The WNBA was massacred by injuries last year. 200+ reported injuries across a variety of problems, including ACL tears and muscle problems to minor issues. It meant the quality of the game went down. For example, Jonquel Jones ’ injury severely affected the New York Liberty and Caitlin Clark ’s absence from the Fever meant they were without their best point guard. But these injuries might have a worse impact in the long term, as a former Indiana Fever star reveals the side effects.
The roster limitations of the league made the problem worse. The Dallas Wings and Indiana Fever survived on emergency signings. New players came in who had to adjust to the team and immediately fit in. While injuries are certainly detrimental in the short term, they could be even worse for the players and the league in the long term. And that’s coming from Layshia Clarendon, who played for the Fever in 88 games and was in the league for 13 seasons.
“Sometimes it’s literally just that your QL is a little tight, but your body remembers and keeps score of that trauma happening. I think that’s one of the hardest things to overcome,” Clarendon said on the Athletic’s “No Offseason” podcast. “The mental and physical toll combination is grueling. It’s nasty. It’s the dark underbelly side of sports that people don’t see or get to be privy to. The mental toll it takes to perform is something people don’t always see.”
Research shows that injuries can have adverse mental health effects, with the most common ones being anxiety and depression. There is also a relation between each injury compounding the mental health effects. But there is a bidirectional relationship between the two, as adverse mental health can also increase the risk of injury. So, it’s also important to recover mentally from an injury as well as physically.
Caitlin Clark has also talked about this while returning from her multiple soft tissue injuries. “I think the hardest part of injury, something I’m still really battling and almost struggling with, is just the mental hump of getting over everything,” the Indiana Fever star said. “I understand my body too well to a point now and it’s something I wasn’t in touch enough with before my injuries. And now I understand it very well. You just become hypercautious about certain things.”
There is a long-term effect of every injury. Fans can’t expect the player to return on the same level immediately and also disregard the past injuries. For example, the ACL injuries for Paige Bueckers in college will affect her throughout her WNBA career. “I’ve been dealing with patellar tendonitis since I was in high school,” Bueckers later added. “And it is, in a sense of you’re managing it, at all times.”
Many fans may not fully understand the lingering mental toll injuries can create. And their reaction and personal attacks on social media can affect the athlete’s mental health which inturn has an effect on their performance and reinjury risk, creating a vicious circle. Then there is responsibility from the side of the franchise, which needs to provide the athletes with the best resources to deal with this. While the new WNBA CBA has improved the situation, it’s not completely there yet.
The WNBA CBA’s effect went much beyond the salaries. Arguably, the biggest positive impact was on player health. The league now mandates 12 players in each roster and 2 developmental players, which translates to more room for rest. Teams’ medical staff requirements are mandated to be larger, including two athletic trainers, two team physicians, a strength and conditioning coach, a physical therapist, a massage therapist and access to a nutritionist. However, the facilities remain behind, according to Layshia Clarendon.
“Resources are still so far behind. Getting to the point where you have two trainers on staff, a physical therapist, access to an acupuncturist, and cryotherapy in your building for recovery is important. What do your facilities look like?” Clarendon said. “it’s just not quite 100% there yet. And I think it will continue to get better, though.”
There are a few teams that are better in terms of facilities in the WNBA. The Aces have their team-only headquarters and practice facility and the Fever share the Gainbridge Fieldhouse with the Pacers. However, the rest of the league is largely a work in progress.
The Chicago Sky , the team that arguably needs it the most, is set to open its new training center with top-tier facilities before the 2027 training camp. The Indiana Fever also announced a new sports performance center in 2026 that is coming in Spring 2027. Same goes for the Los Angeles Sparks . The progress is real, but league-wide modernization will still take time.
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The post “Dark Underbelly Side of the Sport”: Former Indiana Fever Star Addresses Mental Strain That Comes With Repeated Injuries appeared first on EssentiallySports . Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
