Football injuries.

Players of football will suffer injury. These injuries with their potential effects on the rest of the athlete's lives should be treated with aggressive recognition and rehabilitation of acute injuries. Care should be taken when interpreting published data on football injuries, as the definition of "injury" may widely vary. The most effective treatment of any of the injuries reviewed is prevention. Preseason conditioning, attention to safe technique, and appropriate use of equipment are key preventive strategies. Recently the seriousness of even mild traumatic brain injury (and the second impact syndrome) has reached national consensus. Return to play decisions will be executed most effectively if a clear plan for handling these situations is in place before the injuries take place. Overall, sports medicine research and education have significantly reduced the frequency and seriousness of injuries suffered during football.