Cruciate curse crippling GAA

A staggering €1.4 million could be paid out under the GAA’s player insurance scheme for cruciate injuries in 2011.

A study carried out by Croke Park found there were 470 insurance claims for surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament injuries last year, costing an average of €3,000 per treatment.

So far, 183 claims have been paid out which amounts to a total of close to €545,000, with the other 287 still to be processed.

The figures make for sobering reading but are indicative of the knee injury which has plagued Gaelic games in recent years.

A GAA spokesperson was keen to state there was no dramatic rise in the number of cruciate injuries last year.

The details, to be published in the GAA’s annual report, mark the first time the Association has categorised the ACL injury.

Previously, they had included it under the knee classification.

In 2010, there were 1,612 knee injuries listed in the GAA’s injury scheme compared to 2,356 in 2009 and 1,888 in 2008.

However, the extent of the problem, which has been well documented at inter-county level, is now realised.

At the highest level, Gaelic football has been the worst hit with Cork, Kildare and Derry among those suffering the most.

David Goold became the latest Cork player to be struck down with the problem following Colm O’Neill and Ciarán Sheehan last year.

In Kildare, Dermot Earley (twice), Mikey Conway, Peter Kelly, Rob Kelly and Ken Donnelly have all been on the treatment table as a result of torn cruciates in recent years. Last year, both Bradley brothers, Paddy and Eoin, saw their seasons truncated by the ailment.

The GAA are considering ways of curbing the problem. Before Christmas, a pilot study was conducted in UCD with fresher footballers and hurlers completing a 15-minute prehab routine over eight weeks. The programme was designed to help prevent cruciate injuries.

If successful, the plan is to encourage inter-county and club managers to introduce the routine into their training sessions.

Speaking last month, Tipperary’s hurling team physio John Casey suggested the cruciate curse is related to the increased amount of time now being spent in the gym by players. He said: “The focus appears to be on strengthening and powering up quads but neglecting the hamstrings, which participate in reverse running, moving side to side and speeding up and slowing down. That causes an imbalance around the knee.”