Football Causes Loss Of Height During Games
A study presented at the 55th American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Meeting revealed that football players experience temporary loss of height during the game.
It has been shown in the past that the height of an average person may be reduced up to 1% during a normal day due to compression of the spine. It seems that activity plays a role in this as well.
In the study that was presented, the researchers examined 10 high school football players, who were selected based on the position each played and their expected playing time. The positions chosen were the most likely to provide recurring longitudinal loading of the spine during the game.
A practicing certified athletic trainer measured the height of each player before and after the game. The researchers found the average height of the players before the game to be 176.56 centimeters (or 5’ 9.5”) and the average height after the game to be 175.81 centimeters (or 5’ 9.2”).
The researchers do not recommend that people stop playing football. However, they do recommend that players stay well hydrated during the game to prevent any possible loss of fluid from the vertebrae via osmosis. They also mention that it may make sense to have the players lie down during half time in order to unload their vertebrae in hopes that the spine will reabsorb some of any lost fluid. This may reduce the amount of disc compression in the second half.
This is an interesting study, but not overly surprising. Still, the researchers do offer some good tips to reduce the risk of any issues.
References: ACSM, MedLine Plus
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