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Posted on Jan 31st 2007 2:00PM by Bethany SandersThis weekend at Super Bowl XLI, there will be more going on than punting, passing, and touchdowns. Dr. Arthur Roberts, former NFL quarterback and President of the Living Heart Foundation, will be screening 60 retired NFL players while they attend the game on February 4th. He's looking for data to add to his already interesting study that found that retired NFL lineman are at an increased risk for heart disease.
Professional (and occasionally student) linemen these days can reach 300-350 pounds, and retired athletes often leave the gridiron with bone and joint injuries that make it difficult for them to exercise. Robert's foundation found 52.8% of the retired linemen he screened had metabolic syndrome -- a collection of conditions that greatly increase a person's risk for heart disease. Only 22.2% of other retired players had similar problems, compared to 21.8% of the general public.
Though they aren't sure whether the cause is the extra weight or the way that linemen train, what the group does agree on is that when linemen leave the sport, whether they be professional, collegiate, or high school level, they need to significantly modify their lifestyles to try and take the weight back off.
Professional (and occasionally student) linemen these days can reach 300-350 pounds, and retired athletes often leave the gridiron with bone and joint injuries that make it difficult for them to exercise. Robert's foundation found 52.8% of the retired linemen he screened had metabolic syndrome -- a collection of conditions that greatly increase a person's risk for heart disease. Only 22.2% of other retired players had similar problems, compared to 21.8% of the general public.
Though they aren't sure whether the cause is the extra weight or the way that linemen train, what the group does agree on is that when linemen leave the sport, whether they be professional, collegiate, or high school level, they need to significantly modify their lifestyles to try and take the weight back off.
