The First Decade of Web-Based Sports Injury Surveillance: Descriptive Epidemiology of Injuries in US High School Girls' Lacrosse (2008-2009 Through 2013-2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association Women's Lacrosse (2004-2005 Through 2013-2014)

Abstract

Context: The advent of Web-based sports injury surveillance via programs such as the High School Reporting Information Online (HS RIO) system and the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program (NCAA-ISP) has aided the acquisition of girls' and women's lacrosse injury data.

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of injuries sustained in high school girls' lacrosse in the 2008-2009 through 2013-2014 academic years and collegiate women's lacrosse in the 2004-2005 through 2013-2014-academic years using Web-based sports injury surveillance.

Design: Descriptive epidemiology study.

Setting: Online injury surveillance from high school girls' (annual average = 55) and collegiate women's (annual average = 19) lacrosse teams.

Patients or other participants: Female lacrosse players who participated in practices or competitions during the 2008-2009 through 2013-2014 academic years for high school or the 2004-2005 through 2013-2014 academic years for college.

Main outcome measure(s): Athletic trainers collected time-loss injury (≥24 hours) and exposure data. We calculated injury rates per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs), injury rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and injury proportions by body site and diagnosis.

Results: High school RIO documented 700 time-loss injuries during 481 687 AEs; the NCAA-ISP documented 1027 time-loss injuries during 287 856 AEs. The total injury rate during 2008-2009 through 2013-2014 was higher in college than in high school (2.55 versus 1.45/1000 AEs; IRR = 1.75; 95% CI = 1.54, 1.99). Most injuries occurred during competitions in high school (51.1%) and practices in college (63.8%). Rates were higher during competitions compared with practices in high school (IRR = 2.32; 95% CI = 2.00, 2.69) and college (IRR = 2.38; 95% CI = 2.09, 2.70). Concussion was the most common diagnosis among all high school and most collegiate player positions, and the main mechanism of contact was with a playing apparatus (eg, stick, ball). Ligament sprains were also common (HS RIO practices = 22.2%, competitions = 30.3%; NCAA-ISP practices = 25.5%, competitions = 30.9%).

Conclusions: Rates of injury were higher in college versus high school female lacrosse players and in competitions versus practices. Injury-prevention strategies are essential to decrease the incidence and severity of concussions and ligament sprains.

Keywords: concussion; females; injury surveillance.

Figure

Injury rates by year and type of athlete-exposure (AE) in high school girls' and collegiate women's lacrosse. Note: Annual average changes for linear trend test for injury rates are as follows: High School Reporting Information Online (RIO; practices = −0.07/1000 AEs, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −0.14, −0.01; competitions = −0.14/1000 AEs, 95% CI = −0.31, 0.04); National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program (NCAA-ISP) 2004–2005 through 2008–2009 (practices = −0.50/1000 AEs, 95% CI = −0.77, −0.22; competitions = −0.43/1000 AEs, 95% CI = −1.47, 0.60); NCAA-ISP 2009–2010 through 2013–2014 academic years (practices = −0.23/1000 AEs, 95% CI = −0.52, 0.05; competitions = −0.26/1000 AEs, 95% CI = −1.10, 0.58). A negative rate indicates a decrease in the annual average change between time spans, and a positive rate indicates an increase in the annual average change. The 95% CIs including 0.00 are not significant.