BACKGROUND: Very little information is available regarding the incidence, causative mechanisms, and expected duration of time lost after injuries to kickers (placekickers and punters) in American football. HYPOTHESIS: Lower extremity musculotendinous injuries are the most common type of injury in American football kickers. The injuries related to punting differ from injuries related to placekicking. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiologic study. METHODS: A retrospective review of all documented injuries to kickers in the National Football League over a 20-year period (1988-2007) was performed using the League's injury surveillance database. The data were analyzed from multiple perspectives, with emphasis on the type of kick or activity at the time of injury and the factors that affect return to play after injury. RESULTS: There were 488 total injuries over the 20-year period: 72% involved the lower extremity, 9% involved the lumbosacral spine, and 7% involved the head. Muscle-tendon injuries (49%) were the most common, followed by ligamentous injuries (17%). There was a significantly higher risk of injury in games (17.7 per 1000) than during practice (1.91 per 1000). Most injuries (93%) did not require surgery, and the mean time to return to play was 15 days if no surgery was necessary. Kickers over 30 years of age took longer to return to play (mean, 21 days) than younger kickers (mean, 12 days) after nonsurgical injuries (P = .03). Mean return to play after injuries that required surgery was 121 days. Lumbosacral soft tissue injury, lateral ankle sprains, and shoulder injuries were more likely to occur in punters than placekickers. CONCLUSION: Kicking athletes face a low risk of injury in professional American football. Injuries most commonly involve the lower extremities. Training and injury prevention efforts should reflect that punting is associated with different injuries than placekicking, and that older kickers take longer to recuperate than younger kickers after certain injuries.
BACKGROUND: Very little information is available regarding the incidence, causative mechanisms, and expected duration of time lost after injuries to kickers (placekickers and punters) in American football. HYPOTHESIS: Lower extremity musculotendinous injuries are the most common type of injury in American football kickers. The injuries related to punting differ from injuries related to placekicking. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiologic study. METHODS: A retrospective review of all documented injuries to kickers in the National Football League over a 20-year period (1988-2007) was performed using the League's injury surveillance database. The data were analyzed from multiple perspectives, with emphasis on the type of kick or activity at the time of injury and the factors that affect return to play after injury. RESULTS: There were 488 total injuries over the 20-year period: 72% involved the lower extremity, 9% involved the lumbosacral spine, and 7% involved the head. Muscle-tendon injuries (49%) were the most common, followed by ligamentous injuries (17%). There was a significantly higher risk of injury in games (17.7 per 1000) than during practice (1.91 per 1000). Most injuries (93%) did not require surgery, and the mean time to return to play was 15 days if no surgery was necessary. Kickers over 30 years of age took longer to return to play (mean, 21 days) than younger kickers (mean, 12 days) after nonsurgical injuries (P = .03). Mean return to play after injuries that required surgery was 121 days. Lumbosacral soft tissue injury, lateral ankle sprains, and shoulder injuries were more likely to occur in punters than placekickers. CONCLUSION: Kicking athletes face a low risk of injury in professional American football. Injuries most commonly involve the lower extremities. Training and injury prevention efforts should reflect that punting is associated with different injuries than placekicking, and that older kickers take longer to recuperate than younger kickers after certain injuries.
Authors: Xavier Valle; Eduard Alentorn-Geli; Johannes L Tol; Bruce Hamilton; William E Garrett; Ricard Pruna; Lluís Til; Josep Antoni Gutierrez; Xavier Alomar; Ramón Balius; Nikos Malliaropoulos; Joan Carles Monllau; Rodney Whiteley; Erik Witvrouw; Kristian Samuelsson; Gil Rodas Journal: Sports Med Date: 2017-07 Impact factor: 11.136
Authors: Diego Costa Astur; Bruno Santos; Eduardo Ramalho de Moraes; Gustavo Gonçalves Arliani; Paulo Roberto Dias Dos Santos; Alberto de Castro Pochini Journal: Acta Ortop Bras Date: 2015 Sep-Oct Impact factor: 0.513
Authors: Brian C Werner; Nicole S Belkin; Steve Kennelly; Leigh Weiss; Ronnie P Barnes; Hollis G Potter; Russell F Warren; Scott A Rodeo Journal: Orthop J Sports Med Date: 2017-01-11
Authors: Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt; Lutz Haensel; Kai Mithoefer; Jan Ekstrand; Bryan English; Steven McNally; John Orchard; C Niek van Dijk; Gino M Kerkhoffs; Patrick Schamasch; Dieter Blottner; Leif Swaerd; Edwin Goedhart; Peter Ueblacker Journal: Br J Sports Med Date: 2012-10-18 Impact factor: 13.800
Authors: JaeWon Yang; Jonathan D Hodax; Jason T Machan; Eric S Secrist; Wesley M Durand; Brett D Owens; Adam E M Eltorai; Christopher C Dodson Journal: Orthop J Sports Med Date: 2017-09-21