TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - Concussion frequency associates with musculoskeletal injury in retired NFL players
JO  - Medicine and science in sports and exercise
A1  - Pietrosimone, Brian
A1  - Golightly, Yvonne M.
A1  - Mihalik, Jason P.
A1  - Guskiewicz, Kevin M.
SP  - 2366
EP  - 2372
VL  - 47
IS  - 11
N2  - OBJECTIVE: Concussion is commonly associated with immediate and persistent alterations in motor function affecting postural control and gait. Patients with lower extremity joint injury have demonstrated functional alterations in the cerebral cortex suggesting that musculoskeletal injury may be linked to alterations in brain function. Therefore we examined the associations between concussion frequency and lower extremity musculoskeletal injury sustained during professional careers of National Football League (NFL) American Football players in a cross-sectional study. <br><br>METHODS: An inclusive health history survey was mailed to 3647 NFL players who retired during 1930-2001. Respondents reported total concussion frequency (0, 1, 2, or 3+) and presence (yes/no) of specific knee and ankle musculoskeletal injury during their NFL career. Separate logistic regression models were used to estimate associations between concussion frequency and each musculoskeletal injury type, adjusting for number of years played in the NFL, body mass index while playing in the NFL, and playing position. <br><br>RESULTS: Data from 2429 players (66.6% response rate) were available for analysis. Nearly 61% reported suffering a concussion while competing in the NFL. Meniscal tear was the most commonly reported musculoskeletal injury (32%). Compared to NFL players who did not sustain a concussion, retired NFL players with 1, 2, or 3+ concussions had between 18-63%, 15-126%, and 73-165% higher odds of reporting various musculoskeletal injuries, respectively. <br><br>CONCLUSION: A history of concussions was associated with a history of musculoskeletal injuries during NFL careers. These data suggest that a higher number of concussions is linked with a higher odds of reporting a musculoskeletal injury.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0195-9131
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000684
ID  - ref1
ER  -