Descriptive Analysis of Lower Limb Injuries on Differently Aged Artificial Turf

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URL: http://scholarworks.umt.edu/etd/10921

Abstract

The NCAA estimates that about half (50.4%) of the injuries sustained by individuals playing football are lower limb injuries. Research has suggested that artificial turf be replaced every six to eight years. The 2015 artificial turf at the University of Montana Washington Grizzly Stadium was almost 8 years old and the 2016 turf is brand new. This professional paper describes injuries between old and new artificial turf within a college football team season. Information was analyzed from the University of Montana’s online injury tracking system, Vivature, from the 2015 and 2016 seasons and the recorded data on the Grizzly football team’s lower leg injuries from home practices and games. The information was pulled at the end of the 2016 season. All lower limb injuries were recorded, then subcategorized into the surface type of where the injury occurred and whether or not the injury occurred from contact. Describing the injuries sustained on the two differently aged turf fields may help athletic trainers and their institutions gain knowledge on when to replace artificial turf and health implications for their football teams as well as any other athletic teams that may be utilizing the field. This paper reviewed the literature to compare types of injuries sustained between artificial turf and grass. Preliminary findings show a possible increased risk of injury playing on artificial turf as compared to natural grass for football players. Based off recent research, it is hypothesized that 2016 season injury data would reflect a differentiation in types of injuries and injury numbers compared to the previous season. The results of this study show that there is not significant data to conclude that the age of artificial turf effects the rate of injury in collegiate football athletes. This study showed that new artificial turf could demonstrate a trend toward higher rates of knee injuries. This information should be taken into consideration when potentially replacing the artificial turf for a university. Player safety should come above the aesthetics of a stadium; even if that is the unpopular choice.

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