Stats: RBs coming back from leg injuries (1 Viewer)

[Anonymous Internet User]

I'm looking to compile some data on RBs the year after a season-ending injury (ACL, broken leg, torn quad, etc.) -- is there a site that provides year-to-year info on players with season-ending injuries? Or, perhaps just a listing of players by position placed on IR from year-to-year?

I'd like to know what the chances are, historically within the last decade or so of modern surgical procedures, of an injured back returning to be productive.

 

[Bri]

IIRC Doug Drinen's blog had a post on this once upon a time

 

[JKL]

There are some posts at the PFR blog that may give you some info, but I don't think any have looked at exactly what you are talking about.

Doug's post Running Back Deterioration III doesn't specifically focus on season-ending injuries, but does contain regression analysis of older backs, looking at factors like career rushes, recent year's VBD, career VBD, and age, to output future rushes.

Doug's post on Ahman Green and Deuce McAllister is probably the most relevant from an overall picture standpoint on your question. It looked at players who had been top 20 performers each of the previous two seasons, and then missed at least half the season between ages 26 and 29. It lists several historical players, but not the specific nature of their injuries. You might be able to track those down by internet searches.

I had a two part post on Running Back Overuse and Injuries. My focus was more looking at workloads, and then how many injuries occurred after, but I do list the nature of several injuries. Part one has players that were hurt in about mid-season after starting the season healthy, and lists several season-ending injuries and the specific injury and games missed. Part two lists some players injured at the start of the next season, and their injuries. Some other historical players are listed who suffered early season-ending injuries after having high playoff carries the year before, but I don't list the nature. Most were knee injuries.

I don't think you are going to find a composite that will easily give you this info, like archived injury reports, at least I couldn't find any. What you can probably do is identify players who missed at least half a season (suggesting a serious injury), and then do specific internet searches to find mentions of the injury, at least that's how I did it. PFR also has the game by game database since 1995, so you should be able to find guys who, say, missed four or more consecutive games at the end of the season, and then identify their injuries to determine if they were in line with what you are looking at.

Good luck.

 

[FF_Guru]

This article has some statistics to go with your research...

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/57859.php

 

[ATC1]

This article has some statistics to go with your research...

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/57859.php

Not a bad article, but the research was done 8-10 years ago. Medical advancements are just as fast as computers.

The researchers collected data on ACL injuries sustained by NFL running backs (RBs) and wide receivers (WRs) during a five-year period (1998-2002).

Also it does not break down the age of the players that did not return to play. They may have been close to retirment. It also doesn't break down the numbers of RBs vs WRs.

 

[dmac37]

Not a bad article, but the research was done 8-10 years ago. Medical advancements are just as fast as computers.

ACL and similar injuries once career threatening, then a 2 year recovery, now is looking like many players good to go in the next season.