Process and Rationale Behind Safety Modifications to 2003 NCAA Preseason Football Practice

Abstract

2214 Stimulated by recent heat illness fatalities and a desire to optimize student-athlete safety, the NCAA's Football Study Oversight Committee conducted an evaluation of injury trends in preseason (PRE) football (FB). PURPOSE: To evaluate the risk of time loss heat illness (TLHI) and general injury in collegiate FB under the current NCAA PRE FB practice parameters. Current PRE practice parameters include: 1) minimal equipment limitations for the first 3 practice days and no equipment limitations for subsequent practices and 2) no limit on number or length of daily practices from first day of PRE. METHODS: Information submitted by athletic trainers to the NCAA Injury Surveillance System (ISS) was used to establish injury risks for the 2001 and 2002 FB seasons. Data from 251 schools (approximately 20% of NCAA FB programs) relating to general injury rates, season of injury, TLHI, severity (time loss and surgery) and multiple-practice days were analyzed. RESULTS: TLHI FINDINGS – 1) 80% of TLHI in the five fall sports monitored by the ISS occurred in FB, 2) 95% of reported FB TLHI occurred in PRE 3) 83% of FB TLHI occurred wearing at least helmets and shoulder pads and 4) 87% of FB TLHI occurred on a day with multiple practices. GENERAL INJURY FINDINGS – 1) PRE FB practice general injury rates were 3.4 times higher than regular season practice rates, and 2) over a FB season averaging 85 practice sessions, 49% of all practice injuries, 45% of injuries restricting participation for 7 days or more and 44% of injuries requiring surgery occurred on the 8–10 PRE days with multiple practices. CONCLUSIONS: FB offers unique acclimatization challenges because of its protective equipment. ISS injury data analysis identified full equipment and multiple-practice days as probable contributors to TLHI and general injury. After discussions involving student-athletes, football coaches, athletic administrators, medical personnel and sports scientists, new FB PRE practice parameters were developed for 2003. These included: 1) initial 5-day acclimatization period (ACC) of a single practice with time limitations, 2) gradual addition of protective equipment over the ACC, 3) no consecutive multiplepractice days following the ACC, and 4) time limitations on all practices outside of the ACC. These new NCAA parameters allow for gradual acclimatization to exercise, environment and equipment while enhancing daily recovery. They represent a unique integration of scienti. c research with administrative necessity that should minimize the student-athlete's risk to heat illness and general injury in preseason collegiate football.