The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: Descriptive epidemiology of injuries in US high school girls’ softball (2005–2006 through 2013–2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association women’s softball (2004–2005 through 2013–2014)

Context: The advent of Web-based sports injury surveillance via programs such as the High School Reporting Information Online system and the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program has aided the acquisition of girls’ and women’s softball injury data. Objective: To describe the epidemiology of injuries sustained in high school girls’ softball in the 2005–2006 through 2013–2014 academic years and collegiate women’s softball in the 2004–2005 through 2013–2014 academic years using Web-based sports injury surveillance. Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Setting: Online injury surveillance from softball teams in high school girls (annual average ¼ 100) and collegiate women (annual average ¼ 41). Patients or Other Participants: Girls’ or women’s softball players who participated in practices and competitions during the 2005–2006 through 2013–2014 academic years in high school and the 2004–2005 through 2013–2014 academic years in college. Main Outcome Measure(s): Athletic trainers collected time-loss injury and exposure data. Injury rates per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs) were calculated. Injury rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) compared injury rates by competition level, school size or division, event type, and time in season. Results: The High School Reporting Information Online system documented 1357 time-loss injuries during 1 173 722 AEs; the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program documented 1848 time-loss injuries during 579 553 AEs. The injury rate was higher in college than in high school (3.19 versus 1.16/1000 AEs; IRR ¼ 2.76; 95% CI ¼ 2.57, 2.96). The competition injury rate was higher than the practice injury rate in high school (IRR ¼ 2.02; 95% CI ¼ 1.82, 2.25) and in college (IRR ¼ 1.39; 95% CI ¼ 1.27, 1.52). Softball players at both levels sustained a variety of injuries, with the most common being ankle sprains and concussions. Many injuries also occurred while fielding or running bases. Conclusions: Injury rates were greater in collegiate versus high school softball and in competitions versus practices. These findings highlight the need for injury-prevention interventions, including strength-training and prevention programs to reduce ankle sprains and provide protection for batters from pitches and fielders from batted balls

The first decade of web-based sports injury surveillance: Descriptive epidemiology of injuries in US high school boys’ baseball (2005–2006 through 2013–2014) and National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s baseball (2004–2005 through 2013–2014)

Context: The advent of Web-based sports injury surveillance via programs such as the High School Reporting Information Online system and the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program has aided the acquisition of boys’ and men’s baseball injury data. Objective: To describe the epidemiology of injuries sustained in high school boys’ baseball in the 2005–2006 through 2013–2014 academic years and collegiate men’s baseball in the 2004–2005 through 2013–2014 academic years using Web-based sports injury surveillance. Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Setting: Online injury surveillance from baseball teams in high school boys (annual average ¼ 100) and collegiate men (annual average ¼ 34). Patients or Other Participants: Boys’ or men’s baseball players who participated in practices and competitions during the 2005–2006 through 2013–2014 academic years in high school or the 2004–2005 through 2013–2014 academic years in college, respectively. Main Outcome Measure(s): Athletic trainers collected time-loss injury and exposure data. Injury rates per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs) were calculated. Injury rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) compared injury rates by schoolsize or division, time in season, event type, and competition level. Results: The High School Reporting Information Online system documented 1537 time-loss injuries during 1 573 257 AEs; the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program documented 2574 time-loss injuries during 804 737 AEs. The injury rate was higher in college than in high school (3.20 versus 0.98/1000 AEs; IRR ¼ 3.27; 95% CI ¼ 3.07, 3.49). The competition injury rate was higher than the practice injury rate in high school (IRR ¼ 2.27; 95% CI ¼ 2.05, 2.51) and college (IRR ¼ 2.32; 95% CI ¼ 2.15, 2.51). Baseball players at the high school and collegiate levels sustained a variety of injuries across the body, with the most common injuries reported to the upper extremity. Many injuries also occurred while fielding or pitching. Conclusions: Injury rates were greater in collegiate versus high school baseball and in competition versus practice. These findings highlight the need for injury-prevention interventions focused on reducing the incidence of upper extremity injuries and protecting batters from pitches and fielders from batted balls