Sports With the Highest Incidence of Injuries
Sports-Related Injuries in the United States
Sports are not without risk. In fact, almost two million people are hurt every year due to sports-related injuries. No one is spared, and approximately 1.35 million minors are seen in the emergency room annually due to an injury. There are many types of sports-related injuries, and some are more serious than others. They range from bruises and lacerations to fractures and traumatic brain injuries. It is important to maintain a safety profile to keep the number of injuries low. Let’s look at some common sports-related injuries in the country.
Basketball
Basketball injures more people than any other sport. It is one of the sports played by people under the age of 17. Close to 600,000 players are seen in the emergency room or doctors’ offices and treated for injuries annually and about 8,000 are hospitalized. Players are best off wearing elbow, knee and eye protection when they go out on the court.
Soccer Has Many Sports Injuries
Soccer is a sport that causes many injuries, and about 231,000 people are hurt every year playing it. It is also a sport where many children, aged five to 13, suffer injuries. It is important for coaches to ensure that players are taking all precautions to prevent head injuries.
Football Injuries Are Common
Yearly, about 500,000 people are seen in the emergency room and treated due to football-related injuries. Of these,10,000 football players are hospitalized. Traumatic brain injury is a serious consequence of playing football. Young players and professionals alike suffer TBIs that are accumulative. As the number of injuries occurs to a single player, serious brain conditions are likely to occur later in life.
Later in their career, many professional football players develop brain trauma that leads to a significant condition called CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy). They go on to develop loss of memory, depression and erratic behavior. Unfortunately, this condition can only be diagnosed after death with an autopsy. There is no treatment, and it can only be avoided by not suffering head injuries. It is important to wear safety equipment and to wear an approved helmet. Children should be taught to avoid head contact.
Cheerleaders Suffer Injuries Too
Cheerleading is a sport that requires extreme conditioning and gymnastic abilities. In those 12 to 17, there are 29,000 injuries associated with cheerleading. Unfortunately, 12 percent of them involved traumatic brain injuries. To succeed at cheerleading, the individual must be well-trained since protective devices are not available for this sport.
Ice Hockey Can Be Dangerous
Sports injuries associated with ice hockey number about 10,000 every year. In fact, of all sports, players suffer the greatest number of concussions at 31 percent. One way to cut down on the number of sports injuries while playing ice hockey is to limit head contact.
Travis Law Is Here For You in a Sports-Related Injury
If you or a member of your family suffers a sports-related injury, call the Travis Law Firm for help at (814) 277-2222 or contact us online. We will schedule a free case review and investigate the reasons behind the trauma. We can also be reached online.