It’s no question that the National Football League is a sport of high intensity and dangerous play. Every year, there are hundreds of injuries that occur on the football field. From major head injuries to minor ones, the list of injuries is ever-growing and it’s a problem for all NFL players. I wanted to find out exactly how many injuries occur in the NFL each year and why they still happen despite new technology and regulations.
First of all, let’s look at the stats. According to the NFL Player Safety Report, there were a whopping 1,310 injuries reported in the 2019 season alone. This is up from 1,178 reported injuries in 2018 and 1,142 reported in 2017. When broken down further, we find that the majority of these were muscle/joint related injuries. Knee and shoulder sprains, as well as hamstring and shoulder injuries, made up a large portion of the total. However, concussions were also reported in greater numbers.
Now, why are there so many injuries in the NFL? Well, it has to do with the nature of the sport itself. Football is a physical, full contact sport, and it’s only natural that injuries occur. It’s the same with other sports like rugby and boxing – the physical contact leads to an increased risk of injury. However, there are a few other factors to consider.
One major factor is the strength and size of NFL players. Players have become much bigger and stronger over the years, leading to an even higher number of injuries. Another factor is the gear and equipment that is used. Despite the helmets and increased padding, there’s still a risk of injury due to the way the game is played.
Of course, there are measures that the NFL has taken in order to reduce the number of injuries that occur each season. They have implemented rules like lowering the height of the goal posts and increasing the time limits on tackles, in order to reduce the risk of injuries. Additionally, the NFL has partnered with various organizations to help with injury prevention and player safety.
Still, these measures are not always enough. Despite the best efforts of everyone involved, injuries continue to be a huge problem for NFL players. The only way to truly prevent these injuries is for players to continue to train hard and practice good technique on the field. Only then will injuries start to decrease.