Finger Sprain/Dislocation/Fracture
We've all seen it: wide receiver gets thrown to, runs to the trainer afterward, trainer grabs a finger, tugs, pops, and the receiver is back out for the next play. Bell calls it a "simple dislocation." We call it a disability claim. Linemen often play with broken bones by taping their whole hand into a giant club. Of course, you could just remove the finger altogether.
Bell's Take: "The average guy is looking to call in sick for a week or two. This is a devastating injury for anyone using a keyboard."

Turf Toe
While it sounds hardly worse than a foot rash, the reality is that your big toe bends backward farther than it's designed to. For guys like Chargers RB Ladanian Tomlinson or Raiders rookie Darren McFadden, it makes lateral movement damn-near impossible. Still not sold? Let's just let Bell take a stab at describing this one...
Bell's Take: "I've talked to former players who've played through it and one said, 'it was like stepping on a nail, then jumping around on it.'"

Groin Pull
Bell explains that there are five muscles in your groin (adductors) and when a football or hockey player's legs are spread apart abruptly, they're likely to tear some fibers or even rupture them completely. That's pretty much the polar opposite of the groin ruptures you generally have in mind after visiting this site.
Bell's Take: "For most of us, it hurts bad just to walk around. These guys will often tough it out and play before it's fully healed."

Wrist/Forearm Injuries
These tend to be more synonymous with hockey, and often stem from a smack by a stick, the puck, or another player's face. Basically, imagine having a very large man hack into your wrist with a large stick, then having to use that wrist to punch him repeatedly. Or you can take our approach and just never, ever, in a million years play hockey.
Bell's Take: "Fighting is a part of hockey. Some guys will get bite wounds from hitting other guys' teeth... Hockey injuries definitely win on the gross factor."

Back Spasms
As Bell says, "the back is so nebulous." Contrary to our initial belief, this does not mean it's full of stars, but rather that it's complicated. There are discs and muscles and things bulging and spasming all over, but any way you slice it, many athletes fight through the mysterious spasms, as Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb did a few seasons ago.
Bell's Take: "For most normal people, you can't get out of bed or straighten up. These guys just work through it."