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Overworked schoolboy footballers' health at risk?
BY DANIA BOGLE Sunday Observer staff reporter bogled@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, November 14, 2010
AT least two medical doctors have admitted that there is a serious deficiency of focus on the health of young footballers and that more attention needs to be paid to that area.
Surgeon and doctor of Integrative Medicine Carlton Fraser told the Sunday Observer that the evidence suggests that enough due diligence is not being put in before young athletes are sent out into competition.
FRASER… playing six matches in 12 days would be beyond what is normal
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FRASER… playing six matches in 12 days would be beyond what is normal
1/1
This, he said, was highlighted by the fact that five young men had died in action since November last year. The latest was a 12-year-old Excelsior footballer who collapsed and died while playing in September.
"Playing six matches in 12 days would be beyond what is normal," Dr Fraser said. "There is no reason to put anyone through that, especially for an endurance activity."
He noted that the bodies of Manning and daCosta cups players were still in a developmental stage and that overwork could adversely affect their physiological development. Against that background he stressed the importance of sufficient hydration.
"They are more prone to injury unless you adequately hydrate them," Dr Fraser said.
Dr Fraser, who has many years' working experience with national teams to international competitions, was supported by Dr Guyan Arscott, chairman of the Jamaica Football Federation's Medical Committee.
"This does not necessarily mean just having medical personnel and an ambulance, for example, at matches. I think players' health means more than that. It means ensuring the well-being of players at all times, not just during a match, and this should apply even more so in the younger players," said Dr Arscott.
"The education and health of these players must go hand-in-hand and I know that FIFA is really keen on seeing how football can help community development, so clearly we shouldn't ignore one over the other."
However, Orthopaedic surgeon and Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association second vice-president Dr Warren Blake said that while six matches in 12 days was a lot, many schoolboy football players trained several days of the week anyway.
"The only thing that is really different from the training is the competitiveness and the contact nature of it," he told the Sunday Observer.
Still, he admitted that many matches in so short a period might be a bit over the top. "Six matches in 12 days might be a little much... competing so much in a short space of time will put you at a greater risk... it might be more stressful," he said, adding that the physiological pressure might take a toll.
"There is an increased propensity to sprains and strains because football really puts a lot of stress on your knees," Dr Blake said.
Dr Fraser's ideal schedule would include Sundays, allowing players at least two days' rest between matches. "I would not play three matches in six days... one day off is going to be very stressful," he emphasised.
He pointed out that even in the adult Premier League, matches were only played on Sundays and Wednesdays.
"The senior player can better handle that. Hormonal build-up is at full capacity. Teenagers are still changing voice, still developing muscles. Their recovery machine is not as effective, especially in endurance type situations," he stated.
"A lot of it is ignorance and neglect," Dr Fraser stated. "Everyone just feels they are young and strong. We cannot get into philosophies and opinions about it anymore because basic scientific fact is there."
Dr Blake noted, however, that once players had left school and were out of that situation of constant playing they were unlikely to feel any ill-effects of the rigorous schedule of their youth.
"Unless they get some major damage to the knee there should be no major lasting side effects," he said.
Dr Blake added that his own son is a competitive swimmer who had also endured many hours of training and that had he been a football player, he would not have restricted him from playing, even if he had as many as six matches in less than two weeks.
Chief of psychiatric health at the University Hospital of the West Indies Dr Wendel Abel said that he did not believe that the strain would take too much of a mental toll on players.
"Yes, they are under pressure, but I don't know if the psychological toll is going to be that great," he told the Sunday Observer.
"A lot of these guys are accustomed to playing under rigorous conditions. It's just that it makes any competitive sport difficult, and under normal circumstances they would be under pressure and when the environmental conditions are challenging, it's going to add to the pressure," he added.
But according to Dr Arscott, there might be danger elsewhere: "Apart from the physical stress and fatigue and the increased risk of injuries, they run a risk which is quite often not understood, and that is a loss of appetite for the game, which clearly does not bode well for quality players among them to ascend to the national senior programme.
"I think the whole thing needs to be looked at. We have seen where athletes have been burnt out in track and field, and very talented athletes having just not gone on after leaving high school, and I'm sure the same thing is happening in football," he pointed out.
Nonetheless, Dr Abel remained resolute. "Human beings are very resilient," he insisted. "It's not a situation where there have been any reports or any increased signs or incidences when people play under these conditions. If that were the situation, they would not have matches... matches would not be played under such conditions."
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...-risk-_8057244
BY DANIA BOGLE Sunday Observer staff reporter bogled@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, November 14, 2010
AT least two medical doctors have admitted that there is a serious deficiency of focus on the health of young footballers and that more attention needs to be paid to that area.
Surgeon and doctor of Integrative Medicine Carlton Fraser told the Sunday Observer that the evidence suggests that enough due diligence is not being put in before young athletes are sent out into competition.
FRASER… playing six matches in 12 days would be beyond what is normal
[
FRASER… playing six matches in 12 days would be beyond what is normal 1/1 This, he said, was highlighted by the fact that five young men had died in action since November last year. The latest was a 12-year-old Excelsior footballer who collapsed and died while playing in September.
"Playing six matches in 12 days would be beyond what is normal," Dr Fraser said. "There is no reason to put anyone through that, especially for an endurance activity."
He noted that the bodies of Manning and daCosta cups players were still in a developmental stage and that overwork could adversely affect their physiological development. Against that background he stressed the importance of sufficient hydration.
"They are more prone to injury unless you adequately hydrate them," Dr Fraser said.
Dr Fraser, who has many years' working experience with national teams to international competitions, was supported by Dr Guyan Arscott, chairman of the Jamaica Football Federation's Medical Committee.
"This does not necessarily mean just having medical personnel and an ambulance, for example, at matches. I think players' health means more than that. It means ensuring the well-being of players at all times, not just during a match, and this should apply even more so in the younger players," said Dr Arscott.
"The education and health of these players must go hand-in-hand and I know that FIFA is really keen on seeing how football can help community development, so clearly we shouldn't ignore one over the other."
However, Orthopaedic surgeon and Jamaica Amateur Athletic Association second vice-president Dr Warren Blake said that while six matches in 12 days was a lot, many schoolboy football players trained several days of the week anyway.
"The only thing that is really different from the training is the competitiveness and the contact nature of it," he told the Sunday Observer.
Still, he admitted that many matches in so short a period might be a bit over the top. "Six matches in 12 days might be a little much... competing so much in a short space of time will put you at a greater risk... it might be more stressful," he said, adding that the physiological pressure might take a toll.
"There is an increased propensity to sprains and strains because football really puts a lot of stress on your knees," Dr Blake said.
Dr Fraser's ideal schedule would include Sundays, allowing players at least two days' rest between matches. "I would not play three matches in six days... one day off is going to be very stressful," he emphasised.
He pointed out that even in the adult Premier League, matches were only played on Sundays and Wednesdays.
"The senior player can better handle that. Hormonal build-up is at full capacity. Teenagers are still changing voice, still developing muscles. Their recovery machine is not as effective, especially in endurance type situations," he stated.
"A lot of it is ignorance and neglect," Dr Fraser stated. "Everyone just feels they are young and strong. We cannot get into philosophies and opinions about it anymore because basic scientific fact is there."
Dr Blake noted, however, that once players had left school and were out of that situation of constant playing they were unlikely to feel any ill-effects of the rigorous schedule of their youth.
"Unless they get some major damage to the knee there should be no major lasting side effects," he said.
Dr Blake added that his own son is a competitive swimmer who had also endured many hours of training and that had he been a football player, he would not have restricted him from playing, even if he had as many as six matches in less than two weeks.
Chief of psychiatric health at the University Hospital of the West Indies Dr Wendel Abel said that he did not believe that the strain would take too much of a mental toll on players.
"Yes, they are under pressure, but I don't know if the psychological toll is going to be that great," he told the Sunday Observer.
"A lot of these guys are accustomed to playing under rigorous conditions. It's just that it makes any competitive sport difficult, and under normal circumstances they would be under pressure and when the environmental conditions are challenging, it's going to add to the pressure," he added.
But according to Dr Arscott, there might be danger elsewhere: "Apart from the physical stress and fatigue and the increased risk of injuries, they run a risk which is quite often not understood, and that is a loss of appetite for the game, which clearly does not bode well for quality players among them to ascend to the national senior programme.
"I think the whole thing needs to be looked at. We have seen where athletes have been burnt out in track and field, and very talented athletes having just not gone on after leaving high school, and I'm sure the same thing is happening in football," he pointed out.
Nonetheless, Dr Abel remained resolute. "Human beings are very resilient," he insisted. "It's not a situation where there have been any reports or any increased signs or incidences when people play under these conditions. If that were the situation, they would not have matches... matches would not be played under such conditions."
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport...-risk-_8057244
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