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Raphael S. F. Longobardi, MD, FAAOS
Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon
Sports Medicine Specialist

Fluid replacement is an important nutritional concern for football players. Approximately 60% of body weight is water.

Football Gear Is For Protection, Not Cooling

As a football player trains and competes, fluid is lost through the skin as sweat, through the lungs as he breathes and as urine. If fluid is not replaced at regular intervals during a game or training it can quickly lead to dehydration.

Football players are at increased risk of dehydration in part because of their equipment needs. Football gear is designed for protection, but the necessary padding does not allow for quick evaporation or cooling. It's not uncommon for players to lose anywhere between 5-15 pounds during a game or workout, especially during two-a-day practices.

Shoulder injuries are the third most common group of orthopedic injuries in football. AC Joint (or Acromioclavicular joint ) Sprains/Shoulder Separations are one of the most common types of shoulder injuries sustained in football. Although quarterbacks are usually "off-limits" in practice, they are particularly vulnerable in games when they can get slammed to the ground. Wide receivers are at risk when they go up for a pass and come down shoulder-first hitting the turf. Regardless of the position being played, if an athlete lands on their shoulder, the risk of injuring their AC joint is high, despite protective shoulder pads.

Raphael S. F. Longobardi, MD

Sports Medicine Specialist
Board certified Orthopaedic Surgeon

Due to the size of the players, speed of the game and the sheer physical nature of the game, injuries related to playing football are quite common. As a matter of fact, football produces the highest rate of injuries per player per hour than any other sport. The highest injury rates are seen in professional football. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, most injuries occur during actual games, rather than practice; this is because players tend to 'play harder' and take more risks during a game.

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