Play at Your Peril

CLICK TO REACT

Anytime an NFL player steps inside the white lines during an active game, he needs to fully understand that he is at risk for serious injury or the potential for death based on the force of impact that the sport can offer.

More and more players are opting out of protective equipment since they perceive that it slows them down. Ironically, by reducing the protective padding and increasing the speed of impact, the player is placing themselves at greater risk of trauma -- blunt force trauma.

On another front, I might suggest that the offensive an defensive lineman are at potential risk to premature death from a silent killer -- high blood pressure, since many of them have waist measurements greater than 40 inches -- one of five risk factors for metabolic syndrome along with elevated blood pressure.

I think the potential blow from the risk factor(s) that they may not see coming, is the real killer in the NFL.

By Mackie Shilstone  |  September 9, 2009; 8:00 AM ET  | Category:  Medical Save & Share:                 
Previous: New Rules to Stop Death | Next: Football Kills, Deal With It

The comments to this entry are closed.