The hidden reason for ACL injuries in GAA & why females are far more at risk

What factors contribute to the high prevalence of ACL injuries in the GAA and why are females more at risk? Why do hurlers recover better from ACL surgery than footballers? And how are GAA players outpacing the AFL in return-to-play rates?

These are just some of the findings from the biggest ever ACL study in the GAA.

One of its lead authors, rehab specialist, biomechanics PhD, and Kildare S&C coach Neil Welch, breaks it all down on this week’s episode of the Humans of Gaelic podcast.

He also shares advice on what players and coaches are still getting wrong in ACL rehab.

In this episode, we also cover:
• The role of the inter-county S&C coach in the off-season
• Hamstring injuries and the best exercises to help prevent them
• How to structure ACL rehab for better outcomes
• Warm-up design for injury prevention
• The role of movement analysis in spotting risk early
• Exercises every player should be doing to protect their ACL
• ACL recovery rates in GAA vs pro sports
• Why female players are more at risk of ACL injuries than males

Whether you’re a coach, an athlete returning from injury, or just want to avoid common mistakes - this is essential listening.

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Time stamps:

• ACL injury trends in GAA (3:45)

• Why most rehab skips cutting work (9:00)

• Is NordBord testing enough? (15:30)

• Key benchmarks before returning to play (22:15)

• Hamstring strain risks during deceleration (28:00)

• Why multi-directional mechanics matter (35:00)

• What AFL can teach GAA (42:00)

• How to assess movement quality (47:30)

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