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  • 54 Incidence of sport-related internal organ injuries due to direct contact mechanisms among high school and collegiate athletic participants across three national surveillance systems

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54 Incidence of sport-related internal organ injuries due to direct contact mechanisms among high school and collegiate athletic participants across three national surveillance systems
  1. Kristen Kucera1,
  2. Dustin Currie2,
  3. Erin Wasserman3,
  4. Zachary Y Kerr1,
  5. Leah Thomas1,
  6. Stephen Paul4,
  7. Dawn Comstock5
  1. 1US Exercise and Sport Science Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  2. 2US Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health
  3. 3US Datalys Centre, Inc
  4. 4US Family and Community Medicine, University of Arizona
  5. 5US Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health

Abstract

Purpose Describe the incidence and characteristics of sport-related internal organ injuries due to direct contact mechanisms among high school (HS) and collegiate athletic participants from 2005/06–2014/15.

Methods Data from three national sports injury surveillance systems were analysed: High School Reporting Information Online (RIO; HS), National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program (ISP; college), and the National Centre for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research (NCCSIR; college and HS). Internal organ injuries were defined as: affecting the internal organs (e.g., kidney, lung); due to direct contact mechanism; resulting in medical care and time loss of 1 or more days (RIO and ISP) or temporary or permanent disability or death (NCCSIR). Descriptive statistics (stratified by surveillance system) included frequencies and incidence rates per 1,000,000 athlete-exposures and 95% confidence intervals (IR: 95% CI).

Results During the ten-year period, 174 internal organ injuries were captured across the three systems: 124 HS (RIO); 41 collegiate (ISP); and 9 catastrophic (NCCSIR). Most non-catastrophic internal organ injuries occurred among males (85% RIO; 89% ISP), in football (65% RIO; 58% ISP), during competition (67% RIO; 49% ISP) and due to player-player contact (78% RIO; 68% ISP). The highest rates of injury were in male contact sports: RIO: HS football (IR=11.7: 9.1–14.2), HS lacrosse (IR=10.0: 3.1–16.9); ISP: college football (IR=8.3: 5.0–11.6), college ice hockey (IR=7.9: 1.0–14.7). A quarter of internal organ injuries were season-ending (25% RIO; 23% ISP). Of the 9 catastrophic injuries (NCCSIR), most occurred in high school (7/9) and football (7/9) and were due to player-player contact (6/9). Four resulted in death and 5 resulted in disability.

Conclusions Direct contact internal organ injuries occur infrequently, yet when they do occur, may result in severe outcomes.

Significance These findings suggest early recognition and a better understanding of the activities associated with the event and use/non-use of protective equipment is needed.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/injuryprev-2017-042560.54

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