Incidence, Severity, and Time Loss Associated With Collegiate Football Fractures, 2004-2005 to 2013-2014:

Background:The inherent risk of any time loss from physical injury in football has been extensively discussed, with many such injuries having a profound effect on the lives of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) football players. However, the incidence of fractures in collegiate football has not been well established.Purpose:To examine the epidemiology of fractures in NCAA football.Study Design:Descriptive epidemiology study.Methods:Fracture data reported in college football during the 2004-2005 to 2013-2014 academic years were analyzed from the NCAA Injury Surveillance Program (NCAA-ISP). Fracture rates per 1000 athlete-exposures, surgery and time loss distributions, injury rate ratios, injury proportion ratios (IPRs), and 95% CIs were reported.Results:Overall, 986 fractures were reported. The rate of competition fractures was larger than the rate of practice fractures (1.80 vs 0.17 per 1000 athlete-exposures; injury rate ratio = 10.56; 95% CI, 9.32-11.96). Fractures of the hand/fingers repre...