Why do so many players get injured in the modern game?

[Robbie]

When I first started watching Notts they had 11 players & 1 sub only in a game. Pitches became very poor & bare during the winter, & the tackles used to fly in too.

Players became injured but not to the extent that we see today. There could be many reasons for this.

The game is faster now, players do more running around, & they are required to employ the high press, which requires more energy which together, puts strain on ankles, knees, muscles & ligaments.

The game is a squad game now where more players are used in a game. Medical monitoring has advanced where injuries can be detected much earlier, whereas in the past players would play on with niggles & injuries undetected.

There are more games played too, compared to the past. The way the game is played has changed to, with teams employing a passing game, rather than a direct style.

Training has become more rigourous, with players required to be much fitter compared to those players in the past., hence players getting injured during training.

So is it a case that players of yesteryear were much tougher than those of today or are the increase in injuries just down to the rigours of the modern game, the way it is played, what is expected of a player now & the improvement in injury detection?

[Wheelbarrow repair man]

I think @Robbie that back in the Day Football was played by Real Men. There was none of this falling over an opponents boot and Rolling around in Agony in an attempt to get the player booked or sent off. Then once that's been achieved the injured Player is up and about running around like a Blue Arsed Fly. That's the Old Fashion Answer to your Question. Now let's look at it from a Modern Day Perspective.

Like you say the Game is now much faster paced (most of the time) and the strain on a Players body as increased Dramatically and perhaps even with the Training methods employed today the Body can only take a certain amount of Punishment despite all the Nutrition and Medical  and other Experts employed by a Club. Then of course there is the constant Demand for success, this puts players under constant Stress and Pressure to Perform Well and he may get into a Situation, where there is a greater chance of him getting injured. Take the recent injury to Curtis Edwards. I am Not saying this is what happened it's just conjecture. But there is an expectation at Notts that the Magpies (being a Big Club in League2) should be pushing for and obtaining Promotion. So just supposing Curtis saw a the chance of getting Notts a Penalty and that's why he went and challenged the keeper, possibly 8 or 9 times out of 10, he would have jumped over the Keeper but hoping to get a Penalty he carried on then fell awkwardly and now he as an injury, that will keep him out till Christmas or perhaps even longer.

On top of all the Stresses and Strains both on and off the Pitch there is of course a Players Mental Health. One of their children maybe ill or a family  member or best friend may have passed, all this will take a Toll on a player, and now with more games to play and the Modern Game being a Squad game, some players may have the worry, that should he lose his place in the Starting XI , how will he get back into the First Team? Ask most Players and will say that they want to play in every game. And a player used to being on the Team Sheet suddenly finds himself kicking heels and just being a Squad member his mental, state may become a problem which can only be helped if the player seeks help. That may also be a Reason why some Players turn to Alcohol or even Drugs.

Confidence is also a factor. Look at Macca (who hopefully is Mentally Strong) trying to force his way into the Millwall starting line up, and once there will he take unnecessary risks in an attempt to stay there, which may also result in him putting himself in situations, where Injury is a Bigger Risk? Officials must also take some of the Blame, talented players such as Notts own Jodi Jones are going to be,( brutally in some cases) fouled time and time again during a Match, and if the Referee doesn't clamp down on bad play eventually Jodi is going to receive any injury, that could keep him out of the Notts Line Up for sometime.

[Robbie]

Some good points there WBRM.

I also think that Clubs nowadays demand a certain level of fitness from their players, that is a much higher level compared to what was acceptable years ago.

They also tend to want to manage an injured player's return to the senior side, for instance Palmer & Scott, (over several weeks), in a way that doesn't risk the injury returning.

When you consider Notts have Robertson, Scott, Edwards, McDonald & Ness out, that's a big chunk out of a 22 man squad.

Just speculating, but I wonder if McDonald & Ness were just not fit enough to the level for what Notts required?

[super_ram]

When I first started watching the Rams there wasn't even one substitute. If a player was injured it was up to the trainer to get him mobile again. He would run on to the pitch carrying a bucket of water and a 'magic sponge' and a shoulder bag with bandages etc. A quick splash of cold water and the player would usually be alright to continue. On field treatment was very primitive back then. Occasionally,  if the injury was serious, the player would be carried off on a stretcher to sympathetic applause and play would continue with his team now down to 10 men. Sometimes the injured player would stay on but wouldn't be able to perform effectively so would go on the wing and hobble about trying to be of nuisance value..How times have changed.

[Chris]

It's possible that injuries were around back then, just that the players played through them (less severe injuries). At what point has football had people who declared players unfit to play? Brain Stubbs once told me, he played when in discomfort but that he carried on because he didn't want to miss playing. I think the art of tackling is dying off, due to the stricter rules about fouling opponents.

There's some very good challenges which are now deemed as fouls, but the increase in players suffering broken legs or more serious issues comes from badly timed or poorly judged tackles.

It might have something to do with the studs on players' boots, although again it probably comes down to how they collide with players these days.

Also, players train a lot more these days. That puts stress on the bodies, where training used to be quite friendly and more group based fun. Now, it's heavy drills, running, exercises and much more demanding. I don't want anyone to jump on this comment, but I mean in the past training was more like a kick around with your mates - now it's competitive and players are often injured because teams take it too seriously.

[NiftyNick]

I have no idea, but football has evolved a lot over the years, and all sports put a demand on people’s physical bodies. I do think some parts are for the protection of the player.

[Countyman]

It’s an interesting question, one I am unsure about what could be the cause. I do think training has become more demanding, that is a fair point, but at the same time, looking after players has improved. Pitches are much better these days, no longer resembling mud pools, but we still have awful ones like Bradford’s sandy pitch. It does make you wonder.

[menzinho]

Now I never saw football in the 80s or earlier but my dad usually reminds me of all these great players from back in the day and which of them he was fortunate to meet and most of these stories have one thing in common – they all met in the pub!

Football was a totally different sport in a way, I would guess the level of fitness was on a different level and that players were rarely pushed to their limits, unlike the players of today. Players these days are like finely tuned machines, they train a lot more, they play more games and are basically pushed to their maximums.

I think it’s also worth noting that even before players make it as professionals, they’ll have played loads of games and trained regularly in academies – again almost in the same way as pros do. I think a good few years ago there was a bit of research done by arsenal looking into why their academy players who had graduated to the first team suffered so many injuries and it was do with young players in academies effectively playing too much football. At a young age bodies aren't fully developed and picking up injuries at this time can make you more sceptical to picking up injuries again the future.

[liampie]

@menzinho the point about the academies is spot on, i would agree with this having an impact on some players. i would say that there is an art to tackling, which is becoming harder to see these days. mind in the 80s i am surprised more injuries was not caused with some of the thugs on the pitch.