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Study of Former NFL Players Shows Race Differences in Chronic Pain

MONDAY, June 19, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- A pro football career can mean chronic pain after retirement, but Black players are especially hard-hit, a new study finds.

The study, of nearly 4,000 former National Football League (NFL) players, found that Black men reported more intense, more debilitating pain than their white counterparts. They were also more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety or fatigue -- and those problems were often related to their pain levels.

Researchers said the findings speak to a larger, well-documented issue: Black Americans are more affected by chronic pain, and less likely to have it effectively treated, than white people.