Anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the National Football League: epidemiology and current treatment trends among team physicians.
OBJECTIVE
To review the epidemiology of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in the National Football League (NFL) and current treatment trends within this population.


METHODS
Descriptive.


METHODS
Part 1 of this study reviews the data collected in the NFL Injury Surveillance System from 1986 to 1995 with respect to these injuries. Included in this review are the specifics surrounding these injuries such as exposure type (game versus practice), position, mechanism, and playing surface on which the injury occurred. Part 2 of this analysis focuses on present treatment performed on these high-level athletes through a survey that was sent to and completed by all 31 NFL team orthopaedic surgeons.


RESULTS
The total number of ACL injuries in this select population has remained constant over the period analyzed.


CONCLUSIONS
Current preferred treatment technique favors endoscopic patellar tendon autograft reconstruction.
Bradley
James P
JP
Burke Bradley Orthopedics, University of Pittsburgh Department of Sports Medicine, Pittsburgh PA, USA.
Klimkiewicz
John J
JJ
Rytel
Michael J
MJ
Powell
John W
JW
D016118:Anterior Cruciate Ligament / Q000601:surgery; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D001182:Arthroscopy; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011159:Population Surveillance; D013178:Sports Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D013709:Tendon Transfer / Q000379:methods; D013710:Tendons / Q000637:transplantation; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology