Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41798095›Full record

ArticleOrthopaedic journal of sports medicine2026

An Epidemiological Analysis of Wrestling-Related Injuries: A 10-Year Analysis of National Injury Data.

Andrew K Chow, Zachary W Sigman, Frederick J Pimental, Marco T Di Stefano, Augustus D Mazzocca

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Andrew K ChowDivision of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8385-9838
Zachary W SigmanDivision of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9291-7540
Frederick J PimentalDivision of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8309-9845
Marco T Di StefanoDivision of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5950-5340
Augustus D MazzoccaDivision of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Brigham, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9921-8688

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Wrestling is a high-impact sport characterized by rapid, forceful movements, posing a considerable injury risk to athletes who are often evaluated in emergency departments (EDs) across the United States. This study examines the principal mechanics, distributions, and epidemiological trends of wrestling-related injuries. Hypothesis: (1) Upper extremity injuries would be the most common, (2) young men would be the most affected group, and (3) sprains/strains would be the most frequent diagnosis. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Patients evaluated at US EDs for wrestling-related injuries between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2024, were identified using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database. Patient characteristics, injury location, diagnosis, disposition, and mechanisms of injury were recorded. Data analysis was calculated using national estimates (NEs) and linear regression to assess trends and associations. Results: From 2015 to 2024, US EDs reported approximately 10,508 cases (NE, 370,089) of wrestling-related visits. Of these, 88.4% involved males (NE, 326,985). Pediatric patients (≤18 years of age) accounted for the majority of injuries, accounting for 84.9% of all cases (NE, 314,166), with a mean age of 15.9 ± 6.2 years for the entire cohort. The lowest number of wrestling-related injuries occurred in 2020 (NE, 20,270), while the highest number was reported in 2024 (NE, 57,026). The most commonly injured body regions were the shoulder (15.2%; NE, 56,150) and head (13.1%; NE, 48,619). Sprains and strains represented the most frequent injury type at 27.6% (NE, 102,253). Conclusion: This study showed that males constituted the predominant majority of ED visits from wrestling injuries, with shoulder and neck strains being the most prevalent. The significant rise in injuries from 2020 to 2024 highlights the necessity for preventative measures and heightened awareness of wrestling safety, especially in recreational environments, where occurrences are notably elevated.

Indexed as

emergency departmentepidemiologicalNEISSwrestling

Identifiers

PMID41798095
PMCPMC12966515

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.