While the steroid related stories in major league baseball seems to be unending, steroid issues still plague other leagues like NFL. The recent report published in the March issue of the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation shows that injuries of previous NFL players can be attributed to their steroid use when still active in the game. This may be alarming but the number of users in professional sports seems to grow more regardless of its risks and consequences. Players are more concerned with the fame and income rather than their health and loss of career.

This new survey was conducted by the University of North Carolina’s Center for the Study of Retired Athletes. The study was focused on retired NFL players from the 1940s to the 1990s. This is said to be one of the most comprehensive study on steroid use, in professional athletes. There are 2,552 retired NFL players who served as respondents to this study.

The findings showed that some injuries and other health problems were due to the use of performance enhancement drugs and anabolic steroids. Those players who used steroids had significantly higher percentage of herniated disks and knee ligament and meniscus injuries. Added to these injuries are neck, spine, foot, elbow and toe problems. These results were compared to non-steroid users. The researchers also found a link between steroid use and depression including attention deficit disorder. Players who used steroids are also noted to have increased their alcohol consumption.

Kevin Guskiewicz, UNC’s department of exercise and sport science director, said that their findings speak to the “snowball effect” or compounded medical problems that appear to accompany steroid use. “As we studied retired NFL football players, we found that those who had been into the heavy use of steroids during their playing career were more likely to sustain musculoskeletal injuries than those who did not use steroids,” added Kevin Guskiewicz who is a senior author of the study. The study was headed by Scott Horn, DO, of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the UNC School of Medicine

The increased weight of the muscle mass which was due to steroid use could be the results of these musculoskeletal injuries. It puts extra stress on joints that eventually wears them down. Joint injuries of the players which can then lead to osteoarthritis makes them physically inactive. These could also lead to cardiac problems, diabetes and depression.

9.1 percent of the respondents said they have used anabolic-androgenic steroids while 20.3 percent of the players in the 1980s said they had tried the drugs. There are 16.3% of the offensive linemen and 14.8% defensive linemen who used steroids.

The researchers contacted almost 3,700 members of the NFL Retired Players Association but only 2,552 former pro football players answered questions on their use of performance-enhancing steroids and the musculoskeletal injuries they suffered during their playing years. These respondents were assured of the confidentiality of their identities according to the researchers.

However, other experts commented on the result of the study. They have noted some flaws in the research process. Freddie H. Fu, MD, of University of Pittsburgh, Department of Orthopedic Surgery questioned the survey’s accuracy and design. Dr Fu noted that the respondents may not have understood the survey. The researchers also failed to disclose if the respondents underwent a physical examination to validate the claims. According to Dr. Linn Goldberg, the study does have its flaws. Goldberg is a professor of medicine and head of the division of health promotion and sports medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland.

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