Go Gators!
Go Dawgs!
Go ‘Noles!
Let’s Go Pitt!
Football season has arrived, and with it the hearty cheers for our favorite teams! Be it collegiate, professional, high school, or youth league, football is a popular sport, loved by millions.
This uniquely American sport evolved from rugby and its other British variations during the 1800s. Sports historians consider the game between Rutgers and Princeton in 1869 to be the first modern “football” game. Many modifications of the sport have occurred since then.
As a dangerous contact sport, football does have the potential for serious injuries, particularly of the head, neck, and spinal cord. However, these injuries are not common. A recent study from the National Library of Medicine found the most common injury types to be muscle strains (40% of total injuries); contusions (bruises) (25%); dislocations (15%); fractures(10%); and concussions (5%).
Of specific injuries, the 10 most common were :
- Concussion
- Jumper’s knee (Pain around kneecap)
- Foot fractures
- Shin splints (Muscle strain along shin)
- Achilles tendinitis
- Ankle sprain
- Rotator cuff injuries (shoulder)
- Knee ACL (Anterior cruciate ligament ) injuries
- Hamstring injury (Muscle at back of thigh)
- Quadriceps injury (Muscle on front of thigh)
Interestingly, of these 10 injuries, 8 involve the lower extremity. In our offices, we frequently treat many of these , especially ankle sprain, foot fractures, Achilles tendinitis, and even Achilles tendon rupture.
Injury prevention strategies continue to reduce overall incidence of injuries. These include adequate pre- and post- game stretching, proper hydration, proper gear, and proper training technique.
The doctors of Melbourne Podiatry Associates are experts in the treatment of football injuries. If you or a loved one suffer a sports injury, please call our office for and appointment.
