TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2022//
TI  - Injury rates remained elevated in the second National Football League season after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic
JO  - Arthroscopy, sports medicine, and rehabilitation
A1  - Platt, Brooks
A1  - Abed, Varag
A1  - Khalily, Camille
A1  - Sullivan, Breanna
A1  - Skinner, Matthew
A1  - Jacobs, Cale
A1  - Johnson, Darren
A1  - Stone, Austin V.
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to compare the injury incidence of the 2018-2019 and 2020 National Football League (NFL) seasons with the 2021 season. <br><br>METHODS: Publicly released NFL weekly injury reports were queried to identify players listed as "out" or placed on injured reserve (IR) for at least one game in the 2018-2021 seasons. Injuries were then categorized into upper extremity, lower extremity, spine/core, and head. Incidence per 1,000 athlete exposures were calculated for each season and proportions of injuries by position were calculated separately for the 2018-2019, 2020, and 2021 cohorts. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were used to compare injury rates. <br><br>RESULTS: Overall injury incidence in the 2021 NFL season increased compared to the pre-COVID-19 seasons (2018-2019) in all anatomical zones except for the upper extremity. [28.70 vs. 23.09 per 1,000 exposures, IRR 1.24 (95% CI: 1.14-1.36); p< 0.001]. The injury rate remained elevated and further increased in 2021 compared to the 2020 season for all anatomical zones other than the spine/core [28.70 vs. 21.64 per 1,000 exposures, IRR 1.33 (1.19-1.47); p< 0.001]. No significant difference existed during the early season (weeks 1-4); however, injury rates after week 4 increased in 2021 compared to both the 2018-2019 and 2020 seasons. <br><br>CONCLUSION: The injury incidence in the 2021 season remained elevated and increased further compared to both the 2018-2019 and 2020 seasons. Traumatic injuries resulting in missed games increased despite return to a more traditional season since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The injury rates significantly increased in mid- to late season. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III, cross-sectional study.    Keywords: American football   <p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 2666-061X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asmr.2022.11.026
ID  - ref1
ER  -