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Keatley's place kicking practice volume has been reduced due to injury. ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
osteitis pubis

In focus: Managing injuries is part of professional rugby

Munster’s Ian Keatley has been carrying a pubic bone problem, which has restricted his training.

SOMETIMES THE THINGS that remain unseen affect a player the most.

Personal issues, contract negotiations and injury management can all prove to be undesired distractions for professional rugby players, with all three often flying under the radar of the public’s perceptions of those very same people.

Ian Keatley of Munster has been dealing with the latter issue this season, with a niggling groin problem causing him discomfort. For supporters and the media – looking on from outside the camp – it is not always immediately obvious that a particular player is carrying an injury during games.

Medical intervention means that the twice-capped Ireland international has been free of the symptoms in-game, but it is during the week where the real issue lies. Keatley’s ability to train at full tilt has been compromised, as he explained to TheScore.ie.

It’s a condition called osteitis pubis. It’s bruising of the pubic bone, which sends shooting pains down your legs. I take a few painkillers for games, but it does affect you during the week. But I’m starting to manage it a lot better during the week, so it is slowly but surely getting there.

“It does take a couple of months to get over. I think a few guy have gotten surgery with it, but obviously with myself and JJ being the only 10s in the Heineken Cup squad, that’s not really an issue at the moment. So I’ll just load manage that and hopefully get through to the end of the season.”

imageJJ Hanrahan has been coping with a similar issue. ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan.

Keatley’s situation is common; many professional rugby players carry injuries through the season, ‘topping up’ their rehab between games and benefiting from weekends off when they can. JJ Hanrahan has been suffering from a similar issue to Keatley this season, with both out-halves having to alter their kicking practice.

Keatley explains that he has had to reduce the amount of time he spends on the training pitch practicing his goal-kicking.

Yeah, I’ve had to. Usually I’d be out there nearly every day, short and sharp sessions, but I’ve had to kind of reduce that down to even just two or three kicking sessions a week.

“I’ve even had to manage my training load and my gym work, my legs gym work, and just keep an eye on it really, increasing my rehab work.”

Not that the 26-year-old is using the ongoing injury as an excuse for anything; these were answers to direct questions on the issue. Instead, he is focused on getting the maximum he can from every session he does complete.

The next time one of your province’s players has an off day, it may be worth considering whether or not physical impediments have restricted his training over the preceding days, weeks or even months.

Check out TheScore.ie tomorrow morning for a full interview with Munster out-half Ian Keatley, where he discusses making the Ireland squad, his improving tactical kicking and a greater ease in decision-making responsibilities.

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