Players and adminstrators can still participate in ACL injury survey 

There is still time for players and administrators across the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Associations to assist with an ongoing research project into ACL injuries in Gaelic Games.

Players and club administrators are being asked to complete an online survey that will feed into research which has the goal of reducing the occurrence and impact of ACL injuries given the physical, psychological, and financial toll they exact.

There has already been a strong response to the survey which remain open until Friday, April 10.

"Thank you to all the players and clubs who have already taken the time to respond to the ACL injury survey,” said Liam Moffatt of the GAA’s Medical, Scientific, and Welfare Committee.

“The response so far has been hugely encouraging and highlights the strong engagement across the Gaelic games community.

“There is still time for those who have not yet taken part, and we would encourage all eligible participants to complete the survey before it closes on Friday, 10 April."

What is this research project about?

ACL injuries in Gaelic games can lead to prolonged absences from activity, surgical intervention, rehabilitation and substantial direct and indirect costs to players, clubs and the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association (O’Connor et al., 2023; Roe et al., 2018). The GAA’s Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee is assisting with a research project aiming to inform prevention strategies, present advice on resource allocation and assist with best practice guidance in this space across the three Associations. The next key stage of the project asks for the engagement of (i) club administrators and (ii) players at all levels who have suffered an ACL injury during their career, through the completion of two distinct surveys. This research is being conducted in conjunction with the School of Health and Human Performance at Dublin City University.

Why is this research being conducted?

The long-term goal of this research is to help reduce the impact of ACL injuries within Gaelic games given the physical, psychological, and financial impact they have. To facilitate this goal, we must first understand the impact that ACL injuries are having on affected players and our clubs.

Who is eligible to participate?

To be eligible to participate, you must be either (i) a club administrator who has experienced the impact of ACL injury through players within your club or (ii) a current or former Gaelic games’ player, aged 18 or older, who has experienced the impact of ACL injury while participating in Gaelic games’ activity.

How do I participate and what is involved?

If you decide to participate, you will be asked to complete an online survey which will take approximately 5 minutes to complete if you are a club administrator, and approximately 10 minutes to complete if you are a current or former player.

Club Administrator Survey

This survey aims to gain a better understanding of the scale of ACL injury occurring within Gaelic games and the subsequent impact on clubs. The long-term goal is to help reduce the prevalence of ACL injuries given the physical, psychological, and financial impact the injury causes.

Link - https://dcusurveys.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0Vdi5hjuq3G3bUO

Player Survey

This survey will include questions about your ACL injury history, the code you were participating in when the injury occurred, the mechanism of your injury (e.g., landing, turning or contact), the rehabilitation carried out and based on your experiences, the physical, psychological or financial impacts caused by the injury. You will also have the option to share a video of your injury if you have access to one, and to provide a contact email address if you wish to participate in future ACL-related research.

Link - https://dcusurveys.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d1in7cBwkUJJAHQ