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Lower limb injuries in american football players in Poland
Ewa Wodka-Natkaniec1, Łukasz Niedźwiedzki2, Tadeusz Gaździk2
1Department of Physiotherapy, Institute of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland - ewa.wodka-natkaniec@uj.edu.pl.
Background:
The aim of the study was to determine the location and types of injuries in the lower limbs in American football players in Poland. The circumstances of the injuries were identified, with particular emphasis on the player's position on the field.
Methods:
Original questionnaire to investigate 70 consecutive Polish players was used. Analyses as a whole and divided into offensive and defensive players were carried out.
Results:
Overall, injuries to both lower limbs accounted for 17.1%, injuries to the right lower limb to 37.2%, and injuries to the left limb to 29%. Ankle injuries were the most common, both offensive and defensive, accounting for 58.5% and 48.3% of lower limb injuries, respectively. Injuries to muscles, tendons and ligaments were more common in defensive players (55.2%), while in offensive sprains (52.5%), fractures (19.5%), and contusions (17.1%). The incidence of lower limb injuries was higher in general during training than competitions and in the case of offensive players (14.6%).
Conclusions:
Coaching American football increases the risk of foot injury, accounting for 10% of lower limb injuries. The obtained results indicate the need to strengthen the ligamentous-muscular complex of the lower limbs. Lower limb injuries are more common among offensive players than defensive. Offensive players are twice as likely to suffer from foot injuries. Lower limb injuries are more common during training, compared to competitions, both offensively and defensively.
