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. 2017 Dec 12;5(12):2325967117740887.
doi: 10.1177/2325967117740887. eCollection 2017 Dec.

Epidemiology of Injuries Sustained as a Result of Intentional Player Contact in High School Football, Ice Hockey, and Lacrosse: 2005-2006 Through 2015-2016

Justin H Bartley  1 , Monica F Murray  2 , Matthew J Kraeutler  3 , Lauren A Pierpoint  2 , K Linnea Welton  1 , Eric C McCarty  1 , R Dawn Comstock  2
Affiliations

Epidemiology of Injuries Sustained as a Result of Intentional Player Contact in High School Football, Ice Hockey, and Lacrosse: 2005-2006 Through 2015-2016

Justin H Bartley et al. Orthop J Sports Med. .

Abstract

Background: Lacrosse and ice hockey are quickly growing in popularity, while football remains the most popular sport among high school student-athletes. Injuries remain a concern, given the physical nature of these contact sports.

Purpose: To describe the rates and patterns of injuries sustained as a result of intentional player contact in United States high school boys' football, ice hockey, and lacrosse.

Study design: Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of High School RIO (Reporting Information Online) data, including exposure and injury data collected from a large sample of high schools in the United States from 2005-2006 through 2015-2016. Data were analyzed to calculate rates, assess patterns, and evaluate potential risk factors for player-to-player contact injuries.

Results: A total of 34,532 injuries in boys' football, ice hockey, and lacrosse occurred during 9,078,902 athlete-exposures (AEs), for a rate of 3.80 injuries per 1000 AEs in the 3 contact sports of interest. The risk of injuries was found to be greater in competition compared with practice for all 3 sports, with the largest difference in ice hockey (rate ratio, 8.28) and the smallest difference in lacrosse (rate ratio, 3.72). In all 3 contact sports, the most commonly injured body site in competition and practice caused by both tackling/checking and being tackled/checked was the head/face. However, a significantly greater proportion of concussions sustained in football were the result of tackling compared with being tackled (28.2% vs 24.1%, respectively). In addition, a significantly greater proportion of concussions were sustained in competition compared with practice for all 3 sports.

Conclusion: This study is the first to collectively compare injury rates and injury patterns sustained from intentional player-to-player contact in boys' high school football, ice hockey, and lacrosse. Notably, there was a relatively high risk of injuries and concussions during football practices.

Keywords: High School RIO; football; ice hockey; injury; lacrosse.

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Conflict of interest statement

One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: E.C.M. receives royalties from Biomet and Elsevier; is a paid consultant for Biomet; and receives research support from Biomet, Mitek, Smith & Nephew, and Stryker. The HS RIO surveillance study was funded in part by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (grant Nos. R49/CE000674-01, R49/CE001172-01, R49/CE002106-01) as well as research funding contributions of the NFHS, NOCSAE, DonJoy Orthotics, and EyeBlack.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Football, ice hockey, and lacrosse time loss after an injury by type of player-to-player contact. Intentional player contact was defined as tackling or being tackled in football and checking or being checked in lacrosse and ice hockey. <1 week = includes athletes returning to activity in less than 1 day. Other = athlete choosing not to continue, athlete being released from the team, and other.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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