GAELIC FOOTBALLERS are three times more likely to be concussed during a game than hurlers. This was one of the main findings of the GAA’s injury database presented in Croke Park yesterday, and it proved timely, given increasing concerns about concussion in other sports, mainly rugby.

The database is the product of the GAA’s Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee. Since 2006 it has been gathering information on player injuries, under the direction of John Murphy, and has tracked injury data from 17 intercounty football teams and 16 hurling teams – with 887 football injuries and 671 hurling injuries recorded. For comparison purposes the database has looked at the Australian Football League.

“While the instance of concussion in Gaelic games was largely consistent with that experienced in Australian Rules football,” said Murphy, “it’s important players, managers and coaches become more aware of what concussion is, its symptoms and signs, the possible side-effects and the guidelines with respect to returning to play. We’ll be actively working with teams in the coming months to generate greater awareness around concussion in sport.”

Clearly the compulsory use of helmets in hurling across all grades has reduced incidences of concussion. The GAA has produced a position paper on concussion and other injuries (it can be viewed at www.gaa.ie/ /medical-and-player-welfare/injuries/types-of-injury) and reveals cruciate knee ligament injury is the most severe in terms of days lost. Statistics on recurrent injuries showed that allowing significant time for recovery and rehabilitation could have major beneficial effects for players in the long term, particularly in relation to hamstring and groin injuries.

The AFL, Murphy said, had halved their instance of recurrence from between 1997 and 2009 and, he added, through better education and greater awareness among players, coaches and managers, there was no reason why the GAA injury recurrence rates within the same season of 18.2 per cent (football) and 12.8 per cent (hurling) could not be significantly reduced.

The database revealed an intercounty panel spends on average 13 hours in collective training for every one hour of competitive game time. About two thirds of all hamstring injuries in football occur in the second half – and of the players studied, 70 per cent of football participants and 67 per cent of hurlers sustained an injury at some stage during their participation. The most common mechanism of injury is contact with another player, 35.8 per cent in football, 37.4 per cent in hurling.

Also presented yesterday was the GAA’s updated position on cardiac screening, following a two-year research programme in which 300 players were examined in an attempt to assess the effectiveness of screening methods.

Reportedly the most effective way to identify risk is for players over the age of 14 to undergo cardiac screening on one occasion. It is also advised this process be repeated before the age of 25.

“The instance of Sudden Cardiac Death in the general populace under 35 is a rare occurrence and remains very difficult to predict,” said Dr Danny Mulvihill, chairman of the GAA’s Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee. “No screening programme is 100 per cent effective, but it has been shown to help in identifying risk in the general populace.”

The report of the National Taskforce on Sudden Cardiac Death found that less than one in 10 of all instances of the condition occurred while under exertion such as playing football or hurling.

The GAA have defibrillators at all county grounds, as well as over 1,000 defibrillators being purchased by clubs. Clubs who wish to purchase defibrillators can contact Stephen Browne (stephen.browne@gaa.ie or 01 8658685)

INJURIES LIST

1 – Hamstring
(football: 18.2% of all injuries,
hurling: 16.5%)

2 – Knee
(11.6% of injuries – both codes)

3 – Pelvis & Groin
(football: 9.4% of all injuries,
hurling: 10.4%)

4 – Ankle
(9% of all injuries – both codes)

5 – Shoulder
(football: 6.8% of all injuries,
hurling: 6%)

6 – Wrist & Hand
(football: 4.2% of all injuries,
hurling: 10.3%)