Normative Reference Values for High School–Aged American Football Players

Background: Although some studies have observed a relationship between age of first exposure (AFE) to American football and long-term outcomes, recent findings in collegiate athletes did not observe a relationship between AFE and more intermediate outcomes at early adulthood. This, however, requires independent replication. Hypothesis: There will be no association between AFE to football and behavioral, cognitive, emotional/psychological, and physical functioning in high school and collegiate athletes. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: Active high school and collegiate football players (N = 1802) underwent a comprehensive preseason evaluation on several clinical outcome measures. Demographic and health variables that significantly differed across AFE groups were identified as potential covariates. General linear models (GLMs) with AFE as the independent variable were performed for each clinical outcome variable. Similar GLMs that included identified covariates, with AFE as the predictor, were subsequently performed for each clinical outcome variable. Results: After controlling for covariates of age, concussion history, race, and a diagnosis of ADHD, earlier AFE (<12 vs ≥12 years) did not significantly predict poorer performance on any clinical outcome measures (all P > 0.05). A single statistically significant association between AFE group and somatization score was recorded, with AFE <12 years exhibiting lower levels of somatization. Conclusion: In a large cohort of active high school and collegiate football student-athletes, AFE before the age of 12 years was not associated with worse behavioral, cognitive, psychological, and physical (oculomotor functioning and postural stability) outcomes. Clinical Relevance The current findings suggest that timing of onset of football exposure does not result in poorer functioning in adolescence and young adults and may contribute to resilience through decreased levels of physically related psychological distress.

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Risk Factors for Lumbar Disc Degeneration in High School American Football Players

The American Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/0363546513495173 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 41 (9) ◽

pp. 2059-2064 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Masaki Nagashima ◽

Hitoshi Abe ◽

Kenji Amaya ◽

Hideo Matsumoto ◽

Hisashi Yanaihara ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

High School ◽

Disc Degeneration ◽

Lumbar Disc ◽

American Football ◽

Football Players ◽

Lumbar Disc Degeneration

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REFERENCE VALUES FOR PULMONARY FUNCTION OF RETIRED PROFESSIONAL AMERICAN FOOTBALL PLAYERS

CHEST Journal ◽

10.1378/chest.130.4_meetingabstracts.247s-c ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 130 (4) ◽

pp. 247S

Author(s):

Janette D. Foster ◽

Larisa V. Buyantseva ◽

Erik B. Lehman ◽

Zhengmin Qian ◽

Robert L. Vender ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Function ◽

Reference Values ◽

American Football ◽

Football Players

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Anthropometric and Performance Parameters of Japanese High School American Football Players: A Case Study of Selection for International Matches

Global Journal of Human-Social Science ◽

10.34257/gjhssavol20is11pg1 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Daichi Yamashita ◽

Takafumi Kubo

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Body Mass ◽

American Football ◽

Normative Values ◽

Football Players ◽

Performance Parameters ◽

Strength And Conditioning ◽

High School Grades ◽

Grade Difference ◽

And Performance

This study aimed to compare the anthropometric and performance parameters between American football players from different high school grades and to compare their physical characteristics to the normative values for U.S. and Japanese players from previous studies. The analysis included 240 grade 10 and 11 American football players. The testing included height, body mass, broad jump, 40-yard dash, and pro-agility shuttle. The analysis was stratified by position: linemen (offensive and defensive), big skill players (fullbacks, tight ends, and linebackers), and skill players (wide receivers, running backs, and defensive backs). The only between-grade difference was body mass for linemen (Cohen’s d>0.6), with no moderate effects for all other measured variables (|d| ≦0.6). No Japanese players were better in both mass and performance measures than U.S. elite high school players. The strength and conditioning program for long-term athlete development should be established for American football players in Japan.

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The cost of a single concussion in American high school football: a retrospective cohort study

Concussion ◽

10.2217/cnc-2020-0012 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

pp. CNC81

Author(s):

Aaron M Yengo-Kahn ◽

Patrick D Kelly ◽

David C Liles ◽

Lydia J McKeithan ◽

Candace J Grisham ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Retrospective Cohort Study ◽

Retrospective Cohort ◽

Financial Burden ◽

American Football ◽

Football Players ◽

High School Football ◽

Factors Associated ◽

The Cost

Aim: The potential financial burden of American football-related concussions (FRC) is unknown. Our objective was to describe the healthcare costs associated with an FRC and determine factors associated with increased costs. Methodology/results: A retrospective cohort study of concussed high school football players presenting between November 2017 and March 2020 was undertaken; 144 male high school football players were included. Total costs were about $115,000, for an average direct healthcare cost of $800.10/concussion. Visiting the emergency department (β = 502.29, 95% CI: 105.79–898.61; p = 0.01), the initial post-concussion symptom scale score (β = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.11–0.66; p = 0.01) and a post-concussion syndrome diagnosis (β = 670.37, 95% CI: 98.96–1241.79; p = 0.02) were each independently associated with total costs. Conclusion: A granular understanding of cost-driving factors associated with FRC is the first step in understanding the cost–effectiveness of prevention and treatment methods.

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Anthropometric and Athletic Performance Combine Test Results Among Positions Within Grade Levels of High School–Aged American Football Players

The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research ◽

10.1519/jsc.0000000000002481 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 32 (5) ◽

pp. 1288-1296 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Todd J. Leutzinger ◽

Zachary M. Gillen ◽

Amelia M. Miramonti ◽

Brianna D. McKay ◽

Alegra I. Mendez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Athletic Performance ◽

American Football ◽

Football Players ◽

Test Results ◽

Grade Levels ◽

Combine Test

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Behavioral Tackling Interventions Decrease Head Impact Frequency in American Football Players: A Critically Appraised Topic

International Journal of Athletic Therapy & Training ◽

10.1123/ijatt.2020-0019 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Ashley E. Evans ◽

Madeline Curtis ◽

Marguerite (Meg) Montjoy ◽

Erica Beidler

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Injury Prevention ◽

Head Impact ◽

American Football ◽

Football Players ◽

Clinical Question ◽

Impact Frequency ◽

Bottom Line ◽

Head Impacts ◽

Different Types

Context: The rate of sport-related concussion diagnosis has significantly increased in recent years, which has created a need for injury prevention initiatives. There have been efforts put forth by researchers and American football organizations to teach athletes how to tackle properly in order to decrease the number of subconcussive head impacts and concussions. Clinical Question: Does the implementation of a behavioral tackling intervention decrease the head impact frequency in American football players? Clinical Bottom Line: There is moderate SORT Level B evidence to support the use of behavioral tackling interventions as a means for reducing head impact frequency in football athletes. All four included studies found a significant reduction in head impacts following a behavioral tackling intervention with study findings ranging from a 26–33% reduction in impact frequency. These findings were consistent in youth, high school, and college football players and for different types of behavioral tackling interventions. Therefore, these results indicate that behavioral tackling interventions have the potential to reduce the number of head impacts sustained by American football players, which may ultimately lead to a reduction in concussion occurrence as well.

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