Results: Concussion, Playing Experience, and Long-Term Health
One of our Study’s priorities is to better understand the health impacts of concussion. Another is to identify how particular NFL playing experiences affect health outcomes. The findings below shed light on both of these topics, showing how concussions, NFL career length, and playing position may impact your long-term cognitive and mental health. You will also find some action steps and resources to help you be proactive about these aspects of your health. What the…
Number of Years in NFL, Certain Positions Portend Greater Risk for Cognitive, Mental Health Problems in Former Players
At a glance: Study shows link between longer NFL career and higher risk of cognitive, mental health problems Risk persisted over time, even 20 years following injury Certain positions also carried elevated risk for cognitive problems, depression, and anxiety Running backs, linebackers, defensive linemen had the greatest risk for cognitive problems Longer NFL careers and certain playing positions appear to each spell greater long-term risk for serious cognitive problems such as confusion, memory deficits, depression…
For NFL Players, Career Length, Role Affect Future Health Risks: Study
Pro football players who had long careers at key positions are more likely to have concussion-related problems such as confusion, memory loss, depression and anxiety, a new study finds.
Ex-NFL Players Six Times More Likely Than the General Public to Report Cognitive Problems, Study Finds
Harvard researchers surveyed 3,500 former NFL players and found that they were six times more likely than members of the general public to report serious cognitive problems such as confusion and memory loss.
Long NFL Careers Spell Greater Risk for ‘Serious Cognitive Problems,’ Harvard Research Finds
A team at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School surveyed nearly 3,500 former NFL players for the report, which was published Friday in The American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Results: Unexpected Consequences of Concussion
Concussions are one of our program’s top research priorities. While we are conducting several studies to examine how concussions may affect brain health, we are also exploring how head trauma can impact other key areas of former player health. Below, you will find our findings regarding concussions’ potential impact on sexual health, along with some action steps and resources to help individuals address these issues. What the Science Says Our analysis of 3,400 former players…
Concussions Linked to Erectile Dysfunction in Former NFL Players
Findings underscore the need to investigate possible biological mechanism linking head injury, erectile dysfunction. At a glance: Former NFL players reporting concussion symptoms following head injury more likely to report erectile dysfunction and low testosterone levels Players reporting the most concussion symptoms have nearly twice the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED), compared with players with the fewest symptoms The elevated risk was present even when researchers accounted for other possible drivers of ED as well…
Erectile Dysfunction Linked to Concussions in NFL Players, Harvard Study Finds
Former professional football players who have experienced concussion symptoms, including loss of consciousness, disorientation or nausea after a head injury, are more likely to report low testosterone and erectile dysfunction, according to a new study conducted by researchers at HMS and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health as part of the ongoing Football Players Health Study at Harvard University.
Former NFL Players with Worse or More Frequent Concussions are More Likely to Show Sexual Dysfunction, Study Shows
Former athletes were more likely to report that doctors had recommended or prescribed treatments for the sexual health conditions if they had a higher “concussion symptom score,” a measure derived from self-reported head injury symptoms like dizziness and nausea, or if they reported more frequently losing consciousness playing football.
Concussions Linked to Erectile Dysfunction in Former NFL Players
Former professional football players who have experienced concussion symptoms, including loss of consciousness, disorientation or nausea after a head injury, are more likely to report low testosterone and erectile dysfunction (ED), according to research published Aug. 26 in JAMA Neurology.
Results: ACL Injury and Heart Health
ACL tears frequently occur during the football playing years and may have important implications for long-term health. Below, you will find our early research results on the potential consequences of ACL injury, along with some action steps to help you be proactive about your health. What the Science Says Our analysis of 3,500 former players indicates that those who sustained ACL tears may be at an increased risk for health problems later in life. Specifically,…
Results: Impact of Football-Related Weight Gain
Thanks to the thousands of former players who completed our First Health and Wellness Questionnaire (Q1), we are gaining a clearer picture of your health. Below are early research results on the potential consequences of football-related weight gain, along with action steps you and your peers might take to be proactive about your health. What the Science Says Our research indicates that former players who experienced substantial weight gain between high school football and professional play…
After Career-ending Injury, ex-Seahawks WR Ricardo Lockette Trying to Keep Current Players Safe
Our advisor, Ricardo Lockette, talks about the importance of the Study and the game.
Can Relationships and Personal Networks Impact the Health of Former Pro Football Players?
Harvard University’s Football Players Health Study launches new initiative to examine the functional, cognitive, and cardiovascular effects of personal networks. At a glance: First-of-its-kind study launched to examine the effects of personal networks on former NFL players’ health. Findings could inform health interventions to reduce risk. Short web-based survey provides personalized results and information for former players. Watch two videos that introduce the Personal Network Study. Personal networks and social environment have emerged as important…
The N.F.L.’s Obesity Scourge
The effects of head trauma have gotten much of the attention, but huge weight gains have also damaged N.F.L. retirees.
Study Hints at Elevated Cardiac Risk Among Former Football Players with ACL Tears
At a glance: Analysis reveals a 50% higher risk of heart attack among former football players who sustained ACL tears. ACL tears doubled the risk of knee replacement surgery and boosted arthritis risk by 50%. Former athletes with ACL tears had a mildly elevated risk for sleep apnea. Former professional football players who suffer tears to their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the course of their careers appear to face an elevated long-term risk of…
Listening to NFL Players: On Mental Health
A new report highlights key findings from interviews with players and family members. When it comes to their careers, current and former NFL players express satisfaction – and frustrations – about their lives both on and off the field. “Life on an Emotional Roller Coaster: NFL Players and Their Family Members’ Perspectives on Player Mental Health” covers the findings of a nearly two-year “listening tour” that gathered anecdotes and other information from NFL players and their…
Treating Inflammatory Arthritis with Hydrogel
A better delivery system brings anti-inflammatory therapies to critical sites.
Research Huddle Podcast: The Brain Health Study
The purpose of the Brain Health Study is to gain a better understanding of brain health in former professional football players. Through a series of online assessments that evaluate memory, attention, personality and temperament, this study collects data on individuals’ ability to think and process information. This Research Huddle podcast episode features a conversation between Alvaro Pascual-Leone, MD, PhD, director of targeted research studies for the Football Players Health Study, Laura Germine, PhD, who adapted her…
New Article Examines the Possibility of Applying Workplace Safety Rules to the NFL
Could occupational health and safety laws be applied to better protect NFL players? A new analysis, published on April 17 in the Arizona Law Review, explores this very possibility. The article, written by the Law and Ethics Initiative of the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University, examines whether the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) should take an active role in improving health and safety in the NFL workplace. The article concludes that…
Meet the Doc – Ross Zafonte, DO
Dr. Ross Zafonte is a senior vice president of medical affairs at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. He is a member of the leadership team of the Football Players Health Study, and leads a new area called medical navigation. How did you get involved with the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University? RZ: I got involved with the Study from the very…
Moving forward: Minimally-Invasive ACL Repair
ACL tears are a serious, often career-ending injury for football players. These tears and other knee injuries are very common, and the recovery process is difficult and slow. Martha Murray, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Boston Children’s Hospital and professor at Harvard Medical School, has been working for several years on a new technique for ACL repair that will hopefully reduce the impact to sports performance and lower the risk of developing arthritis in the knee.…
Building a Better Knee Brace for NFL Players
Joint pain and arthritis are the top two health complaints among former NFL players. ACL tears, which can cause joint pain and arthritis, also pose a threat to players’ livelihood: in 36 percent of cases they are a career-ending injury. Because knee injuries are of high concern to players, knee braces are a common part of a football player’s gear on the field. However, these braces are usually made of hard, rigid materials. They can be…
Advancing Research on Potential Treatment for TBI
Football players are at high risk of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) on the field during play and practice since frequent head impacts are an unavoidable part of the game. Currently, researchers are still learning about the long-term impact of these injuries on players, and a long-term treatment has not yet been fully developed. Over the last three years, the Football Players Health Study has been studying this very important area. Our researchers Drs. Xiao Zhen…
Preliminary Results Infographic: Exercise and Weight Gain
So far, over 3,700 former NFL players have taken our first health and wellness questionnaire. These infographics provide a snapshot of the information shared by respondents about early data on exercise and weight gain. Download a PDF of this infographic. Have questions? Contact us: 617.432.500 or players@footballplayershealth.harvard.edu
In-Person Assessments: Visits to Boston Hospitals for Testing, Scans, and Other Evaluations
After months of planning, the In-Person Assessment Study was officially launched in November 2017. This study is designed to bring former professional football players to the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston to participate in a wide range of tests, scans, and evaluations. These assessments will provide our researchers a “whole body” understanding of health, wellness, and conditions. When the full study launches later this year, a group of players will take part in the most…
Epidemiology: Study of Patterns within a Population
The Football Players Health Study’s epidemiological efforts (study of patterns within the former player population) focus on growing a robust research base (cohort) of former NFL players. Undertaking these efforts always requires significant time, but it is important for us to capture these results from as many former players as possible. Currently, we are continuing to invite former players to participate in our first questionnaire, and at the same time, our focus has shifted to…
Targeted Studies: Prevention, Diagnostics, and Interventions Developed by Researchers, and Innovative Approaches to Testing Players Remotely
The Football Players Health Study has made significant progress in advancing its active Targeted Studies, as well as launching new efforts which focus on prevention, diagnostics, and interventions developed by researchers at Harvard University, along with collaborators at other institutions. The Study has also moved forward on developing innovative approaches to testing players remotely. Targeted Studies refers to research projects that address specific questions of relevance that can be translated into solutions to promote improved…
Preliminary Results Infographic: Positions, Conditions, and Quality of Life
So far, over 3,700 former NFL players have taken our first health and wellness questionnaire. These infographics provide a snapshot of the information shared by respondents about early data on positions, conditions, and quality of life. Download a PDF of this infographic. Have questions? Contact us: 617.432.500 or players@footballplayershealth.harvard.edu
More Preliminary Results from the First Health Questionnaire
This first health and wellness questionnaire explores health conditions of former NFL players. So far, over 3,500 former NFL players have taken this questionnaire, helping to shape and direct the future of our Study. This infographic is a snapshot of the results thus far. Download a PDF of this infographic. Have questions? Contact us: 617.432.500 or players@footballplayershealth.harvard.edu
Preliminary Results from the First Health Questionnaire
So far, over 3,500 former NFL players have taken our first health and wellness questionnaire, helping to shape and direct the future of our Study. This infographic is a snapshot of the results thus far. Download a PDF of this infographic. Have questions? Contact us: 617.432.500 or players@footballplayershealth.harvard.edu
Harvard Report Compares NFL’s Health Policies and Practices to Those of Other Professional Sports Leagues
While the NFL’s player health policies and practices are robust in some areas, there are opportunities for improvement in others, according to the findings of a newly released report by researchers at The Petrie-Flom Center at Harvard Law School. The report, published today, is the first comprehensive comparative analysis of health policies and practices across professional sports leagues. The research is part of the ongoing Football Players Health Study at Harvard University. The analysis compares…
Researchers at the University of Houston Law Center and Harvard Law School Address Legal Issues in Evaluating NFL Player Health and Performance
The University of Pennsylvania Law Review today published an article by researchers at the University of Houston Law Center and Harvard Law School analyzing the legality of various health and performance evaluations used by NFL clubs. These include the familiar—such as athletic drills—and those that are more advanced, such as genetic testing and wearable technologies that monitor a player’s speed, strength, sleep, heart rate, body temperature and other biometrics. The article is authored by Jessica…
Innovation Challenge – Chronic Pain
Research Questions for Treating Chronic Pain Deadline January 18, 2017 What’s your big idea? The Football Players Health Study at Harvard University has launched an innovation challenge to solicit innovative and important scientific research questions that will significantly advance our knowledge of chronic pain and how to treat it. The challenge is open to all members of the public, including researchers from all fields, athletes, and anyone else interested in this topic. You do not…
Recommendations to Improve NFL Player Health
Recommendations to Improve NFL Player Health: New Harvard report addresses legal and ethical factors affecting players’ health At a glance: First-of-a-kind analysis examines structural factors in player health. Report makes key recommendations toward improving players’ health beyond clinical interventions. November 17, 2016 – The Football Players Health Study at Harvard University today released a set of legal and ethical recommendations to address a series of structural factors that affect NFL player health. The Football Players Health…
Innovation Challenge – Sleep Apnea
Solutions for Sleep Apnea: Deadline September 21, 2016 What’s your big idea? The Football Players Health Study at Harvard University has launched an innovation challenge to solicit ideas and solutions for treating sleep apnea. The challenge is open to all members of the public, including researchers both in sleep medicine, and outside of this field, athletes, and anyone else interested in this topic. You do not need to be affiliated with Harvard to apply. You’ll…
Job Posting: Postdoctoral Research Fellow
We have an opening for a highly motivated postdoctoral research fellow (PhD, MD or MD/PhD) who will help to further study design, write IRB protocols, and conduct data analysis under the guidance and direction of our lead investigators. Additional responsibilities include coordinating with the IRB, presenting work at local and national meetings, and writing scientific manuscripts. The position will be co-mentored by Drs. Alvaro Pascual-Leone and William Meehan. This is a one-year position with the…
Bridge-Enhanced ACL Repair (BEAR) Technique
Exciting news regarding Martha Murray’s Bridge-Enhanced ACL Repair (BEAR) technique which is currently in phase 1 of a clinical trial: All 10 experimental patients are progressing with new tissue growth, which is the goal of this non-invasive technique. Watch the video below from Boston Children’s Hospital highlighting a patient’s successful recovery three months after surgery, and read more about the patient’s experience.
Harvard Launches ResearchKit App to Support Football Player Health
TeamStudy, an app that is part of the Football Players Health Study at Harvard University, uses ResearchKit to help former NFL players and the public better understand brain function, heart health, pain and mobility. The Football Players Health Study at Harvard University—a series of studies that examine the health and wellbeing of former football players and aims to develop more effective diagnostic and therapeutic interventions—today launched TeamStudy, an iPhone research app built using ResearchKit, the open source software framework designed by Apple. Former NFL…
Our Gratitude to Willie Richardson: 1939-2016
As the news broke that our trusted friend and player advisor Willie Richardson passed away on February 8, our team remembered his legacy as a legendary wide receiver who played for Jackson State, then went on to the Baltimore Colts and Miami Dolphins. Most recently, Richardson hosted an hour-long weekly radio show on ESPN The Zone 105.9. Our hearts go out to his family and friends. Read the full obituary. More coverage. 2012 article on…
A Visit with Former Players: Pre-Super Bowl 50 Trip
Lydia Bergen, director of operations for the Football Players Health Study (left), Alix Nozzolillo, associate director of player relations (right), with Nolan Harrison and Dat Nguyen, player advisors for the Study, at Super Bowl 50. To help spread the word on our Study, the Football Players Health Study team makes an annual trip before the Super Bowl begins to connect with players as they attend events at Radio Row, NFL Legends Lounge, and The Trust…
Talks@12: Tackling Football Injuries
Lee Nadler, MD, principal investigator of the Football Players Health Study; Rodney Peete, player advisor, Holly Robinson Peete, family advisor; Alvaro Pascual-Leone, MD, PhD, co-director; Ross Zafonte, DO, co-director On February 1, a packed auditorium and over 44,000 live stream viewers tuned in to hear our associate directors Ross Zafonte and Alvaro Pascual-Leone present ‘Tackling Football Injuries’ as part of Harvard Medical School’s Talks@12 series. The hour-long talk addressed both the urgent need…
Harvard Chan: This week in Health
Bill Meehan, MD, an associate director of the Study, was a guest speaker on the podcast Harvard Chan: This Week in Health on January 22 to discuss the urgent need for research on the conditions football player former players face. He noted that our Study is unique because it addresses the whole player, while incorporating ongoing feedback from this community on what concerns them — and their families — most. “We thought that the potential effects…
Milestone: Over 2,570 Former Players Participate in our Study
We’ve made history with a new milestone! Over 2570 former players have participated in our first questionnaire, making us the largest study of living former football players ever. Thanks to all of you for your support and input; we’re working on reaching thousands more, and with your help, we’ll continue to move forward with this critical research.