Are you missing a concussion by watching American football? Video analysis of ball location in a Division 1 football program

ABSTRACT

Objective

Action in a football game occurs quickly. Medical staff can miss a sport-related concussion (SRC) if they do not observe it directly. The objective of this study is to determine if SRCs occur more frequently at ball than away from ball during gameplay. Game-specific concussion statistics can enhance medical provider care of athletes.

Methods

We used gameplay videos of an NCAA Division I football program to analyze SRCs and determine the primary tackler or ball handler during each concussion play. We compared the relative risk of SRCs for the primary ball handlers/tacklers to that of the other 10 players on the same team during that play.

Results

Over 10 seasons, 26 SRCs occurred at ball for the primary ball handler/tackler position (0.22 SRCs/game) versus 16 away from ball (0.13 SRCs/game). The relative risk of an SRC according to exposure (at ball) vs. no exposure (away from ball) was 16.2 (CI 8.7–30.2, P < .05). Special teams had more SRCs away from ball than at ball, but this was not significant (relative risk 3.32, CI 0.90–12.3, P > .05).

Conclusions

The study provides medical staff guidance to more efficiently identify in-game SRCs and supports evidence for rules changes.

KEYWORDS:

• Sport-related concussion
• football position
• collision partner
• medical observer
• ATC spotter

Disclosure statement

The corresponding author has developed a CME course titled “High Risk Concussion CME.”