Disclosures: Roya S. Moheimani, MD: Nothing to disclose

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence, site, type, and severity of high school football injuries in an 8-man football team compared to an 11-man football team. It was hypothesized that reducing the number of players on the field from 11 per team to 8 per team would be safer for players in terms of injury frequency and severity.

Design: Descriptive epidemiology study.

Setting: One private high school in California.

Participants: Subjects included high school football players who played either 8-man football (n=40) or 11-man football (n=27) during two separate seasons.

Interventions: Observational Study.

Main Outcome Measures: A retrospective analysis was performed using injury data from a private high school that transitioned from 8-man to 11-man football. The analysis aimed to compare the two seasons using the following parameters: injury incidence, injury site, injury type, injury severity, position played at the time of injury, multiple injuries suffered by a single player, starter status, and graduation class year.

Results: Overall injury incidence per player (OR 4.20, 95% CI [1.32, 14.3], P<.01) was significantly lower in 8-man football compared to 11-man football. There was no significant difference in injury severity between 8-man football and 11-man football, as evidenced by surgeries needed per player (OR 4.76, 95% CI [0.359, 262], P=.295) and season-ending injuries per player (OR 3.07, 95% CI [0.152, 188], P=.560).

Conclusions: Transitioning from 11-man to 8-man football may be a safer and more feasible option for high school programs, especially in those with declining athlete enrollment. More analysis is warranted to assess the efficacy of 8-man football on injury prevention on a larger scale.

Level of Evidence: Level I

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PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/8-man-football-as-an-injury-risk-reduction-strategy/