Aussie rules most injury-prone sport
Xavier La Canna
July 06, 2006 10:00
AUSTRALIAN Rules football is the most injury prone sport in the country, a study by a health insurance company has found.
The Medibank Private study looked at people who presented to hospitals and general medical practices and found people who compete in Australian Rules were more likely than any other sport to become injured.
"The speed and full body contact nature of the sport and the constant physical competition for the ball places players at risk of injury," the study found.
It said Australian Rules was one of the most popular participation sports and players may face hamstring, knee, ankle and shoulder strains and finger injuries.
Sportsmen who play at the highest level are constantly at risk of injury. Some of the most recent injuries in the AFL are Dean Cox (broken collar bone), Justin Koschitzke (fractured skull in an accidental head clash) and James Hird (torn calf, possibly out for the rest of the season).
As an example of how injuries can affect a team, the Western Bulldogs are missing five top players, who are out for 12 months with knee reconstructions, including captain Luke Darcy.
Darcy, who has had a second knee reconstruction, broke down at the start of the season after enduring 12-months of rehab from his first knee injury.
The study says the second most injury-prone sport was basketball, followed by netball, running, tennis, cricket, soccer, aerobics, rugby league and rugby union.
The study found back injuries were the most expensive to treat, costing about $15,750 and $22,000.
It also showed people were more likely to become injured in the winter months and said people should devote more time to warming up and remember to keep up fluid intake and to wear sun protection, especially at the snow.
Walking was found to be the most popular sport, followed by aerobics, swimming, golf and tennis.
The study also found more people in the ACT participated in sports than any other part of Australia, with 76.1 per cent physically active, while South Australia recorded the lowest participation rate, at just 57.7 per cent.
Tasmanians had the country's highest body mass index (BMI), at an average of 27.2, while those in Western Australia were the leanest, with a BMI of 24.91, it found.
As television shows such as Dancing with the Stars encourage people to try dancing, the study found the sport was becoming more popular.
