Australian rules football injuries

The sport of Australian rules football is known for its high level of physical body contact compared to other sports such as soccer and basketball, and the fact that unlike gridiron, no padding whatsoever is worn.

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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.

Some of the most common injuries plaguing footballers nowadays are knee reconstructions, shoulder injuries and osteitis pubis.

In a study conducted recently of 413 retired VFL/AFL footballers, common problems amongst the group in old age included arthritis, hip replacements (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.

List of notable injuries in AFL

• 2001, Winston Abraham tore his ACL in his left knee after falling hard in a kneeling position during a collision with James Hird. The knee was badly twisted. He was on the ground for less than 1 minute. The injury ended his career.
• 2001, Jason Snell of Geelong, who suffered a broken ankle from which he was never able to play (or even run) again.
• 2002, James Hird (Essendon) suffered horrific facial injuries at Subiaco in a clash against Fremantle when teammate Mark McVeigh landed unsuccessfully from a marking contest onto James Hird's face.
• 2003, Collingwood star utility Tarkyn Lockyer was injured in the air during a tackle of a Cats player early in the Round 3 clash against Geelong. His leg was tackled alone. As his knee extended he suffered a tear in just his anterior cruciate ligament, sidelining him for 12 months and starting a wretched luck with injuries for a further two years.
• In a 2004 match between Adelaide and Essendon at AAMi Stadium, James Hird 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.
• In a 2005 match between Richmond and Melbourne, Matthew Whelan of Melbourne lunged to smother a kick from Nathan G. 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 sat on the ground and raised his hand for a stretcher with his lower leg badly bent outwards on a 30 degree angle.
• In the 2005 elimination final between Melbourne and Geelong, a stray boot in a ruck contest from Geelong's Steven King connected with Melbourne's Jeff White's face. The injuries were described as "similar to those of a car accident victim," requiring the insertion of several plates.
• In a 2006 match between Richmond and Collingwood, Chris Newman received a similar injury to his team mate Nathan G. Brown above.
• In a 2006 match between the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda, a hip-and-shoulder from the Bulldogs' Daniel Giansiracusa left St Kilda's notoriously unfortunate Justin Koschitzke 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. The horrific injury put him 10 months on the sidelines.
• In another 2006 match between Collingwood and Brisbane, Blake Caracella 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 2006 match between St. Kilda and West Coast, Saints backman Matt Maguire had his left leg broken as a result of Tyson Stenglein sliding into his path.
• In a 2006 match between Port Adelaide and Adelaide, Crows forward Trent Hentschel badly dislocated his right knee requiring a full knee reconstruction. He suffered a torn ACL and spent over a month in hospital.
• In a 2006 match between Adelaide and West Coast, Crows ruckman Rhett Biglands 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. He only tore the ACL.
• In the 2007 season opener, Melbourne's Matthew Whelan turned his back on St. Kilda captain Luke Ball, resulting in mild concussion. Whelan was cleared by the AFL of any wrongdoing.
• In a game between St Kilda and Sydney at the Telstra Dome. Brendan Goddard of St Kilda slammed his left knee very hard into the ground, which twisted it, pulled it downwards and rupturing the ACL.
• Scott Camporeale 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.

See also

• Footballers cop more than fair share - The Age