cord by sensory receptors through
