Sports with a high rate of contact, jumping, sprinting or pivoting are linked with higher injury rates.
Not all injuries are caused by accidents or impact. Nearly half of all sport injuries in children & adolescents are overuse injuries which often lead to a substantial loss of participation & increase the likelihood of re-injury.
Knee, ankle, hip & foot injuries significantly increase the risk of early development of osteoarthritis (OA).
Girls suffer higher injury incidence rates compared to boys, particularly in sports such as cross-country running, gymnastics & soccer.
Injuries to the knee are greater in girls compared to boys with soccer having the highest injury rate, followed by basketball, field hockey, softball & volleyball.
The reasons underlying increased injury rates in women compared to men include hormonal influence on neuromuscular control, ligament laxity as well as anatomic & biomechanical factors.
Programs focusing on preseason conditioning, functional training, balance, core stability, education & sport-specific skills are effective in reducing injury rates.
