A wonky back and a broken hand are no laughing matters for pro athletes, but that shouldn't stop the rest of us for having a chuckle or two at their expense. Hey, that's why they get the big bucks, and Adrian Gonzalez of the Red Sox and Kyrie Irving of the Cavaliers are just the latest to suffer dubious injuries.
Gonzalez hurt his back saying hi to a fan at the mall. Irving broke his hand smacking a wall after committing a turnover at practice. For their sakes, these injuries hopefully won't define their careers or legacies -- unlike some of the others on this list:
Most Embarrassing Athlete Injuries Slideshow
Amar'e Stoudemire
Stoudemire slices up his hand punching a glass case for a fire extinguisher at a playoff loss in Miami and misses the next game.
Sammy Sosa
In 2004, Sosa sprains a back ligament after apparently sneezing too hard.
Glenallen Hill
Terrified of spiders, Hill wakes up from a nightmare thinking they are attacking him. He stumbles out of bed, tumbles down the stairs and lands on the disabled list with various cuts and bruises.
Bill Gramatica
In 2001, the Cardinals kicker jumps to celebrate a field goal against the Giants but fails to stick the landing. He tears his ACL (which gives Pat Tillman a chance to handle kickoffs the rest of the game).
Dustin Penner
The Kings winger sits down to help himself to a stack of his wife's pancakes but manages to hurt his back in the process and knock himself out of the lineup.
Wade Boggs
In 1986 Boggs has trouble taking off his cowboy boots in his Toronto hotel room and badly bruises his ribs crashing into the arm of a couch. He misses six games.
Steve Sparks
Sparks delays his MLB debut in 1994 when as a minor-leaguer he dislocates his shoulder trying to rip a phone book in half after watching a motivational training session.
Joel Zumaya
Zumaya misses the 2006 ALCS for the Tigers because of a sore wrist sustained from excessive playing of "Guitar Hero" on his PlayStation.
Plaxico Burress
The Giants receiver shoots himself in the right thigh while at a night club, and lands in prison as a result of carrying an unregistered handgun in New York City.
Robert Pratt
In 1981, Pratt, a Baltimore Colts lineman (No. 61), pulls a hamstring while heading to midfield for the coin toss.
Kendry Morales
Morales celebrates a winning grand slam against the Mariners in 2010 by jumping on home plate and breaking his leg.
Manny Fernandez
The Wild goaltender hurts his back and/or shoulder while blowdrying his hair after a shower in 2005.
Henry Cotto
Yankee fans will always refer to him as Q-Tip Cotto. He punctures an eardrum while cleaning his ear with a Q-Tip on the bench and gets bumped by Ken Griffey.
Kyrie Irving
The NBA's reigning rookie of the year breaks his shooting hand Saturday at an off-season practice in Las Vegas. Upset by a turnover, Irving slaps the gym wall, which was padded but apparently not enough.
Brent Sopel
His daughter drops a cracker on the floor. The Canucks defenseman reaches down to pick it up. The result? Back spasms that kept him out of a game.
Adrian Gonzalez
The Red Sox slugger is at a mall in Tampa on Friday when he bends down to greet a child in a stroller and his back locks up, knocking him out of the weekend series against the Rays.
Marty Cordova
The Orioles outfielder falls asleep in a tanning bed and doctors order him to stay out of the sun, forcing him to miss some day games in 2002. Kramer would be proud.
Adam Eaton
In 2001, the Padres pitcher uses a paring knife to open a DVD package and ends up in the ER after accidentally stabbing himself in the stomach.
Gus Frerotte
While quarterbacking the Redskins in 1997, Frerotte celebrates a touchdown against the Giants by headbutting the stadium wall and thus knocking himself out of the game.
Jeff Kent
At spring training in 2002, Kent breaks his wrist either washing his truck (his version) or wiping out trying to do motorcycle tricks (media reports).
