What's with all the calf injuries?

"This study reported a five times higher risk of developing a muscle strain after a SARS-CoV-2 infection in elite male football players. Although this association should be examined further, it is possible that short-term detraining effects due to quarantine, and potentially pathological effects of the SARS-CoV-2 infection are associated with a higher risk of muscle strain injury."

Meta-analysis:

The effects of COVID-19 on our health are still poorly understood. We only know that the virus sometimes has a lasting impact on health. And it is still circulating. Young people (including athletes) can therefore become infected without knowing it and subsequently develop health problems. Teams may need to review their protocols and training and playing methods to limit these additional risks...
 
Darn, hope it's nothing to do with that, because if it is, we're never likely to work it out.
 
My personal theory. I’m not a doctor, not a scientist, I have no evidence. It’s just what I think. Pro athletes have always pushed their bodies to their limits. In the last several decades, we’re starting to see more and more where those limits are. The average human is not supposed to throw a baseball 100+ mph or jump 40 inches off the ground or lift 500+ pounds. They’re all things that push the body to its limit where the body will just break down or implode. We’ve also seen more arm blowouts, UCL tears that lead to Tommy John. And more body builders getting torn pecs and broken wrists while lifting. Basketball players jump higher and higher, run faster, cut harder, beyond what the body is supposed to be doing. All of it puts extra stress on the body.

The Achilles tendon is something you can’t strengthen. It’s not a muscle. You can strengthen the muscles around it and near it. Once the stress and strain pushes the Achilles too far, it starts to affect the calf muscle. And you can’t strengthen the tendon itself. So like a rubber band, once it snaps, it snaps. So any calf strain is something that should be taken seriously and closely monitored.
 
couchman said:
I mean, Timmy actually had all of those injuries for the last 5+ years of his career. He just played through it on most nights.
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Tim averaged 67 games played over his last 5 seasons. They also moved him from the low post to the high post to savecwear and tear on his body. They definitely managed his minutes, games, and health.
 
Good article from YahooSports. Injuries are piling up at a record pace already this season.



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SolDragon said:
The Achilles tendon is something you can’t strengthen. It’s not a muscle. You can strengthen the muscles around it and near it. Once the stress and strain pushes the Achilles too far, it starts to affect the calf muscle. And you can’t strengthen the tendon itself. So like a rubber band, once it snaps, it snaps. So any calf strain is something that should be taken seriously and closely monitored.
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That's not exactly true. They heal and strengthen a bit like muscles, but much much slower. Since they don't have their own blood supply, you can use things like massage, stretching and hydrotherapy. The advantage to that is it can be done independently of the muscles' recovery phase.

Again, I don't know if that's being done, and the big factor is that we all know that Victor stretches.
 
Ni-G said:
eu.usatoday.com

From Tatum to Haliburton, why are Achilles injuries surging in the NBA?

Achilles tendon ruptures are on the rise. Examining the causes of the most devastating injury in the NBA and what can be done to prevent it.
eu.usatoday.com eu.usatoday.com
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There have been 63 known Achilles tendon ruptures in the 55 NBA seasons since 1970, excluding the one that began two weeks ago. Yet, 29 of those ruptures – or 46% – have occurred over the most recent 13 seasons, at a rate of 2.23 ruptures per season.

Those data are skewed by last season’s record-high seven ruptures
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So let me get it straight: 48 Achilles ruptures in 54 NBA seasons before last, at a rate of 0.89 per season... 7 Achilles ruptures in ONE season??? That is one statistical anomaly. Damn.
 
There is something to be said about the jerky-jerky, stop-start style of play we have today being a possible culprit as well. Fewer ankle injuries but more Achilles and calf injuries?

Great recent video about the gather step and how it has changed the game.
 
Correct Crusader said:
The truth is that modern play is so much more intense on NBA players bodies.
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You might be onto something. Players in the past banged bodies playing in the half court while players today shoot 3's and run back and forth non stop for 48 minutes. Even with the physicality of a bygone era, maybe that half court game saved their legs?
 
koriwhat said:
You might be onto something. Players in the past banged bodies playing in the half court while players today shoot 3's and run back and forth non stop for 48 minutes. Even with the physicality of a bygone era, maybe that half court game saved their legs?
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So you're saying the game's current play style could be its Achilles heel?
 
are injuries piling up or is the trend of players resting to nurse injuries that people used to just nut up and play through piling up?
 
There's definitely more caution being applied to lower leg injuries.
Just one bad injury can take a team from title contention to lottery, and if you don't own your own picks it gets very scary.
 
spurraider21 said:
are injuries piling up or is the trend of players resting to nurse injuries that people used to just nut up and play through piling up?
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add to the fact that Luka got traded because he refused to play with the similar injury he suffered Christmas last year. That is were all the he is uncommitted to fitness stuff started coming out to manufacture consent for the trade.
 
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