I got injured two weeks ago at training and found out that it is damaged cartilage in my knee.Out for another month at least.I know this is not bad especially considering this is my first injury and im sixteen.Just wondering whats the worst injury youve got,how long you were out for and what did you do to keep yourself occupied?

dubs4eva (Dublin) - Posts: 484 - 05/07/2010 20:48:41    697387

I suffered many injuries during my playing days, and there's some I never recovered from. gaelic games are kinda rough and tumble and everyone gets injured at some point!
I am glad you brought this up , because players give so much to the game there's so little compensation. Mind yourself!

Bigapple (Kerry) - Posts: 495 - 06/07/2010 16:37:17    698447

I've had very bad troubles with my hamstrings. Tore the left one when I was seventeen and can't really go more than a month without one going. Very frustrating.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13795 - 06/07/2010 17:04:03    698505

MesAmis I know your trouble as do alot of others. I've played ball at a high level in both soccer and gaelic. I was never injured until I got to about 18/19 and since then it has been a pain in the liathroidi.

My first real injury was a bad turn that damaged my ankle ligaments. This can put a lot of strain on the other ankle and so to improve overall stability you need to work on specific exercises to build them back up. In short since then I've broken my foot(twice), broke a knuckle, broke same hand(twice), been knocked out, tore my right hamstring twice. broken ribs and more recently needed an operation to remove torn cartilage in my knee.

The cartilage injury is not too bad to recover from. Once you stick to the regime that the physio gives you you'll be grand(after operation). The hamstring was a killer as you never know when it is right but I've always found plenty of rest and loads of stretching works. No kicking a ball for at least half an hour!.

My main trouble now is the ankles, the bone itself seems to hurt more than the muscle but hey what would we do without the ball............................

LiathroidiMor (Louth) - Posts: 258 - 06/07/2010 17:25:09    698537

I'm not bring smart here but the worst injury to my low level playing career has been alcohol.

It slows you down, it stops you from making that ball, being all you can be. A few pints are great, but the damage big sessions can do is huge. And alcohol also stops you healing when you get a muscle tear or broken bone, or any injury really.

Advice to younger lads aged 16-20, there will be plenty time for it when you hang up the hurley/boots, concentrate on the games.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 06/07/2010 17:53:29    698592

Had cartilage removed at about your age...can't say I remember what I done, probably went to a good few matches.
Done the cruciate two years ago in the first round of the cship. Done a lot of gym work for the next year and can say when I was ready to go back training I wasn't physically fit I was in decent shape. You can go to the gym and concentrate on upper body while your knee is getting right and even before you go back playing the recovery plan will be building up the leg again and getting on the bike, so my advice is get to the gym 2 to 3 times a week. Don't waste your recovery time.

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 06/07/2010 18:27:58    698640

ive been very lucky.ive never been injured for a lenght of time..(touch wood)
all that happened was i got concussed..

pidge (Cork) - Posts: 543 - 06/07/2010 18:28:48    698644

Tore my cruciate ligament and had cartilage torn on both side of my knee only just coming back there after 8 and a half months, Hard to get the confidence for turning on it too quickly.

Pure_full_hi (Monaghan) - Posts: 74 - 06/07/2010 18:31:49    698650

Thanks for that lads.I said i was lucky earlier but i really see how lucky i am at the moment when i see whats happened to most of ye.Thanks for the advice

dubs4eva (Dublin) - Posts: 484 - 06/07/2010 20:04:52    698741

Tore a calf muscle a few years ago and ruptured ligaments in my ankle last year. They have been the worst but have had a few other niggling injuries along the way.

men_of_49 (Meath) - Posts: 2003 - 07/07/2010 08:10:12    698936

I did my cruciate earlier this year lots of physio and gym work to rebuild it , its gona be next year before i kick a ball !!

john1980 (Meath) - Posts: 262 - 07/07/2010 12:16:31    699160

Every time i play i break me feckin' fingers!!

omahonys_man (Meath) - Posts: 229 - 07/07/2010 12:30:18    699187

Broke my ankle when i was 18 have a steel plate there now, happend on my first game back after the leaving cert ruined my whole summer. Also recieved a few nasty head wounds requiring stitches and lost a few teeth in my time.

tommyjohn (Monaghan) - Posts: 64 - 07/07/2010 13:44:01    699323

tommyjohn Do you pure beep when you go in the Airport!!! :O

Orlaith (Derry) - Posts: 4282 - 07/07/2010 14:03:46    699353

Tore my right cruciate ligament when I was 15 and took me 2 years to come back(operation was a lot diffrent back in the 80's) and my cruciate in my left knee left when I was 28 1 year to come back,I ve also done cartilage in my right knee and the usual odd groin strains.It was difficult to come back but would do it all again.Looking back at all injuries suffered by my teammates and myself I would say that 90% of them have had knee/hip or back injuries as a result of playing gaa it would not of stopped them had they known.Keep the head and stick with it rewards definitly out weigh the pain.

bistokid (Dublin) - Posts: 65 - 07/07/2010 14:12:22    699374

omahonys_man
County: Meath
Posts: 99

699187
Every time i play i break me feckin' fingers!!
__________________________________________

LIES...........You just want an excuse to be lazy and not go midfield!!! :-P

dammon (Meath) - Posts: 1291 - 07/07/2010 14:13:15    699375

Countless ankle ligament problems ( the favoured left has to be taped up now with a horse bandage when taking the field ), smashed my nose after clashing heads with another fella whilst running at full tilt ( apparently a truly horrific sight to eye witnesses! ) and now that I'm in the mid thirties the body is starting to creak and have had ostetis pubis (inflammed pubic bone/groin problem) and hamstring origin tendonitis. Certainly the body is not able to stand up to the demands of intensive training as well once you hit 31/32 and it takes longer to recover after games and from injury.

Laytown Legend (None) - Posts: 424 - 07/07/2010 14:53:23    699439

Anyone with niggling injuries, should visit the Sports Surgery Clinic in Santry and get checked out by the experts in sports related injuries. I am aware of someone who was going from one quack to another and did not get sorted until they went to the experts here !!

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 07/07/2010 14:59:46    699448

Orlaith
I take a note from the doctors with me when going abroad which sorts out any problems which may arise.

tommyjohn (Monaghan) - Posts: 64 - 07/07/2010 16:04:55    699539

Smashed my leg in several places playing Hurling, had over a half dozen operations to sort it out and then i badly broke a thumb and finger playing that required a few operations

freetaker1 (Limerick) - Posts: 758 - 07/07/2010 18:14:23    699722