Fortunately, the majority of injuries in football are not serious. The most common injuries are contusions, muscle strains and ligament sprains. However, some injuries in football qualify as “catastrophic”, defined by the American Medical Association as injuries resulting in a 55-per-cent chance or more impairment. These include traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury leading to paraplegia or quadriplegia.
- Among Canadian males aged 10 to 14, 19 per cent of football injuries are traumatic brain injuries, including concussions.
- Researchers estimate that male high school football players receive, on average, between 372 and 868 head impacts, depending on what position they play.
- Head injury is the most-common injury responsible for death in tackle football (69 per cent), followed by cervical spine injury.
- Of the non-fatal catastrophic injuries, cervical spine injuries are the most common in tackle football.
Safety tips
- Implement a year-round conditioning and training program to maintain muscle strength, balance, co-ordination, flexibility, mobility, agility and endurance.
- Discourage all foul play and strictly enforce rules.
- Limit contact during practice; instead, use equipment to teach strategies.
- The field should be well maintained and an adequate buffer zone should be in place surrounding the area to prevent out-of-bounds injuries.
Make sure players:
- Have access to adequate pre-seasonal, seasonal and on-field medical expertise.
- Be matched to size, strength, power, skill level, fitness and experience.
- Undergo a proper conditioning regimen that includes strengthening neck muscles.
- Be taught the essential skills of football, especially tackling and blocking.
- Be fitted with protective equipment: helmet, shoulder and neck padding and a mouth guard, and taught how to appropriately pad and tape themselves.
- Understand the basics of injury mechanisms, how to identify a serious injury and when to seek help.
- Follow a proper Return-to-Sport Strategy to safely return to play after a concussion.
Risk factors to consider
- Age and gender: in a 2008 study conducted by Dr. Charles Tator, 29 of 30 catastrophic injuries were sustained by males, all under the age of 30.
- Previous injuries: having a previous injury predisposes a player to re-injury.
- Style of play: aggression, inattentiveness and rule-breaking lead to increased risk of injury.
- Position: defensive backs are at greatest risk for brain and spinal injury. Receivers, running backs and quarterbacks are also at increased risk.
- Field surface: it is generally believed that natural grass is safer than artificial turf.
- Equipment: properly fitted helmets and neck support reduce risk for injury.