Australian rules football injuries
Encyclopedia
Australian rules football
is a sport
known for its high level of physical body contact compared to other sports such as soccer and basketball
. High impact collisions can occur from any direction, although deliberate collisions from front-on (known specifically as a shirtfront when the contact is body-on-body). In addition, players typically wear no protective padding of any kind except for a mouthguard (unlike the full-body gear in gridiron football
codes or the shinguards in soccer). As such, injury rates tend to be high.
Soft tissue injuries are the most frequent, including injuries to the thigh
s and calf muscles. Osteitis pubis
is a condition which particularly affects Australian rules footballers. Injuries to the knee, ankle and shoulders are also common. Hospital treated injuries account for 40 percent of all injuries.
Knee reconstructions are among the career threatening injuries for professional and amateur players. Full contact play with the potential to be tackled or bumped from any angle means that the risk of a knee being twisted or caught on a dangerous angle is high.
While many players choose not to wear protective padding, players do occasionally suffer head injury
resulting in loss of consciousness however spinal injury is extremely uncommon and comparatively much lower than rugby football
.
In recent years the AFL has commissioned official studies as well as introduced new rules and precautions aimed at reducing the number and severity of injuries in the sport.
The high levels of injuries that take place during games of football are so much that not only during a players' career are they susceptible to injuries, but the effects afterwards are detrimental to their health. One example of a current player (as of 2005) that has suffered a large share of injuries is Essendon champion James Hird
, who has suffered virtually every injury imaginable.
In a study conducted recently of 413 retired VFL/AFL
footballers, common problems amongst the group in old age included arthritis
, hip replacement
s (including Kevin Sheedy, who has had two operations on his hip within a short space of time), and low ability to perform sport-based activities.
Steven Febey
recently spoke out in Good Weekend (the magazine of the Fairfax
newspaper network) detailing that his emphasis on fitness during his career had been cancelled out after his retirement, when the onset of injuries during his football career began to take their toll.
The AFL Players' Association is working on initiatives to set up a player welfare fund for after footballers' retirements.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
is a sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
known for its high level of physical body contact compared to other sports such as soccer and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. High impact collisions can occur from any direction, although deliberate collisions from front-on (known specifically as a shirtfront when the contact is body-on-body). In addition, players typically wear no protective padding of any kind except for a mouthguard (unlike the full-body gear in gridiron football
Gridiron football
Gridiron football , sometimes known as North American football, is an umbrella term for related codes of football primarily played in the United States and Canada. The predominant forms of gridiron football are American football and Canadian football...
codes or the shinguards in soccer). As such, injury rates tend to be high.
Soft tissue injuries are the most frequent, including injuries to the thigh
Thigh
In humans the thigh is the area between the pelvis and the knee. Anatomically, it is part of the lower limb.The single bone in the thigh is called the femur...
s and calf muscles. Osteitis pubis
Osteitis pubis
Since 1924, osteitis pubis has been known as a noninfectious inflammation of the pubis symphysis causing varying degrees of lower abdominal and pelvic pain. Osteitis pubis was first described in patients who had undergone suprapubic surgery and remains a well-known complication of invasive...
is a condition which particularly affects Australian rules footballers. Injuries to the knee, ankle and shoulders are also common. Hospital treated injuries account for 40 percent of all injuries.
Knee reconstructions are among the career threatening injuries for professional and amateur players. Full contact play with the potential to be tackled or bumped from any angle means that the risk of a knee being twisted or caught on a dangerous angle is high.
While many players choose not to wear protective padding, players do occasionally suffer head injury
Head injury
Head injury refers to trauma of the head. This may or may not include injury to the brain. However, the terms traumatic brain injury and head injury are often used interchangeably in medical literature....
resulting in loss of consciousness however spinal injury is extremely uncommon and comparatively much lower than rugby football
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
.
In recent years the AFL has commissioned official studies as well as introduced new rules and precautions aimed at reducing the number and severity of injuries in the sport.
The high levels of injuries that take place during games of football are so much that not only during a players' career are they susceptible to injuries, but the effects afterwards are detrimental to their health. One example of a current player (as of 2005) that has suffered a large share of injuries is Essendon champion James Hird
James Hird
James Hird is a former professional Australian rules footballer and the current coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League....
, who has suffered virtually every injury imaginable.
In a study conducted recently of 413 retired VFL/AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
footballers, common problems amongst the group in old age included arthritis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints....
, hip replacement
Hip replacement
Hip replacement is a surgical procedure in which the hip joint is replaced by a prosthetic implant. Hip replacement surgery can be performed as a total replacement or a hemi replacement. Such joint replacement orthopaedic surgery generally is conducted to relieve arthritis pain or fix severe...
s (including Kevin Sheedy, who has had two operations on his hip within a short space of time), and low ability to perform sport-based activities.
Steven Febey
Steven Febey
Steven Febey in Devonport is a former Australian rules football player for the Melbourne Football Club. He is the twin brother of Matthew Febey who he played beside for most of his career....
recently spoke out in Good Weekend (the magazine of the Fairfax
Fairfax Media
Fairfax Media Limited is one of Australia's largest diversified media companies. The group's operations include newspapers, magazines, radios and digital media operating in Australia and New Zealand. Fairfax Media was founded by the Fairfax family as John Fairfax and Sons, later to become John...
newspaper network) detailing that his emphasis on fitness during his career had been cancelled out after his retirement, when the onset of injuries during his football career began to take their toll.
The AFL Players' Association is working on initiatives to set up a player welfare fund for after footballers' retirements.
Serious or career threatening injury cases in the AFL
The following is a list of incidents in professional Australian Rules which required immediate hospitalisation or threatened the career or a player.2001
- Winston AbrahamWinston AbrahamWinston Abraham is a former Australian rules footballer. During his AFL career he played as a half forward.-Early career:Abraham played in the Western Australian Sunday Football League for Thornlie and Kelmscott...
tore his ACL in his left knee after falling hard in a kneeling position during a collision with James HirdJames HirdJames Hird is a former professional Australian rules footballer and the current coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League....
. The knee was badly twisted. He was on the ground for less than 1 minute. The injury ended his career. - Jason SnellJason Snell (footballer)Jason Snell is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong in the Australian Football League .When Snell arrived at Geelong from the Eastern Ranges, it was as a midfielder but he was often used up forward in the AFL...
of Geelong suffered a broken ankle from which he was never able to play (or even run) again.
2002
- James HirdJames HirdJames Hird is a former professional Australian rules footballer and the current coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League....
(Essendon) suffered horrific facial injuries at Subiaco in a clash against Fremantle when teammate Mark McVeighMark McVeighMark McVeigh is an Australian rules footballer. He made his debut for Essendon Football Club in 1999 after representing NSW/ACT at Under 18 level...
landed unsuccessfully from a marking contest onto his face.
2003
- Collingwood star utility Tarkyn LockyerTarkyn LockyerTarkyn Lockyer is a former professional Australian rules football player who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League .- Early life :...
was injured in the air during a tackle of a Cats player early in the Round 3 clash against Geelong. His left leg was tackled alone. As his knee extended he suffered a tear in his anterior cruciate ligament, sidelining him for 12 months and starting a wretched luck with injuries for a further two years.
2004
- In a match between Adelaide and Essendon at AAMi Stadium, James HirdJames HirdJames Hird is a former professional Australian rules footballer and the current coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League....
suffered an eye injury when a Crow defender attempted to spoil the ball and hit him in the side of the face. It was another in the long list of Hird injuries. Hird was taken to hospital but Essendon still managed to win easily. - Dustin FletcherDustin FletcherDustin Fletcher is an Australian rules footballer with the Essendon Football Club. He is renowned as one of the finest defenders in the AFL, and has played at full-back for his team for many years. He is the son of former Bombers captain Ken Fletcher...
lost most of his teeth requiring re-implantation despite wearing a mouthguardMouthguardA mouthguard is a protective device for the mouth that covers the teeth and gums to prevent and reduce injury to the teeth, arches, lips and gums...
.
2005
- In a match between Richmond and Melbourne, Matthew WhelanMatthew WhelanMatthew Whelan is a former professional Australian rules football player.Wearing the number 45 jersey, Whelan was reliable defender/back pocket known by Demons fans simply as the "Wheels". He also earned the nickname "Wrecker" for his big hits and tough and uncompromisingly defensive style of...
of Melbourne lunged to smother a kick from Nathan Brown of Richmond. The foot became stuck in the turf, and Whelan's torso landed directly on Brown's shin, snapping both bones in the leg, in an incident whose replay has made fans shudder since. Brown calmly sat on the ground and raised his hand for a stretcher with his lower leg badly bent outwards on a 30 degree angle. Brown had several complications and relapses from the condition in the following seasons.
2006
- During an elimination final between Melbourne and Geelong, a stray boot in a ruck contest from Geelong's Steven KingSteven King (footballer)Steven King is a former Australian rules footballer for Geelong and St Kilda in the Australian Football League .- Geelong :...
connected with Melbourne's Jeff White'sJeff WhiteJeffrey Newman "Jeff" White is an Australian rules footballer who had a distinguished career in the Australian Football League spanning 14 years. He played most recently and notably for the Melbourne Football Club, following a move from the Fremantle Dockers at the end of 1997...
face. The injuries were described as "similar to those of a car accident victim," requiring the insertion of several plates. - In a match between Richmond and Collingwood, Chris NewmanChris Newman (Australian rules footballer)Chris Newman is an Australian rules footballer, and currently the captain of the Richmond Football Club. He was drafted at Pick 55 in the 2000 AFL Draft from the Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup....
received a similar injury to his team mate Nathan Brown above. - In a match between the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda, a hip-and-shoulder from the Bulldogs' Daniel GiansiracusaDaniel GiansiracusaDaniel Giansiracusa is an Australian rules football player for the Western Bulldogs who plays in various positions such as the midfield, half back flanks and half forward flanks....
left St Kilda's notoriously unfortunate Justin KoschitzkeJustin KoschitzkeJustin Gregory Koschitzke is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.-Career overview:Recruited in the 2000 AFL Draft at pick number two, there were high expectations on Koschitzke from a young age...
with a fractured skull, sparking much of the debate about the safety of bumps in the game. Koschitzke has since returned to the side. - In a game between Brisbane and the Western Bulldogs. Mitch Hahn of the Bulldogs badly hyperextended his left knee forwards after landing awkwardly and grimaced on the ground with his hands around his knee. The horrific injury put him 10 months on the sidelines.
- In a match between Collingwood and Brisbane, Blake CaracellaBlake CaracellaBlake Caracella is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League .-Essendon career:Selected by Essendon in the 1995 National Draft at pick 10, Caracella finally debuted with the Bombers in 1997...
tried to dive on a loose ball at the same time as a Lions player, though Caracella was diving and the opponent slid in on his side. Caracella's head was pushed back by his opponent, play went on and Caracella was unable to move any lower than his neck. In the next few days, doctors said that he was lucky not to be a paraplegic after the incident. Caracella sadly retired later that year, citing medical reasons for his decision. - In a match between St. Kilda and West Coast, Saints backman Matt MaguireMatt MaguireMatt Maguire is a professional Australian rules footballer currently playing with the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League .-St Kilda Football Club:...
had his left leg broken as a result of Tyson StengleinTyson StengleinTyson Stenglein is an Australian rules footballer, who played for the Adelaide Crows and the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League .- Adelaide career :...
sliding into his path. - In a match between Port Adelaide and Adelaide, Crows forward Trent HentschelTrent HentschelTrent Hentschel was an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League. He was taken in the 2002 Pre-season Draft at pick No.5...
badly dislocated his right knee when a player dived on his right leg requiring a full knee reconstruction. He suffered a torn ACL and spent over a month in hospital. - In a match between Adelaide and West Coast, Crows ruckman Rhett BiglandsRhett BiglandsRhett Biglands is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.-Career:He made his debut as an 18 year old in the SANFL with Woodville West Torrens kicking 5 goals in his first match....
badly bent his left knee when Nathan Van Berlo dived into his leg in a desperate scramble for the ball. The collision forced Bigland's lower leg to bend outwards requiring a full knee reconstruction. Despite been able to walk off the ground, it was confirmed a complete tear to the ACL in the knee. - Justin KoschitzkeJustin KoschitzkeJustin Gregory Koschitzke is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.-Career overview:Recruited in the 2000 AFL Draft at pick number two, there were high expectations on Koschitzke from a young age...
was again in the thick of it, fainting on live televisionTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, and smashing his head on the counter. He later collided with an umpire in a VFLVFLVFL can refer to:Sport* Victorian Football League, an Australian rules football league formerly known as the Victorian Football Association prior to 1996....
match.
2007
- Scott CamporealeScott CamporealeScott Camporeale is a former Australian rules footballer who spent the majority of his AFL career with the Carlton Football Club.-AFL career:...
suffered a career ending knee injury in Round 21 2007 when his right knee bent and twisted in the wrong direction during a sudden change in direction. ACL gone. He was delisted by Essendon after the season and will be an assistant coach for the same club. - In the NAB Cup preseason, Nick Malceski suffered a serious injury to his right knee and after the knee reconstruction he returned to play for Sydney in Round 8. Malceski created news headlines when he elected for a risky surgery technique to save his career.