A study published in Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine shows that in stark contrast to studies correlating high pitch counts with increased injury risk among baseball players, NFL running backs with high workloads are less likely incur injuries or exhibit declined production.
Here are five things to know:
1. Researchers sought to identify whether a correlation existed between a running back's number of carries and risk of injury or poor performance in the following season.
2. The most common NFL injuries resulting in missed playing time during the subsequent season are concussions, foot and ankle sprains, lower leg, foot and ankle fractures, ACL tears, hamstring strains, shoulder dislocation and meniscus injuries.
3. The study's data focused on two groups of running backs: group A included running backs who had carried the ball 150 to 250 times per season and group B included running backs with 300-plus carries per season. Between the 2004 regular season and the 2014 regular season, 212 running backs were included in group A while 63 were included in group B.
4. Of group A running backs, 66 percent missed at least one game the following season due to injury, compared to only 49 percent of group B players. Group B players also missed fewer games because of injury during the season of interest.
5. Researchers concluded that NFL running backs may be less injury prone and more productive with a high number of carries per season.
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