High School Sports Injuries

 

According to data from the National Foundation of High School Associations, approximately 8 million high school students — about 57% of all students attending high school — participated in at least one organized school sport in the United States during the 2018-2019 school year.

Football, outdoor track and field, basketball, baseball, and soccer are the five most popular sports among boys; outdoor track and field, volleyball, basketball, soccer, and softball attract the most girls.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons characterizes the adolescent athlete as more vulnerable to sports injuries:

Teenage athletes are injured at about the same rate as professional athletes, but injuries that affect high school athletes are often different from those that affect adult athletes. This is largely because high school athletes are often still growing.

Growth is generally uneven: Bones grow first, which pulls at tight muscles and tendons. This uneven growth pattern makes younger athletes more susceptible to muscle, tendon, and growth plate injuries.

 

Researchers examining the type and severity of injuries suffered by high school student-athletes in recent years uncovered a couple of concerning trends in their investigation:

“The overall injury rate decreased, which you would think is great, but you also have to look at the types of injuries that are happening,” said lead author Jordan Neoma Pizzarro, a medical student at George Washington University. “We are seeing an increase in head and neck injuries, especially concussions, as well as more severe injuries and those requiring surgery. Many organizations have adopted safety equipment and injury prevention guidelines; it is questionable if they are being applied correctly.”

 

The researchers estimated that 5.2 million high school student-athletes received medical attention and had to miss at least one day of sports participation after they were injured during competition or practice between 2015 and 2019 — an average of more than 1 million injuries each year. Other highlights from the study:

• Boys had higher injury rates than girls.

• Football had the highest injury rate of all high school sports, accounting for 44% of injuries suffered by students; baseball had the lowest injury rate.

• For girls, most injuries occurred on the soccer field.

• The most commonly injured body sites were the head and face (24%), the ankle (18%), and the knee (14%).

• The most common diagnoses were sprains and strains (37%) and concussions (22%). Bone fractures accounted for less than 4% of injuries and were most common in boys’ sports (baseball, basketball, and football).

• One-third (34%) of injured athletes were out of action for 1-3 weeks following their injury; 7% were out longer.

• 6% of injuries required surgery, most commonly suffered during wrestling, girls’ basketball, and baseball.

 

The authors concluded:

Compared to previous data […], this study showed a nearly 10% increase in injuries affecting the head and neck. Additional studies have demonstrated an increase in the number of concussions during high school sports over the past decade. Together, this suggests that play intensity, physical contact and collisions are increasing, potentially counteracting the use of protective head gear. However, the increased awareness and understanding of the signs and symptoms of concussions may play a role.

 

Read more about high school sports injuries from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons here.

 

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source https://www.thepediablog.com/2023/03/28/high-school-sports-injuries/