Is it normal to have this many hand/wrist injuries?
The patterns in these retrospective studies have also essentially translated to the last 15 years.:
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Am J Sports Med
2008 Oct;36(10):1938-44.
doi: 10.1177/0363546508318197. Epub 2008 May 23.
Upper extremity injuries in the National Football League: part I: hand and digital injuries
Nathan A Mall 1,
John C Carlisle,
Matthew J Matava,
John W Powell,
Charles A Goldfarb
Affiliations expand
Abstract
Background: Very little has been published regarding the incidence of and duration of time lost after hand injuries in professional American football players.
Hypotheses: (1) Hand, first ray, and finger injuries in professional American football players represent a common cause of missed time from practice and game participation. (2) The effect of upper extremity injuries differs as a function of the anatomic site involved, injury type, and athlete's position.
Study design: Descriptive epidemiologic study.
Methods: A retrospective review of all documented injuries to the hand, first ray, and fingers sustained by American football players in the National Football League over a 10-year period (1996-2005) was performed using the League's injury surveillance database. The data were analyzed from multiple perspectives, with emphasis on the type of injury, athlete position, and activity at the time of injury.
Results: A total of 1385 injuries occurred to the hand, first ray, and fingers over the 10 seasons studied. Of these injuries, 48% involved the fingers, 30% involved the first ray, and 22% involved the hand, with game injuries more common than practice injuries at each location. Metacarpal fractures and proximal interphalangeal joint dislocations were the 2 most common injuries.
Offensive and defensive linemen were the most likely to sustain a hand injury; 80% of hand injuries were metacarpal fractures. The most common injuries to the first ray were fractures (48%) and sprains (36%), which occurred most often in athletes playing a defensive secondary position. Finger injuries were most commonly dislocations at the level of the proximal interphalangeal joint, typically involving the ulnar 2 digits. Finger injuries were most common in wide receivers and defensive secondary players. The act of tackling produced the most injuries (28%).
Conclusion: Upper extremity trauma, especially injury to the hand, first ray, and fingers, is a significant source of morbidity for professional football players. The results of this study may be used to implement preventive measures to help minimize these injuries.
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Am J Sports Med
. 2008 Oct;36(10):1945-52.
doi: 10.1177/0363546508318198. Epub 2008 Jun 26.
Upper extremity injuries in the National Football League: part II: elbow, forearm, and wrist injuries
John C Carlisle 1,
Charles A Goldfarb,
Nathan Mall,
John W Powell,
Matthew J Matava
Affiliations expand
Abstract
Background: Very little information is available regarding the incidence, causative mechanisms, and expected duration of time lost following upper extremity injuries in professional American football players.
Hypotheses: (1) Upper extremity injuries in professional American football players are a common cause of missed time from practice and game participation. (2) The effect of upper extremity injuries differs as a function of the site involved and the athlete's position.
Study design: Descriptive epidemiologic study.
Methods: A retrospective review of all documented injuries to the elbow, forearm, and wrist sustained by all players in the National Football League over a 10-year period (1996-2005) was performed using the League's injury surveillance database. An injury was considered significant if it resulted in premature cessation of (or absence from) at least 1 practice, game, or training event. The data were analyzed from multiple perspectives, with emphasis on the type of injury, athlete position, and activity at the time of injury.
Results: There were 859 total injuries over the 10-year period: 58% involved the elbow, 30% involved the wrist, and 12% involved the forearm.
Ligamentous injuries were the most common diagnosis in the elbow and wrist, with wrist sprains the most common of all diagnoses. Fractures were the most common injury occurring in the forearm. For all 3 anatomic locations, game injuries were much more common than practice injuries by a factor of 2.8 to 1. Forearm injuries led to a mean of 42 days lost, wrist injuries led to a mean of 27 days lost, and elbow injuries led to an average of 22 days lost. Fractures and dislocations led to the greatest amount of time lost (47 days and 53 days, respectively). Tackling was the activity most often (24%) implicated as causing injuries to the elbow, forearm, and wrist. Offensive and defensive linemen were most commonly injured. Elbow injuries were the most common at these positions, constituting approximately 75% of all injuries. Defensive backs sustained the greatest number of forearm injuries, approximately double the total number at any other position.
Conclusion: Upper extremity trauma is a significant issue for professional football players. In particular, the high incidence rates of elbow injuries in linemen and forearm injuries in defensive backs warrant further scrutiny.
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I should mention that more and more NFL players, especially linemen, are are taping their fingers (sometimes individual/sometimes buddy), hands and wrists in order to try to minimize injuries to these structures.