Magnetic resonance imaging-documented chondral injuries about the knee in college football players: 3-year National Football League Combine data.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the incidence and risk factors for knee cartilage injury in elite college football players invited to attend the US National Football League (NFL) Scouting Combine over a 3-year period.


METHODS
All players entering the NFL Scouting Combine (National Invitational Camp) from 2005 through 2007 were evaluated. "At-risk" knees underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and the results were evaluated for chondral injuries.


RESULTS
During the 3-year period reviewed, a total of 980 players were available for analysis, and a total of 516 players' knee MRI scans were obtained (53% of all players at the Combine). The total number of full-thickness chondral injuries evident on MRI was 197 (20.1%) among all players, or 38.2% of the players who had an MRI scan. Of the players, 30 (3.06% of all players at the Combine, or 5.8% of the players who had an MRI scan) had isolated medial compartment full-thickness chondral injuries, 41 (4.2%, or 7.9%) had isolated lateral compartment full-thickness chondral injuries, 48 (4.9%, or 9.3%) had patellofemoral compartment full-thickness chondral damage, and 78 (7.96%, or 15.1%) had full-thickness chondral injuries in more than 1 compartment.


CONCLUSIONS
The epidemiologic and risk assessment data presented in this study offer a cross-section of a young and elite athletic population who were "prescreened" at the NFL Combine over a 3-year period and judged to have at-risk knees. The total number of full-thickness chondral injuries evident on MRI was 197 (20.1%) among all players, or 38.2% of the players who had an MRI scan: 30 players (3.06%, or 5.8%) had an isolated medial compartment full-thickness chondral injury, 41 players (4.2%, or 7.9%) had an isolated lateral compartment full-thickness chondral injury, 48 players (4.9%, or 9.3%) had isolated patellofemoral compartment full-thickness chondral damage, and 78 players (7.96%, or 15.1%) had full-thickness chondral injuries in more than 1 compartment.


METHODS
Level IV, diagnostic study.
Hirshorn
Kurt C
KC
Atlanta Medical Center, Georgia 30307, USA. khirshorn@netscape.net
Cates
Taylor
T
Gillogly
Scott
S
D056352:Athletes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D005538:Football / Q000293:injuries; D006801:Humans; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010808:Physical Examination; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation; D055815:Young Adult