The Epidemiology of Pediatric Basketball Injuries Presenting to US Emergency Departments

BACKGROUND There is limited published research on the epidemiology of basketball injuries treated in US emergency departments (EDs). HYPOTHESIS Age and sex patterns exist for the most common pediatric basketball injuries treated in EDs. STUDY DESIGN Descriptive epidemiology study. METHODS Data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System and the National Sporting Goods Association were used to calculate national injury incidence rates and 95% confidence intervals of pediatric basketball injuries. RESULTS An estimated 325 465 annual visits were made to US EDs for pediatric basketball-related injuries from 2000 to 2006. The 5 most common injuries were ankle sprains (21.7%), finger sprains (8.0%), finger fractures (7.8%), knee sprains (3.9%), and facial lacerations (3.9%). Among persons aged 12 to 17 years, girls had a higher rate of knee sprains than boys (P < 0.001), but this association did not exist among those aged 7 to 11 years (P = 0.27). Boys had a higher rate of facial lacerations than girls (P < 0.01). Among persons aged 12 to 17 years, girls had a higher rate of finger sprains (P < 0.01). For both boys and girls, the rate of the 5 most common basketball injuries was higher among those aged 12 to 17 years compared with those aged 7 to 11 years (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS The annual number of basketball-related pediatric ED visits approaches a third of a million and demonstrates the extent of the public health problem that injuries in this sport pose. Distinct sex and age patterns were observed. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The study findings provide important information on basketball injury rates that may be used for targeting prevention interventions by sex and age group.