New survey reveals shocking abuse of young GAA players

From:The Irish Independent

BECAUSE the GAA is such a massive organisation, sometimes small but significant events can pass by without getting the attention they deserve. We had an example of this last week when the results of a survey among 262 GAA players who took part in the 2004 championships were published.This survey did not deal with referees, the playing rules, off-the-ball incidents, or anything directly related to the games.Maybe that's why it was almost ignored.But, in fact, it was a very important survey which was carried out by Dr Doug Veale, a consultant rheumatologist, and doctors from St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin.

As a result of their research, Dr Veale was able to inform us that GAA players have a 65 per cent chance of developing arthritis compared to just 10 per cent among the ordinary community.This astonishing figure should be sending alarm bells ringing throughout the GAA, but I doubt if it will.Numerous warnings have been given in recent years about the over-use, or should that be abuse, of GAA players, particularly young players aged 16 to 21.Experienced GAA stars who are now leading lights in the medical field, Dr Pat O'Neill and Dr Gerry McEntee among others, have been giving these warnings, having been alerted by the large number of GAA players who end up as patients in their clinics.Dr Veale's survey, however, gives us definitive proof that the way players train for hurling and football at inter-county level should carry a government health warning.Even without any formal surveys, many of us already know about the medical legacies that come with a GAA playing career.All over the country, there are men in their fifties, sixties and seventies who walk with a limp, are nearly crippled with bad backs or have bent or crooked fingers.These are the results of injuries during their playing days, which in more spartan and ignorant times, were not properly attended to medically when they occurred.

Not alone that, but in those days players often played away even though they were injured, thus aggravating the initial damage.In those days, it was often seen as a badge of cowardice to be injured, while any 'hard man' who played with an arm in plaster or a crocked leg was seen as heroic.Many of these heroes, sadly, have paid a high price in later life for their abuse of their own bodies.Dr Veale's survey should worry the people who lead the GAA because it shows an extraordinary high incidence of arthritis among players.I'd say many of these sufferers are people who underwent the then new keyhole surgery in the eighties for cartilage removal operations.

Prior to that, a cartilage operation meant a player being in plaster for a couple of months and being out of action for half a year.Then keyhole surgery came in and players were doing exercises a few days after the surgery and were back playing within 30 to 40 days.But unfortunately many came back - or were pushed back - too soon and many of these players have arthritis in their knees now.Only they can decide if that quick return to the playing fields was worth the deteriorating quality of life which they are now experiencing.Dr Veale mentioned some of the things that are needed to be done to lessen the risk of injuries which can lead to early arthritis.

Closer co-ordination between the various people involved with teams - doctors, physios, team trainers, managers, etc - is essential so that players with particular body physiques, bone structures, flexibility tolerances etc, can be identified and their training geared to their individual traits.This might be possible at county level where there is a whole array of medical people attached to teams, but the vast majority of GAA players only play at club level.It is here that the greatest damage is done in terms of inadequate medical care and particularly inadequate post-injury care.Players are still being rushed back far too soon to play for 'the lads' before an injury has healed up.And as the club progresses nearer to the county final, players are prevailed upon to 'tog out as a sub' even though they are unfit to play.Then comes a crisis point in the big game and the manager turns to the injured player and says: "Johnny, we are in trouble, is there 10 minutes in you at full-forward?"

No self-respecting clubman could let down the parish.I wonder how many players have gone through that experience and lived to regret their rash decision for the rest of their lives?The abuse of young players - by asking them to play for and train with with several teams - is now recognised as one of the biggest problems facing the GAA.It is usually the best young hurlers and footballers who fall into this category and they can be playing with half a dozen different teams.This means they never get a chance to recharge their batteries and never give small injuries enough time to heal.The cumulative effect of this over a few years can be catastrophic from a medical viewpoint, and also from a playing viewpoint as it often drives these talented young players out of the game.One solution which the GAA could try if they had the will to do so is to impose upper age limits .

This would mean that Under-16 players could not play U21 for instance, or U18s could not play senior.But because so many GAA clubs have not really got enough players at youth level to justify their existence as a separate club, such rules will never be passed.Instead, the abuse through overuse will continue. Players will continue to be forced to give up the game in their prime because some injury was not given time to heal when they were 18.If Dr Veale's survey helps to focus some GAA minds on this overuse and abuse it will have served the GAA well.