High school athletes alone account for an estimated 2 million injuries and 500,000 doctor visits, and 30,000 hospitalizations each year. Junior athlete, Layne Sleight, has proven to contribute to those visits with her multitude of injuries. 

   Despite her many injuries, she has continued playing volleyball and basketball.

   Sleight has been dealing with sports-related injuries from her freshman to junior year, ranging from shin splints to bone chips in her ankle. Shin splints occur when muscles, tendons, and bone tissue become overworked.

   In the fall of 2021, Sleight was falsely diagnosed with a stress fracture leading to her having to undergo bone removal surgery, which took her out of the game for eight months.

   “I am coming back and recovering. I am a lot slower and do not have much of a calf muscle anymore, but I am working to get back to where I was,” said Sleight. 

Sleight is disappointed that the shin splints, bone bruising, 12 bone chips, and sprained ankles she endured have caused her to miss out on playing many games in basketball.

   Because of all of her injuries, it has put a stunt on participating in tournaments, not allowing her to be observed by college recruiters. Since they cannot observe her, her chances of obtaining college sports scholarships have decreased.  

   “So, in just this last year with my left ankle being messed up, I was not able to play in any of the tournaments where the recruiters were this summer,” said Sleight.

   Sleight is sure she will face numerous other injuries in her future career; however, she does not plan on letting them hold her back and will do everything in her power to regain every ability. She is ready to get back to playing the game, and with some intense physical therapy and some occupational therapy, she should be back to full strength.