Footballers' risk "repeat injuries"

[TheArsenal]

Researchers have come up with a finding that makes grim reading for footballers such as Michael Owen.

They have found that top footballers are likely to sustain the same injuries season after season.

The Swedish study found that suffering a hamstring, groin or knee joint injury almost tripled a player's chances of an identical injury the following season.

The study, by Linkoping University, is featured in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

However, the study found no evidence that ankle sprains were likely to be repeated on a regular basis, and it did not examine metatarsal injuries, such as that suffered by Wayne Rooney weeks before the World Cup started.

The researchers examined reports involving 197 players from 12 top Swedish football teams.

The researchers looked at rates of injury over two consecutive seasons in 2001 and 2002.

Although older players tended to sustain hamstring injuries more than once, there was no overall association between age and the likelihood of an injury being repeated.

Repeat behaviour

Instead, they believe that repeat injuries are more likely to be the result of risk taking behaviour and psychological factors - if a player makes a mistake once, it might be likely that he will make the same mistake again.

In addition, certain injuries may also weaken a muscle or joint, leaving it vulnerable.

John Brewer, director of the Lucozade Sport Science Academy, said one of the biggest problems faced by top players was limited time for rest, recovery and rehabilitation from injury.

"With clubs and their managers under increasing pressure to deliver results, players know that an injury not only affects the performance of their team - it also means they aren't playing and in many cases their wage packet could also suffer.

"As a consequence, an inadequate amount of time is spent doing the basic strength and conditioning work that is needed to build up weakened muscle, tendon and joint strength, which are an essential part of the recovery process.

"If this doesn't happen, when a player resumes competitive matches, although the injury might have healed, the infrastructure of tendons, ligaments and muscles may not be back to full strength, so the chance of a similar or related injury re-occurring is greatly increased."

Mr Brewer said poor diet during an injury lay-off could also jeopardise the chances of a proper recovery.

[therockbox]

Owen's always had injury problems though, I remember when he was at Liverpool they were talking about his running style being the cause of his injuries.

[Liam]

LONG TERM INJURIES MAKE PLAYER SUSCEPTIBLE TO REPEAT INJURY SHOCK~!

Seriously, isn't this a little...obvious?

[9 to 5]

It is a bit obvious, but perhaps people weren't aware how likely a repeat is.

[Cactus Drags]

That's the most pointless sports study ever.

[hugobomb]

It's like saying 'Kevin Nash may do his knee in'. When you fuck sometihng up it's clear that you could easily do it again

[gunnar hendershow]

Good to see we got the Kevin Nash reference out of the way. He seriously could've been the basis for this study.

This study more or less changes injury-prone to, previous injured so likely to get injured again.

[IAceI]

Owen's shit anyways - he's always injured :-\

In 2006 - Danny Collins of Sunderland has scored more premiership goals than Michael "£17m" Owen.

[9 to 5]

Owen's shit anyways - he's always injured :-\

In 2006 - Danny Collins of Sunderland has scored more premiership goals than Michael "£17m" Owen.

Not hard when Owen played what, half an hour?

[IAceI]

Yeah but it's hardly anyone else's fault but his own etc. He's a striker, he's counted on to be in a match and score goals, not be injured every other match he plays.

Let's remember - Danny Collins - Sunderland...which is just pathetic that he's scoring more than a £17m striker in 2006.

[therockbox]

Wasn't he doing pretty well for Newcastle before he got injured though?

[Visionary]

Yes your right, Michael Owen is shit and frankly should be fined for being injured when really we know his faking it and can't be arsed to get up on before 3pm on a saturday afternoon.

Damn Michael Owen for costing England their World Cup dream dream too, damn that lazy bastard to hell!

EDIT: And to comment on the study . Wow, i love it when a "study" discovers something common sense knew a long time ago.

Edited July 19, 2006 by Visionary

[therockbox]

It's not his fault, but he shouldn't have gone to Germany.

[Visionary]

Neither should Walcott or Rooney and worst of all Crouch

Owen was probably the second most sound choice to go out of those who did.

[therockbox]

I'd rather of taken Rooney than Owen, tbh. With Rooney you could pretty much sense he'd be fine once all the mass hype started, but with Owen there's always going to be doubts about his fitness.

I remember reading an article on F365 that was pretty much done as a joke, where they listed things that we should expect to see in the WC. One of them was Owen breaking down in the group stages and missing the tournament.

[Visionary]

Perhaps i can see your point there but to be honest i'd just like to have seen a fully fit Owen and Rooney partnership full stop. Owen does have serious trouble with his injuries and if he can't get it sorted soon then you wonder how much longer in football the poor guy has. I just hate people criticising him for being injured, it's just not on at all and anybody who loves to watch or play the game really should know better.

[IAceI]

Why? He's a footballer and he's always injured - I could care less about him now, let's start looking to an England striker we can rely on.

We all knew Rooney was going to be ready and raring to go as soon as he could, as soon as he came on he just wanted the ball and chased everything down - quite frankly I couldn't see Owen doing the same if he was coming back from injury.

Anyone with any knowledge football would have known going into the tournament Rooney's fitness wasn't the issue - it was if Owen was going to last.

[YI]

Wasn't he doing pretty well for Newcastle before he got injured though?

[Visionary]

Why? He's a footballer and he's always injured - I could care less about him now, let's start looking to an England striker we can rely on.

We all knew Rooney was going to be ready and raring to go as soon as he could, as soon as he came on he just wanted the ball and chased everything down - quite frankly I couldn't see Owen doing the same if he was coming back from injury.

Anyone with any knowledge football would have known going into the tournament Rooney's fitness wasn't the issue - it was if Owen was going to last.

[IAceI]

I don't mean it's his fault for his injury, kinda worded wrong, because what happened at Germany was more his football boots. But does he actually get back to 100% fitness before coming back or is he just badly cursed?