While being injured certainly is hindering and often times frustrating, the key to overcoming the problem lies mainly in the attitude of the injured. The components of successful recovery are a balance of many factors, but a positive attitude will do wonders for the chances of full recovery.

Just ask the seniors of the Penn State women's gymnastics team.

A quick glance at the statistics of the senior tri-captains would lead one to believe that injuries have not been factors in their careers. All have been essential to the team's past and current successes by combining their individual talents into one scoring force.

But statistics are misleading.

The three seniors -- Missy Leopoldus, Janae Whittaker and Ellen Casey -- have had more than their fair share of injuries and part of their pain can be attributed to the sport itself.

"I think that (gymnastics) is the female equivalent to football because it involves contact," said Steve Shephard, coach of the women's team. "It doesn't involve contact with other people, but you run into the apparatus and the mat."

Despite the demanding nature of the sport, its participation and popularity levels have not wavered. Gymnastics has been filled with examples of great courage and heart in spite of the risk of injury.

Millions watched the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in which Kerri Strug of Team USA severely injured her ankle but came back to compete on the vault, consequently giving her team the score necessary for it to win the gold medal.

Although millions do not watch the Lady Lions each week, the Rec Hall crowd witnesses acts of courage and many may not even know it. In the case of Leopoldus, her injury goes unnoticed by spectators but it is definitely there.

Leopoldus has a subluxed shoulder, a condition where her shoulder dislocates. It occurred last year when she was performing an element on the uneven bars and it is a chronic condition.

"It is more of a nuisance and is very, very rarely ever painful," said Leopoldus. However, she is unable to train on bars more than twice a week. And in addition to the regular practices, she goes to rehabilitation several times a week.

In the case of this particular injury, the shoulder muscles must be strengthened and stabilized so the shoulder pops out of its joint less frequently. In addition to Leopoldus, Casey also suffers from shoulder problems.

Casey too is another silent warrior in the battle against injuries. Her shoulder condition is slightly different from that of Leopoldus and the diagnosis is not quite as clear.

There is the distinct possibility that she has a tear in the labrum of her shoulder, which surrounds the head of the humerus. Like Leopoldus, Casey undergoes rehabilitation to strengthen the shoulder muscles.

But when it comes to rehabilitation, Casey has double duty.

In addition to her shoulder problems, Casey has a herniated disk in her back that resulted from years of back stress. According to Casey, rehabilitation did not help that much, but her back is adjusted and put back in line once a week.

Rehabilitation is a complicated process and can't be done alone. That is where the Penn State Center for Sports Medicine and Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli come into the picture.

Sebastianelli is in charge of the rehabilitation of many Penn State athletes. In his time spent working with Casey and Leopoldus, he said they have exhibited nothing but positive behavior.

"We have a really good relationship with the staff at sports med because our goal is the same as theirs," Casey said of the goal to heal athletes so they can compete at 100 percent again.

Both Leopoldus and Casey have injuries that are nuisances but do not prevent them from competing.

Unfortunately, the same is not true for Whittaker.

During the UCLA meet Jan. 16, Whittaker landed awkwardly after her dismount from the uneven bars, dislocating her kneecap and tearing several ligaments, including the important anterior cruciate ligament. The incident ended the senior's gymnastics career, but not her hopes of being physically active.

Shortly after the injury she began rehabilitation, which was followed by surgery to repair some of the smaller ligament damage. The surgery to repair her ACL will occur sometime within the next two months.

Whittaker is taking the same approach to healing her knee as she did with gymnastics.

"I'm not very scared of certain physical things," she said. "I'm pretty gutsy and aggressive when it comes to gymnastics."

Whittaker still has goals she wants to accomplish after surgery. She and Casey will be going to New Zealand to study abroad next spring. There, she hopes to take part in the activities that New Zealand is best known for -- sky diving and bungee jumping.

As for Leopoldus and Casey, who continue competing through their respective injuries, they will continue to do what they have done all season -- win meets and set records. They want to win the Big Ten Championship and are giving their best in order to get to the top.

The three seniors are living proof that life goes on, even with an injury.

And not only can it go on, it can also be fulfilling and successful.