Elite footy players are more likely to injure their own shoulder than an opponent’s when tackling, according to Geelong research.
Dr Jason Bonacci made the surprising finding while studying the cases of 72 AFL players who had shoulder surgery between 2009 and 2013.
His research at Deakin University’s Waurn Ponds campus shed new light on the causes of shoulder sprains and dislocations, the most common upper-limb injuries in the AFL.
“Performing a tackle is so dynamic and unpredictable, it’s instinctive and very hard to train for to prevent injury,” Dr Bonacci explained.
But little was known about managing AFL shoulder injuries despite their prevalence, he said.
“In comparison with other significant AFL injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, little has been determined about shoulder injuries and their surgical management. Yet shoulder instability injuries occur more frequently and result in only slightly less games missed per season than ACL injuries, according to the 2015 AFL Injury Report.”
The study revealed that the AFL at least managed shoulder injuries better than other sports, Dr Bonacci said.
“The recurrence rate in these AFL players was lower than that previously reported in amateur athletes and other overhead contact sports.
“A high proportion of AFL players returned to their pre-injury sport level, with 90 per cent returning to AFL level and 92 per cent returning to some level of Australian football.”
“Nearly all of the players returned to AFL, so the surgical management is working and the recurrence rates are low.”
Dr Bonacci said younger players were at greater risk of re-injury.
“It is possible they just don’t have the muscle strength that a seasoned athlete would have, and the strength of supporting structures of the shoulder joint increases with age.”
“It could be that perhaps they need a bit longer in the system, a bit more rehab and maybe don’t return to AFL level as quickly as more seasoned players.”
Dr Bonacci said sport authorities must pay more attention to managing the injuries of younger athletes.
“Younger age is a key risk factor for ongoing problems and recurrent instability can result in early osteoarthritis or cause premature retirement from the sport.”
