SPORTS MEMBERS PARTICIPATION IN ASSESSMENT OF INCIDENCE RATE OF INJURIES IN 5 SPORTS FROM RECORDS OF HOSPITAL-BASED CLINICAL TREATMENT

This study is about the incidence rate of sports injuries in five diff erent types of sports, gymnastics, soccer, volleyball, hockey, and bas ketball, for which 5,154 patients were admitted to the Emergency Unit of the Groningen University Hospital during the period 1990 through 19 94. Incidence rate had been computed by membership participation. Bask etball had the highest incidence rate (231 injured persons per 10,000 participants), followed by hockey (158 injured persons per 10,000 part icipants). The highest mean Injury Severity Score, 2.39, was found for gymnastics which had the lowest incidence rate (7 injured persons per 10,000 participants). Gymnastics had the highest percentage (12%) cli nically treated patients, whereas basketball had the smallest percenta ge (2%) of clinically treated patients. The most frequent type of inju ry was distorsion, except for hockey, in which contusion had the highe st percentage of occurrence. For all five types of sports, the majorit y (about 90%) of the injuries were observed at either the lower or at the upper extremities.