NFL Study: Lower Extremity Injuries on Synthetic Turf

[Bobref]

A study commissioned by the NFL for the years 2012-2016 and reported in the American Journal of Sports Medicine showed a 16% increase in lower extremity injuries when playing on synthetic turf. Given the increasing prevalence of synthetic turf fields at the high school level, how concerned should we be?

Higher Rates of Lower Extremity Injury on Synthetic Turf Compared With Natural Turf Among National Football League Athletes: Epidemiologic Confirmation of a Biomechanical Hypothesis.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0363546518808499

[DE]

Said it before and I will say it again (and again and again), natural grass always.

[foxbat]

28 minutes ago, Bobref said:

A study commissioned by the NFL for the years 2012-2016 and reported in the American Journal of Sports Medicine showed a 16% increase in lower extremity injuries when playing on synthetic turf. Given the increasing prevalence of synthetic turf fields at the high school level, how concerned should we be?

Higher Rates of Lower Extremity Injury on Synthetic Turf Compared With Natural Turf Among National Football League Athletes: Epidemiologic Confirmation of a Biomechanical Hypothesis.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0363546518808499

I'd also be interested in the longer term impact.  It's one thing to say that someone is more likely to twist a knee, etc. playing on the turf, but is there anything fundamental that wears on the joints, impacts ligaments, etc. in playing on turf from a younger age? 

[Irishman]

I am curious what the rates are among high school and college players as well?

We are on our 3rd season with turf and have not seen any significant injury like this. And a high number of college fields have the new turf, so I would be curious what those numbers are.

One thing I do think impacts the increase is that we see far less contact to the upper body. I am thinking specifically of tackling, and how a player has to be aware of coming in too high on a ball carrier. If the ball carrier lowers his shoulder to finish a run, then the risk is too high for the defender to contact the head. So, players go lower. As far as line play goes, the old school style of just bull rushing is a great diminished aspect of the game. Defenders will often pop up and hand fight. The number of them playing upright, especially against zone blocking schemes that we see now, increases the risk of getting rolled up. 

As foxbat said too, I am curious if there is any tracking of wear and tear over the course of a career in high school through college. 

 

[Coach Nowlin]

Met LIfe under siege by the turf monsters

 

https://www.nj.com/jets/2020/09/after-49ers-trash-complaints-nflpa-isnt-buying-nfls-opinion-that-metlife-stadiums-turf-is-safe-for-giants-jets-games.html

 

 

Quote

 

Multiple key 49ers players got hurt against the Jets. Defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas both sustained a torn ACL. They’re both done for the season. Running back Raheem Mostert sprained his MCL. And quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a high-ankle sprain. No wonder the 49ers weren’t pleased with the turf.

 

“Guys seemed to be getting stuck in the ground more than regularly,” Armstead said after Sunday’s 31-13 win. “A bunch of our players went down. It wasn’t real fun to be a part of and see happen to your teammates.”

 

But the NFL essentially said lackluster turf conditions are not to blame for the injuries, because the league found no issues with the turf leading into 49ers-Jets, NJ Advance Media has learned.

 

Within 72 hours of each game, home teams must certify that their fields are in compliance with NFL rules. And that’s what happened in this case — standard procedure, and the usual result of the field being cleared as playable, according to the league’s assessment.