This study looked at 1370 NFL injuries in the year after COVID stopped professional sports.
It isn’t surprising to hear that: “The 2020-2021 NFL season had a significantly higher incidence of soft tissue injuries compared to the 2018-2019 regular NFL season, which may have been associated with the absent preseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic and an abrupt increase in the athletic workload of players.”
This is just further proof that getting in shape for your sport is important no matter who you are. Gifted athletes, such as those who play in the NFL, have proven their resilience and expertise — yet they still benefit from a rigorous preseason. I hope data like this will seep down to the high school and club coaches so that they implement strength and conditioning programs before their players start competing.
Read more in this Cureus article.