Mueller F O
Department of Physical Education, Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA.
Clin Sports Med. 1998 Jan;17(1):169-82. doi: 10.1016/s0278-5919(05)70071-5.
Football head and cervical spine fatalities have been related to 84.9% of all football fatalities from 1945 through 1994. The decade from 1965 through 1974 was responsible for the greatest number and percentage of head and cervical spine fatalities, and the two decades from 1975 through 1994 were associated with the smallest number and percentage. The data reveal that most head and cervical spine fatalities are related to high school football players either tackling or being tackled in a game. Most head fatalities are subdural hematomas, and almost all of the cervical spine fatalities are fractures, dislocations, or fracture-dislocations. There has been a dramatic reduction in these types of fatalities during the last two decades, 1975 through 1994, and the preventive measures that have received most of the credit have been the 1976 rule change that prohibits initial contact with the head and face when blocking and tackling, the NOCSAE helmet standard that went into effect in colleges in 1978 and high schools in 1980, better coaching in the techniques of blocking and tackling, and improved medical care. There has been a reduction of head and cervical spine fatalities, but the analysis of data for the next decade, 1995 through 2004, will reveal the continued effects of the preventive measures discussed and continued research efforts. A number of researchers have stated that in order for the head and cervical spine fatalities to continue decreasing, there must be increased helmet research with an emphasis on concussions and neck injuries. Will the number of fatalities continue to decrease? Only time will tell.
1945年至1994年期间，头部和颈椎损伤导致的死亡占所有足球相关死亡案例的84.9%。1965年至1974年这十年间，头部和颈椎损伤导致的死亡人数和比例最高，而1975年至1994年这二十年的相关人数和比例最低。数据显示，大多数头部和颈椎损伤致死案例与高中橄榄球运动员在比赛中进行擒抱或被擒抱有关。大多数头部损伤致死案例为硬膜下血肿，几乎所有颈椎损伤致死案例都是骨折、脱位或骨折脱位。在过去二十年（1975年至1994年），这类死亡案例数量大幅减少，而最值得称赞的预防措施包括1976年的规则变更，即禁止在阻挡和擒抱时首次接触头部和面部；1978年在大学、1980年在高中开始实施的美国国家运动装备标准管理机构（NOCSAE）头盔标准；更好地指导阻挡和擒抱技术；以及改善医疗护理。头部和颈椎损伤导致的死亡人数有所减少，但对1995年至2004年这十年数据的分析将揭示上述预防措施的持续效果以及持续的研究努力。一些研究人员表示，为了使头部和颈椎损伤导致的死亡人数继续下降，必须加强头盔研究，重点关注脑震荡和颈部损伤。死亡人数会继续下降吗？只有时间能给出答案。
