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Professional
football players have a unique lifestyle.
They come from diverse backgrounds and share a
demanding exercise training program. Over
the past 30 years, the body size of players has
increased dramatically and training patterns
have evolved into year round monitored
exertion. The physical nature of the
sport involves rigorous and aggressive
contact. The emphasis on winning games is
associated with a stressful work
environment. The average duration of a
playing career is about four years and the
transition from elite athlete to working citizen
may be difficult.
Anecdotal reports
and two surveys suggest that musculoskeletal and
cardiovascular problems are common in
retirement. Rumors abound that the
average life expectancy of players that play for
5 or more years is around 56 years.
If this estimate were true, life expectancy for
professional football players is significantly
less than that for the USA population at
large. It could also be speculated that the
quality of life in later years is diminished in similar
fashion.
The LHF plans to
separate truth from fiction related to player's
health. The initial regional CV
health screening programs will objectively
identify important health findings in current
and retired players. Longitudinal
evaluations will permit health risk
stratification. In addition, based
on the actual health needs discovered in retired
players, the LHF will individualize website
health programs and counseling approaches to
support the player and his doctor in overcoming
individual health deficiencies that are likely
to evolve over time into harmful, symptomatic
disease processes. The players deserve
this attention.
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