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Bergstein VE, Agarwal AR, Solon LF, Mikula JD, Best MJ, LaPorte DM. Epidemiologic trends in hand injuries in the National Football League from 2009-2010 to 2019-2020. PHYSICIAN SPORTSMED 2024; 52:400-406. [PMID: 37994029 DOI: 10.1080/00913847.2023.2286942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In American football, hand injuries have been shown to negatively impact performance. The purpose of this study is to characterize the prevalence and severity of hand injuries in National Football League (NFL) players. METHODS A public online database was utilized to identify hand injuries in NFL players from 2009-2010 to 2019-2020. The primary outcome was to analyze the overall incidence of hand injuries (including wrist, metacarpus, finger, and thumb), injury type by each aforementioned anatomic location, and player position. Injury severity was evaluated based on percentage of injuries in which players returned to play (RTP), number of games missed before RTP, and the percentage of injuries resulting in the player being placed on injured reserve (IR). RESULTS Of the 6,127 players included, 847 (13.8%) players sustained a hand injury, of which 24.8%, 34.3%, 17.9%, and 22.9% occurred at the wrist, metacarpus, finger, and thumb, respectively. Of the injured players, 97.4% returned to play following their injury, 14.8% were put on IR, and an average of 1.7 (SD 3.3) games were missed. Quarterbacks were the most likely to sustain hand injuries at all anatomic locations. Wrist injuries were associated with the lowest RTP rate (93.3%), the most players placed on injured reserve (28.6%), and the greatest number of games missed (mean 2.5, SD 4.2). CONCLUSION Hand injuries decreased in prevalence by 65.6% over the 11 NFL seasons evaluated. This trend coincides with the implementation of several safety rules that relate to components of play involving the hands. Quarterbacks experienced the greatest prevalence and severity for all hand injuries. Wrist injuries represent the anatomic location associated with the greatest severity. These findings may be able to inform tailored injury prevention practices by position, and advocate for the further adoption of safety rules to protect players from further injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria E Bergstein
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Amil R Agarwal
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Lorenzo F Solon
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jacob D Mikula
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Matthew J Best
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dawn M LaPorte
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Bretzin AC, D'Alonzo BA, van der Mei ER, Gravel J, Wiebe DJ. Publicly available data sources in sport-related concussion research: a caution for missing data. Inj Epidemiol 2024; 11:3. [PMID: 38291513 PMCID: PMC10829213 DOI: 10.1186/s40621-024-00484-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Researchers often use publicly available data sources to describe injuries occurring in professional athletes, developing and testing hypotheses regarding athletic-related injury. It is reasonable to question whether publicly available data sources accurately indicate athletic-related injuries resulting from professional sport participation. We compared sport-related concussion (SRC) clinical incidence using data from publicly available sources to a recent publication reporting SRC using electronic health records (EHR) from the National Football League (NFL). We hypothesize publicly available data sources will underrepresent SRC in the NFL. We obtained SRCs reported from two publicly available data sources (NFL.com, pro-football-reference.com) and data reported from the NFL's published EHR. We computed SRC per 100 unique player signings from 2015-2019 and compared the clinical incidence from publicly available data sources to EHR rates using clinical incidence ratios (CIR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). FINDINGS From 2015-2019, SRC counts from published EHR record data ranged from 135-192 during the regular season, whereas SRC counts ranged from 102-194 and 69-202 depending on the publicly available data source. In NFL.com the SRC clinical incidence was significantly and progressively lower in 2017 (CIR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.58-0.91), 2018 (CIR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.50-0.87), and 2019 (CIR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.35-0.64) relative to the gold-standard EHR. In the pro-football-reference.com data, the documented SRCs in publicly available data sources for other years were ~ 20-30% lower than the gold-standard EHR numbers (CIRs 0.70-0.81). CONCLUSIONS Publicly available data for SRCs per 100 unique player signings did not match published data from the NFL's EHR and in several years were significantly lower. Researchers should use caution before using publicly available data sources for injury research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail C Bretzin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Injury Prevention Center, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
| | - Bernadette A D'Alonzo
- Department of Biostatistics Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
- Penn Injury Science Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Elsa R van der Mei
- Division of Oncology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Jason Gravel
- Department of Criminal Justice, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
| | - Douglas J Wiebe
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Injury Prevention Center, School of Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA
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Eliason PH, Galarneau JM, Kolstad AT, Pankow MP, West SW, Bailey S, Miutz L, Black AM, Broglio SP, Davis GA, Hagel BE, Smirl JD, Stokes KA, Takagi M, Tucker R, Webborn N, Zemek R, Hayden A, Schneider KJ, Emery CA. Prevention strategies and modifiable risk factors for sport-related concussions and head impacts: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med 2023; 57:749-761. [PMID: 37316182 DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-106656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate prevention strategies, their unintended consequences and modifiable risk factors for sport-related concussion (SRC) and/or head impact risk. DESIGN This systematic review and meta-analysis was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42019152982) and conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. DATA SOURCES Eight databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, APA PsycINFO, Cochrane (Systematic Review and Controlled Trails Registry), SPORTDiscus, EMBASE, ERIC0 were searched in October 2019 and updated in March 2022, and references searched from any identified systematic review. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Study inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) original data human research studies, (2) investigated SRC or head impacts, (3) evaluated an SRC prevention intervention, unintended consequence or modifiable risk factor, (4) participants competing in any sport, (5) analytic study design, (6) systematic reviews and meta-analyses were included to identify original data manuscripts in reference search and (7) peer-reviewed. Exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) review articles, pre-experimental, ecological, case series or case studies and (2) not written in English. RESULTS In total, 220 studies were eligible for inclusion and 192 studies were included in the results based on methodological criteria as assessed through the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network high ('++') or acceptable ('+') quality. Evidence was available examining protective gear (eg, helmets, headgear, mouthguards) (n=39), policy and rule changes (n=38), training strategies (n=34), SRC management strategies (n=12), unintended consequences (n=5) and modifiable risk factors (n=64). Meta-analyses demonstrated a protective effect of mouthguards in collision sports (incidence rate ratio, IRR 0.74; 95% CI 0.64 to 0.89). Policy disallowing bodychecking in child and adolescent ice hockey was associated with a 58% lower concussion rate compared with bodychecking leagues (IRR 0.42; 95% CI 0.33 to 0.53), and evidence supports no unintended injury consequences of policy disallowing bodychecking. In American football, strategies limiting contact in practices were associated with a 64% lower practice-related concussion rate (IRR 0.36; 95% CI 0.16 to 0.80). Some evidence also supports up to 60% lower concussion rates with implementation of a neuromuscular training warm-up programme in rugby. More research examining potentially modifiable risk factors (eg, neck strength, optimal tackle technique) are needed to inform concussion prevention strategies. CONCLUSIONS Policy and rule modifications, personal protective equipment, and neuromuscular training strategies may help to prevent SRC. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42019152982.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul H Eliason
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jean-Michel Galarneau
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ash T Kolstad
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - M Patrick Pankow
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Stuart Bailey
- School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lauren Miutz
- Health and Sport Science, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA
| | - Amanda Marie Black
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Gavin A Davis
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Brent E Hagel
- Departments of Paediatrics and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jonathan D Smirl
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Keith A Stokes
- Centre for Health and Injury and Illness Prevention in Sport, University of Bath, Bath, UK
| | - Michael Takagi
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ross Tucker
- School of Management Studies, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Nick Webborn
- School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
| | - Roger Zemek
- Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alix Hayden
- Libraries and Cultural Resources, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Kathryn J Schneider
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Carolyn A Emery
- Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Departments of Paediatrics and Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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