Knee injuries not uncommon: AFL

Long term injuries to Cyril Rioli and Tex Walker a huge blow for AFL.

Adelaide Crows forward Taylor Walker being helped off the MCG by trainers. Picture: Wayne Ludbey. Source: Herald Sun

Injured Crow's star Taylor Walker leaves the ground on crutches. Picture: Colleen Petch. Source: News Limited

THE AFL is not concerned by the amount of season-ending knee injuries that have occurred this year.

Adelaide's Taylor Walker yesterday became the 13th player this season to fall victim to a year-ending knee injury, with scans confirming he has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

He will have a traditional knee reconstruction in the coming days following his sickening fall in the first quarter of Saturday's loss to Carlton at the MCG.

But the chief of the AFL medical officers association, Dr Hugh Seward, said a high ratio of knee injuries at this time of the season is not uncommon.

The 2012 AFL Injury Report states 16 players had knee reconstructions last year, but most were the result of early-season incidents.

By the completion of Round 5 there were already 11 players on the long-term injury list owing to knee injuries.

There were 12 players on the long-term injury list after Round 5, 2011 because of knee injuries -- the same as now -- seven in 2010, eight in 2009 and 11 in 2008.

Dr Seward said it was unfortunate to see so many players felled by knee injuries, but said he is not worried a new trend is developing.

"If you look back on each season, the first five or six weeks contain a similar number of ACL injuries,'' Dr Seward said.

"It appears to be a condition that is predominantly at the start of each season, so at this stage it doesn't look as if it's much different from the trend over the last 25 years.

"It probably relates to the hardness of the ground and the type of grass that grows over the summer as well as the condtioning of the players, their conditioning further improves as the season goes on.

"I'm asked the same question each year because it happens each year in the same way and we get a couple of high profile players go down.''

Walker, 23, also suffered damage to the lateral aspect of the joint in his knee.

He was one of three players to suffer year-ending knee injuries last weekend, Fremantle's Kepler Bradley and Collingwood's Alan Toovey being the others.

Adelaide general manager of football administration Phil Harper said the club is "devastated'' to lose Walker for the year.``But we know how professional he has become in his treatment of injuries,'' Harper said.

"He will be given the best possible treatment and rehabilitation program to help him get his knee prepared for the rigours of AFL football.''

THIRTEEN'S UNLUCKY

Players to suffer ACL injuries this year:
Claye Beams (B.L)
Kepler Bradley (Frem)
Alex Johnson (Syd)
Daniel Markworth (StK)
Daniel Menzel (Geel)
Anthony Morabito (Frem)
Jon Patton (GWS)
Alan Toovey (Coll)
Ryan Schoenmakers (Haw)
Matthew Suckling (Haw)
Taylor Walker (Adel)
Alex Woodward (Haw)
Stephen Wrigley (B.L)

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