Columbus, OH – Girls face a greater risk of overuse injuries in high school sports, according to a study from the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
As part of the study, researchers analyzed more than 2,800 overuse injuries – described by Mayo Clinic as any muscle or joint injury (such as tendinitis or a stress fracture) caused by repetitive actions – suffered in high school sports from 2006 to 2012. Soccer, volleyball, gymnastics and lacrosse were among the 20 sports featured.
The rate of girls’ overuse injuries was 1.88 per 10,000 athletic exposures, compared with a rate of 1.26 for boys, researchers said. The highest rates of overuse injuries for girls existed in track and field (3.28) and field hockey (2.93). For boys, overuse injuries were most common in swimming and diving (1.3).
The findings emphasize the need for adolescent athletes to vary their movement and play more than one sport, researchers say.
The study was published in the March edition of the Journal of Pediatrics.
