SPORTS/RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY INJURY FACT SHEET

Participation of children, especially girls, in organized and informal sports and recreational activities continues to grow in the U.S. At present, more than 30 million kids participate in organized sports in the United States. Nearly ¾ of U.S. households with school-age children have at least one child who plays in organized sports. Sports participation is beneficial to children in many ways. It can improve physical fitness, coordination, self-discipline and teamwork, as well as promote a sense of personal satisfaction and accomplishment.

However, growth in sports participation has contributed to an increase in sports- and recreation-related injuries. The risk of physical injury is inherent in sports participation. Furthermore, children are more susceptible to these injuries because they are still growing and are in the process of gaining motor and cognitive skills. It is estimated that half of all organized sports-related injuries among children can be prevented. Protective equipment, safer playing environments and rules designed to prevent injury are successful in reducing the frequency and severity of sports- and recreation-related injuries among children.

DEATHS AND INJURIES

• Death among children during participation in sports activities is a rare event.
• More than 3.5 million children ages 14 and under suffer from sports- and recreation-related injuries each year.
• Brain injury is the leading cause of sports- and recreation-related death. Injuries associated with participation in sports and recreational activities account for 21% of all traumatic brain injuries among children in the United States.
• Children ages 5 to 14 account for nearly 40% of all sports related injuries.

WHEN AND WHERE SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL INJURIES OCCUR

• Young children, especially ages 5 to 9, are more likely to sustain playground and bicycle related injuries. Older children are more likely to suffer from bicycle and sports related injuries and overexertion.
• Collision / contact sports are associated with higher rates of injury. However, injuries from recreational activities and individual sports tend to be more severe.

Organized Sports

• Each year, more than 775,000 children ages 14 and under are treated in hospital emergency rooms for sports-related injuries. The majority of these injuries are from falls, collisions, being struck by an object and overexertion, and occur during unorganized or informal sports activities.
• It is estimated that half of all significant sports-related injuries are treated in sports medicine clinics instead of hospital emergency rooms.
• As many as 20% of children participating in sports activities are injured each year. Approximately 1 in 4 of these injuries are considered serious.
• Most organized sports- related injuries (60 percent) occur during practice rather than during games.
• Basketball: In 2002, more than 207,400 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for basketball-related injuries.
• Football: In 2002, more than 187,800 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for football-related injuries.
• Baseball and softball: Baseball has the highest fatality rate among all sports for children ages 5 to 14. Each year, 3 to 4 children die from injuries sustained while playing baseball. In 2002, more than 116,900 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for baseball-related or softball-related injuries.
• Gymnastics: Gymnastics has one of the highest injury rates among girls’ sports and the risk of injury increases with the level of competition. Gymnastics-related injuries caused more than 21,200 children ages 5 to 14 to be treated in hospital emergency rooms.
• Soccer: In 2002, nearly 76,200 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for soccer-related injuries.

Recreational Activities

• Bicycling: In 2002, 130 children ages 14 and under died in bicycle-related crashes; In 2002, more than 373,000 children aged 14 and under were treated in hospital emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries.
• In-line skating: In 2002, nearly 36,300 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for inline skating-related injuries. Since 1992, at least 87 children ages 14 and under have died from inline skating injuries; the majority of these deaths were from collisions with motor vehicles.
• Roller skating: In 2002, an estimated 28,400 were treated for roller skating-related injuries.
• Skateboarding: In 2002, more than 60,100 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for skateboard-related injuries. Six out of every ten skateboarding injuries occur among children ages 14 and under.
• Playgrounds: Nearly 20 children ages 14 and under die every year from playground related injuries. In 2002, more than 215,500 children ages 14 and under were treated in hospital emergency rooms for playground equipment-related injuries. Children ages 5 to 14 accounted for nearly 75 percent of these injuries.
• Winter Sports
• Ice skating: In 2002, more than 13,700 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for ice skating-related injuries.
• Sledding: In 2002, nearly 13,400 were treated for sledding-related injuries.
• Snow skiing and Snowboarding: In 2002, nearly 17,700 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for snow skiing-related injuries and nearly 22,900 were treated for snowboarding-related injuries. Approximately 22% of ski and snowboard head injuries are serious enough to cause loss of consciousness or a concussion.

WHO IS AT RISK?

• Children are at greater risk than adults from sports and recreational injuries since they are unable to assess the risks involved and have less coordination, slower reaction times, and less accuracy.
• Children develop at different rates, both physically and psychologically. A less developed child competing against a more mature child of the same age and weight is at a disadvantage and may be at a greater risk for injury.
• Children ages 5 to 14 account for nearly 40% of sports-related injuries for all ages. The rate and severity for sports-related injury increases with a child’s age.
• Prior to the onset of puberty, the risk of sports-related injury between boys and girls is the same, as they are approximately the same size and weight. During puberty, boys are injured more frequently and severely than girls. Among children ages 5 to 14, boys account for nearly 75% of all sports-related injuries. In addition, boys are more likely than girls to suffer from multiple injuries.
• Unlike most sports- and recreation-related injuries among children, the majority of rollerskating- and gymnastics-related injuries are among girls and occur indoors.
• Children who are new to a sport or activity are at greater risk of a sports- or recreation-related injury.
• Children who do not wear or use protective equipment are at a greater risk of sustaining sports-related injuries. Lack of awareness for potential injury, inappropriate or unavailable equipment, and lack of money to purchase equipment are some of the reasons children do not use protective equipment.

SPORTS INJURY PREVENTION EFFECTIVENESS

• Protective equipment, safe play conditions (e.g. field surfacing, maintenance) and development and enforcement of safety rules help reduce the number and severity of sports and recreational injuries.

PREVENTION TIPS

• Children should wear appropriate safety gear when participating in sports and recreational activities.
• Make sure proper physical and psychological conditioning, use of appropriate safety equipment, a safe playing environment, adequate adult supervision, and safety rules that are enforced are included in any sports program.
• Ensure that children drink an adequate amount of liquids while engaging in athletic activities.
• Provide children with proper training and skills building when they are learning a new sport.

Match and group children according to similar skill level, weight and physical maturity, especially for contact sports.

 

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