Corticosteroid Injections: Faster Return to Play for NFLers

Get back to the field 10 days sooner with corticosteroid injections! New research shows that this approach may speed-up the return time for National Football League (NFL) players suffering high ankle sprains.

“After examining players with stable high ankle sprains over an eight-year period, we discovered those treated with corticosteroid injections returned to play within an average 15 days, as compared to 25 days for those not treated similarly, ” noted Alfred A. Mansour, M.D., from UT-Houston Orthopaedics in Houston, Texas, in the July 12, 2013 news release. “For high-level athletes such as NFL players, returning to play 10 days sooner can have a significant impact personally and for the team.”

The study examined 31 players from two NFL teams, with 13 players receiving a corticosteroid injection within 72 hours of an ankle injury. All players involved in the study went through a standard non-operative rehabilitation program, including crutches, weight-bearing activity as tolerated, NSAIDs treatment, and a progressive return to play training.

“While previous research explores the extended recovery involved with these injuries, our data offers a new treatment option that may be more effective for NFL players, ” noted Mansour. “Further research can help confirm this, though we are excited to discover ways to help athletes at the professional level.”

The authors reported no complications in players treated with the corticosteroid injections.

Asked how this work might help non-superstar athletes/regular folks, Dr. Mansour told OTW, “We studied a very select population that valued return to play as an important endpoint. I cannot say that these results are necessarily generalizable to the standard patient with a stable syndesmosis ankle sprain. It seemed in our small sample size not to be deleterious and may reduce duration of symptoms. This could be utilized in a general practice.”