High numbers of bad leg injuries AFLW?

[Obeanie1]

Every round we seem to get regular and multiple bad leg injuries. Broken legs and ACL's.

Seems to be at a much higher rate than AFL.

Is there any logical reasons for that?

Is it because the AFLW comp isn't as professional? IE they are not full-time paid athletes but are asked to play a fast-paced contact sport?

Is it because of the quality of the grounds they play on?

I recall reading about physiology possibly being a factor.

I remember this over several years. Wonder if anyone is keeping stats or looking at why is it happening so often?

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Not sure there is anything you can do. When you play contact sport you will have to bare the possibility of injury.

 

[eastfreo75]

Women’s in Basketball and soccer has higher rates of knees injuries than men. AFLW is showing the same trend.


It down to hip waist ratios and the menstruation cycle.

The Effect of Menstrual Cycle and Contraceptives on ACL Injuries and Laxity: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Women are at substantially greater risk for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries than are men.To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to clarify the effect of the menstrual cycle and contraceptives on the laxity of and ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The relation between body mass index and waist–hip ratio in knee osteoarthritis

The best measure of body habitus as a risk factor for chronic disease is not well defined. Our intent was to examine the relation between waist–hip ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI) as a measurement of body habitus in patients with end-stage ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[Munga]

Our women are doing their knees even without the contact.

Do biologically female gymnasts, ballet dancers, ice skaters etc. have these troubles? The changes of direction, all the spinning and landing, particularly on one leg, and on ice! I don't follow those sports but can't say that I've ever noticed injuries there. Maybe they train a particular way of protecting the knees?

 

[petits]

I agree that injury is part of contact sport and am a bit sick of people bringing it up as if it hasn't been discussed at length after every knee injury for the previous six seasons, often with the implication that it's just too much and women shouldn't play if it's more dangerous than the arbitrary level of danger that we have decided is acceptable for the men. I know you're not implying that, OP (I think)... just getting it out of the way.

On the other hand there is probably a bit more the AFL could be doing with ACLs. There are better outcomes in the rugby codes apparently. And it seems like the ACLs disproportionately affect top draft picks and elite players, which would be suggestive of various factors, but would need to actually do some stats to be sure it's a real effect, and not just that those ones are more memorable.

 

[Obeanie1]

Our women are doing their knees even without the contact.

Do biologically female gymnasts, ballet dancers, ice skaters etc. have these troubles? The changes of direction, all the spinning and landing, particularly on one leg, and on ice! I don't follow those sports but can't say that I've ever noticed injuries there. Maybe they train a particular way of protecting the knees?

Im leaning towards the other sports you mentioned are more full time professions. They are paid full time to do the training and build core stregnth. And sure lack of body contact / change of direction.

Just wonder what the stats are for the formative years of AFLW?

Also recall reading about knee training programs that help reduce the risk.

It is a problem that shouldnt be ignored or brushed aside IMO.

 

[Vacuous Space]

The league has something called prep to play, which is aimed at reducing injuries generally, but I think was mostly motivated by the large number of ACLs in the AFLW. You can definitely see players doing things from the manual if you watch them train and sometimes you'll see them doing exercises in between play. I think everyone involved is aware of the problem and motivated to do what they can to prevent injuries.

In terms of minor changes, I'd still like to see umpires blow the whistle earlier in tackles. My least favourite thing in umpiring at this specific moment is when the umps let the play run for five second and then ping a player with no prior for a lack of a genuine attempt. That said, I can't think of any ACLs that were done in lingering tackles off the top of my head, or really any specific injury. I'm a little more conscious of any time-wasting in the women's, though, since we occasionally lose 25 seconds of game time to a player losing their boot.

And, finally, given the weekend past, I wonder if we couldn't just put the diving smother in the bin alongside sliding into a contest. Admittedly, I'm a massive wuss and quite squeamish, so maybe I should just harden up and accept the occasional tib-fib is just part of footy. At the very least, can we agree on some sort of cap on replaying horrific injuries?

 

[mookieb]

I agree that injury is part of contact sport and am a bit sick of people bringing it up as if it hasn't been discussed at length after every knee injury for the previous six seasons, often with the implication that it's just too much and women shouldn't play if it's more dangerous than the arbitrary level of danger that we have decided is acceptable for the men. I know you're not implying that, OP (I think)... just getting it out of the way.

On the other hand there is probably a bit more the AFL could be doing with ACLs. There are better outcomes in the rugby codes apparently. And it seems like the ACLs disproportionately affect top draft picks and elite players, which would be suggestive of various factors, but would need to actually do some stats to be sure it's a real effect, and not just that those ones are more memorable.

is it too much? Every week it seems a player goes down clutching her knee.

My daughter plays netball and basketball but I have been trying to get her into AFLW. What if she agrees then one of these injuries occurs.

At the moment we have women transitioning to full time which I expect will be a positive and I'm sure there are programs in place to mitigate the current issues but it's a massive problem.

 

[briztoon]

is it too much? Every week it seems a player goes down clutching her knee.

My daughter plays netball and basketball but I have been trying to get her into AFLW. What if she agrees then one of these injuries occurs.

At the moment we have women transitioning to full time which I expect will be a positive and I'm sure there are programs in place to mitigate the current issues but it's a massive problem.

Is there any research on acl occurrences in girls/womens basketball and netball?

I don’t watch either, so do not know if it is prevalent in either sport.

I do work in an orthopaedic ward (in a non medical role) and do see school aged girls come through with acl injuries, mostly from soccer and netball. But we’re not a noted acl reconstruction hospital (more knee and hip replacements and shoulder surgeries).

Outside of track running, most sports, not just contact sports) would carry some risk of injury (not just acl’s).

Just being an active kid, will mostly see the majority of kids experience some type of injury.

My daughter is not yet 4, and she’s already had minor surgery to remove a shattered tooth (occurred at day care).

If she’s anything like me (she’s tracking that way), she’s going brake a few bones before adulthood.

Just be thankful we live in a time and country where there’s decent medical help available.

 

[petits]

is it too much? Every week it seems a player goes down clutching her knee.

My daughter plays netball and basketball but I have been trying to get her into AFLW. What if she agrees then one of these injuries occurs.

She'll take a year off, then she'll come back, maybe to the same level, maybe a lower level for fun, that's ok.

For your kids (and myself back when I played contact sport) I'd be way more worried about concussion. So much evidence now of even a few concussions being able to cause long term brain problems which affect total quality of life and future career. In terms of risk there, I think head injuries were a bit higher in first seasons of AFLW, but have come down to the same rates as for men as they've put more attention into training cross-code players how to go into contact. Whether that rate is ok in general though... not sure. I loved playing, love watching, but so much bad news with TBI, I'm very torn.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Broken legs are hardly the issue. Not in the same 'league' as ACLs, in terms of frequency.

The frequency of torn ACLs has nothing to do with professionalism, and it is certainly just as much of a problem in sports like netball, soccer and basketball.

Anybody who claims to know the key to prevention at this stage is a fraud. Plain and simple.

It also, clearly, has nothing to do with playing in summer despite what many were saying 9 months ago.

 

[petits]

Experts frustrated as ACL injuries still plaguing women’s footy article today

from Huntington's words it does sound like there is some low-hanging fruit in terms of prehab that has often been limited to date owing to the many demands on players' time.

 

[eastfreo75]

Our women are doing their knees even without the contact.

Do biologically female gymnasts, ballet dancers, ice skaters etc. have these troubles? The changes of direction, all the spinning and landing, particularly on one leg, and on ice! I don't follow those sports but can't say that I've ever noticed injuries there. Maybe they train a particular way of protecting the knees?

Strengthening the muscles around the knee and hamstring reduces the likelihood of knee injuries.

Also, smart training programs around the menstruation cycle.