NFL Players and Knee Injuries
Study shows link between short between-game rest periods and increased injury risk.
Here’s an important reminder for trainers who work with competitive athletes: short rest equals higher injury risk. NFL players were significantly more likely to suffer a serious knee injury—specifically tears of the knee extensor mechanism—after shorter rest periods between games, according to University of Missouri researchers. The risk was highest for players with less than seven days rest and on artificial turf. Trainers need to prioritize recovery time and monitor fatigue or the inability to recover between games for competitive athletes, especially during dense game or training schedules.
The study is published in The Journal of Knee Surgery.
Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA
Shirley Eichenberger-Archer, JD, MA, is an internationally acknowledged integrative health and mindfulness specialist, best-selling author of 16 fitness and wellness books translated into multiple languages and sold worldwide, award-winning health journalist, contributing editor to Fitness Journal, media spokesperson, and IDEA's 2008 Fitness Instructor of the Year. She's a 25-year industry veteran and former health and fitness educator at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, who has served on multiple industry committees and co-authored trade books and manuals for ACE, ACSM and YMCA of the USA. She has appeared on TV worldwide and was a featured trainer on America's Next Top Model.
