Back in the 1960s and 70s?

[oldtimeram]

Players did not have ACL injuries, so what has changed since then? 

Is it the the boots?

Is it the training methods?

Is it the pitches?

Is it lack of pre game preparation?

Are players just made of glass nowadays?

Something has changed for this type of injury to occur?  I seriously cannot ever recall a player getting this injury back in the 1960s and early 70s?

Thoughts people?

[Guest]

Been a huge increase in the strain players put their bodies under both in terms of athleticism and number of games being played.

[RamNut]

I think it’s the pitches. 
we’d be sliding around on mud by now in the 60 and 70s but the surface of the pitch never seems to cut up or give way now. We used to see ground staff with pitchforks replacing divots at half time. When did we last see that?

it is strange how certain injuries seem to be characteristic of particular eras. Back then it was broken legs, cartilage injuries, and Achilles’ tendons.

then in the 90s? It was a metatarsals.

and now these previously unheard of acl injuries. 
 

p.s. I don’t think that it’s a coincidence that it was pishing it down for both the bielik injury and George thorne’s pre-season acl.

 

[Sparkle]

Lots of players around nowadays who have never been involved in real tackling - so they don know how to actually do it and they tend to over stretch their leg rather than tackling with their body weight behind them - tackling has effectively been banned nowadays so it’s no surprise players can’t do it properly 

i do wonder sometimes if some of the modern injuries are received by players trying to make their diving look effective!

[SaintRam]

It's not a particularly simple answer.

Partially, it will be the pitches. The biggest two causes of ACLs in football are pivoting your body (or your body being pivoted by a tangle) when your foot is planted, and trying to stop suddenly. On old pitches, as @RamNut says, the force applied to the ground when either of these things happened would cause the looser surface to give way. To this, I don't know this for sure, but it seems like ACL injuries are less common in lower leagues with worse pitches?
On modern pitches, maintaining a smooth surface is seen as a priority for improving the pace of the game and making it better to watch.

But there are plenty of causes for ACLs that aren't linked to the pitch quality; and many of those will also be more common in the modern game as players now are more athletic. Their movements are a lot more explosive and put more strain on their knees. Players also jump higher on average, meaning its more likely someone will land awkwardly. 

The only cause I'd think is less likely in the modern game is an impact injury to the knee, which we just don't see very often in the modern game. But even then, injuring an ACL from an impact injury is quite rare.

 

[Millenniumram]

I seem to remember there being a few reports suggesting that there might be a link between these new part artificial pitches and the increased number of ACLs. There’s got to be something causing it, it’s too much of a coincidence for the numbers to be rising like they are, but no one knows for sure. Guess it’s something that needs a bit of research over the next few years.

[RamNut]

32 minutes ago, SaintRam said:

The only cause I'd think is less likely in the modern game is an impact injury to the knee, which we just don't see very often in the modern game. But even then, injuring an ACL from an impact injury is quite rare.

Unless you are in the back of a car.

[Rampant]

How many of our players' ACL injuries have occured at Pride Park as opposed to elsewhere?

[Dambuster]

2 hours ago, oldtimeram said:

Players did not have ACL injuries, so what has changed since then? 

Is it the the boots?

Is it the training methods?

Is it the pitches?

Is it lack of pre game preparation?

Are players just made of glass nowadays?

Something has changed for this type of injury to occur?  I seriously cannot ever recall a player getting this injury back in the 1960s and early 70s?

Thoughts people?

Roy McFarland did but at Wembley playing for England which probably adds to the grass v bare pitches theory.

[oldtimeram]

43 minutes ago, Reg Matthew's Cap said:

Roy McFarland did but at Wembley playing for England which probably adds to the grass v bare pitches theory.

I thought was a snapped Achilles tendon but I stand to be corrected?

[FindernRam]

I think players height has some effect, longer limbs mean more torque into the knee for any given load at the foot.

Also the lighter ball today with lighter boots means (with a longer leg) a different kicking style than in the old days. A quick unscientific google of old footy pics seems to show old 60.s 70's players tended to hunch more over the ball and the kicking leg was very bent. today more upright and straighter legs---any sport science folks on here?

[oldtimeram]

Interesting theory

[Dimmu]

You don't need ACL to play football.

Bunch of wimps the players nowadays. 

[RamNut]

49 minutes ago, oldtimeram said:

I thought was a snapped Achilles tendon but I stand to be corrected?

Correct 

 

[RamNut]

Other possible factors:

stupid haircuts

excessive tattoos

social media accounts

shirt sponsorship 

socks that come in two halves

 

 

[oldtimeram]

Not enough trips to the Joiners too

Drinking excessively helps strengthen the ACL 

[Will Hughes Hair]

5 minutes ago, oldtimeram said:

Not enough trips to the Joiners too

Drinking excessively helps strengthen the ACL 

Explains why I'm one of the few not to have had one ?

[oldtimeram]

Me too

[Dambuster]

1 hour ago, oldtimeram said:

I thought was a snapped Achilles tendon but I stand to be corrected?

The memory fades over time, I’m sure you are correct, I think he landed badly after challenging for a header.

[Bob The Badger]

I'm not even sure they called them ACL injuries then but used more generic terms like knee strain.

I think it's like American Football where they are a way of life, players are fitter, stronger and faster, but you cannot strengthen your ACL - or your achilles for that matter.