CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CHARLOTTE SPORTS LIVE) -- The level of activity changes each Saturday morning in the training room at Charlotte Catholic. Typically, if the football team played at home the night before, it's usually an easy shift for athletic trainer Kaitlyn Lazicky. "No one is really complaining of injuries, soreness, anything like that," she remarked. But over the years, she's noticed it's a different story when the Cougars are on the road, specifically when the field they're playing on is different than the grass they have at Keffer Stadium. "A lot of it is lower body, ankle sprains, high ankle sprains, which are typically worse. Knee injuries. ACL tears, MCL strains," she explains. Goodbye, Greensboro Coliseum! ‘Iconic’ venue announces new name Lazicky suspects it's like this all over the country, and the numbers back it up. Just last year, the NFL PA announced a significant difference in the frequency of injuries between the two surfaces.  Based on NFL injury data from games between 2012 and 2018, they noted a 28% increase in non-contact injuries when the game was played on turf. Ankle injuries were especially more common, with a 69% higher rate. To understand why this is happening, you first have to understand the difference in give. Lazicky suggests taking a pen and driving into the ground. You'll likely be able to move it around and while it might it bend, it won't break. With turf, however, it's a different story. "I tore my MCL in the Tokyo dome," remembers former Panther Brentson Buckner. "My foot got caught in the carpet." PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 29: Defensive line coach Brentson Buckner of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on October 29, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) Atmosphere at the 2005 American Bowl August 6 at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. The Atlanta Falcons defeated the Colts 27 - 21. (Photo by Nathan Shanahan/NFLPhotoLibrary) CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 30: Brentson Buckner #99 of the Carolina sits on the sideline during a game against the Minnesota Vikings on October 30, 2005 at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images) Buckner, a former defensive tackle, has his own horror stories playing on turf back in the 90s. Having stayed around the game as a coach until last year, he says he's seen tremendous progress regarding turf conditions.  However, he believes there's still a long way to go. "I think the athletes have surpassed sports science. Whereas it used to be man trying to catch up to science. Where in football, science is trying to catch up with men." Until that happens, it's likely guys will keep getting hurt, which means Lazicky and other trainers like her will continue to stay busy. "I don't think it is going anywhere," she says. "But I think making people more aware of the impact that turf has on their bodies is what we need to do."