CONTEXT Managing an airway in an unconscious athlete is a lifesaving skill that may be made more difficult by the recent changes in protective equipment. Different airway maneuvers and techniques may be required to help ventilate an unconscious athlete who is wearing full protective equipment. OBJECTIVE To assess the effectiveness of different airway maneuvers with football, ice hockey, and s...

Study Design Systematic review. Objectives To determine the incidence of catastrophic cervical spine injuries (CCSIs) among elite athletes participating in contact team sports and whether the incidence varies depending on the use of protective gear or by player position. Methods Electronic databases and reference lists of key articles published from January 1, 2000, to January 29, 2016, were se...

Using data from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program of students who were college freshmen in 1986 and responded to a follow-Up survey in 1990, this study examined differences in degree aspirations and attainment between intercollegiate football or basketball players (N=158) and other intercollegiate athletes (N=801). Although there were significant differences in most background char...

CONTEXT Little is known about the impact biomechanics sustained by players during interscholastic football. OBJECTIVE To characterize the location and magnitude of impacts sustained by players during an interscholastic football season. DESIGN Observational design. SETTING On the field. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS High school varsity football team (n = 35; age = 16.85 +/- 0.75 years, ...

BACKGROUND The frequency and severity of kidney injuries and their impact on return to play in American football has not been described in the literature. PURPOSE Our objective is to identify the number of kidney injuries in the National Football League (NFL) and the effect of these injuries. STUDY DESIGN Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS All kidney injuries in the NFL from 1986 ...

BACKGROUND Many studies have reported the frequency and types of injuries in high school football players. However, few have assessed the relationship between player characteristics and risk of injury. PURPOSE To describe the epidemiologic characteristics of and risk factors for injury in high school football players and to determine whether players' characteristics could be used to predict s...

BACKGROUND Neuropathology and surveys of retired National Football League (NFL) players suggest that chronic brain damage is a frequent result of a career in football. There is limited information on the neurological statuses of living retired players. This study aimed to fill the gap in knowledge by conducting in-depth neurological examinations of 30- to 60-year-old retired NFL players. HYPO...

Football players are widely recognized for their physical prowess. Decades of research have demonstrated that physical activity and fitness are associated with lower all-cause mortality and a variety of health benefits in healthy individuals and individuals with chronic diseases. The specific mechanisms responsible for these outcomes appear to be multifactorial and include a reduction in cardio...