Football Injuries and Conditions

Hospital for Special Surgery is the Official Hospital of the New York Giants and multiple other professional and collegiate sports teams in the New York area. Our physicians have served as team doctors for the Giants for over 30 years and can be found on the sidelines at every game.

Football injuries

As a contact sport, football combines repetitive running, pivoting and kicking with impact, which eventually leads to multiple types of sports injuries. While these injuries can affect any part of an athlete’s body, two common areas of concern include the head and knee.

• Concussions for example, are commonly seen in high-collision sports like football, rugby and hockey. While wearing properly fitted protective equipment helps to reduce the risk of a concussion, forceful falls, tackles, kicks, checks or other forms of contact can still cause trauma to the head. Although this type of injury requires initial medical intervention, rest and time (in addition to any instructions from a doctor) is usually what it takes to recover.
• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries can result from a direct hit to the knee or from repeated running, jumping, pivoting or other high-impact movements. Physical therapy and rehabilitation are recommended for this type of knee damage. An prevention program to help support recovery or risk prevention may also be considered. For ACL tears combined with other knee injuries, surgery is often advised.

Video: Excellence at every level of play

HSS has a rich history in treating football players, from high school players to professionals. Below please find articles and videos related to injuries and conditions affecting football players.

Football articles

• A Guide to Proper Nutrition for Football Players
• ACL Injuries in Football: Causes, Treatment, Prevention
• ACL Injury Prevention Tips and Exercises
• Advice on Custom Orthotics from Nonsurgical Foot Specialists
• Artificial Turf: Does it Increase the Risk of Sports Injuries?
• Chronic Achilles Tendon Inflammation and Degeneration Injuries
• Elbow Arthritis and Rehabilitation With Physical Therapy
• Fast Food Tips For Athletes
• Flag Football Injuries and How to Treat (and Avoid) Them
• High Ankle Sprain (Syndesmotic Ankle Sprain): What's the Difference vs. a Regular Sprain?
• How to Avoid Injuries to Your Rotator Cuff: Impingement Syndrome
• Muscle Strain: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
• Outdoor Sports and Hip Injuries
• Patellofemoral Disorders: An Overview
• Patellofemoral Instability
• Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
• Rotator Cuff Surgery: Arthroscopic Repair of a Torn Rotator Cuff
• Shoulder Labrum Tears: An Overview
• Shoulder Surgery: Clavicle (Collarbone) Resection
• Shoulder Surgery: SLAP Lesion Repair
• Shoulder Surgery: Subacromial Decompression
• Sports Injuries of the Hand, Wrist and Elbow
• Torn Pectoral Muscle: Pectoralis Major Injuries