Interventions to Prevent Sports and Recreation-Related Injuries

Abstract

Participation in sports, recreation, and exercise is an important part of a healthy, physically active lifestyle; however, injuries due to sports and recreational activities are a significant public health problem. Injuries can occur as a result of organized sports activities in schools, clubs, or leagues; but many injuries also occur in informal settings, such as sports played in backyards or neighborhoods. In this chapter, we address injuries related to sports, such as basketball, football, and soccer; recreational activities, such as biking, skating, skiing, and playground activities; and exercise and training activities, such as weight training, aerobics, and jogging. Although swimming and other water sports are recreational activities, drowning prevention is addressed in another chapter. Because participants engage in sports, recreation, and exercise mainly for fun and fitness, the risks inherent in these activities may not be recognized, and injury prevention measures are often overlooked. More than 11,000 people receive treatment in U.S. emergency departments (EDs) each day for injuries sustained while participating in recreational activities (Gotsch, Annest, Holmgreen, & Gilchrist, 2002). In addition, many injuries in sports and recreation are not treated in the emergency department but rather in acute care clinics, orthopedic offices, sports medicine clinics, and primary-care providers’ offices. The social and economic costs associated with these injuries are high. An estimated 7 million participants seek medical care each year in the United States for injuries they sustain while participating in sports and recreational activities (Conn, Annest & Gilchrist, 2003). More than 20% of those injured lose at least 1 day of work or school due to their injuries. Participants often cite injuries as a reason that they