The hamstring epidemic

[bobblehead]

Funny what I was about to post and you suffering a hammy injury playing basketball (age probably was a factor). I was about to say the sudden stop/start 100%/0% nature of football is conducive to hamstring injuries. If you follow the NBA, hamstring injuries are relatively rare. NBA players are in constant motion and don't generally do the same kind of sudden acceleration that NFL players do (WR/CB/RB mostly).

My personal theory is that players need to keep moving and keep muscles warmed up as best they can. Its not about stretching as much as it is about just keeping it "ready" or warm.

[Frozen Tundra]

Funny what I was about to post and you suffering a hammy injury playing basketball (age probably was a factor). I was about to say the sudden stop/start 100%/0% nature of football is conducive to hamstring injuries. If you follow the NBA, hamstring injuries are relatively rare. NBA players are in constant motion and don't generally do the same kind of sudden acceleration that NFL players do (WR/CB/RB mostly).

My personal theory is that players need to keep moving and keep muscles warmed up as best they can. Its not about stretching as much as it is about just keeping it "ready" or warm.

Yeah; I think the whole thing was on account of being born too long ago. Age is the top contributing factor for hamstrings, and in over 50 years of competitive sports - baseball, hockey, football, basketball - I never had a hamstring strain until now. Always been really a fanatic about stretching, because I have had tendonitis and similar issues in other joints because of my long frame (according to tyhe doctors).

It actually was initially a Grade I, but I live in rural Kentucky, and the physical therapist was a moron. She turned it into a Grade II (borderline Grade III) 5 minutes into the second session, so I guess you'd have to add incompetent health care to the list of contributing factors. Took 9 more months to recover.

[sharpe1027]

Funny what I was about to post and you suffering a hammy injury playing basketball (age probably was a factor). I was about to say the sudden stop/start 100%/0% nature of football is conducive to hamstring injuries. If you follow the NBA, hamstring injuries are relatively rare. NBA players are in constant motion and don't generally do the same kind of sudden acceleration that NFL players do (WR/CB/RB mostly).

My personal theory is that players need to keep moving and keep muscles warmed up as best they can. Its not about stretching as much as it is about just keeping it "ready" or warm.

I would guess fewer injuries in basketball because you never get up to a full speed.

[Frozen Tundra]

I would guess fewer injuries in basketball because you never get up to a full speed.

That's why I was so surprised when I did this. Not a classic strain of the hamstring muscle, but rather the top of the hamstring tendon, where the muscle tapers into the tendon. It was more a hyperextension and twisting move at the same time, because I planted my foot, pivoted, and made a sudden change of direction and rapid acceleration in the same movement. Too much stress from too many directions at once for a muscle that age, I guess.

My wife (who's 44) occasionally expresses the opinion that I've played as much basketball in this lifetime as I need to play, and cites this incident as evidence. She's probably right, because I know I play way too aggressively. If I have to dial it back a notch, I have a hard time even enjoying myself. Next time it'll be a patellar tendon or an Achilles.

[sharpe1027]

That's why I was so surprised when I did this. Not a classic strain of the hamstring muscle, but rather the top of the hamstring tendon, where the muscle tapers into the tendon. It was more a hyperextension and twisting move at the same time, because I planted my foot, pivoted, and made a sudden change of direction and rapid acceleration in the same movement. Too much stress from too many directions at once for a muscle that age, I guess.

My wife (who's 44) occasionally expresses the opinion that I've played as much basketball in this lifetime as I need to play, and cites this incident as evidence. She's probably right, because I know I play way too aggressively. If I have to dial it back a notch, I have a hard time even enjoying myself. Next time it'll be a patellar tendon or an Achilles.

Basketball is hard to play old, especially if you're not taller than everyone else.

[red]

Funny what I was about to post and you suffering a hammy injury playing basketball (age probably was a factor). I was about to say the sudden stop/start 100%/0% nature of football is conducive to hamstring injuries. If you follow the NBA, hamstring injuries are relatively rare. NBA players are in constant motion and don't generally do the same kind of sudden acceleration that NFL players do (WR/CB/RB mostly).

My personal theory is that players need to keep moving and keep muscles warmed up as best they can. Its not about stretching as much as it is about just keeping it "ready" or warm.

the problem with that (and it does sound good), is that the first article mentions that hamstrings are the most common injury in soccer, and you're almost always moving in soccer (not a lot of 0 to 100 to 0 movement) although a don't think there is anywhere close to as many injuries in soccer as there are in football, but still

[bobblehead]

the problem with that (and it does sound good), is that the first article mentions that hamstrings are the most common injury in soccer, and you're almost always moving in soccer (not a lot of 0 to 100 to 0 movement) although a don't think there is anywhere close to as many injuries in soccer as there are in football, but still

I disagree. Strained vagina is the biggest injury in soccer...and even that is hard to put a number on because 90% of soccer injuries are faked.

[sharpe1027]

I disagree. Strained vagina is the biggest injury in soccer...and even that is hard to put a number on because 90% of soccer injuries are faked.

Annoying as the gamesmanship injuries are, every sport has it's warts. Football has just over 16 minutes of actual play spread out over 3-4 hours. Absent an extreme blowout, only the fourth quarter matters for NBA regular season games. Etc.

[Fritz]

Annoying as the gamesmanship injuries are, every sport has it's warts. Football has just over 16 minutes of actual play spread out over 3-4 hours. Absent an extreme blowout, only the fourth quarter matters for NBA regular season games. Etc.

That's not just annoying; it's a mark of genius. You keep people locked in to commercial after commercial, thus maximizing your profits.

Your point is a fair one, but just for me, the stupid fake injuries are the most annoying of all. I can wait to tune in an NBA game until the fourth quarter, or mute the TV commercials for football while I go work on dinner or post on Packerrats, but the fake injuries and the terrible acting are inescapable.

[sharpe1027]

That's not just annoying; it's a mark of genius. You keep people locked in to commercial after commercial, thus maximizing your profits.

Your point is a fair one, but just for me, the stupid fake injuries are the most annoying of all. I can wait to tune in an NBA game until the fourth quarter, or mute the TV commercials for football while I go work on dinner or post on Packerrats, but the fake injuries and the terrible acting are inescapable.

You just ignore the one dude laying on the ground.

[red]

That's not just annoying; it's a mark of genius. You keep people locked in to commercial after commercial, thus maximizing your profits.

Your point is a fair one, but just for me, the stupid fake injuries are the most annoying of all. I can wait to tune in an NBA game until the fourth quarter, or mute the TV commercials for football while I go work on dinner or post on Packerrats, but the fake injuries and the terrible acting are inescapable.

at least soccer doesn't cut to ads when the guy is faking the injury

i love soccer, but yes, the flopping sucks bad. they need to start carding assholes for that

[sharpe1027]

at least soccer doesn't cut to ads when the guy is faking the injury

i love soccer, but yes, the flopping sucks bad. they need to start carding assholes for that

Hard to implement. There are legit injuries. They just keep playing now if there's no foul, so their team plays a man down while they are on the ground. That's helped get them back up faster at least.