Surface-Related High School Football Game Injuries on Pad and No-Pad Fields

Background: Artificial turf fields are increasingly being installed with lighter weight infill systems that incorporate a pad underlayer, which is reported to reduce surface shock and decrease injuries. At this time, the effects of underlayer on football trauma unknown. Hypothesis: Athletes would not experience differences in surface-related injuries between no-pad fields. Study Design: Cohort study; Level evidence, 2. Methods: were divided into 2 groups based or system, 58 high schools participating across 3 states over course 7 seasons. Outcomes interest included injury severity, head knee trauma, category, primary type injury, mechanism, anatomic location tissue injured, elective imaging surgical procedures. Data underwent multivariate analyses variance (MANOVA) using general linear model procedures expressed as incidence rates per 10-game season. Results: Of 658 varsity games, 260 games played containing pads, 398 fields, 795 reported. MANOVA indicated significant main by severity ( F 3,791 = 11.436; P < .0001), 9,785 2.435; .045), category 3.073; 10,785 2.660; mechanism 13,781 2.053; .001), 16,778 1.592; injured 4,790 4.485; 4.248; .002). Post hoc significantly greater incidences .05) substantial severe player-to-turf patellofemoral syndrome, neck strain, lower leg when padded No concussion rate from impact observed. Conclusion: In contrast conventional wisdom, addition under an artificial increases compared nonpadded most categories. findings do support current trend installing lightweight at school level play.