Youth track injuries on the rise: study

Columbus, OH – The number of children treated for track-related injuries in emergency departments increased by 36.3 percent from 1991 to 2008, according to a study from the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Researchers analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System for approximately 159,663 10- to 18-year-olds. They found that the most common injuries were strains and sprains (52 percent), followed by fractures or dislocations (17 percent).

Boys were more likely to sustain pelvic injuries, and girls were more likely to injure their ankles, according to the study. Hurdling was more likely to cause an injury to the head and upper parts of the body, and sprinting caused pelvic or upper-leg injuries.

Each specific track activity or event may require a unique set of injury-prevention precautions and training protocols depending on the sex and age of the participants, researchers said.

The study was published in May issue of The Physician and Sportsmedicine.