National Athletic Trainers' Association Position Statement: Reducing Intentional Head-First Contact Behavior in American Football Players.

OBJECTIVE: To provide evidence-based recommendations for reducing the prevalence of head-first contact behavior in American football players with the aim of reducing the risk of head and neck injuries.

BACKGROUND: In American football, using the head as the point of contact is a persistent, well-documented, and direct cause of catastrophic head and cervical spine injury. Equally concerning is that repeated head-impact exposures are likely to result from head-first contact behavior and may be associated with long-term neurocognitive conditions such as dementia, depression, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

CONCLUSIONS: The National Athletic Trainers' Association proposes 14 recommendations to help the certified athletic trainer, allied health care provider, coach, player, parent, and broader community implement strategies for reducing the prevalence of head-first contact in American football.