AUTHORS

John M Apostolakos, MD, MPH, Christopher M Brusalis, MD, Tyler Uppstrom, MD, Ryan R Thacher, MD, Michelle Kew, MD, Samuel A Taylor, MD

JOURNAL

HSS Journal, August 2023

ABSTRACT

American football is among the most popular sports in the United States. Shoulder-related injuries constitute a significant source of morbidity among participating athletes. On-field evaluation of the American football player with an injured shoulder benefits from careful ascertainment of the mechanism of injury. Across all shoulder conditions, appropriate medical care consists of timely determination of need for acute intervention, formulation of a plan of care, and establishment of a timeline for safe return to play. We present a practical review of these components of care for five of the most frequently encountered shoulder-related injuries in American football: acromioclavicular (AC) joint separation, glenohumeral instability, rotator cuff pathology, pectoralis major injury, and peripheral nerve injury.