Artificial turf infill weight linked with game-related injuries among high school football players

COLORDO SPRINGS, Colo. — Results presented at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine showed the incidence of game-related trauma among high school football players significantly increased as the artificial turf infill surface weight decreased.

“When we decrease infill weight, we significantly increase injury rate across numerous variables,” study researcher Michael Clinton Meyers, PhD, said in his presentation. “Therefore, it is recommended that football fields contain a minimum infill rate of 6 lbs. per square foot.”

Meyers and colleagues divided artificial turf systems into the following four sand/rubber infill weight groups: 9 lbs. or greater; between 6 lbs. and 8.9 lbs.; 3 lbs. and 5.9 lbs.; and between 0 lbs. and 2.9 lbs. per square foot.

Of the 1,467 high school games documented during a span of five competitive seasons in 52 participating high schools, results showed 33.7% of games were played on infill 9 lbs. or greater; 27.5% were on infill between 6 lbs. and 8.9 lbs.; 25.8% were on infill between 3 lbs. and 5.9 lbs.; and 13% were on infill between 0 lbs. and 2.9 lbs.

“When looking at severity, although there is no significant difference in severity of injury between the weights, [we] saw a significant increase [in the] number of injuries from the heaviest in the 9 lb. to the lightest surfaces,” Meyers said.

Meyers also noted significant differences in MRIs and CTs ordered between the heaviest and lightest turfs. According to results, a significantly greater number of X-rays and a significant number of procedures were ordered after games played on lighter surfaces.

“Whether it be upper extremity or lower extremity, there was no significant difference between the 6-[lb.] and 9-[lb.] surfaces,” Meyers said. “However, we saw a significant difference between the heaviest, 9 lbs., and the lightest.”

Compared to infill weight between 3 lbs. and 5.9 lbs., results showed infill weight of 9 lbs. or more significantly lowered trauma across player-to-player collisions, muscle-tendon overload, injury time loss, injury grade, skill positions, injury mechanism and situation, various cleat styles, adverse weather conditions and turf age. – by Casey Tingle

Reference:

Meyers MC. Paper #132. Presented at: American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine Annual Meeting; July 7-10, 2016; Colorado Springs, Colo.

Disclosure: Meyers reports research support from FieldTurf.