Preventing Injury in Football Players
Preventing Injury in Football Players
Alexander E. Weber, Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC
Injuries are common in American football due to the combination of high speeds and collision contact. They can occur almost anywhere in the body, but data from college athletes shows that ligament sprains of the knee and ankle are the most commonly reported injuries. However, certain player positions may be more prone to injury overall and the type of injury sustained may vary among the positions. While ankle sprains and knee injuries to the anterior or posterior cruciate ligament (ACL/PCL) or to the menisci (cartilage of the knee) are common due to the cutting motion of running players, shoulder injuries to the acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) or labrum (cartilage surrounding shoulder socket) are especially common in running backs and linemen.
