Hidden Costs Every Athlete Should Consider

Megan Howard provides advice on the hidden costs of being an athlete.

Many aspire to hone their athletic abilities to the point where they can become a part-time or full-time professional sportsman or woman. However, while there are medals to win, trophies to hoist, coaches to impress, and fans to win over, there are also some essential considerations to make before you set your sights on a life of athletic performance.

Athletes pay many hidden costs in exchange for their high levels of skill, performance, and physical prowess. These costs can range from financial expenses to material costs and even the dangers of constant athletic pressure from family, friends, coaches, and peers.

Read on as we delve into the hidden costs of being an athlete and arm yourself with the information you need to make informed choices as a sportsman.

Financial Costs

Pursuing athletic activities is a low-cost way of gaining fitness and physical skill. With that said, training involves plenty of costs, especially if you would like to get to a professional level within a specific time. According to Amanda Allen at Breaking Muscle, a CrossFit Games-level professional athlete foots many weekly and monthly expenses that are important to know before you follow a similar path.

Allen’s breakdown included costs such as protein powder, supplements like BCAAs, creatine, beta-alanine, taurine, glutamine, and L-carnitine, and vitamins, including B, C, multivitamins, zinc, fish oil, magnesium and more. It also included the costs of a nutritionist or naturopath, the expenses of pro coaching, and specialised clothing and training equipment.

The breakdown made provisions for superfoods to keep athletes in good health. Plus, it included grass-fed meats, organic eggs and dairy, protein bars and more athlete-specific health foods. Also on the list were weekly massages and physiotherapy. Along with floats and cryotherapy to relieve muscle stiffness and keep the body in great shape while minimising the risk of strain. Last was the cost of travelling to competitions (or your training gym). The breakdown averaged these costs at $585 per week, roughly £445 per week in the UK.

It is important to remember that these are only the basic costs an athlete will face. It does not include rent, mortgage payments or accommodation, fuel costs, general groceries, entertainment, holidays, or other day-to-day expenses. It does not include gym fees or doctor’s appointments when necessary. The higher you rank as an athlete, the more likely sponsors will help you cover your costs, but all of these costs may fall to you if you are training on your own time.

Recreational Injury

For many years, the US Surgeon General has recommended long-duration and high-intensity training to solve the growing issues of obesity, heart disease and metabolic syndrome in our society. However, the Surgeon General has also highlighted an increased risk of injury as the primary risk involved in this approach. Many recent studies, including a paper by Conn et al. published in Injury Prevention, highlight the under-researched and infrequently spoken about injury in recreational sports and athletics. The number-one determinant of injury in sports is the nature of the activity itself, with those who play contact sports at the highest risk. According to the study, personal injury history is essential, particularly in younger athletes.

The paper used data from the National Health Interview Survey to explore the hidden costs of athletic injury further. It was found that 28% of working adults lost at least one day a year from work due to sports injuries. And for people aged 5 to 24, sports injuries account for one out of every five injury episodes. The researchers recommend using protective equipment, stricter rules in sports, and proper after-activity care as reliable ways to reduce the risk of athletic injury.

The Dangers of Athletic Pressure

Athletes are often viewed as muscular, powerful, fit, and healthy. But this can come at a cost. Many athletes feel pressure from their peers and the public. They think they are expected to look and perform in specific ways to be classified as successful sportsmen and women. It is not easy to predict the outcomes of this pressure. But some expected consequences include the development of eating disorders, mental health challenges, and physical injury due to overexercising.

Athletes may severely limit their eating habits to remain as streamlined as possible to excel at their sports of choice. Some athletes feel pressured to look as fit and muscular as possible to be accepted into the sporting world. It could be why athletes are three times more likely to develop eating disorders than the average person and why around 62% of athletes involved in high-intensity sports develop eating disorders.

Professional athletes can be subjected to harsh comments from the public and their trainers, particularly about their weight and looks. The rise of social media has compounded this, and sportspeople are now regularly subjected to the sight and criticisms of hundreds of thousands of other internet users. Men and women are both prone to the development of eating disorders. However, women are particularly at risk, with around 33% of female gymnast showing signs of anorexia.

Thus, athletes are encouraged to work closely with a nutritionist. This can ensure that they meet their daily macro- and micro-nutrient intake requirements without restricting their portions or food intake too heavily. Those interested in losing, gaining, or maintaining a certain weight should always do so under the guidance of a professional.

A Potentially Costly Exercise

Pursuing a life of recreational or professional athleticism has many hidden costs. Knowing how to forecast and budget for these costs is essential as they are crucial to your success.

Researching and knowing the risks and costs beforehand will help you make better, more sustainable choices. Without a plan, your training, diet, mental health, and bank balance will suffer.

Page Reference

If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is:

HOWARD, M. P. (2022) Hidden Costs Every Athlete Should Consider [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article680.htm [Accessed

About the Author

Megan Howard is a freelance journalist.


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Many aspire to hone their athletic abilities to the point where they can become a part-time or full-time professional sportsman or woman. However, while there are medals to win, trophies to hoist, coaches to impress, and fans to win over, there are also some essential considerations to make before you set your sights on a life of athletic performance. Athletes pay many hidden costs in exchange for their high levels of skill, performance, and physical prowess. These costs can range from financial expenses to material costs and even the dangers of constant athletic pressure from family, friends, coaches, and peers. Read on as we delve into the hidden costs of being an athlete and arm yourself with the information you need to make informed choices as a sportsman. Financial Costs Pursuing athletic activities is a low-cost way of gaining fitness and physical skill. With that said, training involves plenty of costs, especially if you would like to get to a professional level within a specific time. According to Amanda Allen at Breaking Muscle, a CrossFit Games-level professional athlete foots many weekly and monthly expenses that are important to know before you follow a similar path. Allen’s breakdown included costs such as protein powder, supplements like BCAAs, creatine, beta-alanine, taurine, glutamine, and L-carnitine, and vitamins, including B, C, multivitamins, zinc, fish oil, magnesium and more. It also included the costs of a nutritionist or naturopath, the expenses of pro coaching, and specialised clothing and training equipment. The breakdown made provisions for superfoods to keep athletes in good health. Plus, it included grass-fed meats, organic eggs and dairy, protein bars and more athlete-specific health foods. Also on the list were weekly massages and physiotherapy. Along with floats and cryotherapy to relieve muscle stiffness and keep the body in great shape while minimising the risk of strain. Last was the cost of travelling to competitions (or your training gym). The breakdown averaged these costs at $585 per week, roughly £445 per week in the UK. It is important to remember that these are only the basic costs an athlete will face. It does not include rent, mortgage payments or accommodation, fuel costs, general groceries, entertainment, holidays, or other day-to-day expenses. It does not include gym fees or doctor’s appointments when necessary. The higher you rank as an athlete, the more likely sponsors will help you cover your costs, but all of these costs may fall to you if you are training on your own time. Recreational Injury For many years, the US Surgeon General has recommended long-duration and high-intensity training to solve the growing issues of obesity, heart disease and metabolic syndrome in our society. However, the Surgeon General has also highlighted an increased risk of injury as the primary risk involved in this approach. Many recent studies, including a paper by Conn et al. published in Injury Prevention, highlight the under-researched and infrequently spoken about injury in recreational sports and athletics. The number-one determinant of injury in sports is the nature of the activity itself, with those who play contact sports at the highest risk. According to the study, personal injury history is essential, particularly in younger athletes. The paper used data from the National Health Interview Survey to explore the hidden costs of athletic injury further. It was found that 28% of working adults lost at least one day a year from work due to sports injuries. And for people aged 5 to 24, sports injuries account for one out of every five injury episodes. The researchers recommend using protective equipment, stricter rules in sports, and proper after-activity care as reliable ways to reduce the risk of athletic injury. The Dangers of Athletic Pressure Athletes are often viewed as muscular, powerful, fit, and healthy. But this can come at a cost. Many athletes feel pressure from their peers and the public. They think they are expected to look and perform in specific ways to be classified as successful sportsmen and women. It is not easy to predict the outcomes of this pressure. But some expected consequences include the development of eating disorders, mental health challenges, and physical injury due to overexercising. Athletes may severely limit their eating habits to remain as streamlined as possible to excel at their sports of choice. Some athletes feel pressured to look as fit and muscular as possible to be accepted into the sporting world. It could be why athletes are three times more likely to develop eating disorders than the average person and why around 62% of athletes involved in high-intensity sports develop eating disorders. Professional athletes can be subjected to harsh comments from the public and their trainers, particularly about their weight and looks. The rise of social media has compounded this, and sportspeople are now regularly subjected to the sight and criticisms of hundreds of thousands of other internet users. Men and women are both prone to the development of eating disorders. However, women are particularly at risk, with around 33% of female gymnast showing signs of anorexia. Thus, athletes are encouraged to work closely with a nutritionist. This can ensure that they meet their daily macro- and micro-nutrient intake requirements without restricting their portions or food intake too heavily. Those interested in losing, gaining, or maintaining a certain weight should always do so under the guidance of a professional. A Potentially Costly Exercise Pursuing a life of recreational or professional athleticism has many hidden costs. Knowing how to forecast and budget for these costs is essential as they are crucial to your success. Researching and knowing the risks and costs beforehand will help you make better, more sustainable choices. Without a plan, your training, diet, mental health, and bank balance will suffer. Page Reference If you quote information from this page in your work, then the reference for this page is: HOWARD, M. P. (2022) Hidden Costs Every Athlete Should Consider [WWW] Available from: https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article680.htm [Accessed About the Author Megan Howard is a freelance journalist.