I have watched the Folston run a few times and can't really tell how he got such a severe knee injury.
Could the new field turf be to blame?
Could the new field turf be to blame?
The new field turf---Folstons injury?
- Thread starter Bodizephax
- Start date
Yes it could have had an impact. My daughter plays rep soccer (U12 this year) and her coach strongly discourages cleats on artificial turf. First of all girls are more likely to suffer knee injuries in soccer due to physiological reasons but he insists on flat shoes as he would rather the foot gives a little than the knee give a lot.
Turf is a great level playing surface and the current fields are significantly improved over the old "Astro turf" but with the team practicing and playing on it there will be a greater toll physically on their bodies. I find it interesting that so many teams are switching to turf while all but two baseball teams and most high level professional soccer still insist on grass. I understand why ND did it and appreciate the surface in November but I know I did not get the same feeling when I did the tunnel tour and looked out at the plastic grass than I did looking out on the real stuff at Notre Dame Stadium. I wish they had gone with a hybrid system and put in proper drainage and heating to grow great grass.
Extra measures were taken when the field turf was installed to try to curb potential injuries.
And although these extra measures were taken by the University, freak injuries CAN and WILL
still happen on a football field. Just, hopefully, not with regularity. That was the intent.
And although these extra measures were taken by the University, freak injuries CAN and WILL
still happen on a football field. Just, hopefully, not with regularity. That was the intent.
And in contrast to high ticket prices, gargantuan home TV's and high-def broadcasts have greatly improved the home viewing experience.
There were tons of information submitted by ND when they decided to change to turf. One of the biggest being that Turf doesn't discourage or lower the chance of being injured while playing. However it tends to reduce the severity of the injury, in knee, hip, and ankle injuries.
I am the first to admit I don't understand the logic of that. But they said that in multiple reports. If I can find a link to it later I'll link it for you.
At the end of the day, football is a not a contact sport, it is a collision sport. And collisions cause injuries. ND is by no means the only school bit by the injury bug this last weekend. Matter of fact I would argue they were barely in the top 3 of worst injuries in this last weekend.
PITT RB James Conner, MCL out for season last year 1,750+ yards and 26 TD
ND RB Tarean Folston, ACL out for season 800+ yard rusher last season, already lost number 2 RB
BYU QB Taysom Hill, Broken foot out for season
'Cuse QB Terrel Hunt torn achilles out for season
UCLA DE Eddie Vanderdoes, ACL out for season
PSU LB Nyeem Wartman-White *undisclosed, out for season
Clemson WR Mike Williams fractured neck, out indefinitely (in what might be the scariest injury of this week)
Arizona LB Scooby Wright III, Meniscus Tear, 4 to 6 weeks. PAC defensive player of the year last year
It would be interesting to see how many of those (minus the Williams injury) were on turf vs grass
I am the first to admit I don't understand the logic of that. But they said that in multiple reports. If I can find a link to it later I'll link it for you.
At the end of the day, football is a not a contact sport, it is a collision sport. And collisions cause injuries. ND is by no means the only school bit by the injury bug this last weekend. Matter of fact I would argue they were barely in the top 3 of worst injuries in this last weekend.
PITT RB James Conner, MCL out for season last year 1,750+ yards and 26 TD
ND RB Tarean Folston, ACL out for season 800+ yard rusher last season, already lost number 2 RB
BYU QB Taysom Hill, Broken foot out for season
'Cuse QB Terrel Hunt torn achilles out for season
UCLA DE Eddie Vanderdoes, ACL out for season
PSU LB Nyeem Wartman-White *undisclosed, out for season
Clemson WR Mike Williams fractured neck, out indefinitely (in what might be the scariest injury of this week)
Arizona LB Scooby Wright III, Meniscus Tear, 4 to 6 weeks. PAC defensive player of the year last year
It would be interesting to see how many of those (minus the Williams injury) were on turf vs grass
Bodi -
It is hard to see why Folston was injured on that play. Like Ara said, freak injuries can happen on any surface. Do they happen more often on Field Turf? I think the relationship between the Turf and injuries is something that the university needs to track over time.
It is hard to see why Folston was injured on that play. Like Ara said, freak injuries can happen on any surface. Do they happen more often on Field Turf? I think the relationship between the Turf and injuries is something that the university needs to track over time.
Yes, and at home one can get his/her favorite brew and snacks … get up to go to the bathroom without having to wait … and have control over the temperature.
BUT … according to one of my deaf and blind friends who still pays big $$ to go to live football and baseball games with an interpreter, when asked why not stay home and "watch it" on TV since he can't see it either way, "you can't beat the smell of hot dogs at the stadium, the air brushing through your hair and feel the vibrations when the crowd roars at a good play … all things that are missing at home on TV".
I had a grandpa that felt the say way about baseball. His eyesight was too poor to follow the ball on tv or live, and he couldn't hear well even with a hearing aid. But he loved going to games.
Personally, I'd always rather watch live.
We've certainly had a high injury rate since the turf was installed. Who knows. I really hope they go back to grass one day. The field turf just doesn't look or feel like Notre Dame football.
Bodi-
I questioned the same thing about Folston's injury. A few years ago, an NFL Safety Panel report noted what Irishblooded said about reducing the serverity of knee, hip, and ankle injuries. But it ALSO found that Turf appeared to increase the frequency of those same injuries, and concluded that more studies needed to be done.
This isn't directed at any particular posters here, FieldTurf advocates tend emphasize the "less severe injury" findings, while shrugging off legitimate concerns about other injuries. I've always been of the view that people just need to keep an open mind and really question what's safest for players. With the money the NFL and College Football generates, I would think we don't need to get the majority of our information about FieldTurf from studies funded by FieldTurf.
I questioned the same thing about Folston's injury. A few years ago, an NFL Safety Panel report noted what Irishblooded said about reducing the serverity of knee, hip, and ankle injuries. But it ALSO found that Turf appeared to increase the frequency of those same injuries, and concluded that more studies needed to be done.
This isn't directed at any particular posters here, FieldTurf advocates tend emphasize the "less severe injury" findings, while shrugging off legitimate concerns about other injuries. I've always been of the view that people just need to keep an open mind and really question what's safest for players. With the money the NFL and College Football generates, I would think we don't need to get the majority of our information about FieldTurf from studies funded by FieldTurf.
Most ACL injuries are non-contact injuries, and they happen on grass the same way.
I have watched the play several times. It looks like the injury happened when he planted his right foot to make the cut. He stuck his foot in the ground and his knee seemed to give. I don't think the result would have been different if it had been a grass surface.
Lots of good answers. Thanks.
Like most of you I played sports through highschool (football and wrestling). Ran a lot of obstacle courses in the Marines. Have been running marathons for years with lots of trail runs and I have never had problems with my knees. I have had stress fractures in my feet and have a bad hamstring on the right side that still bothers me a little today.
I have been lucky -- I have twisted my knee when I fell running full speed down a steep hill on the trails but I just got up and kept running.
I think my tendons around my knees are extra strong from all the trail running. When I do a lot of weekly miles I make sure I get off the asphalt as much as possible and run on the dirt trails---I think that really helps.
Folston is a super strong conditioned athlete--- I think he creates more pressure on his knees when he does a quick turn.
I also think the highly conditioned running backs do so much heavy weightlifting with the squats and all the heavy strength training that may make their knees more susceptible to injury. I weight train but not anywhere near what Folston or players like Adrian Peterson do.
This is just a theory that is out there ( about the athletes muscles being to big for their infrastructure).
You guys have any thoughts about this? Too much power lifting?
Like most of you I played sports through highschool (football and wrestling). Ran a lot of obstacle courses in the Marines. Have been running marathons for years with lots of trail runs and I have never had problems with my knees. I have had stress fractures in my feet and have a bad hamstring on the right side that still bothers me a little today.
I have been lucky -- I have twisted my knee when I fell running full speed down a steep hill on the trails but I just got up and kept running.
I think my tendons around my knees are extra strong from all the trail running. When I do a lot of weekly miles I make sure I get off the asphalt as much as possible and run on the dirt trails---I think that really helps.
Folston is a super strong conditioned athlete--- I think he creates more pressure on his knees when he does a quick turn.
I also think the highly conditioned running backs do so much heavy weightlifting with the squats and all the heavy strength training that may make their knees more susceptible to injury. I weight train but not anywhere near what Folston or players like Adrian Peterson do.
This is just a theory that is out there ( about the athletes muscles being to big for their infrastructure).
You guys have any thoughts about this? Too much power lifting?
When you look at these guys, their thighs are huge, their calf muscles are huge. the joint that connects them, the knee, doesn't have much room for strengthening. Are there any exercises that can even strengthen the ligaments and tendons? Not an orthopedist so I cant answer that one.
What is next, the new Jumbotron will cause injuries on defense preventing us from going undefeated again?
