National study finds football tops high school injuries

William Atkins
Thursday, 03 September 2009 19:02

Science - Health

The top three fracture points were the hand and fingers, which were fractured 18% of the time, with the ankle at 14% and wrist at 11%.

Of the severe sports injuries reported, 0.3% ended the career of the athlete, while 56.8% (plus the 0.3% that were career ending) ended the sports participation of the athlete for the season.

Surgery was necessary in 28.3% of the severe injury cases, with 53.9% of the surgeries being for the knee.

The researchers conclude, as stated in the abstract to their paper, “Severe injury rates and patterns varied by sport, gender, and type of exposure."

"Because severe injuries negatively affect athletes’ health and often place an increased burden on the health care system, future research should focus on developing interventions to decrease the incidence and severity of sports-related injuries.”

For additional information on High School Sports Injuries, go to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

The Consumer Reports article "High School sports injuries: Injury rates have dropped but there's still room for improvement," talks about ways to minimize the risk from sports injuries.

For instance, it states:

To reduce the risks:

Wear the correct, properly-fitting protective gear (helmet, mouth guard, knee pads, etc.) every time you practice or play in a game.

Warm up before you play.

Know the rules of the game before you play to help keep yourself and others safe.

Listen and communicate with others on the field or court.  

Never play a sport when you’re injured.