[American football in Germany--aspects of trauma surgery]

While football injuries in the USA are well documented and thoroughly studied, informations on injuries caused by this spreading sport in Germany are not available. For this reason the Berufsgenossenschaftliche Unfallklinik in Frankfurt conducted a prospective study to register all injuries in major league football in southern Germany in 1991. In 49 games that were evaluated we found 281 minor injuries, mainly skin lesions and concussions of extremities. In addition 33 significant injuries were registered, amongst them 30% injuries of knee ligaments. The only severe injury was an abdominal hit causing a intrahepatic hematoma. The results of our study are comparable to the injury risks found in US college football as well as to those found in German statistics on soccer and hockey. Although no fatal injuries in our study were registered, this should not lead to neglecting the potential risks in football.