Significant Reduction In Injuries Research Articles

Post-Offer Employment Testing and Its Impact on Health Care Costs for Employers.

To quantify the cost benefits associated with Post-Offer Employment Testing (POET). Cross-sectional analysis of 5 million individuals/480 million medical, prescription, absence, short- and long-term disability, property and casualty and workers' compensation claims. Individuals who received POET were statistically matched by company, position, age, and gender to candidates who did not. Significant injury reduction rates and integrated benefits cost savings were found in the cohort screened by POET. POET is an effective tool for the employer to manage health, disability, motor vehicle crash, at-work injury costs, and reduce turnover.

EFEITO DO TREINAMENTO DE FORÇA SOBRE A PREVENÇÃO DE LESÕES NO PESCOÇO EM ATLETAS DE ARTES MARCIAIS

ABSTRACT Introduction: As competitive martial arts develop rapidly, technical difficulty and training intensity continues increasing, neck injuries in athletes have also increased proportionally, attracting the attention of researchers. Localized strength training is used for rehabilitation, but there is no research related to prevention in athletes. Objective: Explore the neck strength training effect on neck injury prevention in martial arts athletes. Methods: 68 (34 male) volunteers attended the experiment randomly divided into control and experimental groups. Traditional training activities were practiced in the control group, while a strength training protocol was added in the experimental group. Indices of change in pain, motor quality, and neck disability index were compared. Results: After the test, the number of neck injuries in the control group was 23, compared to five in the experimental group; there is a significant difference. There was a significant reduction of injuries in the experimental group (P=0.05); one year later, the VAS score of the experimental group remained significantly lower than the same pre-experiment or control group. The neck dysfunction score of the experimental group was still significantly lower than the pre-experimental and control group; there was no statistically significant difference between the control group and the experimental group before the experiment. Conclusion: The adequate periodic neck strength training formulation has a significant preventive effect on neck injuries in martial arts athletes. Evidence Level II; Therapeutic Studies - Investigating the result.

Динаміка показників обхватних розмірів тіла спортсменів залежно від особливостей тренувальних програм бодібілдерів

The purpose of the study was to study the features of the influence of various training programs on increasing the volume of the body size of bodybuilders. Materials and methods. Theoretical analysis of scientific and methodological literature was used in the work. To assess the effectiveness of the impact of training loads on the muscular system of athletes, depending on the training programs used, we studied anthropometric indicators of the body. In the process of using this research method, the primary parameters of body length (cm), body weight (kg), girth dimensions (cm) and the dynamics of their changes during all stages of the study with a control interval of 1 mesocycle were recorded. Mathematical processing of research results was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 20 software. Results and discussion. The results of research indicate that the values of training loads of bodybuilders and the nature of their changes in the same level of training of athletes and the structure of training depend on the characteristics of the selected means of training (training programs). The analysis of the obtained results shows that in the conditions of application of the second variant of the training program the indicators of the working mass of the projectile of athletes change more significantly during the whole period of research. The results reaffirm our hypothesis that the predominant use of the method of "premature fatigue" in the training process of bodybuilders at the stage of specialized basic training contributes to a more significant increase in control compared to changes in body size that can be achieved during the use of the generally accepted training program in bodybuilding. At the same time, the use of the method of "premature fatigue" in the process of optimizing the training work of bodybuilders contributes to a significant reduction in injuries, especially at this stage of training. Conclusion. Thus, the results of the study indicate that the values of training load and the nature of their changes in the mesocycles of basic training, in conditions of approximately the same level of training and the same structure of training, depend on the characteristics of training programs, i.e. a certain sequence of exercises character in training sessions. During the research it was found that the use of the second version of the program in the process of training with alternating use of basic and formative exercises for no more than two microcycles of training allows to get the most positive overall growth in body muscle size (10.0% p. <0.05)

Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Incidence and Mortality Rate Due to Road Traffic Injury in Shiraz.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence and mortality rate of road traffic injuries in Shiraz, Iran.Methods:This cross-sectional study was performed on the data of patients who admitted by road traffic accidents 18 months before the outbreak of COVID-19 and 18 months after COVID-19 in the largest provider of trauma level 1 care services in southern Iran. SPSS 19 software was used to analyze the data.Results:A significant decrease of 12.8% was observed in the number of patients admitted by road traffic accidents during the COVID-19 pandemic period compared to the same period before the pandemic (p<0.0001). But the death toll from road traffic accidents has increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic period compared to the same period before the pandemic (p=0.01). Conclusion:Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, it seems that factors such as restrictions on suburban travel, closure of public and recreational spaces, reduction of intra-city traffic, people staying at home and a significant reduction in injuries caused by traffic accidents, is reasonable. On the other hand, these restrictions, quarantines, and COVID disease itself can lead to confusion, anxiety, fear of infection, and thus avoid or delay the search for health care and increase mortality. Therefore, planning and policy-making is essential in order to prepare the correct guidance for seeking treatment.

Injury characteristics of Indonesian para-athletes prior to Tokyo Olympics 2020: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Sports for people with disabilities and injuries have been the subject of discourse in the professional literature in the fields of traumatology and sports medicine. OBJECTIVE: This research aims to elucidate the injury characteristics of athletes in the Indonesian national team. The subject of this study were nine athletes (male=5, female=4) with males around the age of 28±9.13 and females 28±5.66 years. METHOD: The method approach is descriptive with a cross-sectional study technique using a questionnaire about injury history, types of injury, injury factors, and injury management for Indonesian Para Athletics Athletes who have competed in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Data analysis is depicted in numbers and percentages and Fisher's exact test to determine the relationship between variables. RESULTS: The study results reported that Indonesian athletes suffered injuries of the lower limbs (70%), part of the body that is frequently injured was the thigh (28%) and the type of injury that was often experienced sprain/twist. CONCLUSION: The injury characteristics in the sprint (track) category form a pattern of injuries to the thigh, Achilles tendon, ankle, and knee. There appears to be no correlation between gender, training frequency, injury share, match number, and warm-up type. The implication is that injury management is necessary before and during competition by considering biomechanics, pathophysiology, and psychosocial problems. Injury prevention strategies by coaches and medical teams should lead to more significant injury reduction and optimize athletes' health, safety, and well-being.

An Economic Evaluation of Disallowing Body Checking in 11- to 12-Year-Old Ice Hockey Leagues.

Background:After a national policy change in 2013 disallowing body checking in Pee Wee ice hockey games, the rate of injury was reduced by 50% in Alberta. However, the effect on associated health care costs has not been examined previously.Hypothesis:A national policy removing body checking in Pee Wee (ages 11-12 years) ice hockey games will reduce injury rates, as well as costs.Study Design:Cost-effectiveness analysis alongside cohort study.Level of Evidence:Level 3.Methods:A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted alongside a cohort study comparing rates of game injuries in Pee Wee hockey games in Alberta in a season when body checking was allowed (2011-2012) with a season when it was disallowed after a national policy change (2013-2014). The effectiveness measure was the rate of game injuries per 1000 player-hours. Costs were estimated based on associated health care use from both the publicly funded health care system and privately paid health care cost perspectives. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was conducted using bootstrapping.Results:Disallowing body checking significantly reduced the rate of game injuries (−2.21; 95% CI [−3.12, −1.31] injuries per 1000 player-hours). We found no statistically significant difference in public health care system (−$83; 95% CI [−$386, $220]) or private health care costs (−$70; 95% CI [−$198, $57]) per 1000 player-hours. The probability that the policy of disallowing body checking was dominant (with both fewer injuries and lower costs) from the perspective of the public health care system and privately paid health care was 78% and 92%, respectively.Conclusion:Given the significant reduction in injuries, combined with lower public health care system and private costs in the large majority of iterations in the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, our findings support the policy change disallowing body checking in ice hockey in 11- and 12-year-old ice hockey leagues.

Neuromuscular Training Warm-up Prevents Acute Noncontact Lower Extremity Injuries in Children's Soccer: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background:Prevention of sports injuries is essential in youth, as injuries are associated with less future physical activity and thus greater all-cause morbidity.Purpose:To investigate whether a neuromuscular training warm-up operated by team coaches is effective in preventing acute lower extremity (LE) injuries in competitive U11-U14 soccer players.Study Design:Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.Methods:Twenty top-level U11 to U14 soccer clubs in Finland were randomized into intervention and control groups and assessed for 20 weeks. Participants included 1403 players (280 female, 1123 male; age range, 9-14 years): 673 players (44 teams) in the intervention group and 730 players (48 teams) in the control group. The intervention group team coaches were introduced to a neuromuscular training warm-up to replace the standard warm-up 2 to 3 times per week. The control teams were asked to perform their standard warm-up. Injury data collection was done via weekly text messages. The primary outcome measure was a soccer-related acute LE injury, and the secondary outcome measure was an acute noncontact LE injury.Results:A total of 656 acute LE injuries occurred: 310 in the intervention group and 346 in the control group. The overall acute LE injury incidence was 4.4 per 1000 hours of exposure in the intervention group and 5.5 per 1000 hours of exposure in the control group, with no significant difference between groups (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.82 [95% CI, 0.64-1.04]). There were 302 acute noncontact LE injuries: 129 in the intervention group (incidence, 1.8 per 1000 hours) and 173 in the control group (2.7 per 1000 hours). A significant reduction in acute noncontact LE injuries of 32% (IRR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.51-0.93]) was observed in the intervention group compared with the control group. Furthermore, significant reductions in injury incidence in favor of the intervention group were seen in the subanalyses of acute noncontact LE injuries, leading to ≤7 days of time loss and fewer ankle and joint/ligament injuries.Conclusion:A neuromuscular training warm-up operated by team coaches was found to be effective in preventing acute noncontact LE injuries in children’s soccer, but this was not seen in all acute LE injuries.Clinical Relevance:We encourage children’s soccer coaches and health care professionals to implement neuromuscular training warm-up in youth sports.Registration:ISRCTN14046021 (ISRCTN registry).

Safety as a key aspect in the creation of motor vehicles

In this article, the authors attempt to define vehicle safety. They indicate selected elements of passive safety, which in their opinion contribute to a significant reduction in injury to those involved in various road accidents. The goal is to prove the following thesis: Safety is a key aspect of vehicle design. The results obtained during frontal collisions and presented by NHTSA in twelve reports are analysed. Six of these reports are from 1993-1997, the rest are from 2011-2016. In the final part of this work the authors indicate potential ways of developing safety in vehicles. Keywords: Vehicle safety, crumple zones, passive safety

In Search of Concrete Outcomes-A Systematic Review on the Effectiveness of Educational Interventions on Reducing Acute Occupational Injuries.

Education is a common strategy used to prevent occupational injuries. However, its effectiveness is often measured using surrogate measures instead of true injury outcomes. To evaluate the effectiveness of workplace educational interventions, we selectively analyzed studies that reported injury outcomes (PROSPERO ID: CRD42019140631). We searched databases for peer-reviewed journal articles and sources of grey literature such as abstracts, registered trials, and theses published between 2000 and 2019. Studies on educational interventions that reported fatal or non-fatal occupational injury outcomes were selected. Two reviewers independently and in duplicate screened the studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. Heterogeneity in the data precluded meta-analysis, and the results were reviewed narratively. In total, 35 studies were included. Of which, 17 found a significant reduction in injuries, most of which featured a multifaceted approach or non-didactic education. The remaining studies either described equivocal results or did not report statistical significance. Overall, interventions in the manufacturing industry were more effective than those in the construction sector. Risk of bias among included studies was moderate to high. In conclusion, educational interventions could be an effective part of multifaceted injury prevention programs. However, over-reliance on didactic education alone is not advised.

Injury prevention in futsal players: is the FIFA 11+ a simple answer to a complex problem?

Background: Futsal is considered to be the world’s fastest growing indoor sport. Being a multiple-sprints sport, with a high intensity level of play, the players are submitted to high risk of injury. The fast growth in the rates of futsal participation is increasing the awareness and concern regarding the public health significance of futsal injuries.Objectives: This narrative review aims to provide an overview of the specificities of futsal, injury incidence in futsal, and current evidence regarding the effects of injury prevention programs, focusing on the FIFA 11+, in futsal and football.Major Findings: Futsal involves a considerable number of high-intensity phases in terms of proportion of match time, which may help to justify a high rate of injuries in futsal. The most prevalent time-loss injuries in futsal are the ankle sprain, groin and thigh strains. Injury prevention programs have led to significant reduction in injuries amongst football players. The majority of studies performed so far in football players to analyze the risk of injuries with the FIFA11+ showed significant risk reductions; there is a clear need for studies in futsal players, as only one study was identified showing a reduction of overall, acute and lower limb injuries during the season. Four studies assessed the impact of the FIFA11+ on physical performance in futsal players, showing positive results in knee muscle strength.Conclusions: Considering that the main injury in futsal is the ankle sprain, the injury risk reduction observed in football and futsal players after the FIFA 11+, and the positive effects of the program in some physical parameters (e.g. muscle strength) in futsal players, it seems reasonable to suggest the use of the FIFA 11+ to reduce injury risk in futsal players.

Development of flexible particle-laden elastomeric textiles with improved penetration resistance to hypodermic needles

Needle stick injuries are a major concern for workers in hospitals, service and hospitality sectors. Current prevention strategies include double/triple gloving reduce flexibility significantly and also do not provide a significant reduction in injuries as desired. Here, we develop a new particle-laden elastomer using colloidal silica (CS) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) which when coated onto high-density polyethylene (HDPE) woven fabric shows a remarkable 90% increase in specific penetration resistance force (SPRF) to hypodermic needles as compared to the neat fabric. We show that the resistance to penetration is dependent on the concentration of the hard silica particles and hypothesize that a percolation network of connected particles form upon impact that distributes the load and provides high resistance. We term this phenomenon as elastic jamming. Furthermore, we also show that by adding silicon carbide nanoparticles to CS increases the SPRF to 110% of neat fabric. A two-layer stack of the same treated fabric was able to completely prevent the penetration of a 21 G needle at a speed of 50 cm/min in about one-third of the performed experiments. These results demonstrate that impregnation of textiles with these nanocomposites can be an attractive method for the manufacture of needle stick penetration resistant garments.

Higher compliance to a neuromuscular injury prevention program improves overall injury rate in male football players.

The 11+ injury prevention program has been shown to decrease injury rate. However, few studies have investigated compliance and if it is correlated to time loss. The purpose of this study was to (1) analyze how differences in compliance may impact injury rate and (2) if compliance may impact time loss due to injury. This study was a Level 1 prospective cluster randomized controlled trial conducted in NCAA men's football (soccer) teams that examined the efficacy of the 11+ injury prevention program. The two outcome variables examined were number of injuries and number of days missed from competition. Twenty-seven teams (n = 675 players) used the 11+ program. Compliance, injuries and time loss were recorded. There were three compliance categories, low (LC, 1-19 doses/season), moderate (MC, 20-39 doses/season), and high (HC, > 40 doses/season). There was a significant difference among the groups for injuries, p = 0.04, pη2 = 0.23. The LC group [mean (M) = 13.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) 9.82-16.68, injury rate (IR) = 10.35 ± 2.21] had a significantly higher injury rate than the HC group (M = 8.33, 95%CI 6.05-10.62, IR = 10.35 ± 2.21), p = 0.02. The MC group (M = 11.21, 95%CI 9.38-13.05, IR = 8.55 ± 2.46) was not significantly different than the LC group, p = 0.29, but was significantly greater than the HC group, p = 0.05. When examined as a continuous variable, compliance was significantly negatively related to injury rate (p = 0.004). It was also significantly negatively related to number of days missed (p = 0.012). When compliance was high, there was a significant reduction in injury and time loss. This evidence reinforces the importance of consistent injury prevention program utilization. Clinically, these findings have important implications when discussing the importance of consistent utilization of an injury prevention protocol in sport. Level 1-Randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Adrenergic and metabolic effects of electrical weapons: review and meta-analysis of human data

Electronic control with the CEW (conducted electrical weapon) has gained widespread acceptance as the preferred force option due to its significant injury reduction. However, a CEW application does stress the human body. In the case of the CEW, the human body response is similar to the challenge of physical exercise combined with emotional stress over a very short time interval. There has been concern whether the tension of the skeletal-muscle system together with the emotional stress of being exposed to the effects of a CEW, can lead to severe metabolic dysfunction. A systematic and careful search of the MedLine database was performed to find publications describing pathophysiological effects of CEWs. Additional publications were collected through a manual search of reference lists in retrieved articles. After preliminary exclusions, we carefully reviewed the remaining publications and found 24 papers reporting prospective human clinical research data on adrenergic, ventilation, or metabolic effects. Where there were multiple studies on the same endpoints, we performed meta-analyses. A CEW exposure provides a clinically insignificant increase in heart rate (7.5BPM) and a drop in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Alpha-amylase goes down but cortisol levels increase-both epinephrine and norepinephrine levels are increased by levels similar to mild exercise. A CEW exposure increases ventilation but does not appear to interfere with gas exchange. Lactate is increased slightly while the pH is decreased slightly with changes equivalent to mild exercise. The lactate and pH changes appear quickly and do not appear to be affected by increasing the exposure duration from 5 to 30s. Thorough review and meta-analyses show that electrical weapon exposures have mixed and mild adrenergic effects. Ventilation is increased and there are metabolic changes similar to mild exercise.

The effects of drinking and driving laws on car crashes, injuries, and deaths: Evidence from Chile

This paper analyzes the effects of lowering the legal blood alcohol content limit for drivers from 0.05 to 0.03 grams of alcohol per deciliter of blood (g/dL) and increasing license suspension periods for offenders. We take advantage of a rich data set of administrative records that allow us to identify direct measures of accidents involving alcohol including fatalities and injuries. Results show a significant decrease of 32% in alcohol-related car accidents right after the law was approved but the effects moderate over time (15% after three years). There is also a significant reduction in injuries (31% right after the approval and 11% after three years) but no statistically significant effects on deaths. Complementary analysis of blood samples shows that the law had an effect on blood alcohol content (BAC) of male drivers up to the 90th percentile of the BAC distribution.

DOES HIGHER COMPLIANCE TO THE FIFA 11+ INJURY PREVENTION PROGRAM IMPROVE OVERALL INJURY RATE IN MALE SOCCER (FOOTBALL) PLAYERS?

BackgroundThe FIFA 11+ program can decrease the rate of injury in athletes. Few studies have investigated the role of compliance and if it is correlated to time loss due to...

Drugs, guns and cars: how far we have come to improve safety in the United States; yet we still have far to go.

Significant breakthroughs in the field of injury prevention and childhood safety have occurred during the past half-century. For example, the Poison Prevention Packaging Act of 1970 and the institution of child passenger safety laws are responsible for a significant reduction in injuries among children and adolescents. This review will focus on the following three topics because of their significant contribution to pediatric injury morbidity, especially among adolescents, and their promise for further effective prevention research. Opioid overdoses by adolescents and young adults are increasing; however, the use of naloxone by bystanders represents a life-saving development in opioid overdose prevention that deserves further investigation. Youth firearm injury remains a major cause of death and disability in adolescents. Despite a lack of robust injury prevention research on the topic, the development of novel approaches to access and examine firearm injury data is leading to exploration of public health approaches to reduce these injuries. Finally, despite legislative and educational efforts surrounding child passenger safety and graduated driver license laws, motor vehicle crashes are still a leading cause of injury for both children and adolescents; however, research on these laws holds the opportunity for significant reduction in injuries. Focused efforts to reduce unintentional injuries from opiate overdoses, firearms and motor vehicle crashes may produce a breakthrough in the field of injury prevention similar to that of the Poison Prevention Packaging Act.

New prospectives for a right interpretation of the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of forensic toxicological analysis in subjects involved in car accidents in Rome

This paper analyzes the effects of lowering the legal blood alcohol content limit for drivers from 0.05 to 0.03 grams of alcohol per deciliter of blood (g/dL) and increasing license suspension periods for offenders. We take advantage of a rich data set of administrative records that allow us to identify direct measures of accidents involving alcohol including fatalities and injuries. Results show a significant decrease of 32% in alcohol-related car accidents right after the law was approved but the effects moderate over time (15% after three years). There is also a significant reduction in injuries (31% right after the approval and 11% after three years) but no statistically significant effects on deaths. Complementary analysis of blood samples shows that the law had an effect on blood alcohol content (BAC) of male drivers up to the 90th percentile of the BAC distribution.

Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Functionalization with High Molecular Weight Hyaluronan Significantly Reduces Pulmonary Injury.

Commercialization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)-based applications has been hampered by concerns regarding their lung toxicity potential. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a ubiquitously found polysaccharide, which is anti-inflammatory in its native high molecular weight form. HA-functionalized smart MWCNTs have shown promise as tumor-targeting drug delivery agents and can enhance bone repair and regeneration. However, it is unclear whether HA functionalization could reduce the pulmonary toxicity potential of MWCNTs. Using in vivo and in vitro approaches, we investigated the effectiveness of MWCNT functionalization with HA in increasing nanotube biocompatibility and reducing lung inflammatory and fibrotic effects. We utilized three-dimensional cultures of differentiated primary human bronchial epithelia to translate findings from rodent assays to humans. We found that HA functionalization increased stability and dispersion of MWCNTs and reduced postexposure lung inflammation, fibrosis, and mucus cell metaplasia compared with nonfunctionalized MWCNTs. Cocultures of fully differentiated bronchial epithelial cells (cultivated at air-liquid interface) and human lung fibroblasts (submerged) displayed significant reduction in injury, oxidative stress, as well as pro-inflammatory gene and protein expression after exposure to HA-functionalized MWCNTs compared with MWCNTs alone. In contrast, neither type of nanotubes stimulated cytokine production in primary human alveolar macrophages. In aggregate, our results demonstrate the effectiveness of HA functionalization as a safer design approach to eliminate MWCNT-induced lung injury and suggest that HA functionalization works by reducing MWCNT-induced epithelial injury.

The combined effect of vehicle frontal design, speed reduction, autonomous emergency braking and helmet use in reducing real life bicycle injuries

Vulnerable road users as bicyclists and pedestrians account for a significant share of fatalities and serious injuries in the road transport system. Traditionally, the protection for bicyclists has been addressed by speed management and separating vulnerable road users from motorized traffic. Also, the use of bicycle helmet has been prompted and regulated in some countries. Pedestrian protection by improving the car fontal design has been around since the late 1990s and has proven to be effective in reducing injury risk on pedestrians (Strandroth et al., 2011) as well as on bicyclists (Strandroth et al., 2014). Pedestrian detection with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) has also been introduced on the market to prevent and mitigate pedestrian and bicyclist injuries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the different interventions promoting safety for vulnerable road users, and an additional purpose was to look at the combined effect of the interventions. Swedish emergency hospital reports from approximately 2000 bicyclists and 1200 pedestrians between Jan 1st 2003 and March 2014 were included in the study. Hospital reports including injury diagnosis were combined with police data and the vehicle registry in order to obtain detailed vehicle information. Euro NCAP pedestrian test score, speed limit restriction and helmet use was correlated with real-life pedestrian and bicyclist injuries. The results showed that on pedestrians, large injury reductions were found comparing low scoring cars (1–9p) in the Euro NCAP pedestrian test to high scoring cars (>18p). Also for bicyclists significant injury reductions were found. Focusing on bicyclist’s injury level, large reductions were found on all body regions, with the highest reduction on head injuries. The effect of speed limit restriction showed few statistically significant results, although across both pedestrian and bicyclist injuries the trends showed overall small but positive effects. The effect of helmet use on bicyclist injuries was investigated both on individual level and on head injury level. Helmet showed to significantly reduce the risk of head injuries. However, on individual level, the results were quiet conflicting, and only on mRPMI10+ level a positive and statistically significant reduction was found. The calculated combined effect of speed-reduction, helmet-use and car frontal design was 79%. Also, preliminary calculations, based on a limited number of cases, and including both bicyclists and pedestrians, showed that when adding the effect of AEB, the risk of long-term impairment decreased by more than 90%.

Time Trends in Incidence and Severity of Injury among NCAA Soccer Players, 1990–1996 and 2004–2009

People under age 25 years comprise the largest cohort of soccer players in the U.S.; yet, the descriptive epidemiology of injury in this age group is limited. Moreover, there have been few analyses of injury occurrence across time that would allow investigators to monitor trends in response to changing practices and policies. PURPOSE: To identify trends in injury incidence and severity between two time periods (1990-1996 and 2004-2009) in NCAA soccer players. METHODS: Data were analyzed from the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System (NCAA-ISS). As per data collection guidelines, injury incidence was defined as: 1) any injury event that occurred during participation in an intercollegiate game or practice; 2) that required medical attention; and 3) restricted participation or performance for >1 day beyond the event. To account for varying levels of playing exposure among the athletes we calculated Athlete-Exposure (AE), defined as a single athlete participating in a single practice or competition with any probability of injury. Incidence density then was calculated as the number of events per 1000 AE within each time period. The rate ratio (RR), along with the 95% confidence interval (CI), compared incidence density and severity in 2004-2009 relative to 1990-1996. RESULTS: Overall injury rates were significantly lower in the 2004-2009 cohort compared with the 1990-1996 cohort [RR=0.88 (95%CI=0.86, 0.91)] and this was true for almost every category of injury studied. The lower rates were especially noticeable for recurrent injuries [RR=0.62 (95%CI=0.57, 0.68)], short-term injuries [RR=0.69 (95%CI=0.67, 0.72)] and for injuries requiring surgery [RR=0.35 (95%CI=0.29, 0.41)]. There was also a significant reduction in injuries occurring during games, particularly during the second half [RR=0.69 (95%CI: 0.66, 0.73)]. In contrast, we observed a significant increase in rates of long-term (>7 days of lost time) injuries between the two time periods [RR=1.33 (95%CI=1.27, 1.40)]. CONCLUSIONS: Given the prominence of soccer play in the United States, public health efforts should promote the use of this surveillance system to better inform and evaluate injury prevention practices and policies directed toward player safety.