There's a reason we all still go to work sick. A Mexican gymnast just proved it.

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This week, Mexican gymnast Natalia Escalera completed an uneven bars performance despite having a ruptured ligament. 

Upon completing her routine, Escalera broke down in tears and was carried off the mats by her coach in a move that shocked onlookers. 

On Instagram, the 22-year-old shared that she tore the plantar ligament in her left foot during training on Saturday, as well as having an existing calf tear in her left leg. While she was advised by doctors not to compete, she pushed through to fulfill her dream of competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"At first I made the decision not to participate because of the injury, but something in my heart made me go out to try one more time and on the way to the arena I decided to do bars," she said on TikTok.

"I knew it was a risk, but being on such a big stage is an awesome painkiller. In the end I managed to do my routine. No one forced me to compete, it was my own decision and today I can say that I am an Olympic gymnast."

Watch: Should you call or text your boss when you're sick? Post continues below.

While she failed to make the final, she received the best score of the Mexican team — with the sporting world in awe of how she embodied the Olympic spirit. 

Headlines around the world praised Escalera for being a national hero commending her bravery and courage to battle against injury and compete.

On her decision to push through the pain, she said: "I dreamed of since I was eight, I made it a reality with all the love I have for my sport!"

"Although it didn't go the way I planned, I'm very happy with my participation in these games and very proud to be a part of this discipline," she continued. "Despite the pain and multiple injuries on this occasion, I was already in Paris and couldn’t afford not to participate after 3 intense and difficult years in search of the same classification!"

"I do not regret the decision I took, I knew the risks if I participated, but thanks to my struggle I could represent my beautiful country."

Image: Instagram/@nataliaescalerac.

Is there something about this that feels eerily similar?

If you cast your mind back to the Tokyo Olympics, you'll remember the moment Team USA gymnast Simone Biles pulled out of the competition.

Considered the greatest gymnast of all time, the Olympic champion walked into the 2021 women's gymnastics team final carrying the hopes and dreams of her entire country on her back. The expectation to succeed was huge. 

It didn't go as planned, and Biles completed only half of her rotations, visibly grimacing in pain as she shakily landed on her feet to dismount. 

After the competition, USA Gymnastics confirmed she had withdrawn with a "medical issue". Biles later shared her decision was based on mental health and not a physical injury.

"Physically, I feel good, I'm in shape," she told the US Today Show. "Emotionally, that kind of varies on the time and moment. Coming to the Olympics and being head star isn't an easy feat, so we're just trying to take it one day at a time and we'll see."

Biles received a mixed reaction for admitting her mental health issues and opening up a conversation in a sport that is strewn with a history of life-altering or life-ending injuries. While some thought she should've pushed through at such an elite level, others praised her for taking her health and her safety seriously. 

Post-Biles withdrawal in 2021, there's one thing this taught us about athletes and the expectation to perform: the pressure is unsustainable. 

Yet, here we are in 2024, witnessing the very opposite. How did we get here? And why haven't we learnt anything? 

The fact is that gymnastics is an extremely dangerous sport, and one that involves a great risk of injury — even when a gymnast is in peak health. The slightest lapse — whether it be physical or mental — can be life changing, sometimes even fatal. 

Just look at Kerri Strug, who famously vaulted on an injured ankle for the United States at the 1996 Olympics, winning a gold medal but never competing again. 

Or the tragic story of Elena Mukhina, who trained on a broken leg in the lead up to the 1980 Olympics. She performed one of the most dangerous moves in gymnastics, falling on her chin and becoming permanently paralysed. 

While it's a very separate world, it seems that this weight of expectation and pressure to 'perform', even at our most vulnerable state, translates over into real life too. 

Because there's this often unspoken pressure that's ingrained in us to 'push on' — even if we're sick or unfit to do our jobs. Whether you're an Olympian or a 'normie', there's this underlying hero mentality in striving to perform at our best, no matter the consequences.

In fact, a new research by Finder showed one in two Aussie workers feel pressured to work when ill, with whopping 47 per cent of workers feeling they have to turn up to work when they're unwell. 

And it has nothing to do with negative sick leave — the average Australian has a 27 days in accrued sick leave.

The fact is, while companies might 'red card' employees for coming into the office sick, more often than not people still feel pressured to 'tough it out' and get their work done from home.

Because you're sick, but not too sick you can't open your laptop, right?

Off the back of COVID and our ability to work from home, research shows there's an increasing push for people to still turn up and either stick it out in the office or work from home while they're feeling sick.

In a press release, Tim Bennett, insurance expert at Finder, said even employees with a backlog of paid 'sick days' loath to use them when they're feeling under the weather. And for good reason

"It's troubling to see how much pressure Aussie's feel to work while genuinely unwell," said Bennett. "Some employees are made to feel like they’re taking advantage of their employer if they call in sick."

"Others experience shame and guilt when they have a day off — choosing to work through sickness. For some workers, no work means no pay, so they literally can’t afford to be sick.

"Taking a sick day used to be a public service — it meant you weren’t getting others sick and you had to disconnect from the office. But with many people working from home, taking a full sick day might feel unnecessary unless you are too unwell to open your computer. 

"During the cost-of-living crisis — salaried staff are reluctant to take time off because of the current economic climate."

Meaning? People literally can't afford to be sick.

While you can't cash-out sick leave if you resign or are laid off (which means, if you've got it and need it — use it), on the flip side, if your sick leave runs out and you have to take extended time off, this is where things can get complicated.

Ultimately, it goes to show that attempting to 'tough it out' and power through an illness, injury or any other health issue is just not worth it — Olympian or not.

Watch the Olympics on Stan Sport, the only place to watch every event ad-free with 4K and international multi-language channels. Go to Stan.com.au/Olympics for more info.

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Feature image: Instagram/@nataliaescalerac.