Relationship between major joint injury and general joint laxity in collegiate American football players

A preparticipation examination for athletes should be performed to prevent severe athletic injury by examining physical characteristics related to various injuries. The general joint laxity test has been included among the check-up items considering as relating factor of joint injury. Authors investigated the relationship between the score of general joint laxity for freshmen examination and the incidence of major joint injury, during the succeeding 5 athletic seasons, in eighty-seven collegiate American football players. Significant higher scores were observed in athletes affected by shoulder injury, and slightly higher scores in those affected by knee joint injury. But, the scores were similar between athletes with and without elbow or ankle injury. The degree of laxity was associated with shoulder and knee joint injury in a comparison of incidence of these injuries among tight, medium and lax groups. Authors concluded that general joint laxity is related to the incidence of shoulder and knee joint injury.