Local anaesthetic injections

AFL commentator (and Herald-Sun, Fox Footy expert etc.) Mike Sheahan threw down the gauntlet to the AFL, doctors and particularly St. Kilda in a Herald-Sun article on May 7, 2003. He described Fraser Gehrig getting an injection for plantar fasciitis just before quarter time in the Saints match against the Bulldogs. Sheahan referred in a not-too-subtle manner to the Adrian Whitehead case, which has not reached a conclusion, in which Whitehead is suing Carlton Football Club over an injection to the foot that he claims ended his career. Sheahan who correctly noted that the practice is performed at every AFL club, called the use of local anaesthetic "performance enhancing", "a bad image for the game" and "an issue that needs serious attention from the authorities in these sensitive times". On Fox League Teams the following night, Sheahan stressed that he "wasn't necessarily criticising St. Kilda over this matter".

The Footy Show magazine surveyed all AFL clubs in 1999 regarding their policy on local anaesthetic use in players.

To read a detailed argument in favour of local anaesthetic by injuryupdate's Dr. John Orchard, click here (.pdf format reprint from British Journal of Sports Medicine ). To read a scientific paper discussing local anaesthetic use prevalence, click here (also .pdf format reprint from British Journal of Sports Medicine ).

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