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Recent CU study of NFL running backs and injuries finds surprising results

Not all miles are equal, apparently. Not in the NFL.

A recent study by the University of Colorado’s Sports Medicine and Performance Center suggests NFL running backs who log a lot of carries in a season are not at an increased risk of missing time due to injury the following year. According to the findings, the opposite may be true: Backs with a high-carry count may be “simply be more durable and less injury-prone compared with other NFL RBs.”

The results defy a prevailing theory about excessive workload for players: Too much of anything can be detrimental to a player’s health and longevity, it’s believed, be it in baseball or football or most any sport.