Thanks to modern medicine and continuous scientific breakthrough in sport science, the modern footballer has received a major boost in injury recovery and prevention. However, all the good work done in recovery science is perhaps being outdone by an increasingly congested schedule.
While scientific breakthrough in injury recovery and prevention are important, the solution to the injury and fatigue players suffer from an ever growing fixture schedule may be slightly simpler.
Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, for one, thinks the Bundesliga has the right idea introducing a mid-season “Winterpause” to help players rest and recover (as captured by @iMiaSanMia).
“Last year was my first experience of a long winter break. It really helped me recover in a tough period. It’s a shame they [Premier League] don’t get that break. It’s really important to get away and recharge, even for just a week or so,” said Kane.
Kane’s favour of the Winterpause for recovery isn’t just placebo.
Historically, the Three Lions captain has suffered his biggest injuries just past the midway point of the season. This comes just after the Premier League’s infamous Christmas and New Years schedule, where games take place just about every second or third day. The result of this for many players, especially players like Harry Kane who get a lot of mileage, is injury.
Since joining the Bavarians, Kane has not suffered any major injuries, missing just two games as a result of injury.
Now, it may be a stretch to give all the credit to the Bundesliga’s Winterpause, but at the very least it has been a big help in terms of recovery for Kane and other players alike.
The Premier League and other leagues that do not offer any respite for a packed schedule may soon have to ask themselves whether they value entertainment over the health of their players.
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