Professional football is a physically demanding sport in which many players face debilitating injuries at a young age. Because of their occupation, American football players have a higher risk for spinal injuries, particularly in the lumbar or cervical spine regions, that could require surgery before returning to play. But their longevity in terms of the remainder of their careers has not been studied previously.
In a new study (Cureus 2025 Jun 10. doi:10.7759/cureus.85706), investigators