The NCAA News - News and Features

May 12, 1997

Sports Science Newsletter
Statements in support of NCAA Legislative Proposal No. 125

NATA

The National Athletic Trainers' Association College/University Athletic Trainers' Committee shares your continued concern for the health and welfare of the student-athlete. In that vein, we strongly urge your support of Proposition 125 (2-126) "Playing & Practice Seasons - Spring Practice Division I & II Football."

We are joined by the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) in our support for this legislation as proposed by the NCAA Council-appointed Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports.

In 1991, the Presidents Commission proposed and successfully legislated the reduction of spring football practice opportunities from 20 to 15 days. While the rationale at that time focused on the academic benefits to our student-athletes, the legislation resulted in an immediate 20 percent decrease in the injury rate.

Football's nontraditional season has been precisely defined for years. Injury data has been collected since 1989. That data details an injury rate/risk during the nontraditional season twice as high as that occurring in the traditional season. It is important to note that 80 percent of those injuries occur on days designated for "contact." While the reliability of the NCAA Injury Surveillance System has been questioned by some, the data has been cited in professional literature as valid and reliable.

The committee's concerns are not exclusive to spring football. We will continue to assist in data collection of injury rates in all nontraditional seasons; however, sound scientific data and evidence regarding spring football currently exists and cannot be ignored. The different in-season and nontraditional season football injury rates are real, significant and preventable. This proposal is consistent with the NCAA's commitment to the health and safety of the student-athlete. Despite the controversial nature of this legislation, as the decision-maker on your campus, we respectfully request your support of Proposition 125.

AMSSM

The Board of Directors of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine voted to endorse NCAA Legislative Proposal 125 at its semi-annual meeting. After reviewing data made available to us from both the NCAA Injury Surveillance System (ISS) and the Big Ten Conference, we found several compelling reasons to endorse this proposal:

1. The ISS data is valid; it has withstood the test of peer review and has been used repeatedly for the past decade to support NCAA rule changes. 2. Review of both data sets support the notion that student-athletes are at substantially greater risk of injury in the spring. 3. Risk for serious injury, namely ACL injuries and concussions, are threefold and twofold greater in the spring, respectively. 4. Previous instances in which contact days were reduced in the spring have resulted in significant reduction in injury rates.

As an organization comprised of over 700 physicians who provide care to athletes at all levels and who are committed to the health and well-being of student-athletes, we believe that no individual should be placed at greater risk of injury during the offseason than that experienced during the regular season. We hope that the NCAA membership will join us in embracing changes which are in the best interest of student-athletes.

AOSSM

AOSSM is an organization of over 1,200 orthopaedic surgeons specializing in sports medicine, related surgical procedures, injury prevention and rehabilitation. Members serve as team physicians for virtually every sport, and especially for football at the collegiate and professional levels. The Society supports the proposed changes to the NCAA rules governing spring football.

The Society recognizes the credibility of the NCAA's Injury Surveillance System and finds the data concerning spring football to be persuasive and disconcerting. Moreover, the Society's leadership finds the data to be consistent with some of their experiences as team physicians caring for orthopaedic football injuries.

Of added concern is the fact that some of the injuries which occur at a more frequent rate during spring football can have an impact on the long-term health of athletes. Preventable concussions and ACLs not only can diminish athletes' ability to compete, but also can diminish their quality of life after competitive sports.

As a professional medical society that is actively involved with and supportive of football from the Pop Warner level through the professional level, our overriding interest is in protecting and preserving one of America's favorite sports, as well as the athletes who excel in this arena. We believe the NCAA Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sport proposal is a constructive approach which will preserve both the integrity of the sport and the safety of our athletes.