Greg Francis is among a growing number of Australians tearing their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Login or signup to continue reading The number of ACL injuries have risen by 5.2 per cent a year in males and 6.
2 per cent a year in females over 20 years. The Medical Journal of Australia published the data this week, saying increased participation in sport was "a significant contributor" to the rise. A study, which involved the University of Sydney and Football Australia, called for a "national, evidence-based program for the primary prevention of ACL injuries in amateur football players".
There were also calls for an "ACL registry" to evaluate the evidence. Mr Francis, of Ourimbah on the Central Coast, has played football for more than 30 years. The 54-year-old competes in an over 35s competition for Gosford City Dragons.
Asked if he thought his age was a factor in his injury, he said "I don't think it is". "In my situation, it was probably sheer dumb luck. Just the way the bloke fell on me.
"It wasn't a dirty tackle, it was wrong place, wrong time." Football Australia states that its "Perform+ injury prevention program" had reduced the risk of players rupturing their ACL by 45 per cent. The medical journal study cited this program, saying it "combines running, plyometric and strength exercises in a 20-minute warm-up".
It added that ACL injuries had "significant economic costs". "Is prevention better, or at least more cost-effective, than cure?" a journal editorial asked. Mr Francis believes so, especially after surgery left him $8000 out of pocket.
The surgery, done at a Sydney private hospital, cost $11,000 in total. As well as ACL repair, it included an arthroscopy on his meniscus and an MCL [medial collateral ligament] replacement. "My knee was a mess," he said.
"I rang my health fund and they said 'why didn't you pick an orthopaedic surgeon who participates in our scheme'." This scheme reduces gap costs for patients. "My surgeon was listed as participating in that scheme," Mr Francis said.
However, the surgeon told him he was no longer part of it. "I'd question why a specialist would not be participating," Mr Francis said. "The health funds are either making it too hard for them to get their money, or they're out of pocket.
" The private hospital sector has been under financial pressure for years, with operators saying benefits paid by private health insurers are too low. However, a medical insider told the Newcastle Herald that situations like the one Mr Francis faced can occur when insurers ask surgeons to charge a certain fee. This can lead surgeons to stop participating in their gap schemes, as they want to set their own fees.
"It's about insurers trying to put downward pressure on fees," the insider said. Mr Francis said he would be "looking closer at what my hospital cover provides". "Over 26 years in my health fund, my wife and I have paid over $172,000 for the family," he said.
"It costs us $530 a month for health insurance. "In saying that, my wife had a double knee replacement last year, which was about $52,000." Her doctor did participate in their gap scheme, so they were only $1000 out of pocket.
"It's swings and roundabouts," Mr Francis said. Health and medicine, science, research, nutrition, sport. Health and medicine, science, research, nutrition, sport.
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