Citation

Odor JM, Watkins RG, Dillin WH, Dennis S, Saberi M. Am. J. Sports Med. 1990; 18(5): 507-509.

Affiliation

Kerlan Jobe Orthopedic Clinic, Inglewood, CA 90301.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1990, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

2252092

Abstract

Sagittal canal/vertebral body ratios were measured on cervical spine lateral radiographs of 124 professional football players and 100 rookie football players. A total of 894 levels were measured in 224 players. Thirty-two percent (40) of the 124 professional football players, and 34% of the 100 rookies had a ratio of less than 0.80 at one or more levels from C3 to C6. The 0.80 ratio has been considered indicative of cervical spinal stenosis. This is the first time that the incidence of spinal stenosis, as determined by Torg's ratio, has been demonstrated in a population of professional and rookie football players. Because one-third of this population has cervical spinal stenosis as determined by the Torg ratio, other factors should be considered in the evaluation of a player with a transient quadriplegic episode when making continued play decisions.

Keywords: American football

Language: en