National Football League linemen return-to-play rates after lumbar discectomy 85.7 percent of the time, and those who are treated surgically have superior outcomes to those who are treated nonoperatively, according to a study published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine.
In all, 66 linemen (36 offensive and 30 defensive) were diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation and 52 were treated surgically. The players had an average body mass index of 35.4 and was approximately 27.6 years old.
Of the players treated surgically, 80.8 percent successfully returned to play, while 63.5 percent became starters after treatment. Among these players, 13.5 percent required revision decompression and 85.7 percent successfully returned to play. Only 2.86 percent of the players who received nonoperative intervention returned to play.
The authors of the article suggest that NFL linemen should not be denied surgical treatment after recurring problems in the lower back.
Read the abstract for "Return-to-Play Rates in National Football League Linemen After Treatment for Lumbar Disc Herniation."
Read other coverage on NFL sports medicine:
- Experience, Draft Pick Are Predictors of Return to Play After ACL Injuries for NLF Players
- NFL Players Sidelined Longer After Concussions
- Study: Surgery Effective Treatment for Clavicle Injuries in NFL Players
In all, 66 linemen (36 offensive and 30 defensive) were diagnosed with lumbar disc herniation and 52 were treated surgically. The players had an average body mass index of 35.4 and was approximately 27.6 years old.
Of the players treated surgically, 80.8 percent successfully returned to play, while 63.5 percent became starters after treatment. Among these players, 13.5 percent required revision decompression and 85.7 percent successfully returned to play. Only 2.86 percent of the players who received nonoperative intervention returned to play.
The authors of the article suggest that NFL linemen should not be denied surgical treatment after recurring problems in the lower back.
Read the abstract for "Return-to-Play Rates in National Football League Linemen After Treatment for Lumbar Disc Herniation."
Read other coverage on NFL sports medicine:
- Experience, Draft Pick Are Predictors of Return to Play After ACL Injuries for NLF Players
- NFL Players Sidelined Longer After Concussions
- Study: Surgery Effective Treatment for Clavicle Injuries in NFL Players