Sports-related injuries in children. Epidemiology and control measures.

The number and severity of sports-related injuries in children have changed over recent years. In a study of 2 704 sports-related injuries in children younger than 15 years, these injuries accounted for 17.25% of visits to a pediatric surgical emergency room. Two-thirds of patients were boys. Soccer and contact sports in boys and gymnastic in girls were leading causes of s ports-related injuries. Most of the injuries occurred during school activit ies. Soccer and cross-country biking contributed a significant number of in juries because of the large numbers of children who engage in these sports. Gymnastic, cross-country biking, and basketball were also important causes as a result of their high injury risk. Most injuries were nonserious; half were sprains or contusions. More severe lesions with fractures were seen w ith some sports such as cross-country biking, ice skating, basketball, and roller blading. The most severe injuries were caused by sports involving eq uipment associated with high-velocity displacement and the possibility of f alling from a considerable height. Injury control relies in part on passive measures such as appropriate training of physicians, coaches, and other pe rsons involved in sports with children. Evaluation of the psychomotor profi le and morphology (endomorphic, ectomorphic, or mesomorphic of each child c an help to identify the sports that will be most beneficial while involving the smallest possible risk of injury. The risk of injury is reduced when s porting activities are in harmony with the degree of maturity, the growth, the and developmental stage of the child.