Injuries are part-and-parcel of any sport that is played and the NFL is just one of the competitive sports that will see a range of them occurring throughout a season.
Due to the issues that can arise from playing the sport, some have mentioned that the NFL does not stand for the National Football League, but for Not For Long due to the number of problems that can be experienced throughout a player’s season.
It is not uncommon to hear of a player who has been forced to retire earlier than they would have liked because of an injury that they may have suffered whilst they donned the pads on the gridiron for their team in competitive action.
AS the NFL preseason schedule has come to a close and the regular season about to get underway, players up and down the USA will be looking to do everything within their power to avoid getting injured, whilst there will be a number of sports bettors who are interested in gambling and using Unibet promos already that will be hopeful that the teams they wager on remain at full strength for as long as possible.
These are five of the most common injuries that are sustained when playing in the NFL, although it should be noted that others do occur, perhaps a little less frequently, though.
Concussion
Unfortunately, concussion is a common injury that NFL players can pick up during their playing career and it is one that has caused a lot of concern around the league and the medical profession because of the damage that can be caused by one when picked up.
The league has worked hard to ensure that the threat of concussion and other head injuries are less prevalent by introducing restrictions on certain tackles from taking place, especially helmet-to-helmet bumps.
The equipment has also gotten better in regards to the protection provided, but injuries will still happen at the force at which the impact of the clash will give off.
Knee
One of the most common injuries to be suffered in the NFL is via the knees, with the league highlighting that it is the most frequent one to be picked up since 2000 and continues to top the list to this very season.
This area of the body has a lot of moving parts and as individuals within American Football can be a little heavier because of the muscular builds that they have as a requirement to play the sport, this can have an impact on the knees.
Furthermore, the knee has muscles that will continually be being worked, such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). Players who suffer these injuries will find that they take a long time to recover from them and can potentially miss an entire season as part of their recovery.
Foot & Ankle
Just as they are with the knee, injuries to the feet and ankles of players are typically very common within the NFL as players can simply roll over when making a sharp turn in the turf when trying to tackle or dodge a challenge from another player.
Footwear has improved, however there is concern that they have also contributed to the rise in the number of injuries attained because they are lighter and less protective than they once were in the past, which is a problem as players get heavier, stronger and more powerful than before.
Shoulder
Another common injury to be sustained in the NFL is to the shoulder area, with quarterbacks perhaps at a greater risk than any other player. This is because they are the only individuals who will be throwing the ball, although every player can suffer one as they can be tackled and land on the body part.
Shoulder dislocations, sprains and even torn rotator cuffs can occur, which are painful injuries to have to deal with.
Upper Leg
Upper leg injuries are just as common amongst players in the NFL, with a hamstring injury perhaps the most frequent here. Players can suffer tears and sprains to this muscle if they do not warm up properly, whilst their muscles can also suffer damage if they try to exert their bodies too much when running.
These injuries are not generally too concerning when it comes down to the rehabilitation period, but with six to eight weeks potentially required to get back to peak condition, that means almost half of an NFL season will be missed.
