I noticed some people in The Mag’s comments section after the defeat to Manchester City were claiming that Anthony Gordon had feigned an injury to get off the pitch.
Why a professional football player, let alone a genuine, ultra-competitive mind like Anthony Gordon, would do such a thing is honestly beyond me.
However, I was recently reminded that I stated that the Swedish rat formerly known as Alexander Isak had no intention of jumping!
However, I think this situation is different.
After not digging through Google’s medical archives for a while, I quickly donned my white coat and mask and set out to investigate the issue of hamstring injuries.
The first thing I discovered is that each hamstring is actually made up of a group of three muscles at the back of the thigh, namely the semitendinosus, semimembranosus and biceps femoris. They are connected by tendons to the pelvis and lower leg. This means you can bend the knee and extend the hip to perform movements such as walking, running and climbing stairs.
All the sources I looked at confirmed my initial assumption (based on watching games and cringing in sympathy at fairly regular intervals) that hamstring injuries are the most common sports injury.
As we all know, football players warm up extensively before a match and this involves a whole series of stretching exercises precisely designed to prevent strains in the soft tissues. However, over the course of a match, players will be willing to endure – at least to some extent – pain in the hip, knee and leg. Warning signs that the hamstring could be under strain and an injury could be on the way!
Hamstring problems commonly include strains. These can be classified into three grades, from the mildest grade 1 to the most severe grade 3. Other problems can include overuse injuries and tendon avulsions where the tendon tears from the bone.
Overuse injuries include proximal hamstring tendinopathy, a condition caused by overuse and poor load management. This leads to inflammation and degeneration of the tendon at the top of the hamstring, typically resulting in deep buttock pain. Hamstring tendonitis involves chronic microtears and inflammation of the tendon as a result of repetitive strain, often causing pain along the tendon itself. I assume and hope that every well-cared for professional athlete will be properly advised and helped to prevent these chronic conditions.
Here are the three degrees of hamstring strain they might experience in more detail, with, crucially, an estimate of the typical period of competitive inactivity associated with each. I can confidently predict that most readers of this article will have experienced at least some kind of Grade 1.
Grade 1 Mild hamstring strain
Typical symptoms include mild tension or discomfort during activity with minimal or no bruising or swelling, and some degree of pain when stretching or contracting the muscle. Patients can walk, although sprinting or running causes pain. The back of the thigh would be tender to the touch.
Expected return to sport: 2-3 weeks.
Grade 2 Partial hamstring tear
This usually starts with a sudden sharp pain during activity that continues while walking, especially upstairs. Bruising and swelling appear within 24 to 48 hours. Patients would experience difficulty bending the knee against resistance, resulting in impingement or some degree of altered gait. The muscle would feel very sensitive.
Expected return to sport: 4–8 weeks.
Grade 3 Complete tear or break
The athlete would feel a sudden, severe pain – often described as a “pop” – and would be unable to continue the activity at the time of the injury. Black and blue bruises and significant swelling quickly appear, with a noticeable muscle deformity or dent in the back of the thigh. A patient would not be able to walk properly or bear weight
Expected return to sport: 3–6+ months
As you can see, the consequences, in terms of the inability to stay competitive, become much more important as you go from grade 1 to grade 3. It would therefore be crucial that a footballer heeds the warning signs and tries to nip any problems in the bud. Breaking that pain barrier when it comes to soft tissue injuries can make the difference between turning to simple pain management (RICE) and exercise therapy for a week or more to surgical intervention. In other words: missing a game or two or half a season!
So where does that leave Anthony Gordon and his opponents?
The accusation was that he went down feeling one hamstring, but as he walked away he felt the other. He had clearly misunderstood his story, they said, and – what’s more – he didn’t even limp!
I didn’t record the game, so I haven’t been able to review the footage to verify these claims, but I’m assuming they’re true. So what? I searched the internet and consulted medical professionals (e.g. my daughter) to find out how likely it is for someone to experience problems in both hamstrings at the same time. There appears to be no accurately quantified evidence, but it is known that individuals with a history of hamstring injuries are at greater risk of injuries to both legs.
A typical “fast” winger, Anthony Gordon’s game is based on devastating bursts of speed with sudden changes of direction. That said, he has missed games in the past, mainly due to hip, thigh and ankle problems rather than hamstring issues – but all leg injuries that could impact the condition of his hamstrings. He definitely fits the profile of a ‘hamstring risk’.
As many of us will have experienced, a muscle problem on one side of our body often causes us to have to compensate to protect that side, which in turn leads to strain on the other side: compensatory injuries. There does not necessarily have to be an injury, but it can lead to cramping of the overloaded muscles.
Anthony Gordon may have felt some discomfort in one hamstring and forced himself to keep going, compensating for that problem and causing a strain on the other side. Feeling that things are getting worse, he has made a decision. Stop, call the physio and assess the situation. Do I want the club to lose me for a game or two or should I try my luck and be out until next season?
I’m glad he chose the sensible option.
Fortunately the problem turned out not to be serious and he was available for the match against Spurs and provided the assist for Jacob Ramsey’s winner. This could indicate that his problem was probably cramps rather than an actual hamstring strain, or that he caught things early and prevented further damage. All types of leg cramps routinely affect both legs at the same time. How many of us have jumped out of bed in the early hours to stretch one calf or hamstring, only to do the same for the other minutes later?
Of course, none of this is decisive. Only Anthony Gordon knows for sure whether or not he “messed up” last week. However, the scientific evidence supports the idea that pain in one leg may be related to pain in the other leg and that normal walking would not be unusual.
Personally, I would go beyond the scientific view and also look at the character of the person.
What is there in Anthony Gordon’s past that would give someone the impression that he is a quitter?
His contribution to the profession as a footballer is his spirited competitiveness.
His game is characterized by his determination and drive to beat the opponent. Ironically, those are the very qualities that made him a loathed figure to many Newcastle United fans when he was at Everton.
A backstory that may explain why certain elements of our fan base are quick to point the finger at him and appoint him the ‘whipping boy’ when things aren’t going well for us.
I could never imagine him putting his tail between his legs and leaving his teammates without him, and it’s outrageous that some people are claiming he did that.
Of course, the focus now is on our captain and talisman, Bruno Guimaraes, who limped around the stadium at the end of the Spurs match after suffering what appeared to be his own hamstring injury. Certainly not someone who messes up again???
#Anthony #Gordon #screwing