Medical history and physical findings in football players of different ages and skill levels

The physical and physiologic demands of football on its participants become more pronounced as the level of competition increases. The aim of this stu dy was to compare the medical history and physical findings in players from different levels of play as well as to analyze the relationship between pa thologic findings in the joints of the lower extremities and the medical hi story. Five hundred eighty-eight football players from eight age and skill levels were investigated. The medical histories of the players were obtaine d by questionnaire. A physical examination conducted by specially trained p hysicians incorporated anthropometric and body fat measurements and examina tion of the spine and the hip, knee, foot, and great toe joints. On average , the players reported 6.6 (SD, 8.8) previous injuries. At the time of the examination, 136 players (24%) still felt the effects of a previous injury. Almost one-quarter of the players (134, 23%) had a pathologic finding in e ither the right or left knee, and even more players (162, 28%) had a pathol ogic anterior drawer sign either in the right or left ankle. A correlation was found between the location of the pathologic findings and the preferred leg for playing football. We recommend that further research should addres s the prevalence of pathologic findings and complaints in football players as well as the secondary structural changes that may occur as the result of playing football.