Epidemiology of Pediatric Basketball Injuries Presenting to Emergency Departments: Sex- and Age-Based Patterns.

backgroundThere is limited epidemiologic data on pediatric basketball injuries and the comparison of these injuries before and after adolescence and between male and female athletes. PURPOSE: To assess common sex- and age-based injury patterns in pediatric basketball players. STUDY

designDescriptive epidemiology study.

methodsInjury data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) and participation data from the National Sporting Goods Association were used to complete this study. Data on pediatric basketball injuries between January 2012 and December 2018 in patients aged 7 to 11 years (childhood) and 12 to 17 years (adolescence) were extracted and used to calculate national injury incidence rates with 95% CIs. Sex and age group patterns were examined utilizing Pearson chi-square tests.

resultsAn average of 9582 basketball injuries were reported annually in the NEISS, which calculated to an annual national estimate of 294,920 injuries. The most common diagnoses were ankle strain/sprain (17.7%), finger strain/sprain/fracture (12.1%), concussion/head injury (9.4%), knee strain/sprain (4.5%), and facial laceration (3.3%). There was a significant increase in injury prevalence in adolescents (12- to 17-year-old category: 238,678 injuries per year) when compared with childhood (7- to 11-year-old category: 56,242 injuries per year) (

conclusionAnkle injuries continue to be the most predominant pediatric basketball injury. However, disproportionate rates of both knee and concussion/head injuries in female athletes during adolescent basketball are of concern and have implications for injury prevention.