Injury: Medical Facts Vs Opinions

[John Who]

Injuries occur to a football team on regular occasions. In fact, in the modern game of footy, a week without any injuries is like a small miracle in itself! With this in mind, I feel that there is more to learn and discuss regarding injuries, and our understanding or misunderstanding of injuries may rightly/wrongly affect our perception of a player.

The aim of this thread is to be more informed regarding player injuries and to have a more factual opinion on a player after a return from injury. If you feel a player is being unjustly ridiculed after having had an injury, please share some further thoughts!

 

[Pea Nut]

Injuries occur to a football team on regular occasions. In fact, in the modern game of footy, a week without any injuries is like a small miracle in itself! With this in mind, I feel that there is more to learn and discuss regarding injuries, and our understanding or misunderstanding of injuries may rightly/wrongly affect our perception of a player.

The aim of this thread is to be more informed regarding player injuries and to have a more factual opinion on a player after a return from injury. If you feel a player is being unjustly ridiculed after having had an injury, please share some further thoughts!

I don't really understand this thread. Firstly, players get injuries, not teams. Secondly, are you a doctor that is going to give us your medical opinion and diagnose specific injuries and the recovery times involved, as well as discuss the types of injuries that players play with throughout the season ??

 

[dogs105]

Injuries occur to a football team on regular occasions. In fact, in the modern game of footy, a week without any injuries is like a small miracle in itself! With this in mind, I feel that there is more to learn and discuss regarding injuries, and our understanding or misunderstanding of injuries may rightly/wrongly affect our perception of a player.

The aim of this thread is to be more informed regarding player injuries and to have a more factual opinion on a player after a return from injury. If you feel a player is being unjustly ridiculed after having had an injury, please share some further thoughts!

Can we please discuss Jakey's pulled heart muscle?

 

[GreyCrow]

More interested in finding out about Knight Fever

 

[John Who]

I don't really understand this thread. Firstly, players get injuries, not teams. Secondly, are you a doctor that is going to give us your medical opinion and diagnose specific injuries and the recovery times involved, as well as discuss the types of injuries that players play with throughout the season ??

Your first point is rather a moot one. Players/team with injuries mean the same thing.
I have a health science background and an interest in sports injuries. I've trained with a local football club and have played various sports, so I have a reasonable understanding of general injuries. The point of this thread is to better distinguish between opinions and medical facts, of a player based on their injuries/recovery. We all have opinions. But opinions based on medical facts is important so we can better empathise with the players.

The thing that irks me is when players are hindered by injuries, and are being called out as lazy/soft. Hopefully, members with actual past injuries can also contribute so we can all learn and discuss in an appropriate manner.

 

[John Who]

Can we please discuss Jakey's pulled heart muscle?

Too much dollar in the hip pockets causes the heart muscles to pull.

More interested in finding out about Knight Fever

I would think it has links to Bieber Fever.

 

[FR0GGY]

Is there an award for most threads started, I don’t know about?

 

[Pea Nut]

Your first point is rather a moot one. Players/team with injuries mean the same thing.
I have a health science background and an interest in sports injuries. I've trained with a local football club and have played various sports, so I have a reasonable understanding of general injuries. The point of this thread is to better distinguish between opinions and medical facts, of a player based on their injuries/recovery. We all have opinions. But opinions based on medical facts is important so we can better empathise with the players.

The thing that irks me is when players are hindered by injuries, and are being called out as lazy/soft. Hopefully, members with actual past injuries can also contribute so we can all learn and discuss in an appropriate manner.

Ok that clarifies things. Thanks.
On the bolded text, could you please give us all a run-down on the extreme injury issues that Mackay has played through for the whole of his career.

 

[marty36]

Injuries occur to a football team on regular occasions. In fact, in the modern game of footy, a week without any injuries is like a small miracle in itself! With this in mind, I feel that there is more to learn and discuss regarding injuries, and our understanding or misunderstanding of injuries may rightly/wrongly affect our perception of a player.

The aim of this thread is to be more informed regarding player injuries and to have a more factual opinion on a player after a return from injury. If you feel a player is being unjustly ridiculed after having had an injury, please share some further thoughts!

Ryan Burton was never going to walk again when he broke his leg, but made a miraculous recovery and almost won the Rising start this year

 

[John Who]

Ok that clarifies things. Thanks.
On the bolded text, could you please give us all a run-down on the extreme injury issues that Mackay has played through for the whole of his career.

Mackay, unfortunately can't be excused with any serious injuries. I am referring to players with injuries causing them to be non-selected for 2 weeks or more.
This year, the main misunderstanding from what I can see is the Josh Jenkins debate. I would have liked to add more on the "Josh Jenkins" thread but this has been locked recently. You may not like him as a player, you might consider him a softy for such a big lump of a lad, but here are some misconceptions regarding Jenkins this year:

1. "his initial Xray did not show any structural damage" - some injuries are either not obvious to initial scans, or a higher resolution scan is needed to depict true nature of injury eg. CT/MRI of chest. In his case, he injured his rib cartilage, with no obvious broken rib bones.

2. "The AFC are trying to hide Jenkin's injury and not being honest/transparent with the fans" - same as the above point, sometimes an injury needs further tests/scans to understand it's true nature/severity. I truly doubt the AFC are purposefully lying about Josh Jenkins' injury.

3. "He was cleared to play after 3 weeks, but when he returned to AFL, he was a softy! What a soft flog!" - injuries and recovery time go hand in hand. How long it takes to recover depends on what type of injury is sustained. If we're talking about chest wall injuries (ribs/cartilage), then it can take 3-6 weeks to fully settle down. Upon his return, Jenkins was noted by fans to not be going in hard at the ball. Well, I honestly suspect that he had some residual pain from his rib injury, and his breathing patterns would also be affected as pain is likely to be aggravated by him breathing harder. So in reality, Jenkins' few games after his return from rib injury, you have to expect he won't be able to perform to his optimal level.

 

[GreyCrow]

Your first point is rather a moot one. Players/team with injuries mean the same thing.
I have a 1.health science background and an interest in sports injuries. 3. I've trained with a local football club and have played various sports, so I have a reasonable understanding of general injuries. The point of this thread is to better distinguish between opinions and medical facts, of a player based on their injuries/recovery. We all have opinions. But opinions based on medical facts is important so we can better empathise with the players.

The thing that irks me is when players are 2.hindered by injuries, and are being called out as lazy/soft. Hopefully, members with actual past injuries can also contribute so we can all learn and discuss in an appropriate manner.

1. Nutritionist doesnt make you a doctor
2. JJ was being called soft before his injuries
3. Most have played sports at various levels. Most of us have also judged teammates and ourselves based on our own pain thresholds. I feel I have a fairly high threshold for pain and scoff at people who struggle with a hangnail. Doesnt make their pain less or my reaction wrong.

Unless you are truly a doctor then distinguishing between fact and opinion is not going to happen

 

[John Who]

1. Nutritionist doesnt make you a doctor
2. JJ was being called soft before his injuries
3. Most have played sports at various levels. Most of us have also judged teammates and ourselves based on our own pain thresholds. I feel I have a fairly high threshold for pain and scoff at people who struggle with a hangnail. Doesnt make their pain less or my reaction wrong.

Unless you are truly a doctor then distinguishing between fact and opinion is not going to happen

1. Never said I was a nutritionist.
2. That's open for opinion in the games prior to rib injury, and after round 10. My point was focused on the injury and the subsequent weeks post-injury.
3. Your 3rd point is what makes me want to discuss further in this thread. Own experiences of pain/injuries does not make you more aware of medical facts necessarily. For example, you can suffer intolerable pain from a sprained ankle does not mean you understand the pain and course of a rib injury. Also one experience of a rib injury does not mean you understand everything about rib injuries - there are several forms and degrees of injury.

Ryan Burton was never going to walk again when he broke his leg, but made a miraculous recovery and almost won the Rising start this year

Opinion: once you break your leg you can't perform at an elite level again
Fact: once you have a broken leg, you can make a miraculous recovery and nearly win a Rising Star award!

 

[kulak]

We were having a lot of problems distinguishing fact from fiction on this board.

Fortunately we are lucky enough to have one amongst us with a "health science background". And he has graced us with this thread!

Everything will now be solved. Hooray!

 

[spenze]

1. Never said I was a nutritionist.
2. That's open for opinion in the games prior to rib injury, and after round 10. My point was focused on the injury and the subsequent weeks post-injury.
3. Your 3rd point is what makes me want to discuss further in this thread. Own experiences of pain/injuries does not make you more aware of medical facts necessarily. For example, you can suffer intolerable pain from a sprained ankle does not mean you understand the pain and course of a rib injury. Also one experience of a rib injury does not mean you understand everything about rib injuries - there are several forms and degrees of injury.

Opinion: once you break your leg you can't perform at an elite level again
Fact: once you have a broken leg, you can make a miraculous recovery and nearly win a Rising Star award!

People call Jenkins soft because he is. He reminds me of the co worker you have who has three days off for a cold only to tell you how the GP was thinking about sending him to emergency, such was the severity of his cold.

 

[Pea Nut]

People call Jenkins soft because he is. He reminds me of the co worker you have who has three days off for a cold only to tell you how the GP was thinking about sending him to emergency, such was the severity of his cold.

Hey, lots of people died of the flu this year you know !!!

 

[GreyCrow]

3. Your 3rd point is what makes me want to discuss further in this thread. Own experiences of pain/injuries does not make you more aware of medical facts

But hang on

I've trained with a local football club and have played various sports, so I have a reasonable understanding of general injuries

 

[Sanders]

We were having a lot of problems distinguishing fact from fiction on this board.

Fortunately we are lucky enough to have one amongst us with a "health science background". And he has graced us with this thread!

Everything will now be solved. Hooray!

Thank * it’s not just me thinking this

Health science background is code for I spent 5 minutes googling s**t I don’t understand

 

[Apsaalooke]

We're often harsh on players who carry an injury, often undisclosed to the public, into a match that isn't bad enough to miss a game but doesn't let them perform at 100%. We'll call them lazy, soft etc without knowing the full facts. I'm as guilty as anyone on this.
The club generally knows what's going on I guess and won't disclose it for tactical reasons, but it doesn't do that player's reputation any good.

 

[WetCrow1991]

Thank you oh gracious saviour with hilariously vague 'health science background'/

 

[kulak]

Thank you oh gracious saviour with hilariously vague 'health science background'/

I did some Googling, does this sound about right?

"The Bachelor of Health Science produces graduates who are engaged, adaptive thinkers with a solid understanding of health and health systems. Graduates are equipped to contribute to health-related activities that reduce inequity and promote social justice in local and global contexts."

https://www.uts.edu.au/future-students/find-a-course/bachelor-health-science#course-overview

Although "background" suggests completion of a degree might be overselling it...

 

[John Who]

We were having a lot of problems distinguishing fact from fiction on this board.

Fortunately we are lucky enough to have one amongst us with a "health science background". And he has graced us with this thread!

Everything will now be solved. Hooray!

Thank **** it’s not just me thinking this

Health science background is code for I spent 5 minutes googling s**t I don’t understand

Thank you oh gracious saviour with hilariously vague 'health science background'/

"health science background" means either health science major, or I could be a surgeon cutting up people's appendix. I'll leave it up to your imagination.

It's kind of like a catch 22. If I say I'm a dietician, then some will say I'm not qualified enough. If I say I'm a doctor, then some will say "oh yeah sure, Google is real handy these days!" Bottom line is, I'm just here to help straighten up some facts. If you think you can catch me out, then by all means, feel free to correct any wrongs.

 

[John Who]

We're often harsh on players who carry an injury, often undisclosed to the public, into a match that isn't bad enough to miss a game but doesn't let them perform at 100%. We'll call them lazy, soft etc without knowing the full facts. I'm as guilty as anyone on this.
The club generally knows what's going on I guess and won't disclose it for tactical reasons, but it doesn't do that player's reputation any good.

Thank you for understanding this thread and keeping an open mind.

I think the big issue for me is this:
"cleared to return to playing AFL" - this quote is sometimes, or may often, be misinterpreted as "player is 100% fit". However, it really does depend on the type of injury and how long they have been off not playing AFL.
So really, "cleared to return to playing AFL" should be read "cleared to return to playing AFL, but needs time to get back to full time fitness/conditioning".

With the Jenkins case, he was clearly hindered on the weeks after his return from rib injury. His match fitness and breathing patterns would have definitely been affected for a few weeks after his return. This though does not excuse him of playing poorly in the Finals series. Just trying to put a clearer perspective of what happens after a rib injury.

 

[WetCrow1991]

"health science background" means either health science major, or I could be a surgeon cutting up people's appendix. I'll leave it up to your imagination.

I am going to say it isn't the latter.

And no need to involve others' imaginations, your imagination is doing just fine.

The reason people question is because you leave yourself open for question by being unnecessarily vague.

 

[Sanders]

"health science background" means either health science major, or I could be a surgeon cutting up people's appendix. I'll leave it up to your imagination.

no, it doesn't. that's the aspirational ambiguity you're hoping for, not what you've achieved.

 

[Sanders]

With the Jenkins case, he was clearly hindered on the weeks after his return from rib injury. His match fitness and breathing patterns would have definitely been affected for a few weeks after his return. This though does not excuse him of playing poorly in the Finals series. Just trying to put a clearer perspective of what happens after a rib injury.

will you be offering your expert insights to the medical team?

what's clear to the uninformed lay person from afar is often not clear to a professional, who has the training, experience, resources, all the information and an actual person to test/diagnose.