Sports products are common cause of nonfatal injuries, study finds

Calverton, MD – Consumer products play a role in more than 4 out of 10 nonfatal injuries that require emergency department visits, according to a recent study.

Researchers analyzed data collected from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Sports and recreation accounted for nearly one-third of the product-related injuries in 2009-2010, researchers said. The most common activities resulting in such injuries were bicycling (12.4 percent), basketball (11.9 percent), football (11.2 percent), baseball and softball (6.6 percent), exercises (5.9 percent), playground (5.5 percent) and soccer (5.0 percent).

Stairs and steps were identified as the top product in terms of nonfatal injury cost. Also costly were injuries involving floors, home furnishings and fixtures by beds and bedding, chairs, bathtubs and showers, and ladders.

Researchers focused their study on products covered by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which does not include items such as tobacco, drugs, pesticides, food, firearms and motor vehicles.

The study was published in the February issue of Injury Prevention.