Arsene Wenger has attributed Arsenal’s recent spate of injuries to medications players were taking for hair loss among other things. While Arsenal medical staff remain unconvinced and continue their investigations, Wenger insisted that medication taken for cosmetic purposes may lead to a build up of toxins that ultimately results in players becoming more fatigued and therefore more injury prone.
Wenger sited the example of Aaron Ramsey sustaining a thigh injury while playing in a fatigued state on Boxing Day last year as proof that playing tired may result in injury. He did not suggest that Ramsey was also suffering from hair loss or erectile dysfunction however.
All jokes aside, how do you know when a player is susceptible to injury?
Chelsea FC medical staff use range of movement restrictions as a guide. Jon Fearn, first team physio at the club recently described how he uses hip abduction range to decide whether players have increased adductor muscle tightness and therefore may be susceptible to adductor tears after a spate at the club in recent seasons.
If range of motion deficits indicate a player should be rested, what do these restrictions represent?
Muscles do not increase in tension for the fun of it. Your central nervous system regulates tension in the muscular system and it does so with your safety in mind. Tightness is therefore protective and represents overload elsewhere in the muscular system. The tightness is not the problem but rather a solution to the problem to keep your joints stable.
The more you overload the muscular system, the greater the potential of an inhibitory response and the tighter you will become as a result.
It is this specifically that leaves players prone to injury and not hair growth potions or penis medicine. How old are the Arsenal players anyway?!