7-13 September - Brisbane, Australia 2000 |
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Ground hardness and risk of injury in the Australian Football LeagueJ. Orchard* Between 1992 and 1998, there were 4681 injuries Australian Football League [AFL] injuries, that satisfied the definition of missing a regular season game, over 97060 player weeks. Players from teams in Northern states were more likely to be injured than players from teams in Victoria (RR 1.14, 95% CI 1.07-1.21). There was no significant difference in the risk for any of the categories of upper limb, trunk or head and neck injuries. Many of the lower limb injury categories had greater incidence in players from Northern teams, including ankle injuries (RR 1.71, 95% CI 1.36-2.15), anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] injuries (RR 1.71, 95% CI 1.13-2.58), groin and hip injuries (RR 1.48, 95% CI 1.23-1.79), calf strains (RR 1.35, 95% CI 1.02-1.77) and quadriceps strains (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.03-1.71). The majority of these injuries had a non-contact mechanism. To test whether ground hardness may explain this 'Northern bias' for AFL injuries, matches over the period 1997-2000 have had ground hardness measured with a Penetrometer. The average Penetrometer reading in season 1998 was 4.74 cm ± 0.51 (three drop average). After a deliberate policy to soften grounds in season 1999, the average reading was 5.13 cm ± 0.59, which was significantly higher (softer) (p<0.01). The number of ACL injuries in the AFL competition has fallen every season from 1997-2000. The rate of groin, quadriceps, ankle and calf injuries also fell from 1998 to season 1999. This data represents indirect evidence that ground hardness may be a risk factor for several lower limb injuries. |
2000
Pre-Olympic Congress