Incidence, Positional Distribution, Severity, and Time Missed in Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries of the Knee in NCAA Division I Football Athletes

INTRODUCTION: We studied injury to the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I football players, their incidence, magnitude of injury, distribution by position, and missed time, which has not previously been described in a consecutive series. METHODS: The knee injuries sustained in 163 consecutive NCAA Division I collegiate football players at our institution were evaluated over a span of 6 years. RESULTS: The incidence of MCL injuries with any knee injury was 29% (47 of 163). Of 47 MCL injuries, 34% occurred in defensive linemen and 29% in offensive linemen. The average days missed by linemen were 14.65 compared with 4.5 by nonlinemen (P = 0.07). The MCL injuries in linemen were more severe than nonlinemen (0.018). DISCUSSION: MCL injuries occur most commonly in linemen in whom the magnitude of injury is also more significant than nonlinemen. Linemen miss more days than do nonlinemen to MCL injury. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive Epidemiology Study.