More than 1 million high school students and 75,000 college athletes participate in football every year, according to the CDC. To assess the dangers of the sport, the agency examined traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord fatalities among these young athletes from 2005 to 2014.
The CDC's findings were published in this week's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Here are five key takeaways from the CDC report.
1. During the time period studied, 24 high school students and four college players died from traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries during games. The fatal injuries occurred while the players were either tackling an opponent or being tackled.
2. Subdural hematoma was the most common post-mortem diagnosis for both groups of players, accounting for 46 percent of the overall fatalities.
3. Four of the 22 deceased high school players who died of brain injuries sustained concussions within four weeks of the fatal event.
4. The most common player positions among the fatally injured players were running back and linebacker, accounting for 32 percent and 21 percent of overall player fatalities, respectively.
5. "These findings support the need for continued surveillance and safety efforts (particularly during competition) to ensure proper tackling techniques, emergency planning for severe injuries, availability of medical care onsite during competitions and assessment that it is safe to return to play following a concussion," wrote the study's authors.
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