Football is a very dangerous contact sport. Players take precautions to avoid injuries, yet they still occur despite helmets and other protective gear.
While football injuries are very common, there is legal action to take. Here we’ll discuss the 5 most common injuries, so keep reading for more information.
1. Injured Knees and Torn ACL
Knee injuries are very common since football requires a lot of running, stopping short, and tackling opponents.
The ACL links the thigh to the lower leg and consists of stretchy material inside the knee joint. Tackles cause ACL injuries on the field and from the footwork done while playing, as well as repetitive starting and stopping motions.
ACL injuries typically require surgery. This can often be costly, requiring physical therapy and 7-9 months in rehabilitation until completely healed.
2. Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder injuries are another common football injury. They’re more prevalent among offensive and defensive linemen and typically occur in the labrum, a piece of cartilage keeping the arm bone inside the shoulder socket.
Shoulder dislocation and separations are extremely common. Recovery time varies depending on the injury and type of treatment.
After surgery, recovery can take 3-6 months after the 6 week post-op period.
3. Concussions and Head Trauma
Brain injuries, including concussions, occur when the brain’s impacted so vigorously that it hits the inside of the skull. To determine if a player has suffered a concussion, look for several symptoms.
A player may lose consciousness, suffer headaches, or experience dizziness and blurred vision. They may also be drowsy and have memory loss surrounding the trauma.
If a player is unconscious for more than a few minutes, then the concussion is serious and needs to be immediately addressed. Investigate a player’s symptoms before deciding to bench them or send them back into the game.
Attention, memory, and balance are all taken into consideration when making a determination if they will play or not.
4. Heat-Related Injuries
Another one of the most common football injuries is heat and dehydration. Since many players train in the summer, dehydration and excessive sweating are very common.
Excessive heat can cause heatstroke and possibly brain damage if the body’s internal temperature reaches 105 degrees. Seek emergency medical treatment, especially if a player faints.
5. Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are also very common. From 2005–2014, there were 28 traumatic brain and spinal cord injury-related deaths. This was among high school and college football players.
Running backs and linebackers were the most susceptible to being fatally injured. Additionally, an estimated 18% of high school brain injury deaths had occurred after a previous concussion.
Spinal injuries are most common among defensive players. Learn more about the legal action you can get if you’ve suffered a football injury.
Taking Legal Action for Football Injuries
Football injuries vary in severity and may or may not require surgery. The rehabilitation process can often be costly and lengthy. Many times, catastrophic injuries occur and may require legal action.
Check out our website for more articles and information about sports injuries and lawsuits.