Australian football rules are a sport known for their high physical contact levels compared to other sports such as soccer and basketball. High impact crashes can occur from any direction, although a deliberate collision from the front-up (known specifically as jams when the contact is body-on-body). In addition, players usually do not wear any protective pads except the ornamental shield (unlike the whole body equipment in the football field code or shinguard in football). Thus, the injury rate tends to be high.
Soft tissue injury is the most frequent, including injuries to the thigh and calf muscles. Osteitis pubis is a condition that specifically affects Australian football players. Injuries to the knee, ankle and shoulder also occur frequently. Hospitalized injuries account for 40 percent of all injuries.
Knee reconstruction is one of the career-threatening injuries for professional and amateur players. Playing full contact with the potential to be handled or knocked from any angle means that the risk of the knee is twisted or caught at a dangerous high angle.
While many players choose not to wear protective pads, players sometimes suffer head injuries resulting in loss of consciousness but spinal injuries are very rare and relatively much lower than rugby football.
In recent years the AFL has commissioned official research as well as introducing new rules and precautions aimed at reducing the number and severity of injuries in sport.
The high levels of injuries that occur during soccer games are numerous that not only during the career of their players are vulnerable to injury, but the effects are then detrimental to their health. One example of the current player (in 2005) who has suffered a lot of injuries is the Essendon champion James Hird, who has suffered almost every imaginable injury.
In a recent study of 413 retired VFL/AFL players, common problems amongst older age groups included arthritis, hip replacement (including Kevin Sheedy, who had had two surgeries on her hip in a short time), and low ability to perform sports-based activities.
Steven Febey recently spoke at Goodfile's (Fairfax newspaper) magazine detailing that his emphasis on fitness during his career has been canceled after retirement, when the initial injury during his soccer career began to take their toll.
The AFL Players Association is working on an initiative to regulate the players 'welfare funds for after the footballers' retirement.
Video Australian rules football injuries
Cases of serious or risky career injuries at AFL
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments