What is expected from my body in a game of Gaelic football?

8889m = the average total distance run in a game of football. The distance covered decreases through the 2-4th quarters respectively 1596m = high speed running distance. Significant reductions in the 2nd – 4th quarters. = sprint distance = accelerations = peak speed

Players in the middle three positions (half back, midfield and half forward) complete the highest running performances Conclusions at the end of this study indicates a reduction in exercise intensity over the duration of elite Gaelic footballs matches. Questions arise over this cause being due to fatigue, pacing, nutritional strategies employed by players?

The Running Performance Profile of Elite Gaelic Football Match Play
8160m = Average distance 1731 = high speed average game 25min 445 = sprint distance of 44 sprint actions 30.3 km h =peak velocity 184 = Accelerations 2.6 = accelerations per minute
Positional match running performance in elite Gaelic football

So how important is past experience and being physically fit?
A study looking at the epidemiology of injuries in male Gaelic football players in one season indicated that the match injury rate was 25.1 per 1000h of playing and was significantly higher in new players in their first year 41.6 injuries per 1000h than senior players 12.7 injuries per 1000h.

Epidemiology of injury in male collegiate Gaelic footballers in one season
Another study looking at injury risks in elite Gaelic footballers highlighted playing experience and high aerobic fitness appears to offer protection against injury compared to players who were playing their first season or who had poorer fitness.

Aerobic Fitness and Playing Experience Protect Against Spikes in Workload: The Role of the Acute: Chronic Workload Ratio on Injury Risk in Elite Gaelic Football.

What are the most common injuries in Gaelic football?

• Over a football season the lower limb accounted for 71% of all injuries
• Hamstring 15.5%
• Knee 14.1%
• Ankle 11.3%
• Soft tissue injuries predominated with strains 32.4% and sprains 27.5%
• Over the course of the season 31% of the injuries required imagery to be taken and 12% required surgery.

Epidemiology of injury in male collegiate Gaelic footballers in one season
Match injuries were frequent in Gaelic footballers 9.26 per 1000h and hurlers 11.11 per 1000h than training juries 2.69 per 1000h.
Over a quarter of injuries were overuse in nature footballers 26.7% and hurlers 26.5%
Recurrent injuries were also frequent 47%
Hurling injuries by region: Lower limb 58% knee 20%, ankle 10%, hamstrings, and lower back 22%
Football injuries by region: Lower limb 74.7% knee 18.7%, ankle 12%, hamstrings 13%, lower back
Injuries through the season were minor 61.7%, moderate 20.8%, and severe 37.5% with more minor injuries more common in hurling

Epidemiology of injury in male adolescent Gaelic games

• Showed a lower incidence rate of 4.05 per 1000 hours of football training
• Match play injury rates were higher at 61.86 per 1000 hours
• 42.6% injuries were muscle related
• 4.4% were fractures
• Hamstrings injuries were the most common injury 24% of all injuries and over half of all muscle injuries
• ACL = 13% injuries
• 74.7% new injuries
• 23% recurrent injures
• 59% injuries occurred in the second half
• 86% caused 1 week off play

Incidence of injury in Gaelic football: a 4 year prospective study
These injuries can be costly to clubs and their players with the average claim costing 1158euros. Adult claims being higher than your claims and a greater amount of claims being made by Gaelic football players over hurling claims.

Injury Scheme Claims in Gaelic Games: A review of 2007 – 2014
As a result of injury 65% of players unable to participate fully for 1-3 weeks 47% injuries occurring in the final quarter of games and training

Incidence of injury in elite Gaelic footballers
Dehydration is another risk factor when participating in sport. There has been a number of studies which have concluded that Gaelic football players do not drink enough fluid to match their sweat rates. This loss of electrolytes may cause fatigue, cramping and injury as well as recovery

Fluid and electrolyte balance in elite Gaelic football players 2008
Treatment

• Prevention programs
• Fitness
• Skills
• Experience
• Epidemiology of injury in male collegiate Gaelic footballers in one season
• Diet
• Caffeine
• Carbs
• Water sweat