Previously on this blog, we discussed the NFL's EHR adoption efforts and explored the league's commitment to heath IT innovations as a means to improve medical care for its players. This widely publicized move could not come at a better time, given the negative press the NFL has garnered over lawsuits from past players who sustained substantial head injuries and allegedly inadequate follow-up care.

In honor of the NFL's EHR initiative, and the long-awaited start of football season, we'll review some of the most common injuries that athletes — professional and amateur — and chiropractors should look out for in the coming months. This list, compiled by the online medical resource Spine Health, includes:

Lower back strain: Athletes who engage in repetitive impact or twisting motions could be particularly at risk for this form of injury, typically in the lumbar muscles. This portion of the back is also involved in weight-bearing function, so the source notes that "weight loading at the end of a range-of-motion" activities can also result in strain overtime.

Neck strain: Injury to this area is most common in football, rugby and other contact sports that involve sudden forceful impact.

Upper back strain: In contrast to the lower back, this area is not as involved with motion and also benefits from greater skeletal and muscular support. "Injuries seen here can involve rib fracture and intercostal neuralgia as well as intercostal muscle strains in sports that involve rotation of the torso," Spine Health states.

Football season is ripe for back injuries, whether you're a professional on the field or an overly exuberant fan — the grandstands, after all, are not renowned for their lumbar support. Just as the NFL is taking advantage of EHR to take care of its players, chiropractors can better cater to their patients with the best chiropractic EHR software. With chiropractic management software, these medical professionals can even take detailed records for sports enthusiasts who are more prone to these types of strain.