Since a pole vaulting accident, junior Evan Shatto has had to deal with a pars fracture, an injury in the lower back. Even though it has affected Shatto’s athletic performance and his daily life, he has continued to support his teammates and to participate in team activities.

“I fell on my back in seventh grade,” Shatto said. “Ever since then, it just has progressively gotten worse.”

Shatto, who participated in the school’s varsity cross country and track team, has not been able to run since the last fall season.

“I stopped running a month into the school year,” Shatto said. “The pain was beginning to affect the outcome of my performances. I have to get monthly injections to deal with the pain.”

According to junior Hunter Chamblee, Shatto’s hiatus has taken a vital element from his team.

“We not only lost a great athlete but a member of our family,” Chamblee said. “Even though he cannot run he still shows up to practice and cheers us on.”

A pars fracture can be treated in three to four months, but it requires a lot of rest. Shatto got treated at first, but the injury worsened due to the overworking of the lower back.

“I never thought my injury would evolve so much,” Evan said. “It hurt a lot at first, but I could live with it.”

The only way for him to fully recover is with an invasive spinal surgery to fuse the L5 vertebrae to the other bones in his lower back. He and his family have been waiting for months for the surgery to happen.

“It got worse with time, and there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that stop the surgery from being in the picture,” Shatto said. “I knew it’d be a faster recovery if I just stayed home, but I didn’t want to stop being active or doing something I enjoyed so much. I didn’t want to just sit around watching others compete.”

Although his athletic performances have been affected, his team has continued to keep him involved throughout the remainder of the fall season.

“My teammates have always been supportive,” Shatto said. “Any time I was in the back of a race they always encouraged me to keep pushing. If I can’t do something myself I know they will always try to do it for me.”

If Shatto continues to feel pain after treatment, surgery may be required. He would be receiving a posterior lumbar fusion, where two or more bones fuse together into one. This keeps the bones and joints from moving. Although the procedure is necessary, Evan and his family don’t know what will happen after the surgery.

“I think it’s way too soon to tell what will come next,” Evan said. “The time to rehabilitate completely and be able to compete is pretty long, so I’m not sure I’ll be able to run or participate in track events for a while after the surgery, which we don’t know if or when it’s going to happen.”

Although he may not be able to run, his commitment to the team to the team is evident.

“It has definitely been tough on everyone,” Shatto said. “It’s difficult to know I can’t do all the things I was so used to doing. That’s why I’m hoping the surgery happens soon. It’s scary not knowing what’s next, but I know that in the end my team and my family will always have my back, no matter what.”