Study: Pediatric sports injuries decline during 10-year period

Pediatric and adolescent sports injuries have decreased in 2005 and 2010 compared to 2000, according to recent research presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting.

“These [outcomes] may reflect the changing pattern of childhood activities in the United Sates as organized sports are encouraged, often at the cost of free play,” Shital Parikh, MD, lead author from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, stated in a press release.

He added, “The trend of childhood injuries needs to be better understood to promote safe play to counter the increase in childhood obesity, physical inactivity and emotional disturbances in children, all of which are on the rise in the United States.”

Parikh analyzed the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System for sports-related injuries in children aged 5 years to 14 years in 2000, 2005 and 2010 involving bicycle, basketball, baseball/softball, soccer, trampoline, football and roller sports activities. These injury rates were then measured against census population estimates to calculate the incident rate, according to the abstract.

There was an overall 14.1% decrease in 2005 and 11.3% decrease in 2010 for sports-related injuries when compared to injuries in 2000. Specifically, bicycling, roller sports and trampoline activity injuries decreased by 38.1%, 20.8% and 17.5%, respectively, with a 24.9% overall decrease of injuries in this group, according to the abstract. Activities that increased injury rates included football (22.8%) and soccer (10.8%) with a 5.5% increase in injuries for these activities overall between 2000 and 2010.

Reference:

Parikh S. Poster #251. Presented at: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting; March 19-23, 2013; Chicago.

Disclosure: Parikh has no relevant financial disclosures.