AFL Injuries

AFL injuries knee and ankle landing assessment with sports physiotherapist — Assessing landing control after AFL injury.

Common AFL Injuries and Why They Happen

AFL injuries often affect the hamstring, calf, ankle, knee, groin, shoulder, neck and head. Australian rules football combines sprinting, kicking, jumping, landing, tackling and fast direction changes, so injuries may occur suddenly or build when training load rises too quickly.

AFL places repeated high-force demands on the body. Some injuries happen during a tackle, mark, sprint, kick or awkward landing. Others develop over weeks when running, gym, kicking or contact loads exceed recovery.

In most players, symptoms cluster around the knee, ankle and hamstring. However, groin pain and calf pain also show up, especially during pre-season, finals pushes and sudden load spikes.

If you play similar running-and-contact sports, compare injury patterns with soccer injuries, rugby injuries and broader sports injury physiotherapy.

Quick Guide: Common AFL Injury Patterns

Sprinting and kicking: hamstring strain, calf strain, groin pain and hip flexor irritation.
Landing and cutting: ankle sprain, ACL injury, meniscus injury and kneecap pain.
Tackling and contact: shoulder injury, neck pain, concussion, rib injury and wrist or hand trauma.
Load spikes: tendon pain, recurring soft tissue pain and next-day training flare-ups.

Incidence: AFL and AFLW injury reporting for the 2023 seasons recorded 34.9 and 12.3 new time-loss injuries per club per season, with lower-limb injuries prominent.⁵

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Where Do AFL Injuries Occur?

AFL injuries most often affect the lower limb, but contact injuries can also involve the shoulder, neck, head, wrist, hand and ribs. The exact injury pattern depends on the player’s position, training load, match exposure, strength, recovery and previous injury history.

Knee injuries — deceleration, pivoting, landing from marks and contact.
ACL injury — planted foot, sudden change of direction or awkward landing in a contest.¹
Ankle injuries — tackling, landing on another foot, uneven steps or repeated bracing demands.¹
Hamstring strain — sprint efforts, high-speed running and kicking volume, especially after running-load changes.²
Calf strain — repeated accelerations, short recoveries and rapid changes in running demands.²
Groin strain — kicking loads, cutting, bracing and repeated change of direction.³
Shoulder pain — falls, tackles, marking contests and ground contact.³
Neck pain and concussion — head-to-ground or head-to-body contact.^1,4

AFL injuries change of direction drill coached by sports physiotherapist — Coaching safer cutting and deceleration.

Why Does AFL Cause So Many Injuries?

AFL causes many injuries because players repeatedly move between jogging, sprinting, braking, jumping, turning, kicking, tackling and absorbing contact. These movements create short peaks in force rather than one steady workload.

Fatigue can also reduce timing and control. This can make late-quarter contests, landings and cutting movements riskier. Surface firmness, footwear, weather, congested fixtures and rapid training changes can also influence injury risk.

AFL Injury Risk Often Rises When:

running volume or sprint work increases too quickly
players return after illness, travel, holidays or time off
strength work does not match match-day running and contact demands
previous hamstring, calf, groin, ankle or knee injuries remain under-rehabbed
fatigue changes landing, cutting, sprinting or tackling technique

Who Gets AFL Injuries?

AFL injuries affect juniors, community players, school players, masters players and elite athletes. Risk often rises after a jump in running volume, sprint work, gym load, contact exposure or match intensity.

Previous injury also matters. Recurring hamstring strain, calf strain, ankle sprain and groin pain can persist if the return-to-play plan finishes too early.

Even when pain feels manageable, performance can drop first. For example, you may lose speed, hesitate to cut, avoid jumping or pull out of contact because confidence falls before symptoms spike.

Most Common AFL Injuries

The most common AFL injuries include hamstring strains, concussion, calf strains, ankle sprains, knee injuries, groin pain and shoulder injuries. These problems can affect sprinting, kicking, jumping, tackling, marking and match fitness.

Hamstring strain
Often occurs during sprinting or kicking, especially when running demands change quickly.
Concussion
May follow contact or head-to-ground impact and needs a conservative, stepwise return-to-play process.
Calf strain
Can flare with repeated accelerations, high running loads and short turnarounds between sessions.
Ankle sprain
Common after tackles or landing, and may leave “giving way” if rehab stops too early.
ACL injury
Often involves a planted foot with a sudden change of direction or an awkward landing in a contest.
Meniscus injury
Can occur after twisting or contact, sometimes with catching, locking, swelling or reduced knee confidence.

How Can Physiotherapy Help AFL Injuries?

Physiotherapy for AFL injuries usually starts with a clear movement, strength and load assessment. Your physiotherapist may assess sprint tolerance, landing control, cutting mechanics, joint range, strength, balance and match-task confidence.

From there, treatment often focuses on reducing pain, restoring movement, rebuilding strength, progressing running load and preparing for football-specific demands. This may include hands-on treatment, taping, bracing advice, exercise rehabilitation, running progression and return-to-contact planning.

Exercise physiology can support conditioning, strength development and long-term capacity. Meanwhile, massage may support comfort and recovery, particularly when paired with an exercise plan and sensible load targets.

When Should You See a Physiotherapist?

You should consider physiotherapy if pain changes how you run, kick, jump, land, tackle or train. Early assessment can help identify whether symptoms are likely to settle with load changes or need a more structured plan.

Pain that persists beyond a few sessions or keeps returning
Swelling, bruising, locking, catching or a sense of instability
Reduced speed, jump power or confidence to cut, tackle or mark
Symptoms that worsen with training load or flare the next day
Recurring hamstring, calf, groin, ankle or knee symptoms
Any suspected concussion or ongoing headache, fogginess, dizziness or balance change

Red Flags After AFL Injury

Seek urgent medical advice if you have suspected concussion, severe pain, major swelling, deformity, inability to weight-bear, worsening neurological symptoms, or symptoms after head or neck trauma.

Injury Prevention Tips for AFL

AFL injury prevention works best when players build capacity gradually and practise the exact qualities that the game demands. That includes sprinting, deceleration, single-leg strength, landing control, trunk control, contact tolerance and recovery habits.

Build running volume gradually, then add speed work in planned blocks.
Progress hamstring strength with both hip-dominant and knee-dominant patterns.
Train single-leg strength and trunk control for cutting and landing.
Practise deceleration and change-of-direction technique when fresh.
Use jump-and-land drills to improve knee alignment and control.
Manage contact load in training, especially in congested weeks.
Maintain calf capacity with calf raises and ankle stiffness work.
Prioritise sleep and recovery during pre-season and finals pushes.

Returning Safely to AFL

Returning to AFL works best when you increase exposure in steps. Pain levels, swelling, running quality, strength, confidence and next-day response all matter. A rushed return can increase recurrence risk, especially after hamstring, calf, ankle, groin and knee injuries.

Return Stage	What To Progress	Why It Matters
1. Settle symptoms	Pain, swelling, range, walking and basic strength	Builds the base for safer training progression.
2. Rebuild capacity	Strength, balance, calf capacity and hamstring strength	Prepares the body for running and football load.
3. Add running load	Jogging, tempo running, accelerations and sprint exposure	Restores speed tolerance without sudden spikes.
4. Add football tasks	Kicking, cutting, jumping, landing, marking and tackling drills	Tests match-specific movement and confidence.
5. Return to play	Controlled training, full training, then match minutes	Allows staged exposure before full match intensity.

AFL Injury FAQs

What are the most common AFL injuries?

Common AFL injuries include hamstring strains, concussion, calf strains, ankle sprains, knee ligament injuries, meniscus injuries, groin pain and shoulder injuries. These injuries reflect the sport’s sprinting, kicking, tackling, landing and cutting demands.

Why are hamstring strains common in AFL?

Hamstring strains are common in AFL because players sprint, kick, accelerate and decelerate repeatedly. Risk can rise when high-speed running load changes quickly, when fatigue affects sprint mechanics, or when previous hamstring strength and running exposure have not been fully restored.

When should I worry about a knee injury after a tackle or landing?

You should seek assessment if the knee swells quickly, feels unstable, locks, gives way or prevents you from walking normally. A planted-foot twist, awkward landing or contact injury can affect structures such as the ACL, meniscus, kneecap or other knee ligaments.

What should I do if I suspect concussion?

Stop playing immediately if concussion is suspected. Do not return to the same game or training session. Medical advice and a stepwise return-to-play process are important because symptoms can change over time and premature return may increase risk.

How do you return to AFL after injury?

Return to AFL should progress from pain control and strength into running, sprinting, cutting, jumping, landing, contact, full training and match play. The plan should match the injury, symptoms, fitness, position demands and next-day response.

Can physiotherapy help prevent recurring AFL injuries?

Physiotherapy may help reduce recurrence risk by identifying strength gaps, mobility limits, poor load tolerance, landing-control issues or sprinting deficits. A prevention plan often includes strength work, running-load planning, movement retraining, recovery strategies and sport-specific progressions.

AFL injuries return to kicking drill supervised by sports physiotherapist — Building confidence for return to AFL.

What To Do Next

If AFL injuries are limiting your training, match play or confidence, a physiotherapist can assess your movement, guide load management and support a staged return-to-sport plan.

Book an appointment if symptoms keep returning, affect performance or make you unsure about safe training progression.

Muscle & Soft Tissue Products

These muscle and soft tissue products are commonly used by our physiotherapists to relax or loosen muscles, improve strength, comfort, flexibility, and home exercise programs.