Meath Forum

ACL & Chronic Injuries

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Replying To Cabbagepatch1667:  "Clearly volume and workloads are having a massive impact on ACL occurrences, the demands on players is crazy, but they also have to look after themselves too. I think we've gotten to a point where players are afraid to slow down in case it gives out the wrong message, or looks like they're not committed etc..

Most of these lads don't stop, there's no break all year. Whether that's playing for their country, their club, other sports, gym work, training etc.. It's 5/6 days a week, close to 52 weeks a year. Not sustainable. Not for amateur athletes anyway

While I don't know for sure if he was playing football, but Conor Gray was over in America during the summer with a number of others such as Charlie O'Connor, I'm going to assume they were playing as that seems to be be the norm now. So even when players are supposed to be taking a break or easing off, the're still playing.

Something needs to give here, ACL injuries are becoming far too frequent."
Yes, clearly something has to give as things are getting out of hand now. The schedule is far too grueling and I think that, while the new rules have been a success from the point of view of spectators and fostering more competition from counties who have struggled recently (such as ourselves), serious questions have to be asked and investigated as to how they are effecting players, primarily county players. These are people who play this sport as amateurs, and an ACL injury can severely affect the personal lives of players. I know none of the county players would quit playing for the county but you wouldn't blame some of them.

We might need to change the structure of our competitions if this trend continues going in the current direction. There are simply so many games, so much high intensity training to be done. Would shortening the All-Ireland series be in order?

Gray, O'Connor and Morris all went over to play football in America almost immediately after we were defeated by Mayo.

This is a big issue that needs to be addressed by the GAA as a whole.

RoyalStalwart24 (Meath) - Posts: 116 - 17/08/2026 11:42:00    2690164

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I think the weather has been a big factor in these ACL injuries. Good few Achilles issues around clubs at the moment too.

I've never seen pitches so hard, very unforgiving on the joints.

begining (UK) - Posts: 333 - 17/08/2026 16:18:21    2690216

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So in the past year, AI tells me Meath have 4 ACLs, Kerry 2, then 1 each for Dublin, Tipp,Down, and Monaghan.

What gives with Meath numbers?!

bert09 (Meath) - Posts: 1859 - 19/08/2026 17:50:57    2690484

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I wonder would it have to do with squatting heavy weights.If you look at bodybuilders lifting weights they all have straps on their knees and backs when lifting weights but no one in my club anyway have straps on their knees when lifting weights.You can of course just be unfortunate like twist the wrong way or get clattered with your knee planted but to have what 5/6 ACLs in one year from the same team?Its strange and maybe the s and c should be reviewed to see if there is an issue.

Proudroyal (Meath) - Posts: 424 - 20/08/2026 09:58:52    2690547

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Funny, I had a conversation with a friend on the increasingly prevalent back stress fracture. We were discussing whether lads of 13/14 going into the gym, unsupervised, was having an influence of the number of injuries. Really we only have word of mouth, (not always very reliable) on the number of these injuries. From my point of view, I know 3 juveniles with a diagnosis. Perhaps, scanning has become more efficient and we are increasingly aware of these injuries; I didn't see many over the previous 30 years. IMO, loading is certainly having an effect. It would be brilliant if one of the universities teamed up with Meath GAA on a research paper. Identify where, when & how! Identify exercise regime, type, time etc. Remember, most of these lads also have jobs 5/6 days per week; Recovery time is limited, especially on those with physical jobs and who are driving to/from work for 2 hours a day. It would be interesting to see if there is any correlation between load and injury. Hopefully someone will commission a research paper. I wish all the lads à speedy rehab.

Blueyellowandwhite (Meath) - Posts: 22 - 22/08/2026 23:53:19    2690920

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Replying To Blueyellowandwhite:  "Funny, I had a conversation with a friend on the increasingly prevalent back stress fracture. We were discussing whether lads of 13/14 going into the gym, unsupervised, was having an influence of the number of injuries. Really we only have word of mouth, (not always very reliable) on the number of these injuries. From my point of view, I know 3 juveniles with a diagnosis. Perhaps, scanning has become more efficient and we are increasingly aware of these injuries; I didn't see many over the previous 30 years. IMO, loading is certainly having an effect. It would be brilliant if one of the universities teamed up with Meath GAA on a research paper. Identify where, when & how! Identify exercise regime, type, time etc. Remember, most of these lads also have jobs 5/6 days per week; Recovery time is limited, especially on those with physical jobs and who are driving to/from work for 2 hours a day. It would be interesting to see if there is any correlation between load and injury. Hopefully someone will commission a research paper. I wish all the lads à speedy rehab."
This injury is severely under diagnosed.
Symptoms appear as muscle spasms so Doctors/Physios tend to put it down to weakness or tightness.

mlc800 (Meath) - Posts: 72 - 23/08/2026 11:11:11    2690937

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Time to get the new pitches in dunganny checked, apparently 2 more there today.

Islander21 (Meath) - Posts: 40 - 23/08/2026 17:16:48    2690968

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Clubs need to start to refuse to play on it

hurlit (Meath) - Posts: 455 - 24/08/2026 09:59:57    2691041

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Replying To Islander21:  "Time to get the new pitches in dunganny checked, apparently 2 more there today."
Checked for what exactly?

Meathgaa5 (Meath) - Posts: 340 - 24/08/2026 17:01:30    2691143

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Replying To Meathgaa5:  "Checked for what exactly?"
The surface or the type of grass used, there have been 5 or 6 acl injuries on p6 this season alone. Thats way out of line with other pitches through out the county.

Islander21 (Meath) - Posts: 40 - 24/08/2026 22:08:59    2691170

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Replying To Islander21:  "The surface or the type of grass used, there have been 5 or 6 acl injuries on p6 this season alone. Thats way out of line with other pitches through out the county."
Type of grass used? Lord above its grass, the same grass that is on every other pitch. A lot of expert physios and Pitch maintenance people around the county the past few days. Pitch 6 in Dunganny is used for a lot of games, hence why the numbers of players injured there is a higher. The surface is the best in the county, and the best maintained for the weather we have had the last few months. Maybe managers that are pointing fingers looking for excuses for injuries should look a bit closer to home. Injuries happen, they are part of the game, however I don't think teams recover enough between games and training sessions. That is within managers control. Do teams need to be pounding the ground 3 times a week all year round? Maybe reduce your training load around matches.

BigJoe14 (Meath) - Posts: 1021 - 25/08/2026 14:06:52    2691242

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Replying To BigJoe14:  "Type of grass used? Lord above its grass, the same grass that is on every other pitch. A lot of expert physios and Pitch maintenance people around the county the past few days. Pitch 6 in Dunganny is used for a lot of games, hence why the numbers of players injured there is a higher. The surface is the best in the county, and the best maintained for the weather we have had the last few months. Maybe managers that are pointing fingers looking for excuses for injuries should look a bit closer to home. Injuries happen, they are part of the game, however I don't think teams recover enough between games and training sessions. That is within managers control. Do teams need to be pounding the ground 3 times a week all year round? Maybe reduce your training load around matches."
Yes. Same logic applies to why there are so many car crashes on M50. There is always risk when players go out and play but don't think you can blame a surface. Ankle injuries are more common on poor surfaces. Fatigue/recovery and also weight and strength imbalances and possibly footwear play a parr.

winatallcost (Meath) - Posts: 1053 - 25/08/2026 16:59:36    2691278

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Replying To BigJoe14:  "Type of grass used? Lord above its grass, the same grass that is on every other pitch. A lot of expert physios and Pitch maintenance people around the county the past few days. Pitch 6 in Dunganny is used for a lot of games, hence why the numbers of players injured there is a higher. The surface is the best in the county, and the best maintained for the weather we have had the last few months. Maybe managers that are pointing fingers looking for excuses for injuries should look a bit closer to home. Injuries happen, they are part of the game, however I don't think teams recover enough between games and training sessions. That is within managers control. Do teams need to be pounding the ground 3 times a week all year round? Maybe reduce your training load around matches."
Completely agree that Pitch 6 is in excellent condition. Most club pitches are like concrete with sparce covering. Dunganny 6 has great grass coverage with good give under the feet. That pitch is being used regularly and therefore bound to have a number of injuries. They have probably hosted 40 or fifty Championship Matches, most clubs will have hosted <3 matches.
A study has to be taken in a scientific way (evidence based) rather than opinions based. It may indicate if any pattern is there. Eg. Age, Sex, Level (county/club, junior/senior etc), Location, Weather conditions etc etc.

Blueyellowandwhite (Meath) - Posts: 22 - 25/08/2026 18:16:40    2691287

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Again, I'm no expert on these things but I suspect it's a combination of training regimes / recovery and the modern style of play which involves cutting and turning a lot. You put a gym honed upper body trying to turn quickly on hard ground and it's going to put huge pressure on the knees. I would imagine the only solution is to place more emphasis on prevention by carrying out specific strengthening exercises.

gwanyagudthing (Meath) - Posts: 220 - 26/08/2026 10:09:23    2691342

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