From Kickoff to Catastrophe: A PT’s Play-by-Play of Football Injuries
By Alex Reget, PT, DPT, CMTPT
It’s Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field. The Packers are driving down the field when—bam—a player goes down after a hard hit. The stadium goes quiet. You’re watching, wondering:
“Is he okay? What just happened? Is it serious?”
As a physical therapist who watches a lot of football, I often get questions like:
- “What kind of injury do you think that was?”
- “Is it season ending?”
- “Will they need surgery?”
It tends to become a fun text thread between my other PT friends as to what we think the diagnosis (what happened) and the prognosis (short/long term, surgery, rehab, etc.) is for each injury.
In this blog, I’ll show you how to watch the game like a PT—with a trained eye for movement, mechanism of injury, and signs that tell us whether a player might be facing a serious setback or just a stinger.
1. Watch the Mechanism of Injury (MOI)
The “how” of an injury often reveals the “what.” A few examples:
- Non-contact knee buckle = likely ACL or MCL tear
- Foot planted, ankle twists = high ankle sprain
- Player pulls up mid-sprint = hamstring strain
- Helmet-to-helmet hit + dazed or helmet hitting ground hard = possible concussion
2. Body Language Tells the Story
- Player grabs knee, doesn’t try to get up = ligament injury
- Limping or avoiding weight on a leg = ankle or knee issue
- Arm hanging or player walks stiffly = shoulder or neck issue
- No movement at all = big red flag (possible spinal or concussion)
3. What the Sideline Team Looks For
- Joint testing (like pulling/pushing on the knee or ankle)
- Balance, vision, and eye tracking (for concussions)
- Quick gait check (to determine severity)
- Strength testing
4. Red Flags for Serious Injuries
- Cart comes out = bad news
- Helmet is off on the field = possible head/spinal concern
- Player heads into the tent and doesn’t return = something’s up
- Emotional reactions (tears, helmet throws) = they often know when it’s serious
Understanding how injuries happen makes the game even more fascinating—and helps you better appreciate the team behind the scenes. So next Sunday, while you’re cheering on the Pack, see if you can catch what the PTs are already noticing.
By Alex Reget, PT, DPT, CMTPT
Alex is an Appleton native, but enjoys working in a small town setting because he feels he connects more with the patient. “I became a physical therapist because of my strong desire to help people. You get so much more one-on-one time compared to other health care professions, and you get to really know your patient and watch them progress. The relationships I build are very valuable to me.”
Alex believes in continued education and will extensively research a patient’s condition to get the best results. He feels that it is a win-win situation. He helps the patient by improving their condition with the latest research findings, and he increases his skillset so that he can administer continued exceptional care to his patients. “The key to being a great physical therapist is putting compassion first, and putting their wellbeing and needs before your own.”
Alex is married to his wife, Kelsey, and they have a one year old son. Both Kelsey and Alex are avid Packer and Bucks fans. He is also a dedicated Marquette alumnus and cheers them on at sporting events. He enjoys living the full-time dad life, golfing, playing basketball, fishing, and hunting.