1. Returning to play after patellar tendon ruptures. After reviewing 22 NFL athletes who underwent surgical treatment for patellar tendon ruptures over a 10 year period, researchers found that most athletes were able to return to play for at least one game. The study, published in American Journal of Sports Medicine, found in the case of 19 injuries the athletes were able to return to play and 11 had antecedent symptoms. All athletes showed palpable defects during a physical examination. The average number of games played by those who returned was 45.4 games, with a range of one to 142 games.
2. Vitamin D deficiency increases risk of muscle injuries. Michael Shindle, MD, a member of Summit Medical Group, presented a study at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine annual meeting which associated lower vitamin D with muscle injuries in NFL players. Out of 89 football players included in the study, 27 were identified has having deficient vitamin D levels and 45 had levels consistent with insufficiency. There were 16 players who suffered a muscle injury with an average vitamin D level of 19.9 ng/mL. Among those who were included in the study, the vitamin D levels were higher among white players (30.3 ng/mL) than the black players (20.4 ng/mL).
3. Lumbar discectomies versus non-operative treatment for disc herniation. Professional football players return to play after undergoing a lumbar discectomy for disc herniation 85.7 percent of the time, compared to 2.86 percent of the time after nonoperative intervention, according to a recent study. The study, published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine, examined 66 linemen, of which 52 were treated surgically. Of those treated surgically and returned to play, 63.5 percent became starters. Approximately 13 percent of the athletes required a revision decompression and 85.7 percent subsequently returned to play.
4. Efficacy of pregame hyperhydration. Approximately 75 percent of NFL teams use pregame hyperhydration with intravenous fluid for an average of five to seven athletes per game. In a study published in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers gathered data from 27 head athletic trainers who reported using IVF. Of those athletic trainers, 48 percent reported complications during the 2009-2010 season, with complications including superficial venus clots, air embolus, pulmonary and peripheral edema, provider needle sticks and arterial puncture. Two teams reported a mental dependence among athletes who requested IVF before every game. An average of 1.5 liters was administered to players approximately 2.5 hours before the game. Nineteen of the trainers felt the process was effective or very effective in preventing muscle cramps, heat illness and dehydration while eight felt the process improved the overall performance of the team.
5. Hamstring injuries most likely to occur during the preseason. Researchers prospectively collected data from every NFL team on hamstring injuries between 1989 and 1998, finding 1,716 reported injuries. More than half of the injuries occurred during the seven-week preseason. Defensive secondary players accounted for 23.1 percent of injuries while wide receivers accounted for 20.8 percent and special teams for 13 percent of the injuries. The study was published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
6. Surgical intervention for clavicle injuries. Researchers conducted a review of 19 NFL players who received surgical and non-surgical treatment for clavicle fractures over a five-year period. Six fractures were non-displaced or minimally displaced, and all healed in an average of 7.3 weeks. Of the 13 fractures that were completely displaced, six underwent acute surgical fixation that resulted in healing within an average of 8.8 weeks and seven that opted for non-operative treatment. Three of those players healed clinically within an average of 13.3 weeks, but four experienced re-fracture within one year of the initial injury. The study was published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
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