Epidemiology and Outcomes of Achilles Tendon Ruptures in the National Football League
- 13 October 2009
- journal article
- other
- Published by SAGE Publications in Foot & Ankle Specialist
- Vol. 2 (6), 283-286
- https://doi.org/10.1177/1938640009351138
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to document the epidemiology of Achilles tendon ruptures in the National Football League (NFL) and to quantify the impact of these injuries on player performance. A retrospective review of several online NFL player registries identified 31 Achilles tendon ruptures in NFL players between 1997 and 2002. Nineteen percent of injuries occurred during preseason play, while another 18% occurred during the first month of the official season. There was a postinjury reduction of 88%, 83%, and 78% in power ratings for wide receivers, running backs, and tight ends, respectively, over a 3-year period. There was a 95%, 87%, and 64% postinjury reduction in power ratings for linebackers, cornerbacks, and defensive tackles over a 3-year period. On average, players experienced a greater than 50% reduction in their power ratings following such an injury. Thirty-two percent (n = 10) of NFL players who sustained an Achilles tendon rupture did not return to play in the NFL.Keywords
This publication has 9 references indexed in Scilit:
- Otcomes of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries to Running Backs and Wide Receivers in the National Football LeagueThe American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2006
- Cumulative Incidence of Achilles Tendon Rupture and Tendinopathy in Male Former Elite AthletesClinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 2005
- Achilles Tendon Disorders in AthletesThe American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2002
- Achilles tendon injuriesCurrent Opinion in Rheumatology, 2001
- Etiology and pathophysiology of tendon ruptures in sportsScandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 1997
- Increasing incidence of Achilles tendon ruptureActa Orthopaedica, 1996
- Achilles Tendon Injuries in AthletesSports Medicine, 1994
- The role of recreational sport activity in Achilles tendon ruptureThe American Journal of Sports Medicine, 1989
- The frequency of injury, mechanism of injury, and epidemiology of ankle sprains*The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 1977