Session Information
Date: Saturday, November 14, 2020
Session Title: Live Poster Session: Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine
Session Time: 12:45pm-1:45pm
Disclosures: Michael K. Krill, MD, ATC: No financial relationships or conflicts of interest
Objective: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures are devastating and potentially career-ending injuries. Due to a noted increase in incidence decades ago, numerous changes were implemented that included prevention programs/neuromuscular training. The purpose of this study was to further understand the timing of ACL injuries to evaluate the potential role of fatigue.
Design: Retrospective review Setting : National Football League (NFL) regular and post-season games Participants : NFL athletes who sustained ACL injuries
Interventions: Not applicable
Main Outcome Measures: Descriptive statistics and details of athletes who sustained an ACL injury during a regular or post-season game including position, season, game of injury, and total snap count in the game of injury.
Results: 187 ACL ruptures were identified via NFL official game and injury reports, news and sports articles, and interviews from the 2012-13 to 2019-20 regular and post-season games. All (n=187) ACL injuries occurred at a median total snap count of 20 (interquartile range (IQR): 10-40 snaps). Offensive players (n=88) were injured at a median snap count of 24 (IQR: 11-43 snaps); whereas, defensive players (n=96) were injured at a median snap count of 20 (IQR: 10-36 snaps). Special teams players sustained three ACL injuries. Over the eight seasons monitored, the mean single team offensive snaps per game was 63.9 (SD: 3.1). ACL injuries were sustained at a median game number (numbered 1-16 for regular season games, and 17-20 for subsequent potential post-season games) of 7 (IQR: game 5-12, mode: game 5). There was an average of 23.75 ACL injuries over eight regular and post-season games (SD: 4.4, median: 22, IQR: 20.25-28). There was a mean of 10.9 (SD: 3.0) ACL injuries in pre-season games. Conclusions: ACL injuries had a similar early in game median total snap count between overall, offensive, and defensive position groups. ACL injuries in the regular and post-season were increased in the first half of the regular season.
Level of Evidence: Level IV
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
Krill MK, Schilaty ND, Krill M, Hewett TE. Understanding Fatigue and Timing of ACL Injuries in NFL Games with Snap Counts and Game Number at Time of Injury [abstract]. PM R. 2020; 12(S1)(suppl 1). https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/understanding-fatigue-and-timing-of-acl-injuries-in-nfl-games-with-snap-counts-and-game-number-at-time-of-injury/. Accessed May 16, 2025.« Back to AAPM&R Annual Assembly 2020
PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/understanding-fatigue-and-timing-of-acl-injuries-in-nfl-games-with-snap-counts-and-game-number-at-time-of-injury/